Induction day for the next ten members of the City-Catholic Wrestling Association Hall of Fame is
The founders of the City-Catholic Wrestling Association knew the men they wrestled with and against were a part of Section V wrestling history.
CCWA vice-president Oscar Winbush and president Leo Rhodes decided they would help point this out and put a spotlight again on the former standouts in the City-Catholic and Interscholastic Leagues.
The CCWA plans to induct its seventh hall of fame class during its annual City-Catholic Wrestlers Reunion Picnic Aug. 21, 1-6 p.m. at the Millennium Lodge in Greece Canal Park. This year class includes 10:
Vince Baiamonte II: Section V 167-pound champion at McQuaid in 1979 was a two-time league champion in his weight class.
Mike Barker: Former Fairport varsity and JV coach was a league champion at Bishop Kearney in 1981.
Salvatore Bentivegna: Mr. Bentivegna was the 1959 Interscholastic League unlimited weight champion while at Madison.
Charles Caleo: Edison graduate was Interscholastic League champion at two weights, 120 in 1960 and 127 in 1961.
Martin Cangialosi: City-Catholic League champion at 145 and 155 while at Jefferson in 1970 and 1971.
Larry Dunham: Two-time league champion at Edison won the 1975 Section V overall and Class AAA tournaments at 112.
James George: Mr. George won back-to-back Interscholastic League titles at 154 in 1958 and 1959 while at Madison.
Tom Lachiusa: 1973 City-Catholic champ at 138 was voted the top collegiate wrestler in all divisions in 1977 after he left Edison.
Melvin Washington: Standout at Franklin won two Interscholastic League weight titles and the 1965 Section V Class A title at 165.
Roy Washington: Mr. Washington, a two-time Interscholastic League champion at Monroe, won the 1963 Section V Class A title at 145.
All of the CCWA inductees are listed inside Red Fedele’s Brook House restaurant in Greece.
“A lot of our inductees are finally being recognized in the Section V Wresting Hall of Fame,” Winbush said.
Admission to the induction ceremony and picnic is $10 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under. Money collected goes to CCWA Rochester Panthers Wrestling Club, sponsored by the City of Rochester Department of Recreation and Youth Services. Fundraisers and donations also pay for the youth program’s expenses.
“We’re a feeder program for high schools,” Winbush said. “Our kids are in grammar school and junior high.
“We have training during the week and tournaments almost every weekend (November through April). There are a couple of kids in high school that are doing well, who started in our program.”
Contact Rhodes at 585-733-9693 or Winbush at 585-748-4633 for more information.
JAMESJ@Gannett.com
