Dick Finelli ’52
Career Record: 39-5, 3x D11 Champ, 2x NE Regional Champ, 2x Medalist
1952 – 112 lbs.: District Champ, Regional Champ, State Semifinals (15-1)
1951 – 105 lbs.: District Champ, Regional Champ, State Semifinals (13-3)
1950 – 98 lbs.: District Champ, State Quarterfinals (11-1)
Dick Finelli was one of the first Easton wrestling stars and was the first Red Rover to win three District 11 championships and the first Red Rover to win a Northeast Regional championship.
He broke the lineup as a sophomore at 95 pounds and defeated Paul Kulp (Northampton) for his first varsity win. He ran his regular season record to 9-0 and earned the top seed in the D11 tournament. At Districts, Finelli had with a first period fall in semifinals, then shut out Paul Kulp (Northampton) 4-0 for the D11 championship. That fed Finelli directly into the PIAA state tournament, where he lost his opening round match to Rich Guerinni (Greenville) to end his sophomore season at 11-1.
As a junior, Finelli moved up to 103 pounds. After opening the season 2-0, he met eventual New Jersey state champion Sid Fowler (Phillipsburg) in one of the earliest superstar match ups in the Easton-P’burg dual. Dramatically, Fowler took Finelli down in the waning moments to hand him the first regular season loss of his career. Fowler would hand Finelli a second loss when they wrestled again in February. Finelli rolled through the D11 tournament as Easton crowned nine D11 champs, still the program record. The 1951 season was the first year Pennsylvania split into regions before states. Finelli opened with a first period pin of Paul McCray (Hughesville) to become one of six Easton wrestlers to make a regional final. There, Finelli won Easton’s very first Northeast Regional title with a first period pin of Ron Proleika (Forty Fort). That earned Finelli a berth in the inaugural four-man state tournament, where he dropped his semifinal bout to Dean Seese (Clearfield).
Finelli started his senior season at 105 pounds where he had a December match up with Sid Fowler (Phillipsburg) in a battle between state title favorites son either side of the river. Finelli turned the tables on Fowler with a 6-5 win over the 1951 and 1952 state champion. He blanked D11 champ John Lawrence (Northampton) as the Red Rovers tied the Konkrete Kids. He’d beat Lawrence again, 6-3 this time, when Easton knocked off Northampton in their final dual fo the year. Finelli took an undefeated record into the D11 tournament, where he won by pin in semifinals then demolished Lawrence in the final, 16-3. That earned Finelli a bye to the NOrtheast Regional final, where he’d take on future NCAA qualifier Gerald Yoder (Muncy). Yoder was leading 4-3 deep into the third period, when Finelli scored the winning takedown with 20 seconds left on the clock. Finelli was the first Easton wrestler to win two Northeast Regional titles and was the Red Rovers’ first three-time state qualifier. At the state tournament, Finelli met returning state finalist, future NCAA champion, and longtime Princeton head coach Johnny Johnston (Clearfield) in one of the first state tournament match ups between the two legendary programs. Finelli trailed by one in the third period when he chose bottom, but Johnston pinned him with a half nelson to end Finelli’s Easton career a match short of the state finals. Johnston went on to win the state title that evening. Finelli was the first three-time District 11 champion from any school. He finished undefeated in his career against D11 wrestlers, with his only losses coming in the state tournament or to Sid Fowler.
Following Easton, Finelli was a decorated boxer while in the US Army, then helped train Larry Holmes at the St. Anthony’s Youth Center as part of its boxing program. He also coached at high school programs in Maryland and Washington DC.
History of Easton Wrestling 