Anna Baker
On February 22, 1943, in Hickory, Virginia, a wrestling fan was born. Anna Baker attended Great Bridge High School where she met her future husband, Colon. He was a three-sport athlete and a 1959 graduate. She was a cheerleader and an Honor Graduate in 1961. They were married in 1964. She worked for the Welfare Department for a while, but when her daughter was born, she became a stay-at- home-mom. As her daughter entered school, she became actively involved in the PTA, serving on local, city, district, and state levels. Her contribution was recognized with Virginia and National PTA Life Memberships and two commendations from the Chesapeake School Board for serving as treasurer of two Chesapeake Public School Bond Referendums. Re-entering the work force, Anna was employed as an Account Clerk with the Chesapeake Public Schools for 24 years, retiring from the Chesapeake Center for Science & Technology in 2005. In 1985, Anna and Colon started following Great Bridge High School and became fixtures at all levels of competition, working the many contests of the Wildcats' formidable program. They attended their first Virginia Duals in 1987 and later volunteered at this tournament for many years. Their devotion to the sport expanded to the NCAA as they served and sponsored wrestling events at Old Dominion University. As avid ODU wrestling fans, they traveled to the NCAA Championships to cheer for them. To date, Anna has attended 30 Virginia Duals and 24 NCAA Championships. She has visited numerous wrestling venues around the country, the most memorable being the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. When wrestling season is over, she volunteers with the Chesapeake Public School Educational Foundation Golf Tournament, getting raffle prizes and preparing "goodie bags" for the golfers. She is a member of Great Bridge Baptist Church, a lifetime member of the Chesapeake General Hospital Auxiliary, and in 2011, became a Charter Member of the Chesapeake Sports Club. The only thing she loves more than wrestling is spending time with her daughter, Sandi, son-in-law, Mark, grandsons Dylan and Cullen, brother Ron, and her 90 year old mother, Mildred Savin. She enjoys the beach, reading and relaxing and getting ready for the next wrestling season.
Awards:
Year
2016
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Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
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Chapter/Region
Virginia
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Our Mission: To honor the sport of wrestling by preserving its history, recognizing extraordinary individual achievements, and inspiring future generations