Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Pomona Pitzer

 I hate to keep adding to the long list of discontinued wrestling programs in the state of California, but Pomona Pitzer makes yet another school that used to have wrestling that no longer does. 

Axel Borg 

Known as one of the most knowledgeable individuals on Wine & Food in the entire country,  Axel Borg a Bibliographer & librarian wrestled & played football at Pomona-Pitzer. 

Sean Tavitigian 

Tavitigian had an outstanding career while at Pomona-Pitzer makign the SCIAC finals as a freshman, winning titles as a sophomore & junior, placing third as a senior. 

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Southwestern Oklahoma State

 When it comes to collegiate wrestling the state of Oklahoma with the domination of the Oklahoma State Cowboys & the Oklahoma Sooners at NCAA Division I & the competitiveness of Central Oklahoma at NCAA Division II, it more than holds its place as a "wrestling state."  Had the Bulldogs of Southwestern Oklahoma State never dropped their wrestling program, they too would be in the discussion. 

An hour and a half from Norman & two hours from Stillwater, the Bulldogs used to dual the both the Sooners & and Cowboys on regular occasions.  

Arnold "Swede" Umbach 

One of the most prolific names in the sport of wrestling,  Arnold "Swede" Umbach wrestled collegiately for Southwestern Oklahoma State.  During his time as a Bulldog he won four conference titles.  He then coached wrestling at the high school level for a while, before taking over the program at Auburn.  He led the Tigers to an impressive dual record of 249-28, winning twenty five of twenty six Southeastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (SEIWA) titles & producing 128 individual SEIWA champions.  

He was also the brain-child behind the SEC (Southeastern Conference) deciding to officially sponsor wrestling, which they did from 1969-1970 through 1980-1981.  In many ways Swede Umbach was the father of growing wrestling in the south as during his time many colleges & universities took up wrestling.  

Unfortunately & some will blame Title IX as others like myself will blame greedy football coaches like Charlie Pell & Pat Dye, much of the work Umbach did was erased through the discontinuations of many of these wrestling programs.   Nearly every team that competed in the SEIWA tournaments & every team that competed in the SEC, no longer has wrestling.   

Nevertheless there was a time when the schools in the south DID have wrestling programs & coach Umbach had a lot to do with why. 

Ralph Teague

A three time conference champion, Teague went 50-3 during his career at Southwestern Oklahoma State.  He earned a spot on the 1936 Olympic team, but was unable to compete due to a knee injury. 

Arthur Sweet

Arthur Sweet got the job done regardless of the location.  In the classroom Sweet recorded the highest GPA of any student that had ever attended Southwestern Oklahoma State when he graduated.  On the football field he helped the Bulldogs to a 1933 conference championship.  As a wrestler, he won PAN-American gold.  He later stated the wrestling program at Northern Oklahoma College. (Unfortunately it too has since been dropped). 

Ernie Stout 

Stout won the 1937 NCAA wrestling championship & later became heavily involved in the Los Angeles Athletic Club's wrestling team before going into a life of teaching & eventually taking on the role of Superintendent. 

Foy Stout

Foy Stout earned two NCAA All American honors during his time as a Bulldog.  After taking runner-up honors in 1933, he finished third in 1934. 

He would then spend the next 38 years at Sulphur High school where he taught science & industrial arts while coaching football, wrestling & baseball. 

M.L. Sims 

M.L. Sims was a force to be reckoned with on both the gridiron and the wrestling mat.  Named All-Conference in Football, he won a conference title in wrestling in 1939.  Post college he served our country as a member of the Navy in World War II.  He later became Principal at  Roosevelt High School. 

Orville Long 

Long spent three years in the Navy During World War II before enrolling at Southwestern Oklahoma State on the G.I. Bill.   Taking up football, wrestling & baseball, he excelled at all three.  On the football field, he once caught a 95 yard pass & scored a touch down in a victory over Central Oklahoma. A record that stood long after it happened.   As a wrestler he won a conference title.  

He then taught & coached at Cordell High school, where he reinstated the wrestling program that had laid dormant for over twenty years.   We sadly lost Long in 1995. 

Steve England 

Another standout athlete for Southwestern Oklahoma State was Steve England who stood out as much on the mat as he did on the gridiron.  As a football player, he was named All-Conference in 1932, 1933 & 1934.  He helped lead his team to conference titles in 1932 & 1933.  He was so good that the Detroit Lions offered him a contract immediately after his senior season was complete, but England turned it down because he had his heart sat on teaching and coaching instead. 

As a wrestler he won four conference titles & earned NCAA All American honors twice.  In 1934 as a junior he finished in third place, making the NCAA finals as a senior in 1935.  The next year he was a member of the Olympic Team.  
 

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Eastern Mennonite

 Another program that the state of Virginia has lost over the years, this one in Harrisonburg, the Royals at one time had a wrestling program. 

Glenn Metzler 

Metzler competed for the Royals during a time when the school was not participating in post-season events.  He went 26-0 during his career. 

Ross Hostetler 

One of the best wrestlers in Royals history was Ross Hostetler.  During his career he won Old Dominion Athletic Conference titles in 77', 78' & 79'.   

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Hampden-Sydney

 Seems that in recent years the state of Virginia has been hit hard with discontinuations of wrestling programs.  Hampden-Sydney dropped their wrestling program long ago & then reinstated it, only to drop it again.  I would think that their would be more to find on the wrestling program, but I wasn't able to come up with much. 

Ray Dodson 

Ray Dodson of course is more celebrated for his performances on the football field than he is for his performances on the mat, but he did go 34-5 with all of his losses at the NCAA tournament as a wrestler.  As a football player he was named All-Mason Dixon conference three years straight & an All American.  He helped lead his team as captain during their Mason Dixon Conference title season. 

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Claremont Mudd Scripps

 The Stags at one time had a wrestling program.  As to when it started or when it ended, that I do not know.  What I can tell you are two of their best wrestlers. 

John Lucas

Lucas was a three time Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) champion during his career at Claremont Mudd Scripps.  He qualified for the NAIA championships in the same seasons of 1971, 1972 & 1973.   Named outstanding wrestler of the 1972 SCIAC, he finished his career with a record of 77-6. 

Mark Buchanan

Also a member of the Football Program, Buchanan made three trips to the NAIA championships during his career at Claremont Mudd Scripps, winning SCIAC titles in 1971 & 1973. 

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = British Columbia

 Located in Vancouver, British Columbia the University of British Columbia has been used for various television and film sets throughout the years & at one time fielded a wrestling program.  

Bob Laycoe

Arguably the best wrestler in Thunderbird history would have to be Bob Laycoe.  Winner of four Western Canadian titles (like winning a conference title here in the United States), Laycoe was also a University champion.  

Post college he represented Canada in the Commonwealth Games & he later became head coach at British Columbia. 

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = McGill

 I'm not sure if I'm allowed to add McGill to my overall list of teams in my Gone, Lost & Forgotten series.  As far as I'm concerned ALL college wrestling programs we've lost should count, but I know some would disagree considering that McGill is a Canadian team.   |

McGill no longer has wrestling program & I cannot tell you when they dropped.  What I can tell you though is that at one time they were fairly competitive. 

Walter "Wally" Kowal 

Born in Ukraine, Wally Kowal came to Montreal as a small child & soon took up football & wrestling.  His athletic skills led him to McGill where he was a member of the football team & wrestling team.  As a wrestler he won four University championships (Like an NCAA or NAIA title here in the United States) while studying to be a Dentist.  What is most impressive is what he had to do in order to win his final University title.   His final examinations were the night before the  University championships.  After taking his test, he had to drive himself 5 hours that night, go right to bed and wake up a few hours later to wrestle.  He passed his test with flying colors & he won his fourth title. 

Later Kowal became a dentist in Montreal & served his community for many years.  Kowal sadly passed away in 2007. 

Howard Stupp

Another four time University champion for McGill was Howard Stupp, who was also named outstanding wrestler in two of the championships as well.  Post his collegiate career, Stupp won PAN-American Gold twice in 1975 & 1979.  He was also a gold medalist in the Maccabiah Games.