Reed Hawke, a native of Elmira, coached wrestling at Jamesville-DeWitt Central from 1959 to 1969 and, like many coaches, learned to referee because referees were needed. Reed graduated high school in 1947 and served in the US Navy from 1949 to 1952, including two and a half years aboard an aircraft carrier in the Korean conflict. Home from the war, he enrolled at Syracuse on the GI Bill, earning a BS degree in 1957 and an MS in 1958. During his ten years, Reed compiled a respectable record of 58-40-4, producing several county champions. He was very active in league and sectional organizations, putting in six years as Onondaga County League Chairman from 1961 to 1966 and five years as Section III Chairman from 1966 to 1970. Then he began 34 years as State Wrestling Chairman (1970 to 2003). When the Syracuse Wrestling Officials Association was established in 1958, Reed was a charter member. His career as a referee was to span 27 years. Though he ceased coaching after ten years, his efforts on behalf of interscholastic wrestling in New York State and on behalf of the officials who enable the pursuit of excellence by young athletes in the sport would be unstinting. Reed is a director on the Board of the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. He is an active member of the Syracuse Alumni Chapter of Phi Epsilon Kappa, the national physical education fraternity of which he is also a life member. He served for 22 years as the acting chairman of the Syracuse Sports Advisory Committee under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce. While referees, umpires, and judges of all sports frequently find their efforts receive little recognition or appreciation, it is an interesting testament to Reed's accomplishments to note that as he neared retirement from officiating and teaching, praise and awards were showered upon him as those who had worked with him realized how much he would be missed. In 1987, Reed was recognized by the USA/AAU Junior Olympics organization for his services for wrestling in New York State. The same year, the YMCA of Syracuse presented him its Community Service Award for his efforts on behalf of wrestling. In 1995, after his retirement, the mayor of Syracuse issued a proclamation naming March 4, 1995 as "Reed Hawke Day." The Syracuse Wrestling Officials Association inducted him into its Hall of Fame on March 11, 1995. All-in-all, a pretty good week. The plaudits continued in 1996. The New York State Wrestling Hall of Fame, Section III Chapter, inducted him on March 4, 1996. He received the NFIOA National Distinguished Contributor Award from the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials Association in June of that year. He was also recognized by the Syracuse Blind Men and Criers Association with the Joe Schwarzer Memorial Officials Award for his contributions as a wrestling official. In April of 2002, Reed was honored with the Onondaga County Convention Center/War Memorial Recognition Award. In 2003 he was inducted into the Jamesville-DeWitt High School Athletic Hall of Fame. On March 1, 2003, the Syracuse Wrestling Officials Association honored Reed, along with his friend and fellow National Hall of Fame inductee today, Lou Petinelli, by naming its annual scholarship awarded to an outstanding Syracuse area wrestler the "Hawke-Pettinelli Scholarship Award." Later that year the New York State Public High School Athletic Association presented Reed with its Service Award for Wrestling in recognition of his contributions from 1970 to 2003. In February of 2005, the Syracuse Blind Men & Criers Association again honored Reed by naming him the recipient of the Lew Andreas Memorial Award for service to wrestling, and in May of 2005, Wrestling USA Magazine added its kudos by presenting Reed with its Master of Wrestling Award. It seems entirely fitting that the New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame should continue and expand the deserved praises already bestowed upon Reed Hawke by naming him as inductee to the Hall today.