Ed Hamer, Lehigh, Class of 1959

Ed Hamer became a two-time EIWA champion and a NCAA wrestling champion for Lehigh University in the late 1950s. No one would have guessed it when he entered Lehigh in the fall of 1955.

At Philipsburg (PA) high school, Hamer wrestled JV for two years before making the varsity squad as a senior. He recalls, “I had a mediocre record my senior year and did not excel in the post-season tournaments.” After a PG year at Manlius (NY) Military Prep School –which did not have a wrestling team –Hamer‘s grappling career took off under the guidance of famed Lehigh coach, Gerald Leeman.

In his first season of varsity competition as a sophomore, Hamer went 7-3 in dual meets. He won all his EIWA tournament bouts, defeating Cornell’s Dick Vincent 7-0 in the finals to become the EIWA 157-pound Champion. He only wrestled the first semester of his junior year, winning all four of his matches.

Hamer excelled during his senior season at 177 pounds. After losing his season opening bout, he reeled off 18 straight victories to win both the 1959 EIWA and NCAA wrestling championships. At the NCAA tournament in Iowa, Hamer knocked off two defending champions, Duane Murty (5-2) and Tom Alberts (4-0) en route to the victory stand. Hamer finished his career with a record of 38-5.

After graduating from Lehigh with a BS in Business, Hamer served his alma mater as an assistant wrestling coach, varsity cross country coach, and head golf coach. He went on to coordinate Junior Olympic Wrestling tournaments and coach youth wrestling. In 1989 Hamer was inducted into the Pennsylvania State Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame and in 1990 he became a member of the Clearfield County Regional Chapter of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame.

From 1965-71 Hamer was the owner of Hamer Building Supplies, prior to becoming a sales representative for the Pennsylvania House of Furniture and Harden Furniture.

Hamer and his wife Judy are the parents of five children: Christopher, Michael, Wendi, Timothy and Jill. They now reside in Lakewood Ranch, FL.