Oak Lawn Park District Hosts World Junior Wrestling Tourney

By Martin Larson Jr.*

Two U.S. junior wrestlers won gold medals at the 1983 World Junior Wrestling Championships tournaments held August 10-13 in Oak Lawn. The Oak Lawn Park District hosted the prestigious event.

Opening ceremonies on Wednesday evening, August 10, marked the beginning of Greco Roman sessions and the Free Style on Friday. Thursday evening was the finals in Greco Roman with the presentation of medals, Olympic style.

For the first time in history, the U.S. took a gold medal in Greco Roman when David Olmstead from the State of Washington won. In Free Style, a gold medal was won by Joe Melchoire from the State of New Jersey.

The Russians won the team trophy in Greco Roman and Free Style. West Germany took 2nd place and the U.S. 3rd in the Greco Roman while the U.S. took 2nd place in Free Style.

The Oak Lawn Park District's International Wrestling Club received official sanction from the U.S. Olympic Committee, FILA, and U.S.A. Wrestling to host the Tournaments.

The President of the Wrestling Club, Mr. Bill Vail, along with the Vice Presidents Jim Craig and Keith Kamberos, approached the Oak Lawn Park District's Board of Commissioners and requested that the Park District host the Tournaments. The Board approved the request.

Committees were formulated headed by fifty chairpersons to cover all aspects of the tournaments from ceremonies to security. Approximately 500 volunteers served on these committees. The Tournaments also received the support and endorsements of many village agencies.

A budget of $94,000 was appropriated with the monies to be raised through a raffle, donations, an ad book, and the sale of various items such as tee-shirts, hats, pins, etc. As of this writing, it appears that the Tournament was financially run on a break-even basis.

The Tournament was the largest

David Olmstead, representing the U.S. from the state of Washington, is shown in the center receiving the Gold Medal in Greco Roman wrestling. Pictured (left to right) are Shigeki Nishoguchi, Japan; Markus Pittner, Austria; Bald Erhan, Turkey; Anders Touminen, Sweden; Olmstead; Dimitrios Fotakakis, Greece; Shozo Sasahara, FILA delegate, and Joseph Scaizo, vice president, FILA.

The World Junior Greco Roman champions of 1983 pose for a group photo after their feats at the Tournaments (left to right, front): Huh Byung Ho, South Korea; Eduard Auakian, U.S.S.R.: Korun Marlirosian, U.S.S.R.: David Olmstead, U.S., and Claudio Passarelii, West Germany, and (rear) Umber to DiBiase, Italy; Iidem Huseyin, Turkey; Igor Naumanko, U.S.S.R.; Zauri Ivanoshvii, and Panoyotis Piklldis, Greece.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 20 November/December 1983

ever held, with 18 countries participating, and was a first in the history of Illinois as well as the entire Midwest. Wrestlers from Austria, Brazil, Canada, Peoples Republic of China (the first time in the history of the Western Hemisphere), Egypt, Greece, West Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Peru, Sweden, Switzerland, Soviet Union, Turkey and the United States competed in Greco Roman and Free Style.

The Hilton of Oak Lawn was selected as the official hotel to house and feed the visiting wrestlers and dignitaries. A shuttle bus service was initiated to transport the athletes from their hotel to Richards High School, site of the Tournaments.

While the foreign athletes were here, many outings and activities were carried out, including tours to downtown Chicago, shopping centers, and a Chicago White Sox game. They were entertained almost every evening by local musical groups.

•Director of Parks & Recreation, Oak Lawn Park District.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 21 November/December 1983