Joe Blasenstein loved basketball, but when he went to West Philadelphia High School in 1956 a friend and former star football player told the football coach to recruit Joe. He started out as a 165-170 pound offensive guard and linebacker on defense. He came to like the role of the offensive guard, pulling and leading… Read more »
Steve Cohen was an all-star gymnast who joined the ranks of the elite in World Gymnastics in Maccabiah, World and Olympic competition. A native of Wynnefield, in his senior year at West Philadelphia High School he placed first in all around for thirty-two straight individual meets capturing the city championship as he had for the… Read more »
As the living symbol of Penn State University’s athletic program, Norm Constantine was a heroic but tragic figure in the world of collegiate sports. During his spirited reign as the Nittany Lion mascot, he became known as “Mr. Penn State” because of the status he brought to the role and his unselfish, unrelenting service to… Read more »
Adam Feldman remains the winningest male foil fencer in Penn State University history with 92.3% wins. Born in Philadelphia, he started fencing at the Abington YMCA at age 15 and fell in love with the sport. With lessons under Coach Bill Shipman at the University of Pennsylvania, he began to taste some success at the… Read more »
Judy Auritt, a graduate of West Philadelphia High School, was an AAU Junior National and Middle Atlantic States Swimming Champion and an NCAA record holder for Penn State University and the University Of Pennsylvania in the 1940s. She held Middle Atlantic Championships and resident and championship records in 50 yard freestyle, 100 yard freestyle and… Read more »
Gary Martin, a native of Long Island, made his name in Pennsylvania by becoming a two-time Lacrosse All American for the Penn State University Nitanny Lions. He made his name in Philadelphia with the Wings, winning five World Championships: four as a player and one as a member of their coaching staff. Martin went to… Read more »
David Pincus is a graduate of Central High School and Penn State University, where he was a member of the track and field team. He held the Penn State discus record for many years and while at the university competed in the 1948 Olympic track and field trials in the discus. In 1993 he was… Read more »
Roger Schwab gained national recognition from the medical community for his balanced approach to exercise in his book, Strength of a Woman – The Truth About Training the Female Body, published in 1997. The book and its companion video (NFL Films) heralded an emerging trend in the fitness community that encouraged women and men to… Read more »
As a professional boxing referee, Steve Smoger has long ranked at the pinnacle of his profession. He has refereed 185 World Title fights all over the globe and has officiated in more states and countries than any other professional boxing referee in the history of the “sweet science”. Honored several times as “Referee of the… Read more »
