By CRAIG PHILLIPS
ST. LOUIS, Mo. ” It was old home day for the Clarion University wrestling program Friday at Union Station’s South Plaza.
Golden Eagle greats Wade Schalles and Kurt Angle were named to the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the National Wrestling Coaches Association’s NCAA 75th Anniversary team before a crowd of roughly 4,000 fans in an open-air ceremony.
The most important person in attendance, according to both Schalles and Angle, was their former coach Bob Bubb, who guided Clarion to the spotlight in Division I circles and will be inducted to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame later this year.
“When I was up on the stage, I was looking down at coach Bubb and he was all smiles,” Schalles said. “Bob has meant a lot to all of us. You could see it in his eyes that this brought him a lot of joy.
“He helped all of us through wrestling, through school,” Schalles continued. “He shared his family with us and made us a part of his family “¦ to watch him smile made it all that more enjoyable for me. It made it special for me to be here for him, much more than for me myself.”
Angle echoed Schalles’ sentiments.
“I was happy for coach (Bubb), for all of his hard work paid off in Wade and I being honored,” Angle said. “It was nice for him and Clarion and proved we could produce champions.”
Angle also was selected as the on-stage spokesman for the entire 15-man contingent, which included such legends as Dan Gable, John Smith and four-time NCAA champions Pat Smith and Cael Sanderson.
Angle, who thanked the NCAA, NWCA and God for the opportunity to be selected to the all-time team, began, “I stand along side these guys and wonder how I made it. These guys were my idols and I looked up to them. They gave me the desire to be the best. This is like winning another (Olympic) gold medal.
“I’m in the WWE and I enjoy playing Kurt Angle the character on TV,” he continued. “But I’m always for you, the wrestling fans, and I always remind everyone, every time, I’m Kurt Angle ” amateur wrestler.”
A total of 47 wrestlers from the past 75 years were nominated by wrestling historians for on-line voting conducted for a period of months. The nominees were grouped into three categories: lightweights, middleweights and heavyweights.
Fifteen were then chosen to the all-time team.
Iowa had four selections while Oklahoma State had three and Clarion and Iowa State had two apiece.
Three native Pennsylvanians were selected and all three earned Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association titles during their scholastic careers. Joining Schalles, who won his state crown for Hollidaysburg High School, and Angle, a champion while at Mount Lebanon High School, was Carlton Haselrig of Johnstown.
Haselrig, who was Pro Bowl offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers, later won three NCAA championships at Pitt-Johnstown.
Schalles, known as “Wondrous Wade” during his career at Clarion, won NCAA titles in 1972 at 150 pounds and 1973 at 158. Due to a transfer rule, he was ruled ineligible to compete in the NCAA Championships during his senior season, but did manage to pin three NCAA champions during the season.
Schalles completed his career with a 153-5-1 record and 106 pins ” then an NCAA record.
He capped a brilliant career by pinning Bloomsburg’s Shorty Hitchcock in the 177-pound finals of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships. Hitchcock would go on to win the NCAA title that season and was voted the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler.
Angle, who had a career record of 116-10-2 at Clarion, won NCAA titles in 1990 and 1992 and was a runner-up in 1991. He went on to win a freestyle World Championship before claiming the Olympic Gold medal at 220 pounds at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
Following the ceremony, Angle and Schalles signed autographs for almost an hour and were the last two signees to leave.
Angle had to leave on a private jet for Knoxville, Tenn., for a WWE show today before returning home to Pittsburgh on Sunday for a one-day visit with his family. Then he will be off on a two-week junket, which will include a Wrestlemania event and time spent in Australia.
“My only regret is not being able to be with my wife and family when I’m gone,” he said.
Schalles, an assistant to the president of the Amateur Athletic Union, will return to his home in Orlando, Fla.
And, he may be up to something else special.
Schalles, who began his illustrious career as a high school freshman, is helping coach his son Jacob, the last of his children ” who just happens to be in his first year of wrestling as a freshman.
For Bubb, whose Hall of Fame induction awaits, yesterday was one he’ll remember the rest of his life.
“As I stood and watched the ceremony, I was just sorry all the Clarion fans couldn’t be here to enjoy this moment,” Bubb began. “So many people have helped and done so much for Clarion to achieve success.
“To me, it was very emotional and I wish everyone could have been here,” he continued. “A greater award than to be selected to the Hall of Fame was to have two of our kids chosen to this team. I told both of them I couldn’t have been prouder of them as people and wrestlers. This was the greatest because they weren’t selected by a small group or committee, they were selected by the masses.”
And, both Schalles and Angle were proud to serve their leader, who ultimately showed them the way to St. Louis.
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