Takedown Report

Ohio wrestling icon, Hall of Famer Bob Dieli Sr. passes

TDR Editor’s Notes; Bob was a wonderful fan of wrestling. He was very enthusiastic for the sport and delivered a lifetime of service to wrestling. He was a cheerful fan and enjoyable to be with as I had the pleasure to work with him on occasion and am grateful that I met him.
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Robert “Bob” Dieli Sr., an icon in central Ohio wrestling as an athlete, coach, Hall-of-Famer and host of the popular “Matside with Bob Dieli” show on Columbus cable TV for a quarter-century, passed away on Monday, June 24. He was 94.

Bob Dieli”At his visitation, someone said that just about every Ohio high school champ from the 1970s into the 1990s was influenced by Bob Dieli,” according to Adam DiSabato, a four-time letterwinner – and three-time NCAA All-American — for Ohio State from 1989-1993 and nephew of Dieli.  Dieli’s day job was as Recreation Director for the City of Columbus allowed him to pursue his wrestling passion and share his knowledge of the sport with future champions in central Ohio. He established the Ohio Wrestling Club in 1971 at the Sunshine Center in Columbus.  “Nobody was a stranger,” his son Bob Jr., told InterMat. “Helping kids was a passion.”

Dieli shared his passion for wrestling beyond the Ohio Wrestling Club with his cable TV show “Matside with Bob Dieli” which provided coverage of high school, college and international-style wrestling events in the Columbus area, along with interviews with athletes, coaches and others in the sport.  Dieli’s imprint on the popular show extended for 25 years, with his last appearance on “Matside” being the 2013 Ohio high school state finals, according to his 65-year-old son Bob Jr., who was the first state champ for Columbus Bishop Ready High School. “When wrestling was not on TV, he put his show on public access,”  Rest of the story at http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/22102?mc_cid=f8b58aa7e1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

July 22, 2019 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized