His string of victories ran the gamut of state high school, national prep school, regional AAU and National Collegiate championships. His string of defeats ran the gamut of ... well ... nothing at all. Richard DiBatista never lost a wrestling match at any level of competition.

His nine-year career spanned 137 victories. He won NCAA titles in 1941 and '42 and was an overwhelming favorite for a third until the 1943 national tournament was erased by World War II. The worldwide strife also eliminated his opportunity to compete in the Olympics in 1944.

At Lower Merion High School, DiBatista won the first-ever Pennsylvania state tournament in 1938, then became a national prep school champ at F&M Academy. He wrestled 82 matches at the University of Pennsylvania, including dual meets, collegiate tournaments, freshman bouts and Freestyle events. He closed his career in 1944, wrestling for and coaching a Navy team in Boston.

DiBatista was known for total domination of his opponents, although his coach, the renowned W. Austin Bishop, admitted that "DiBi lacked a killer instinct and often let his opponents survive without pinning them." His best weapon was an arm-drag takedown, which he used to perfection in perhaps his most important bout--the 1941 NCAA finals against a 29-year-old veteran AAU champion. He also mastered the sit-out escape, and no one ever held him down for more than 15 seconds.

He coached briefly at Swarthmore College and Lower Merion and 10 years at Drexel, but made a lasting mark as one of the sport's finest referees. He called high school, eastern collegiate and NCAA competition for 30 years, and earned such high regard that, even after retirement, he often was called out of the stands to help the officials interpret some rule.

As a complete master of the skills of wrestling, and as a gentleman widely respected for his thorough knowledge of the sport, Richard DiBatista is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.