Six will be inducted into the Tennessee Chapter of theNational Wrestling Hall of Fame for Lifetime Service Award for dedication to wrestling.
The induction will be held Oct. 13 at the Crowne Plaza in Knoxville. The reception wil be at 6 p.m. with the induction to follow at 7.
INDUCTEES:
Bill Brimer: Head Coach at Greeneville High School (1996 to present), current pastor and youth minister, coached at Bristol and Morristown West (16 years), 490 Dual meet wins, as an athlete placed 4th in NCCAA shot put.
Don Elia: Head coach at Carson-Newman College (30 years), Maryville College (7 years) coached nine top-ten team in the NAIA, coached 76 All-Americans and 22 individual National Championships, coached and/or trained 4 current college coaches and more than 15 current high school coaches. Coached at Hackettstown (N.J.) High School, previous Hall of Fame inductions: NAIA and Maryville College,
Mark Humphrey: Head Coach at Maryville High School (1977 to present), coached at Tullahoma High School, 426 Dual meet wins, coached six region championship teams and 7 teams that qualified for the state dual meet tournament, coached numerous individual state place finishers.
Bob Maher: (1901-1997) Tennessee’s “First wrestling coach”, organized Knoxville YMCA wrestling team in the 1920’s and continued to coach the team for over 40 year’s taking teams to southern and national competition, instrumental in starting UT’s wrestling program in 1970.
Pete Stafford: School Administrator and Athletic Director, Teacher, Coach, Referee for almost 50 years, started programs at three high schools, TSSAA Legislative Council including 3 years as vice –president, previously inducted into 5 Halls of Fame including TSSAA, Knoxville Sports, and Maryville College.
Chris Vandergriff: Former Head Coach at Halls High School (23 years), coached team to State Dual-meet finals, coached individual state champions including his son (John), one of the pioneers in developing and continuing middle school and kids wrestling programs in the area, 305 Dual meet wins, 2-time state champ.
Josh Wheeler “Medal of Courage Winner”: All-American triathlete and Southeastern Junior Triathlete of the Year ’06 and ’07, State wrestling finalist, member of Team TN National wrestling team, Varsity cross-country Appalachian State University, generated over $10,000 for cancer research.
For reservations, send check or money order for $45 per person payable to "Hall of Fame” to:
Hall of Fame
Darrel Lauderdale
134 Vanderview Drive
Seymour, TN 37865
Deadline for reservations is October 9th. When paid at the same time, multiple reservations may be made for up to 10 persons per table.
You may also include tax-deductible donations to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in the name of one or more of the inductees. Recognition for such donations will be printed in the Banquet program.
If you have questions, please contact TNWHOF@yahoo.com.
(E-mail Stan Crawley at wscrawley@earthlink.net)