Coach: Dr. Mark Ellingson

Wrestling and Boxing

MECHANICS INSTITUTE has launched an infant industry. However, this is not a plea for protection. Participants learn to protect themselves. All this infant needs is exercise, and it has been given enough of that since March first to set it well along the road to a robust youth.

The product of this new industry is HEALTH and WINNING TEAMS. The three work periods during this semester have brought to the gymnasium full quotas of men to make use of the equipment put in as a starter by the Student Council. Mats, gloves, punching bag, sandbags, and medicine balls have been in use snap-up to closing time during every work period. The Institute has met the Council half way by installing a system of shower baths and lockers.

Wrestling and boxing as activities were launched early in March under the godfathership of Mark Ellingson of the faculty of the School of Industrial Arts. Mr. Elligson is supervisor of the new activity and coaches the wrestlers. He has been assisted by Fred Blair, Junior Mechanical and well-known Rochester amateur ring artist, who coaches boxing.

"Prospects for a good wrestling team for next year are exceptionally bright," says Mr. Ellingson. "Before the season was underway a month excellent material in several classes had shown up. With a reasonable enlargement of equipment and schedule of practices we should give every man in the Institute an opportunity to keep himself physically fit for his school work and also develop teams of which the school will be proud.

This new activity is peculiarly well fitted to the needs of the cooperative students and the men from the School of Applied Arts. It can be carried on successfully with the gymnasium facilities in the school. Then the men can come in individually and fit their exercise periods with their work and study schedules. During the present semester the wrestlers and boxers have met Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons. It is hoped that beginning next September two afternoon periods may be added to enable the facilities to accommodate all and to make it possible for men both on work shifts and school shifts to get two or three good work-outs each week. (Ramikin, 1927)