US Olympic Team Coach 1964, 1968, 1972, Fencing Master at the Fencers' Club of New York
Michel began his fencing studies at the National School of Sport at Joinville and completed them at the Military School of Antibes. He graduated in 1947 with his fencing master's diploma.
Hugh Alessandroni attended Columbia University where he learned to fence under the Hall of Fame coach, James Murray. After earning a degree in Chemical Engineering and qualifying for 2 US Olympic teams, he led a team of engineers who invented the 1st electrical epee scoring device used in Olympic history (1936).
August Anderson
"The amateur premiere with the sabre." NY Times (1912)
Augie
won 10 US gold medals and was 5 times US National Sabre champion.
(1904, 1906, 1907, 1911, 1913). Representing the New York Athletic
Club, this record puts him in a 2-way tie for fifth place all time with
Alex Orban (NYAC) among Americas top saber champions. Up until 2007,
Mr. Anderson was the only saber champion in the top 8 of US fencing
history NOT in the Fencing Hall of Fame.
AFLA/USFA national foil champion (1977, '81, '82). Member, US. Olympic team (1984). AIAW foil champion (1981) and NCAA foil champion (1983) for Penn State.
(1907-1972) - AFLA National Sabre Champion
[1930, ’34, ’35, ’36, ’38, ’39, ’40, ’41, ’42, ’45); National Outdoor
Sabre Champion (1929, ’30, ’32, ’33, ’35, ’39, ’40). Member, US Olympic
team (1928, ’32, ’36, ’48, ’52, ’56). Finalist in Olympic sabre
individual (1932) - finished ninth. Member, Olympic bronze
medal-winning sabre team (1948). Carried the US. Flag in the Opening
Ceremonies of the Olympics (1952,’56). IFA sabre champion for Columbia
(1928).
Maitre Yves Auriol earned his fencing master's
degree from the Institute National du Sport in Paris. Colleen Olney urged him to move to Portland where he formed the Salle Auriol Fencing Club, and was fencing coach at Portland State University from 1975 until 1985.
Secretary of the AFLA (1972-76); 2-term president of the AFLA
(1976-80) legendary Budget Director and tireless worker for fencing.
NCAA medalist for Columbia.
Caitlin Bilodeaux dominated her time: USFA Women's Foil Champ [1986, '87, '89, '92], she is tied for third on the women's Championship list. Pan American Individual and Team champion, 1987, 2-time NCAA women's foil champion, [1985, '87] and 4-time NCAA All-America. 2-time U-20 National Champion.
Robert Max Blum occupies a special place in American fencing. Beginning his successful competitive career as an All-American fencer at Trinity College, Bob went on to capture national or international points in five different decades, became the first of only 2 Americans in history to make the World Championship individual saber finals (1958) (equaled later only by Peter Westbrook) , competed on two US Olympic Teams (1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico City), qualified for 3 US Pan American Games teams, won the Metropolitan Division Men’s Individual Saber title 7 times, appeared almost perennially in the final round of the National Championships during the late 1950s and the 1960s, won the United States Saber Team title 10 times for Santelli and later Fencers Club, made the semi-final rounds of a world-circuit saber event at age 46, and officiated at 4 Olympic Games (1964, 1968, 1976, 1984), earning him a place in US saber fencing history.
Charles George Bothner (1861- ? ) - Won thirteen US championships - 11 individual and two team. In 1897, he was champion in Foil, Sabre, and Epee - a record that is unlikely ever to be approached again. He represented the Pastime Athletic Club and the NYAC.
USFA national foil champion (1984); national epee champion (1982, '83, '84, '86). NIWFA foil champion (1975,'77) for San Jose State. Assistant Director USFA Coaches College (1992- ). Coach, Texas Fencing Academy.
The dominant men's foilist of the last decade, Nick Bravin garnered four national titles in the 90's, winning in 1991, 1992, 1994, and 1996, while taking 2nd place in 1995 and 1999. He fenced on the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Teams. He was on the World Championship Teams of 1991, '93, '94, and '95. He was on the Pan American Team in 1991 and '95, garnering two team Silver Medals as well as two individual Bronzes. As a collegian, he was three times NCAA foil champion for Stanford University (1990, '92, and '93).
(1886-1960) - AFLA national outdoor epee champion (1930); national medalist in foil and epee six times. Member, US. Olympic team (1920, '24, '28) and captain (1928). Member, Olympic bronze medal-winning foil team (1920). Second president of the AFLA (1925-30). Assistant secretary of war to President Woodrow Wilson.
Dr. Daniel Bukantz
AFLA national foil champion (1949, '52,53, '57), medalist four times. US. Olympic team (1948, '52, '56, '60). Member, two fourth place foil teams (1948, '60). One of the leading directors for fifty years. IFA foil champion for CCNY (1938).
Maestro Burdan, US Olympic Coach
(Athens 2004), is one of the most highly qualified fencing coaches in
the world. He has coached celebrated fencers for more than thirty years.
Joseph Byrnes The foremost armorer and technical expert in the US. Longtime contributor on the subject to "American Fencing" magazine. Armorer, US. Olympic team (1964).
Besides the founding of the Jr. Olympics and several recommended ideas that promoted Jr. or Sr fencers, the following items may equally define my candidacy. I coached fencing at College, High School and Middle School. I coached fencers who have been members of 6 NCAA Championships; produced 13 All Americans ; Fencers who were on Jr World Teams (8); Sr. World teams(3), World Cups (3), World Youth Championships(1) and The Olympics(1); Pan American Teams(1). Chairman of 3 USFA Divisions ; In High School/Middle Schools: 9 St,Ntl Championships, 1332W-535L over 43 years, at 4 different schools in Indiana, California and Illinois. Honorary Member of Masque De Fer, Lyons, Fr. Recently became a “Fellow” of the U.S.F.C.A. Dr. Ralph Zimmermann, VP of USFA said of me in 1997, “The Jr. Olympics…is the single most important achievement in the entire history of our organization.”. And, (My)”program has become the cornerstone of our national efforts to both achieve results and provide healthy athletic competition for our youth.” Letter of Mar.17,1997.
(USN) (1900-1933) - AFLA national foil champion six times in seven years (1925, '26, '27, '28, '30, '31), medalist twice; national epee champion (1923); national three-weapon champion (1927). Member of all four national championship teams for the New York Fencers Club: foil, epee, sabre, three-weapon (1926). Member, US. Olympic team (1920, '24, '28, '32) and captain (1932). Olympic bronze medalist in epee individual (1928); member, Olympic bronze medal-winning foil team (1932) and Olympic bronze medal-winning epee team (1932). At the 1932 Olympics, he repeated the Oath of Participation on behalf of all participating athletes. Vice-president of the AFLA (1931-33). Captain of Naval Academy (1919). The national three-weapon team trophy was presented in his memory (1934-64).
Hugo M. Castello , (1914-1994) - Coach of NYU (1948-74; 1978-81). The most successful coach in collegiate fencing history, winner of ten NCAA team championships and 13 IFA team championships. President of the NFCAA. Coach of the year (1960, '74). IFA foil champion for NYU (1935, '36).
James M. Castello
(1916-1974) - Assistant coach of NYU (1946-1974) with his father and his brother, during this time NYU won 11 NCAA championships and 13 IFA championships. One of the foremost armorers in the US.
Julio M. Castello
(1881-1973) - Spanish Basque fencing master. US. Olympic coach (1924). Best known as coach of NYU (1928-1948), during which he won the IFA championship 9 times beginning in 1933 and the NIWFA championship (1929) and the NCAA championship (1947). He is the only coach to win all three major collegiate titles.
AFLA national foil champion (1945). Member, U.S. Olympic team (1948). Finalist, Olympic foil individual (1948) - tied for second place, finished fourth. This is the highest Olympic attainment by a US woman. NIWFA champion for Hunter (1938, '40). First woman to officiate at a national final (1949); first woman member of the Olympic fencing committee (1965).
Dean Cetrulo
AFLA national foil champion (1941, '47); national sabre champion (1948). Member, US. Olympic team (1948), reached the semifinals in foil individual and sabre individual. Member, Olympic bronze medal-winning sabre team (1948).
Abe Cohen competed in the Melbourne Olympics of 1956, the World Championships of 1968 and 1961, and the Pan American Games of 1955. He was US National Men’s Epee champion in two consecutive years: 1955 (the last year of the three-touch epee championship) and 1956. He was the AFLA President’s 3-Weapon Champion in 1955 and ’56. In 1957 & 1958, he was the winner of the Giorgio Santelli Masters’ Sabre. As a collegiate fencer, he was a member of the NCAA Champion CCNY team in 1948.
Lajos Csiszar (1903-1997) - Born in Hungary, where he was assistant coach to Italo Santelli. Best known as coach of the University of Pennsylvania., where he won two NCAA championships. Olympic team coach and creator of numerous champions.
Dr. Samuel D'Ambola Coach of Essex Catholic H.S. in Newark, NJ (1960-74). The dominant high school team in the country during the 1960's and the source of dozens of collegiate fencers and several Olympians, including Peter Westbrook.
(1928 - 2000) - was Pan American, U.S., and World
Military Sabre Champion, perhaps the last top-level three-weapon
competitor, as well as a successful coach.
Istvan Danosi Hungarian born coach of Wayne State University (1958-1975) and the Fencing Academy of Michigan. Wayne State won the men's NCAA championships in 1975, 79, 80 and 82, as well as the first women's NCAA championship in 1982.
1936 US Foil champion, Olympian and World Professional Women's Foil Champion. She was the first American woman champion not from the East Coast and first American woman to wear fencing pants.
(1912-1969) - AFLA national epee champion (1938, '51); national foil champion (1946); national three-weapon champion (1939). At the 1946 national championships, he medaled in all three weapons - one of only five fencers in the history of the nationals to accomplish such a feat. He is generally considered the best three-weapon fencer ever produced in the US. Member, US. Olympic team (1936, '48, '52) and captain (1956). President of the AFLA (1952-56). Vice-president of t he FIE (1960-64). The pre-eminent journalist of the sport in the US. Founder and editor of "The Riposte" (newsletter) 1935-1941). Co-founder and editor of "American Fencing" (1949-1969, except 1952-56). IFA epee champion for NYU (1933).
(1906-1981) - AFLA national epee champion (1931, '44); national three-weapon champion (1933, '34, '41, '42, '47); national outdoor epee (1936, '38); national outdoor sabre (1941). Member, US. Olympic team (1932, '36, '48) and captain (1952). Member, Olympic bronze medal-winning epee team (1932) and Olympic bronze-medal winning sabre team (1948). President of the AFLA (1948-52). President of the FIE (1960-64). Charter recipient of the Olympic Order (1975). The foremost administrator of the sport in the US. Captain of NYU (1928).
My fencing career started when I attended Pomona College in Claremont, California in 1952. I fell into it quite by accident, due to the fact that I needed to satisfy a self-defense requirement of the school. The two other choices were wrestling (no weight-class distinction) – I weighed 80 lbs when I entered college – and boxing (ditto the no weight-class distinction). Rather than perish, I defaulted into the third-and-last choice, fencing.
Michael DeCicco
Coach of Notre Dame (1962- 1995), the NCAA men's champions of 1977, '78, '86 and the combined champions of '94. Four times NFCAA coach of the Year. President, NFCAA.
Charles DeKay
Charles DeKay was the Founder and President of the New York Fencers’ Club. His living was made as an expert in the arts writing and editing for the New York Times when the paper was in the heart of Times Square but while it was still called Longacre Square.
Irving DeKoff Coach of Columbia University (1953-1968). President of the NFCAA. NFCAA coach of the Year. He won the NCAA team championship four times (1954, '55, '63, '65) and the IFA team championship five times.
Andre Deladrier Coach of the U.S. Naval Academy (1957-90); winner of the NCAA team championship (1959, '62) and the IFA team championship (1964). The 1959 Navy team was the first to sweep the NCAA championships. NFCAA coach of the year (1959). U.S. Olympic coach (1960). NCAA sabre champion for St. John's (1942).
Clovis Deladrier (1885-1948) - Belgian born coach of the U.S. Naval Academy (1933-48), which won the IFA championships twice (1938, '43). Co-founder and first president of the NFCAA (1941).
(1892-1968) - AFLA national outdoor epee champion (1924); medalist in epee and sabre. Member, U.S. Olympic team (1920); coach, U.S. Olympic fencing team (1936); coach, U.S. Olympic modern pentathlon team (1932, '36). Best known as coach of the U.S. Military Academy (1923-48); which produced many collegiate champions and Olympians.
(1917-1998) - AFLA national foil champion (1940, '43, '47, '48). Member, U.S. Olympic team (1948). Coach of Fairleigh Dickinson University (Rutherford) (1968-71). NIWFA foil champion for Hofstra (1939).
(1903-1965) - AFLA national foil champion (1942, '43). Member, U.S. Olympic team (1936) and captain (1948). Secretary of the AFLA (1942-48). Amateur coach of the U.S. Military Academy (1963-65).
Originally from Tyler, Texas, Joe Elliott has accomplished much in his 50+ years in fencing. He was 2-times US National Epee Champion (1965, 1970) and a 2-time US National finalist in foil. He took 1st in Foil in the Mexico LA REFORMA in 1973 and was a team member of Mexican Pre-Olympics ’65 and World games in Moscow ’66 and Cuba ’ 69. Forty years later, he has been the US Veterans’ Foil and Epee champion and has been a member of the US World Veterans’ Team every year since 2001. This champion has been winning for over fifty years and has given much of his time to fencing in other ways including: Southern California Division Chairman, Organizer of 1st NAC in California and raising money to help kids fence.
Speaking of his competitive success, here’s how Joe puts it, “ I was last in the ’63 Epee Nationals and I was first in the ’65 Nationals. Throw in a couple of hundred local medals and there you have it! Fencing is FIGHTING and IT’S FUN.
Csaba Elthes
(1912-1995) Hungarian born coach, emigrated to the
U.S. in 1958. Coach of the N.Y. Athletic Club and N.Y. Fencers Club.
His pupils included Peter Westbrook and Alex Orban. Coach, U.S. Olympic
team (1964, '68,72, '76, '84, '88). He was inducted into the Fencing Hall of Fame in 1978.
(1906-1994) - AFLA national foil champion (1938, '40, '45). Member, U.S. Olympic team (1928, '32, '40, '48). He won the Olympic bronze medal in Men's foil team in 1932. Secretary of the AFLA (1941-45 and 1948-52); president of the AFLA (1945-48). Editor, "The Riposte" (newsletter) (1941-45). IFA foil champion for Yale (1927, 1928).
(1895-1987) - Member, U.S. Olympic team (1928, '32). Coach of the Faulkner Academy in Los Angeles. Fight choreographer and stunt double with a long association with the motion picture industry. His pupils included Janice Lee Romary, Polly Craus and Sewell Shurtz.
2-time AFLA national foil champion (1975, '80); medalist four times. Coach of Temple University for 30 years. Pan-American games medallist in 1975 [2nd indiv., 3rd team], 1979 [3rd indiv., 3rd team].
Coach of U. of Illinois (1941-72); winner of the
NCAA team championship (1956, '58). Coach of Penn State University
(1972-80). One of the principal organizers of fencing in the Midwest.
Co-founder of the NFCAA (1941). President of the NFCAA. Captain of CCNY
(1939).
Adeline Gehrig
Representing the New York Turn Verein, Gehrig was AFLA Women's Foil Champion four years in a row (1920, '21, '22, and '23) , a feat unmatched by any other US woman. (She placed second once.) In 1924, she represented the US in Paris, in the first Olympic Games in which women competed.
Maestro Yury Gelman is the three-time Olympic Coach for the United States (Sydney, Athens and Beijing), National Men’s Sabre Coach, Head Fencing Coach for 2001 NCAA Champion St. John’s University and founder of the Manhattan Fencing Center. He received a Masters degree in both Physical Education and fencing from Kiev Institute of Physical Education.
His students won gold, silver and bronze at Cadet and Junior World Championships and countless medals in junior and senior World Cups, including individual and team Grand Prizes. He prepared members of Cadet, Junior, and Senior National teams every year since 1995.
A graduate of the French Military Fencing Master's School of Antibes, first and second grade, he was in charge of fencing and physical education in the French Air Force until 1963. Among his many honors, he was selected four times as a member of the French team. M. Gillet's career was already distinguished when he arrived in the United States in 1969 to serve as assistant fencing coach at Cornell University under Fencing Master Raul Sudre.
Ralph M. Goldstein
(1913-1997) - AFLA national foil medalist; national epee finalist. Member, U.S. Olympic team (1948, '56); captain (1960). Editor, "American Fencing" magazine (1969-76).
Nat Goodhartz is currently the Co-national Women's foil coach and head coach of the Rochester Fencing Club. She has also served as the Junior National Men's foil coach. Since 1977, when she mentored her first international team, she has coached numerous cadet, junior and senior World Championship teams and trained scores of junior and senior competitive champions.
Robert M. Grasson (1884-1962) - Belgian born fencing coach of Yale (1922-56); winner of the IFA team championship six times in eight years (1924). Coach, U.S. Olympic team (1936). Co-founder of the NFCAA (1941). Donor of the IFA championship trophies for epee team and sabre team in the name of the IFA fencers who attained the Olympic team.
(1885-1954) - AFLA national foil champion (1912, '17, '19, '20); national sabre champion (1915, '16, '20). Member, U.S. Olympic team (1912). The dominant U.S. fencer of the years surrounding World War I. The national championship trophy for sabre team is presented in his memory.
(1858-1944) - AAU national foil champion (1891); national epee champion (1889, '91). AFLA national epee champion (1893); national sabre champion (1893, '94). Member, U.S. Olympic team (1912). Co-founder and first president of the AFLA (1891-1925). Vice-president, American Olympic Committee (1926); and president (1926-28). Generally regarded as the father of American fencing. The national championship trophy for sabre individual is presented in his memory.
Hungarian-born, Hamori was a member of Hungary's World Champion (1955) and Olympic Gold Medal (1956) Sabre teams. In the US, he was Sabre Champion in 1961 and 1964 as well as 3-Weapon Team Champion in 1961, Sabre Team champion in 1964, and Epee Team Champion in 1965, all for Salle Csiszar of Philadelphia. He represented the US at the 1964 Olympics, won the Japanese National Championship in 1963, and competed at the 1971 Pan American Games. In 1972, he established the New Orleans Fencing Club, whose sabre team was medaled in the US Nationals.
"A game of chess played on your feet, requiring agility, power and intelligence."
That's how coach Henry Harutunian describes fencing. It's a sport that provides strength of character for one's entire life. For more than 30 years, Yale fencers with the will have been counting on Harutunian to hone the skill.
“If the art of fencing ever becomes general in America,” wrote Claxton Wilstach in GODET’S MAGAZINE of March, 1896, “...its champion may properly be found, mirabile dictu, in a woman.”
He had in mind a very specific woman, one who, “...has been selected by some wealthy Californians as the sole representative of the sword for America in the Olympic games at Athens, Greece, this spring.”
There may be no record of a woman fencing for America in those first modern games, but Wilstach was just one of many who fantasized of a world sword-fighting championship won by the athlete-actress known as Jaguarina.
She had, for years, defeated just about every male opponent she could find, usually with broadswords. On horseback.
Colonel Heiss is one of the most successful
epee fencers in the US history by winning 6 US national championships
in men's epee (representing the NY Fencers' Club). He went on to fence
in the 1932 Olympics and win the Olympic Bronze medal in men's epee
team, and competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, where the Americans
finished 5th.
(1905-1979) - AFLA national sabre champion (1931, '32, '33, '37, '38); national three-weapon champion (1931, '32, '35, '36, '37, '38, '40); national foil medalist. Member, U.S. Olympic team (1928, '32, '36). Finalist in Olympic sabre individual (1932) - tied for third, finished sixth. President of the AFLA (1940-43). Co-founder, NCAA championships. IFA sabre medalist for Yale.
Gay was the 1974 and 1978 US Foil Champion, a member of two Pan Am teams (1975 and 1979) and two Olympic teams (1976 and 1980). She was also a 1-rated Referee. Known for her beautiful technique, Gay is a member of the US Fencing Hall of Fame.
(1905-1969) - AFLA national outdoor epee champion (1930); national epee medalist four times. Member, U.S. Olympic team (1932, '36). Member, bronze medal-winning epee team (1932). Foreign secretary of the AFLA. First American named to an Olympic directoire technique (1948). IFA epee champion for Princeton (1928).
Mathilde Jagemann of Vienna stands as the single most important person in the development of women's fencing in the United States. As the leader of a Viennese Operatic Company under the tutelage of Professor Hartl, she startled audiences around New York, Boston, Chicago, Denver and San Francisco in the late 1880s.
(1926-2000) - AFLA national foil champion (1971). Member, U.S. Olympic team (1968). Operated a salle in New Haven, CT. First black fencer to attain the U.S. Olympic team.
Julia Jones-Pugliese (1908-1993) - NIWFA co-founder and first champion (1929) for NYU. Coach of the NIWFA championship team at NYU (1933, '38) and Hunter (1970). NIWFA coach of the year (1970, '92). Devoted herself extensively to the development of women's collegiate fencing; bringing the NIWFA from four teams in 1929 to 79 teams in 1980.
Anthony J. Keane
AFLA national sabre champion (1968). Pan-American sabre champion (1968). U.S. Olympic team (1968, '72); captain (1976, '84). Promoter of fencing through the Martini-Rossi competition at the New York Athletic Club (1961-1977)
“Charlie” Koch, the first sabre specialist in New York fencing circles, “arrived at the ripe old age of three score and ten (by his own admission) and gave a long and devoted service to the Club. He is the first fencing coach known to be solicited from another club to join the NYAC with his championship team (1892). During his many years of service, he trained 8 National Saber Champions: R. O. Haubold, C. A. Bill, G. M. Hammond, Chas. G. Bothner, George Kavanagh, Frank L. Slazenger, A. G. Anderson, and K. B. Johnson. “Charlie” Koch retired in the summer of 1927.
Aladar Kogler attended the Hungarian College of Higher Physical Education where he earned a Masters Degree in Fencing, and 2 Czechoslovakian institutions, Komensky University in Bratislava and Carl University in Prague, which awarded him a Ph.D. in Sports Psychology. While coaching the Czechoslovakian National Fencing Team, Kogler was a huge success as 8 of his students were World Championship finalists, 2 were Olympic finalists leading the Czech government to award him the highest coaching and teaching awards possible in 1972 and 1977. He has published 10 books and more than 25 scientific papers and is the Director of the US Olympic Committee-funded Sports Psychological Research Laboratory at Columbia University.
Ed Korfanty was born in Poland. He started fencing
at age 16 and fenced a number of years on the Polish Junior and Senior
National Teams before graduating from the reknowned Academy of Physical
Education in Katowice, Poland with a master's degree in Physical
Education and a Master of Fencing degree. By 1984 he had become the
head coach at the Olympic Center in Katowice, Poland and coach of the
Polish National Team. In 1990 Coach Korfanty immigrated to the United
States and became assistant fencing coach at the University of Notre
Dame.
(1917-1998), A four-time Olympian and twice a member of sabre teams that earned a 4th-place Olympic finish (1952, '60). He was the most consistent two-weapon fencer throughout the 1960's. He was a widely-respected coach and official, having presided at the sabre final in the 1950 Olympics and coached at Salle Santelli, Brooklyn Poly, SUNY (Purchase), Army, Rockland Center for the Arts, and the Westchester Fencing Club.
Neil Lazar Currently the coach at SUNY Binghamton, Neil Lazar has been involved in fencing since 1937. He coached at Salle Santelli, in Westchester high schools, and at CCNY. Among his former students, were Tom Ciccarone, Craig Cummings, and Uriah Jones.
AFLA national foil champion (1929, '32, '33, '35, '37, '54); national outdoor foil champion (1929, '33); national three-weapon champion (1929). Member, U.S. Olympic team, (1928, '32,'36) captain (1936). Individual Olympic silver medalist in foil (1932); regarded as the finest accomplishment ever by an American fencer. Member, bronze medal-winning foil team (1932). Vice-president of the AFLA. His victory in the 1954 nationals after a 17-year layoff from competition is considered the greatest comeback in the history of American fencing. IFA foil champion for MIT (1926).
AFLA national foil champion (1939); national epee champion (1948, '49, '50). Member, U.S. Olympic team (1948), captain (1968). Finalist, Olympic epee individual (1948) - ninth place. President of the AFLA (1965-68) - during his administration many innovations were introduced that nearly tripled membership. IFA foil champion (1935, '36, '37) and epee champion (1937) for NYU.
Michael Lofton is a three-time Olympian, (1984, '88, 92); two-time Pan-American Games Team Member in Sabre Team Silver 1987, '91: Fourth Place Individual Sabre '91; two-time National Individual Men's Sabre Champion (1991, '92), and ten-time National Team Sabre Champion 1984,'85, '86, '87, '88, '90, '91, '92, '94, '95. As a collegiate fencer, he won an unequalled four consecutive individual sabre championships for NYU (1984, '85, '86, 87) He now coaches with the Peter Westbrook Foundation.
Note: Michael Lofton has since changed his name to Mika'il Sankofa.
(1914-1984) - Coach of CCNY (1954-74). NFCAA Coach of the Year (1964). Coach of Salle Lucia, which won the AFLA national women's foil team championship (1958, '60)
AFLA/USFA national foil champion (1977, '79, '82, '85, '86, '87, '90, '93) He was second in the World University Games foil individual. Vice-president of the USFA.
Epee World Cups: Heidenheim 1971, 3rd; Montreal 1987 6th, Sydney 1997, 3rd. Pan American Champion, team epee. National Champion, Individual epee, 1971; 12 times National Team Champion. Ranked among top 10 US epeeists in five decades, 1960's - 200's. NCAA champion, 1967. Member of the USFA Board of Directors since 1970. Assistant Competition Manager at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Sponsor of innovations including the point system and the Divisions II and III Nationals.
(1910-1953) - Olympic foil champion for Germany (1928). Emigrated to the U.S. in 1933 and began to fence in the AFLA nationals (then open to foreign entries). AFLA national foil champion (1934, '35, '37, '38, '39, '41, '42, '46); national outdoor foil champion (1933). Generally considered the greatest woman fencer in history.
“Make your opponents prove they can stop your attack.” 5-time US National Foil Team Champion and 2-time US National Epee Champion with Tanner City FC under Joe Pechinsky, Cathy is one of only a handful of women in US fencing history to be nationally ranked in the top 10 in both foil and epee in the same year, an achievement she accomplished 3 times.
Dave Micahnik was a member of the 1960, 1964, and 1968 United States Olympic Epee Teams. In 1960 he won the U. S. National Epee Championship. From 1960-73 he was ranked in the top 10 in men's épée 10 times and was nationally ranked in foil and sabre. Twice the epee Gold Medalist in the World Maccabiah Games, he was coached throughout his career by the late Maestro Lajos Csiszar.
Raymond J. Miller Coach of William Paterson College (1950-1990); winner of the NIWFA team championship nine times. One of the principal armorers and organizers of the New Jersey Division.
(1917-1991) - AFLA national foil champion (1952, '54, '55, '58). Member, U.S. Olympic team (1952, '56, '60). Finalist, Olympic foil individual (1952) - sixth place
James Montague (1883-1965) - Born in England. Coach of CCNY (1938-1953). The first coach to win the IFA and NCAA team championships in the same year. Coach of Daniel Bukantz, Harold Goldsmith, James Strauch, and Albert Axelrod.
(1892-1965) - Born in Hungary. AFLA national sabre champion (1927, '28). Member, U.S. Olympic team (1928, '32). Known as the "photographer of the famous" - he was the outstanding portraitist of the 1920's and '30's.
(1871-1957) - Concurrently coach of Columbia (1898-1948) and the New York AC (1891-1954) (where he was also boxing coach). Produced numerous intercollegiate and national champions and Olympians. He was probably the first American to travel to Europe to study to become a fencing master and then make a career of it.
Aldo Nadi (1899-1965) is possibly the greatest fencer who ever lived. His elder brother Nedo may have harvested six Olympic gold medals (five in one Games, in 1920) from just two Olympics, but he too gained gold in Antwerp (1920), and after he turned professional, at the age of 22, he won 56 international contests in the next seven years, defeating everyone he encountered. "The best man with all three weapons," was the verdict of Roger Ducret, the 1920 Olympic foil champion.
Odon Niederkirchner (1904-1987) - Born in Hungary. Fencing master of the New York Fencers Club (1949-58) and the N.Y. Athletic Club (1949-86). Among his pupils were Ed Richards, Silvio Giolito, Abe Cohen, George Masin, and Dr. Tibor Nyilas
(1893-1974) - Born in Italy. The all-time national champion, winner of 18 individual AFLA titles, despite his only being able to fence every other year owing to business commitments in Europe. AFLA national foil champion (1924); national epee champion (1917, '22, '24, '26, '28, '32); national sabre champion (1922, '26, '29); national three-weapon champion (1921, '22, '26, '28, '30); national outdoor epee champion (1921, '25); national outdoor sabre champion (1928). Vice-president of the AFLA (1933-35). National Junior Olympic chairman during the 1950's. He was a silent patron of scholarships for promising young fencers at New York clubs. The national Under-19 epee trophy is presented in his memory.
Denise O'Connor
A two-time Olympian, (1964, 1976), she fenced in
five World Championships (1965, '66, '69, '70, '75), as well as the Pan
American Games of 1975 (Bronze Medal). She was the winner of the 1971
Terre des Hommes in Montreal. For nearly two decades, she was a
nationally ranked women's foilist (1959-1976). She captained the Salle
Santelli Women's Foil Team to five national titles. She was also a
3-time chair of the New Jersey Division, coach of Brooklyn College for
over a decade at Brooklyn College before becoming Assistant Director of
Athletics.. In 1975 and '76, she was NIWFA College Coach of the Year..
Her students have become champions and successful coaches in their own
right.
William Scott
O’Connor, one of the Founding Fathers of the Amateur Fencers’ League of
America (AFLA/USFA), was the UNITED STATES FIRST A.F.L.A. NATIONAL FOIL
CHAMPION in l892 and was the 1905 National Epee (then called ‘dueling
sword’) champion. He was a member of the l904 U.S. Olympic Team in the
Games in St. Louis and won the Olympic Silver Medal in the Single
Sticks event. Dedicated to help the League grow, he volunteered as the
Secretary Treasurer of the Amateur Fencers’ League of America for 34
years -stepped down w/ President Graeme Hammond.
Heizaburo Okawa
The Japanese national Champion in all 3 weapons and
3-time Olympian, Mr. Okawa place 9th in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. A
world-reknowned referee, Heizaburo was the 1967 and 1968 US National
foil champion. His coaching career includes UCLA, the Mori Fencing
Academy (Salle Mori), and he has just completed his 26th year at Cal
State Fullerton.
Born in Hungary. AFLA national sabre champion (1965,
'69, '70, '71, '72). Member, U.S. Olympic team 1968, '72, '76). He is
the only U.S. sabreur to win an international 'A' tournament, in Lodz,
Poland (1968).
Joseph Brooks Bloodgood Parker
(1889-1951) - AFLA national sabre
medalist twice. Member, national championship sabre team (1920).
Member, U.S. Olympic team (1920, '24). Unsuccessful candidate for AFLA
president (1936). Member, International Olympic Committee. Captain of
the University of Pennsylvania (1911). A generous patron and
contributor to the sport for decades.
AFLA national epee champion (1964, '66, '67, '68, '83).
Member, U.S. Olympic fencing team (1964, '68, '76); member, U.S.
Olympic modern pentathlon team (1964, '68). Olympic silver medalist,
Pentathlon team 1964, World Team Bronze 1962, '63. IFA epee champion
(1964) and NCAA epee champion (1964, '65) for Rutgers.
Rene Pinchart
(1891-1970) - Belgian Olympian in fencing and
gymnastics (1920). Emigrated to the U.S. to become fencing master of
the New York Fencers Club. Coach of the U.S. Olympic team (1928, '32,
'48, '52). Among his pupils were Lt. George Calnan, Joseph Levis, Maria
Cerra Tishman, Daniel Bukantz, Nat Lubell, Helena M. Dow, and many
other national champions and Olympians. The national Under-19 men's
foil trophy is presented in his memory (1971).
Albertson Van Zo Post
(1865-1938) - AFLA national foil champion
(1895); national epee champion (1896,1912); national sabre champion
(1901, '02, '03). He won five medals, including two championships, in
the very limited competition that constituted the 1904 Olympic Games.
It is altogether fitting that the sport of fencing played such a vital role in the life of Sherry Posthumus, who spent the bulk of her days touching the lives of others.
Ed Richards was an Olympian in 1964 and a three-time participant in the Pan-American Games (1959, '63, and '67). He was twice National Men's Foil Champion (1962, '63) and medaled in foil in 1961 and in epee in 1952 (the year of his foil championship.) He has been a member of the National Coaching Staff since its inception in 1985 and a four-time coach of the Junior World Team. Ed coaches at the Westside Fencing Center in Los Angeles. He began refereeing toward the end of his coaching career, is now one of our most d istinguished referees, and is the recipient of this year's Fencing Officials' Commission Award for Service.
Frank S. Righeimer
(1909-1998) - AFLA national epee champion
(1929); national outdoor epee champion (1929, '33); national foil
medalist three times. U.S. Olympic team (1932, '36). Member, Olympic
bronze medal-winning foil team (1932) and Olympic bronze medal-winning
epee team (1932). IFA foil and epee champion for Yale (1929). He was
the first fencer to win the intercollegiate and national championships
in the same year.
AFLA national foil champion (1950, '51 ,'56, '57, '60, '61, '64, '66, '67 ,'68). Member, U.S. Olympic team (1948, '52, '56,' 60, '64, '68). Twice a finalist, Olympic foil individual (1952) - tied for third place, finished fourth; and (1956) - fourth place. Carried the U.S. Flag in the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics (1968).
Gilbert Rosiere I (called Titi Rosiere by his students) had been educated as a lawyer but had a tendency to hang around with the “wild set.” He soon dropped out of the legal profession to become a fencing master and opened one of the most successful fencing clubs in US history which, in turn led New Orleans to become a fencing center of the United States.
(d. 1922) - An early patron of the sport at the YMCA's. The national epee team trophy is presented in his memory. Although only a recreational fencer, he was frequent donor to fencing events in and around New York and was inducted into the US Fencing Hall of Fame.
Maj. General Thomas J. Sands
(1903-1984) - AFLA national epee
champion (1935, '37). Member, U.S. Olympic team (1936). At the 1937
World Championships in Paris, Sands attained the individual epee final
and finished fifth. IFA epee champion for Army (1927).
(1897-1985) - Born in Hungary, his father was
Italo Santelli, the great Italian master. A member of the Italian sabre
team that won the 1920 Olympic championship, he emigrated to the U.S.
in 1925, and taught at the University FC, New York Athletic Club,
Fencers Club , eventually opening his own club, Salle Santelli, the
most successful personal salle in American fencing history. His pupils
included Norman Armitage, John R. Huffman, Tibor Nyilas, George Worth,
Albert Axelrod, Ed Ballinger, and Marty Lang. He opened his club - and
the sport - to the masses and minorities. One of the foremost public
figures in the sport for 60 years.
The NY Times called, "Sauer the only successful
invader to NY." All of the other westerners were slaughtered by New
York's elite. Born in WURTZBERG, GERMANY, young Alfred was 11 when the
family moved to south Chicago before the city had electricity. Alfred
Ernest Sauer learned to fence at the Chicago Turngemeinde when he was
16.
Charles R. Schmitter
Coach of Michigan State. Co-founder of the NFCAA (1941). He was the
first recipient of the coach of the year award (1957). He was one of
those responsible for the growth of fencing in the Midwest.
Senac is still the chief professional expert in New-York” NY Times 1894 Born in 1838 in Bordeaux, France, fencing master Regis Senac had numbered among his pupils many men and women well known on the stage or in society. Mr. Senac came to America in 1872, and was appointed instructor in fencing to the Conservatory of Music and the New York Athletic Club.
C. Lee Shelley
Dominant men's epee fencer of the 80's. Fourth place
team, World Championships (1983). Gold Medal Pan American Team (1979),
Silver Medal Team (1987). In addition, he was a two-time Olympian
(1984, '88) and a seven-time member of the World Championship Team
(1977, '78, 82, '83, '85, '86, '87.) He is a three-time US Individual
Epee Champion (1981, '83, '86) and a two time team champion with Salle
Santelli (1985 and '93), while he won individual medals in epee in
1978, '84, and '85. In 1986, He was the overall NAC winner in 1982. In
1986, he was the USOC Fencer of the Year.
Stanley Sieja
(1912-1982) - Coach of Princeton University
(1945-1982). His team won the NCAA team championship (1964) and the IFA
team championship (1969, '79). Manager of the U.S. Olympic team (1952)
and armorer (1972). He was among the leading armorers and generous with
his time in promoting the sport in New Jersey. He was coach of the year
four times.
Joseph Smith
Concurrently coach of the women's team at Hunter
(1935-47) and the men's and women's teams at Brooklyn College
(1930-63). His teams won the NIWFA team championship ten times.
Mr. Sobel has led a distinguished life in fencing.
A former President of the USFA, League Counsel, and past Vice President of
the US Olympic Committee, Steve began his fencing achievements as the
1954 NCAA Saber champion for Columbia. He served as Chief of Mission
for the US Pan American Games team and USOC Delegate to the Pan
American Sports Organization.
Novera Herbert Spector
Founder of USFA divisions, Herb has been the
winner of Veteran saber age category 22 times and 3 times saber winner
of the "super-senior" over 40 championship. While qualifying for the US
National championships for 61 years, Herb has won over 60 medals in
Senior and Veteran events and has been a divisional or state champion
40 times between 1941 and 1998.
Charles Tatham
(1853 - 1939), one of the five founding fathers
of the AFLA/USFA. He won three Olympic medals for the US, plus the
National individual epee title in 1901, '02, and '03, the Individual
Men's Foil in 1901, and the Men's Epee Team in 1908.
Eleanor Turney
(1922-1988) - AFLA and USFA secretary (1976-84). Associated for many years with the Pacific Coast Section and the Northern California Division.
Harold Van Buskirk
(1893-1980) - AFLA national epee champion
(1927); national sabre medalist three times. Member, U.S. Olympic team
(1924, '28, '32). President of the AFLA (1936-39; 1944). One of the
leading officials of the sport for many years. He moved to the Houston
area and was responsible for the organization of the
Joe Velarde began fencing at the age of thirteen at Seward Park High School and competed in New York City's Public School Athletic League from 1936-39. He was a sophomore and co-captain of Professor Joseph Smith's Brooklyn College Fencing Team when Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941. Joe enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served from 1942-45 in the European Theatre of Operations, flying 60 bombing missions as a B-25 Armorer-Gunner.
(1891-1989) - Born in Hungary. AFLA national sabre champion (1925). Coach of CCNY (1931-1936) and Salle Vince (in Brooklyn and New York before WWII and in Los Angeles afterwards). Salle Vince won the AFLA national women's foil team title ten years running (1930-39). In 1966, it won the team event again out of Los Angeles.
Marion Lloyd Vince
(1909-1969) - AFLA national foil champion (1928, '31); medalist eight times. Member, U.S. Olympic team (1928, '32, '36). Finalist, Olympic foil individual (1932) - ninth place. She was the first American woman to attain the Olympic finals. The national Under-19 women's foil trophy is presented in her memory.
Ruth C. White
AFLA Women's Foil Champion [1969, '71]; AFLA U-19 Women's Foil Champion
(1968, '70). The first African-American to win a US fencing
championship, she won her first senior national championship in 1969
while still in high school in. NIWFA Champion in (1970, '71).
AFLA national sabre champion (1954); medalist five times. U.S. Olympic team (1948, '52, '56, '60). Finalist, Olympic sabre individual (1948) - fifth place. Member, bronze medal-winning sabre team (1948) and fourth place sabre team (1960). One of the leading officials in the sport.
The Roll of Honor
