Burton B. Burger's wrestling career is extensive and varied.

He started wrestling at Hamburg High School in Hamburg, New York and was a team captain and state champion as a senior in 1955. His coach as a junior and senior was Doug Parker, who received the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award from the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1999.

Burger also wrestled for Parker at Springfield College, going undefeated in dual meets as a freshman. A team captain as a junior and senior, Burger was a three-time New England champion at 157 pounds, becoming one of only five wrestlers to accomplish the feat. He only had nine dual meet losses while winning the trophy for most pins in 1957-58 and 1958-59 and being named Outstanding Wrestler at the 1959 New England tournament.

He competed in the NCAA Division I Championships in 1958 and 1959 and won the Northeast Regional tryouts for the 1960 Olympics, competing in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.

Burger was head wrestling coach at Wilbraham Academy from 1959 to 1976 leading his teams to a 130-29-1 record while never having a losing season. He led Wilbraham to the Class B state championship in 1963 and finished runner-up three times in Class A with more than 26 individual Class A state champions.

He received his bachelor's degree from Springfield College in 1959 and his master's degree from Springfield College in 1960. Burger was a physical education teacher in the Chicopee Public Schools from 1960 through 1992.

Burger had a wrestling unit in all of his physical education classes and ran wrestling tournaments for fifth to eighth graders from 1970-92. His tournaments had as many as 300 entries and 1,500 spectators.

His longtime efforts to start a wrestling program in the Chicopee Public Schools came to fruition in 2006 with a high school wrestling co-op team. After three years, the two high schools in Chicopee became two separate teams. Burger was a volunteer coach for the entire 11 seasons that high school wrestling has been in Chicopee.

Following his retirement in 1992, Burger remained active in the sport as a spectator, mentor and coach.

Because of his dedication and involvement, the Burton Burger Wrestling Tournament is named in his honor.

He and his wife, Beverly had two daughters, Julia and Andrea, five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.