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If that weren't enough, Fontes coached wrestling for 25 years at a number of schools and wrestling clubs in the Golden State.
For all his contributions to the sport, Al Fontes was welcomed into the California Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016.
Fontes brings actual on-the-mat experience to his wrestling writing. He wrestled for Livermore High School in the early 1980s, then at Chabot College before graduating from the University of San Francisco. When he's not writing stories, sharing historical information or compiling statistics about wrestling in California, Fontes works at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Bob Preusse, long-time high school writer for Amateur Wrestling News, said, "Al is the man I turn to when I need advice or info on the California wrestling scene. He's a great guy who loves the sport, and is always willing to lend his expertise. I've quoted him often in my column over the last 23 years."
California Wrestler's Pablo DiMaria weighed in with his thoughts on Al Fontes.
"Al Fontes IS California Wrestler," DiMaria told InterMat. "We have been blessed to have him on the staff as he is an almanac when it comes to records and stats. It is an honor to get to work with such an outstanding individual on a daily basis."
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so much about life."
The Dellinger Award, first established in 1960, is named for the late Bob Dellinger, long-time sports writer and editor for "The Daily Oklahoman" newspaper based in Oklahoma City. In addition, he collaborated with his wife Doris in writing two books on the history of the Oklahoma State wrestling program: "Ride 'Em Cowboys" and "The Cowboys Ride Again". Dellinger was also the first director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Editor's note: Among the past recipients of the Dellinger Award: Mike Finn, Jason Bryant, Andy Hamilton, Tom Elling, Brian Brakeman, AWN writers Don Sayenga, Jim Kalin and Ron Good, author Jamie Moffatt, late historian and "The History of Collegiate Wrestling" book author Jay Hammond, and Mark Palmer, InterMat senior writer.
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