Dec 14, 2018
His interest in wrestling surfaced in 1922 from deep in the
waters of San Francisco Bay. After more than half a century of
service to the sport, Dr. Albert deFerrari's impact on wrestling
had spanned the globe.
His first exposure to the sport followed a shipwreck near the
Golden Gate. The ship's cargo of cotton was declared free to any
takers. Already a champion swimmer and diver, deFerrari retrieved a
truckload. The mothers of his neighborhood then remade the
wrestling mats of the area, stuffing in the free cotton and sewing
the canvas covers with heavy thread.
Such interest attracted the attention of the young San Francisco
dentist. Soon he would become involved in promoting wrestling in
the storied Olympic Club, and would nurture the sport until the
club became of national renown on the mats.
Dr. Al never lost his innovative approach. While serving more than
two decades on the U. S. Olympic Committee and the International
Wrestling Federation, he brought about this country's first
exchange series with Japan and the Soviet Union and inaugurated the
Junior World Championships.
When USA Wrestling was founded in 1968, he was an inspirational
leader and a close liaison with the international leaders of the
sport until his death in 1976.
His greatest contribution came during the late 1950s when he
rescued the vague and indecisive international rules from their
pointless pattern. Because of his efforts, the international
federation accepted the scoring of points for takedowns, stopping
of the clock for out-of-bounds, and requirements that even the
touch-fall must be controlled by the offensive wrestler. Even a
shipload of waterlogged cotton had been easier to salvage from the
depths.
For a lifetime of leadership in the development of wrestling, and
for his impact on modernization of the sport, Dr. Albert deFerrari
is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall
of Fame.
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