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    Mark Palmer •

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    Al Fontes wins 2018 Dellinger Award

    Al Fontes, state editor of The California Wrestler since 1995 -- and a wrestling writer for nearly four decades -- has been named by Amateur Wrestling News as recipient of its 2018 Dellinger Award, presented each year to the nation's top wrestling writer since 1960. The award was announced in the Oct. 15, 2018 print edition of AWN.

    Al Fontes
    In addition to his work for The California Wrestler, Fontes has served as a contributing editor for a number of wrestling publications and websites, including InterMat, Wrestling USA magazine, Amateur Wrestling News, WIN magazine, and TheMat.com. Fontes has earned a number of awards for his writing, including Wrestling USA Editor of the Year in 2001, WUSA Person of the Year in 2001, and was an Irv Oliner Award recipient for his contributions to wrestling in the state of California.

    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."

    Al Fontes with Buvaisar Saitiev
    Here's what Al Fontes told InterMat about his latest honor: "Wrestling has been an integral part of my life since middle school (40 years now). I've competed on mat, coached, and promoted the sport for many years ... I can only give back to something that has taught me
    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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