Dec. 12, 2008

STILLWATER, Okla. – The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum has announced its Class of 2009 inductees in the categories of Distinguished Member, Outstanding American, Order of Merit, Medal of Courage and Lifetime Achievement for Officials.

The Hall of Fame’s Board of Governors approved the selections at its semi-annual meeting held in Las Vegas the first week of December.

“I want to thank our Board of Governors and the various screening and selection committees involved in the six-month process that determines our honorees for induction,” said Jim Keen Sr., Chairman of the Board of Governors.

Distinguished Members – Peter Blair, Ed Eichelberger, Les Gutches and Dennis Koslowski; Outstanding American – Steve Silver; Order of Merit – Arno Niemand; Medal of Courage – Larry Gibson; and Lifetime Achievement for Officials – Chuck Yagla will be inducted during Honors Weekend in Stillwater, June 5-6, 2009. These eight honorees will mark the 33rd class since the Hall of Fame began operations in 1976.

The Class of 2009’s Distinguished Members includes a World Champion in freestyle, one of just two NCAA champions for the Naval Academy, one of the United States’ first Greco-Roman stars and one of Lehigh’s all-time greats.

Peter Blair
As a senior at Granby High School in Norfolk, Va., Blair stood just 5-foot-6 and did not wrestle on the varsity. He enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 16, and during his recruit training grew an amazing six inches. By the time his two years at Bainbridge Prep Academy were done, he had grown a total of 7.5 inches.

Blair competed at 177 pounds as a freshman and sophomore at the United States Naval Academy and moved up to 191 pounds his final two collegiate seasons where he would win back-to-back NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956. His career record was 57-5 with no losses over his final two seasons for legendary head coach Ray Swartz.

Soon after beating Kenneth Leuer in the 1956 NCAA finals, Blair pinned five opponents in winning a National AAU title. Two weeks later he was the Olympic Trials champion at 192 pounds and would be elected team captain by his freestyle teammates.

In Melbourne, Australia, at the 1956 Olympics, Blair would earn a bronze medal.

An officer in the Navy from 1955 until his retirement in 1974, Blair served on ships and submarines and taught at the Academy.  Blair died on June 29, 1994, after a brief but concentrated bout with cancer.