Elsworth Finlayson

Though wrestling had been around in the state of Washington for a number of years, there weren’t many schools that participated in the sport. When the first official state tournament – actually an invitational – was held in 1953, Fife High School sent eight wrestlers to Washington State College in Pullman. One of those wrestlers was Elsworth Finlayson, and as a junior he won the 138-pound title with a pin at 1:20 of the second round. One year later he served as the Fife High School team captain and won another state title. Finlayson had this to say about the first State Tournament in 1953: “It was a great experience to give your best and represent your school at the first State Tournament.” In addition to his wrestling exploits, Finlayson was a football standout, playing guard and fullback, and serving one year as the team’s captain. He received the school’s Harry Sorenson Inspirational Award.