Horpel’s induction stirs the memories

Franklin Horpel Jr., a former Newport Harbor High wrestling coach

and the father of longtime Stanford wrestling coach Chris Horpel, was

inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame recently, according

to Stanford’s Web site.

Frank Horpel’s son, Chris, a former CIF Southern Section champion

from Newport Harbor and the school’s Athlete of the Year, accepted

the honor in his father’s place, and the news certainly rekindled a

light-hearted moment.

It was during those days as a coach at Newport Harbor in the late

‘60s that Frank Horpel was at the Pilot’s door, seeking publicity for

a Greco-Roman tournament, I believe, when I met up with him first

hand.

We’d known one another via the telephone on several counts, but

this time he was at the door and as the interview went along, I made

the mistake of asking just exactly what was this “super-duper” move

he was talking about.

“I’ll show you,” he said. “Just step outside the door.”

We were but a few feet from the entrance on the west side of the

building. My desk was just inside the door, a few feet from Bea

Anderson and her “Society Department.”

We walked out and he said, “Turn around for a second,” and before

I knew it he had lifted me into the air and started walking around

with me in the parking lot.

I was thanking God nobody seemed to be in view and after a few

seconds he put me down and we went on with the interview.

Needless to say, his story was done up pronto and his story was

published the next day. I didn’t really need him returning for a

follow-up!

Frank Horpel died in 1992 after a life which included four years

as a wrestler at Penn State, as a captain the Marine Corps, as a

paratrooper and as a veteran of the Pacific Theatre during World War

II.

He was a wrestling coach at Mater Dei in 1959 and was a wrestling

official for over 20 years, especially with local AAU freestyle and

Greco-Roman tournaments.

He started a wrestling club at the Orange Coast YMCA in Newport

Beach in 1965, and soon after he was at Newport Harbor, where Chris,

excelled.

He was inducted into the Orange County Wrestling Coaches’

Association Hall of Fame prior to his death, and now, with the

National entry.

Parkinson’s finally ended his coaching days in the late ‘70s.

* It’s August 20 and the blood is finally starting to stir.

Wednesday Costa Mesa and Corona del Mar high school football teams

begin fall practices, and on Monday, Newport Harbor, Estancia and

Sage Hill begin.

It’s the return of the school cycle when sports on the true level

blossom.

All of which brings in the other end of the spectrum.

Millionaires to strike on August 30?

I could care less. My Aug. 30 calendar shows two college women’s

volleyball matches and three college soccer games, just the tip of

the iceberg of a nine-month schedule which also includes the great

game of baseball in the spring, featuring the strikes of Sea Kings

and Sailors, Mustangs and Eagles, Anteaters, Pirates, Lions and some

Lightning.

As for the millionaires and their troubles ... has anyone given

thought to President Ronald Reagan’s solution to the air controllers’

strike some years ago?