Pihakis, Dal Canton to enter state hall of fame
The Washington-Greene County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame will have two of its members, Manuel Pihakis and the late Bruce Dal Canton, honored Nov. 3 at the Woodland Resort and Convention Center in Wilkes-Barre as part of the 2018 Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame induction class.
Pihakis, who is being inducted for wrestling, was a four-time WPIAL champion and three-time PIAA champion while wrestling for Canonsburg High School. He finished his scholastic career with a 99-1-1 record.
He went on to an outstanding career at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., where he compiled a 56-8 career record and was a Big 10 Conference runner-up. He was a national AAU champion in Ohio and participated in final Olympic Tryouts in 1952 and 1956.
“I got the call and they told me they were going to put me in. I was totally surprised,” said Pihakis. “I thought that was all over for me. I’m looking forward to it.”
He was the long-time athletic director at Canon-McMillan High School and is a member of numerous halls of fame, including the Pittsburgh Sports Hall of Fame (1974), Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame (1979) and Washington-Greene County Chapter Hall of Fame (1987).
Pihakis graduated from Canonsburg High School in 1952 and Indiana in 1956. He was a wrestling official for 25 years and served as a member of the WPIAL wrestling steering committee for many years.
“To be able to be a part of wrestling is something I will never forget,” said Pihakis. “I’m so grateful for what everyone’s done for me. It’s been a good run.”
Dal Canton, who was nominated for the state hall of fame by the Mid-Mon Valley Chapter, played baseball for California High School and was a standout for California University. He was a member of the Vulcans’ 1962-63 NAIA District 30 championship team.
He pitched in the major leagues for 11 years for the Pirates, Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox. He was a pitching coach for the Braves and its minor-league affiliates for many years.
Dal Canton was inducted into the Washington-Greene Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. He was inducted into the Mon Valley HOF in 1996 and is a member of the California University Hall of Fame (1995).
He passed away Oct. 7, 2008.