National Wrestling HOF inducts Appelbaum

Lawrence High School’s lone state wrestling champion, a prominent figure in Oceanside’s youth program for more than 20 years, and the founding chairman of the New York chapter of the Wrestlers In Business Network, Rich Appelbaum was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame April 20 at the Melville Marriott Hotel.

“It’s very exciting to be nominated and inducted,” said Appelbaum, who as a Lawrence senior in 1972 went 38-0 and captured the 98-pound state title. “It’s a lifetime achievement. It was a great evening and I was fortunate enough to have an outpouring of family and friends come from all over the country to attend the awards dinner,” he added.

Appelbaum was introduced to the sport by his father, Marvin, who wrestled at the college level, in the late 1960s when they attended a high school match at Lawrence. Rich joined the middle school team the following year and said his first loss motivated him to become the best he could be. “I remember riding home in the car with my dad and saying what a lousy feeling it was to lose,” he said. “I quickly became very dedicated.”

He’d go on to enjoy a successful four-year varsity career under the guidance of coach Bud Meredith. After finishing fourth in Nassau County as a junior, Appelbaum dominated in his final high school campaign. Not only did he go undefeated, but he was unscored upon until a 3-2 overtime win over Jerry Goodfellow of Brentwood in the state title match.

“Bud was an remarkable coach,” Appelbaum said. “I remember him telling me before the state semifinals to let my opponent score a point. He said he didn’t want me distracted in the finals, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

Appelbaum said he was a little shocked when Goodfellow scored a takedown to take a 2-1 lead, but he battled back and won it with a takedown with 12 seconds left. “Rich was the strongest kid, pound-for-pound, that I ever knew,” said Mike Bloom, who was a rookie assistant coach under Meredith in 1972 and ran Lawrence’s program from the early 1990s until 2003. “He’s passionate about wrestling and has given back to the sport in many ways,” he added.

Recruited by a handful of Ivy League schools, Appelbaum chose to attend the University of Rhode Island — where he met his wife Kim — and wrestled for two seasons for the Rams before a back injury forced the end of his days on the mat.

Soon after college, Appelbaum joined his father’s commercial printing business which he still operates to this day. Rich and Kim settled in Oceanside in 1980 (they have three children, Adam, Katie and Courtney) and he became involved with the community’s youth wrestling program about a decade later. He headed the program until 2012 and was credited with running one of the top youth tournaments on Long Island.

“I got a lot of enjoyment from coaching kids,” Rich said. “My main objective was to get them to love the sport as much as I did.”