George Entin, Class of 1956

The term “lifer” refers to those Peddie students who attended the school for all possible years. For the class of 1956, a “lifer” – known as an “old boy” then – entered Peddie in the fifth grade, at the tender age of 10. It is appropriate that as the term dwindles to those attending just four years of Peddie, a “lifer” is being honored for his contributions to the wrestling program over his eight-year Peddie career. George Entin ’56 is the very definition of a Peddie “lifer.”

George discovered the wrestling room as a seventh grader, encouraged by Coach Bob Tifft. Defeating everyone, he earned his first varsity letter that year and was nicknamed “Killer” and proved the moniker to be perfect.

A six-time varsity letter winner in wrestling, Entin won his first prep state championship as a 103-pound eighth grader. He won his second title as a 127-pound freshman. As a sophomore, George lost in the finals at prep states. It was the third loss of his Peddie career. It would be his last. He rounded out his wrestling career at Peddie with state prep championships at 141 pounds as a junior and 164 pounds as a senior. Undefeated in his final two years, “Killer” Entin captained the 1956 squad and earned the Outstanding Wrestler award at the prep states that year. His overall record as a Peddie wrestler was 107-3, the other two losses coming in his seventh grade year.

George would not wrestle again after Peddie. He attended Bowdoin College, which did not have a wrestling program. Though still important to him, athletics took a back seat to the college experience. He knew that devoting himself to a strong wrestling program would mean no “life” during college. Instead, Entin continued to play football and baseball, sports he had also starred in and captained at Peddie. A two-year letter winner on the gridiron at Peddie, George earned first-team all state quarterback honors as a senior. He lettered three years in baseball. At Bowdoin, he earned eight varsity letters – three in football, three in baseball and two in his new winter sport of diving, taken up for the first time in college.

“From the perspective of one fortunate enough to have been a varsity athlete and coach at Peddie,” writes Bill Jahos ’47, “I can think of no more deserving nominee.” Hear, hear! The Peddie Sports Hall of Fame is delighted to add George Entin to its ranks.