Baldwin wrestling celebrates 70 years

Baldwin wrestling’s past met up with its present and future at an alumni reunion held during the Bruin Cup last Friday and Saturday at Baldwin Senior High School. A packed house watched on Saturday as distinguished wrestlers from all eras of Baldwin’s 70-year history united on the mat and enjoyed a round of applause during a break in the action. On hand for the presentation were wrestlers and ex-wrestlers ages 18 to 80, and a feeling of unity and pride was palpable among the men as they swapped stories and shared techniques.

“It’s really a tribute to the community that they’ve been able to grow something like this,” said Mike DerGarabedian, a Baldwin wrestling standout — now a local attorney — who will be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame next April. “To be able to keep a tradition like this alive for 70 years? It indicates a kind of stability within the community that you don’t find a lot of other places.”

The history of Baldwin’s proud program was in evidence everywhere at the event. Chris Weidman, a 2002 state high school champion who now stars on the UFC tour, handed out awards to winning wrestlers and dispensed advice to an eager crowd of disciples. Two of the 10 schools participating in the meet were coached by Baldwin alumni — Ray Adams coaches at Long Beach and Chris Chritchley heads the East Meadow program.

Asked why the sport forges such lasting bonds among its participants, B.A. Schoen, who wrestled for Baldwin and then for Minnesota State University, Moorhead, said, “Wrestling is an adult experience. It teaches discipline and turns boys into peers with their parents. No 15-year-old boy is afraid of being hurt. But every 15-year-old boy is afraid of being embarrassed. These guys all understand that. When you get on the mat with someone else who is sharing that fear, you respect one another. These are guys who end up going to each other’s weddings and so forth.”

Baldwin celebrated success in the present as well as the past over the weekend: Although Long Beach took the top team spot, Baldwin’s Dylan Cohen, a 145-pound competitor, won the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler award.