Dan King follows father into the hall

Like father, like son. Dan King, whose father Terry King is in the Lorain Sports Hall of Fame, will join his father in the exclusive group on May 19 at German’s Villa. King is a St. Edward graduate, becoming one of the premier football players and wrestlers in the history of the program.

“I was excited,” King said. “It’s been something I’ve been waiting for a while and to get in there with my father is an accomplishment. It hasn’t sunk in but I think the day of when it’s actually official, I think it’ll sink in. And I think I’ll be more proud of my son (Tyler), who just finished at Bowling Green, when he gets in than myself getting in, because he was

a first-team All-Ohio athlete at St. Edward and that’s one of the criteria to get in.”

King has a laundry list of football accomplishments at St. Edward, most notably earning first team AllCounty and second team All-District in 1993, team captain, first team AllCounty, All-District and All-Ohio in 1994. In 1995, he earned first team AllAmerican, and was named defensive MVP of the annual

North-South Ohio AllStar game.

His father was a “Mr. Do-it-all” athlete at Lorain High School in the mid1960s and made an impact in the coaching ranks as well. Without his father, football wouldn’t have been in the cards.

“From growing up going to George Daniel and being a ball boy ever since I could walk through the eighth grade, I knew I was playing football,” King said.

To help his football training, King competed in wrestling for three years. His accomplishments rival

his football honors. He earned sixth place in Cadet National Freestyle, Cadet National All-American, sectional and district champion, fourth in state, junior National All-American and made The Morning Journal All-Star team.

In 1995, King was a sectional, district and state champion, while earning Center Mat Senior AllAmerican team and Wrestling U.S.A. High School All-American heavyweight. He additionally made first team All-ScholasticCuyahoga County, was nationally ranked by U.S.A.

Wrestling and was No. 1 Freestyle Espoir.

He said his greatest wrestling moment was winning a state title because he was the favorite and wanted to live up to expectations.

Performing as an independent, King participated in powerlifting under strength coach Cory Cunningham. In 1991, he was named 220-pound state champion in the All-American Strength and Conditioning Teen-Aged Power Team Competition in Rootstown. In 1993, he won the 242-pound state championship as he established three records: 500-pound squat and deadlift and 1,265 pounds overall.

King continued his football career at Bowling Green and earned four letters. In 1999, he was named to the All-Mid-American Conference second team.

“I had a few bigger other offers, but I wanted to stay close to home and still compete at that division (Division I) level,” King said about his college choice.

King has established himself as one of the most dominant two-sport athletes ever and resides in Lorain with his wife, Jenny, son Tyler and daughter Emily.

“It’s an honor to be inducted,” he said. “It’s a great class and I hope to be more involved in the process of getting into the hall of fame, rather than getting inducted and not doing anything afterwards.”

The 49th Lorain Sports Hall of Fame enshrinement banquet is May 19 at German’s Villa, 3330 Liberty Ave., Vermilion. For ticket information, contact Ron Feldkamp (440-244-3449) or Tom Bauer (440-2138719, tbauer0403@gmail. com).