Bruce Williams and Ron Malcolm, who battled for the 138-pound title at the 1951 wrestling state tournament, met recently to rehash the day one changed the course of his life and the other made a decision he regrets but can laugh about now.
It had been more than 70 years since they wrestled for a state championship, but Ron Malcolm, 89 years young, had a message for Bruce Williams when he saw him again.
“We’re not having a rematch.”
Malcolm was head wrestling coach at Anoka for 34 years, guiding the Tornadoes to four team championships. But it was the 138-pound state championship match in 1951 between Malcolm, a senior at Blue Earth High School, and Williams, an undefeated senior at Rochester High, that was the focal point of this meeting at Pizza Luce in Roseville in August.
“He’s gotten bigger since then, and I’m smaller,” Malcolm said. “Bruce said, ‘Let’s wrestle.’ I said, ‘No way.'” Continue reading at startribune.com →