Frank "Sprig" Gardner
Frank D. Gardner | |
---|---|
Born | April 8, 1907 |
Died | April 8, 1975 | (aged 68)
Other names | "Sprig" |
Alma mater | F&M College (1930) |
Occupation | Wrestling coach |
Employers | |
Military career | |
Branch | United States Navy |
Years | 1942–1945 |
Rank | Lieutenant commander |
Unit | USS Makin Island (CVE-93) |
Conflicts | World War II |
Frank D. Gardner (April 8, 1907 – April 8, 1975; nicknamed "Sprig") was an American wrestling coach and US Naval officer in World War II.
Personal life
Born on April 8, 1907,[1] Frank D. Gardner[2] was originally from southern Pennsylvania.[3] In 1930, he graduated from Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.[4]
In adulthood, Gardner was a Quaker and lived with his widowed mother[2] in East Hampton, New York.[5] He died in East Hampton on April 8, 1975.[6]
Coaching career
Gardner first learned about wrestling while studying at Franklin & Marshall College; his roommate was on the varsity wrestling team, there.[3]
He arrived at
In 1936 or 1937, Gardner was hired by
Gardner was a significant force in the spread of New York
In the early 1960s,[10] Gardner later spent two years at Gettysburg College, rebuilding the school's wrestling program.[4] At the college, he also hosted an annual summer wrestling school for area secondary-school students.[10]
Legacy
Despite having never wrestled,[2] Gardner's lifetime coaching record included 254 wins, five losses, and one tie. His wrestlers won 106 sectional championships, 40 tournament titles, one co-title, and three second-places. His influence was widespread enough that he "effected rules concerning weight classifications, match scoring procedures, and tournament procedures at local, state, and national levels."[11]
Gardner was a 1986 distinguished inductee to the
US military
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Gardner eschewed an instructor's deferment from the World War II draft, and pursued an officer's commission into the United States Navy in early-to-mid 1942.[14] He spent three years as a lieutenant commander, serving aboard the aircraft carrier[4] USS Makin Island[15] in the South West Pacific theatre.[16]
References
- ^ "Frank "Sprig" Gardner: The Father of New York State Wrestling". W.C. Mepham H.S. Alumni Association. Archived from the original on January 17, 1998. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ a b c Schoninger, Sam (October 1992). "Coach". Steppin' Out. Archived from the original on January 17, 1998. Retrieved August 16, 2022 – via W.C. Mepham H.S. Alumni Association.
- ^ a b c d e Seckler, Jerry (2013). "America Needs Wrestling" (PDF). Long Island Wrestling. Wantagh, New York: The Friends of Long Island Wrestling. pp. 3–4. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Frank "Sprig" Gardner '30". Franklin & Marshall College. Archived from the original on April 3, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ a b c Graves, Jack (April 1, 2015). "A Century of Sport In East Hampton". The East Hampton Star. Archived from the original on April 13, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
The first Golden Era was in the 1930s
- National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Archivedfrom the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- Patch. Archivedfrom the original on April 3, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
The tournament will take place on Saturday, Dec. 13.
- ^ a b "Kennedy Wins Sprig Gardner Wrestling Tournament". Bellmore–Merrick Central High School District. December 26, 2022. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
- ^ Bevilacqua, Al (December 12, 2010). "Brooklyn Tech High School at the Sprig Gardner Tournament". Lighthouse Wrestling. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
The appearance of Brooklyn Tech High School's over the weekend match was significant for the Beat the Streets Wrestling initiative in an historical perspective.
- ^ a b "Junior Matmen" (PDF). The Westfield Leader. No. 46. July 11, 1963. p. 4-6. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 3, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ a b Frank 'Sprig' Gardner (PDF), p. 10, archived from the original (PDF) on August 31, 2016 – via The Friends of Long Island Wrestling,
The Father of New York State Wrestling
- ^ "25 Years Ago in Bonac Sports". The East Hampton Star. May 30, 2012. Archived from the original on April 3, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
Local sports history
- ^ Rizzo, Frank (June 6, 2016). "Second Class Of Inductees To Athletics Hall Of Fame Chosen". Long Island Weekly. Archived from the original on June 7, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
Dr. J., Olympian gold medalist Oerter among select
- ^ "Sprig Gardner in World War II", Treasure Chest (yearbook), Wellington C. Mepham High School, 1944, archived from the original on January 17, 1998, retrieved August 16, 2022 – via W.C. Mepham H.S. Alumni Association
- ^ Stirrat, Bob (May 23, 1944). "Sports in Review" (PDF). The Nassau Daily Review-Star. p. 12. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Zuckerman, Don; Dennis, Roger; Phelps, Bob; Sorkin, Larry (c. 2011), "'Sprig' Gardner Viewed from the Perspective of a NON-Athlete", 50th Reunion Bulletin, archived from the original on January 17, 1998, retrieved August 16, 2022 – via W.C. Mepham H.S. Alumni Association