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UWO wrestling alumni get spot on Wall of Fame
Josip Mrkoci and Egon Beiler will be getting their spot on the wall during the dinner at the Greenhills Golf Club. The Wrestling Wall of Fame, established in 1985 to recognize outstanding contribution and achievement to Western's wrestling program, has 26 inductees to date. New alumni are inducted every two years. Mustang wrestling has a strong and rich tradition of history dating back to the 1930s. The Wrestling Wall of Fame was made possible by past coaches Earle Zeigler, Mike Yuhasz and Glynn Leyshon. Josip Mrkoci Josip Mrkoci has virtually done it all in wrestling - as an athlete, coach, official and builder. He recently organized and brought the Commonwealth Championship to London (July 16-17) and has been referred to as the "pillar" of Commonwealth wrestling. As chair of the Commonwealth Amateur Wrestling Association, which he co-founded in 1985, he has promoted, developed and provided stability of the sport in the Commonwealth over the past 22 years. Mrkoci wrestled as a Mustang in the 70s, winning the OUAA individual gold at 158 lbs., and winning a CIAU silver in 1973. He became head coach of the Mustangs in 1980 for two seasons, and he was a member of the national coaching staff from 1978-83 before leading the London-Western Wrestling Club to a junior national team title in 1978 and senior team titles in 1979 and 1980. He continues to coach with Western and the London-Western club where he also is a board member. Mrkoci served as President of the Ontario Amateur Wrestling Association from 1990-93, and he was instrumental in hosting the 1993 World Wrestling Championships in Toronto. He was an Olympic official at the 1976 Montreal Games and was inducted into the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Association Hall of Fame in 2000. Egon Beiler Egon Beiler is considered one of Canada's best all-time wrestlers. He was a World Cup champion in 1976, Pan American Games champion in 1974, and a two-time Commonwealth Games champion in 1974 and 1978. He was a member of three Olympic teams in 1972, 1976 and 1980. From 1972-1980, Beiler competed in 82 international matches winning 67 per cent of them - an outstanding feat by a Canadian during those times. He holds 11 National Open titles from 1971-1980 in both freestyle and Greco-Roman styles, in addition to three CIAU titles in 1974, 1975 and 1977. Beiler coached at University of Waterloo for two years from 1982-1983. He is a member of numerous Hall of Fames including, the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Association Hall of Fame (inducted 1989), Western's "W" Club Hall of Fame (inducted 1996) and the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (inducted 1983). He is a graduate of Western's dentistry program and currently practices in Kitchener, his hometown. What: Wrestling Alumni Dinner Where: Greenhills Golf Club, London When: Monday July 9, 2007 (6:30 p.m. social, 7:00 p.m. dinner) Cost: $50.00 per person Note: The Wrestling Alumni Golf tournament will precede the Dinner (1:30 pm tee-off) For more information, or to attend, please contact: Ray Takahashi (519) 661-2111 ext. 85078 or e-mail (see link) E-MAIL: Ray Takahashi |
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