Two-time NCAA hwt. champ Jess Lewis about to retire from Oregon State

When most of us retire, we can expect not much more than a hearty handshake from the boss? or maybe a plaque, or, if we?re really lucky, a gold watch.

"); }

Jess Lewis got a 1,600-word tribute in a major newspaper.

Lewis, two-time NCAA heavyweight wrestling champ and football All-American at Oregon State nearly 45 years ago, is about to retire as head groundskeeper of athletic facilities at his alma mater? hence the lengthy profile in the Portland Tribune Thursday.

The 65-year-old Lewis has a life that sounds like one of those inspirational sports biopics like "Rudy" or "Hoosiers." Arguably one of the greatest athletes in Oregon State history, Lewis lost his way for a while because of drugs? but, thanks to his former college wrestling coach Dale Thomas, came clean, and redeemed himself with a new career ensuring the playing fields at the Corvallis-based school are at their best for the past two decades.

Lewis was one of the best big men of the mat in the late 1960s. A three-time high school state champ in Oregon, the farm boy from Aumsville went on to achieve greatness at Oregon State, losing just one match as a Beaver.

Lewis was a three-time PAC 8 (Pacific Athletic Conference) heavyweight champ (1968-70) and three-time NCAA finalist, losing to Michigan?s Dave Porter at the 1968 NCAAs. However, the 6'1", 230-pound Lewis won the title in 1969 by defeating Michigan State?s Jeff Smith, 6-1? then followed up by claiming the heavyweight championship by dominating Greg Wojociechoski of the University of Toledo, 11-2, at the 1970 NCAA finals.

If that weren?t enough, Lewis was also an Olympian, wrestling freestyle for the US at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He placed sixth at light-heavyweight the summer after he completed his sophomore season at Oregon State.

In addition to his wrestling accomplishments, Jess Lewis was a hero on the gridiron. As a defensive tackle for Oregon State, he helped the Beavers beat No. 1 Southern California (whose star was OJ Simpson) and No. 2 Purdue in 1967 to earn All-American honors. Lewis was later drafted by for the NFL Houston Oilers, where he played for one season.

Then Lewis? life started spiraling downward.

?I hurt my knee and was getting knocked out on the field, but what was creeping up more than anything was my drug use,? Lewis told Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune. ?It weakens your soul.?

Drugs became a major component in the life of Jess Lewis and his wife Vickie as they scrapped out a meager existence in the woods of Oregon. In 1990, Lewis? college wrestling coach, Dale Thomas (who wrestled for the Cornell College ?Dream Team? which won the 1947 NCAA team title), performed a one-man intervention. Lewis and Vickie entered a 28-day, in-patient treatment program.

Once he successfully completed the program, Lewis earned his master's in education, and worked as a drug counselor for a while. Then the former Oregon State sports star returned to his alma mater to teach a ?Drugs in Sports? class (which he conducted until 2012), and to work on the athletic fields, where he now heads up the Oregon State grounds crew until July 28, his 66th birthday? and his retirement day.

?It?s neat to see a guy who made a name for himself and for the university putting his heart and soul into his school,? Mike Riley, Oregon State head football coach, told the Portland Tribune. ?He has influenced a ton of kids as their supervisor and running the ?Drugs in Sports? class. He has been a big part of our athletic program.?

To read Kerry Egger's profile of Jess Lewis for the Portland Tribune, click here.

Want to know more? For photos and info on Jess Lewis' college wrestling career, check out NCAA Heavyweight Champs Yahoo group.

The season may be over... but there's still news! Keep up with all the post-season awards, coach hirings, firings and retirings, new programs, and other developments year round... by clicking the "subscribe" button at the top of the page to make sure you don't miss a single article from College Wrestling Examiner, winner of Amateur Wrestling News' Dellinger Award as wrestling writer of 2011. It's absolutely FREE!

Resources

College Wrestling 101: Links to College Wrestling Examiner articles answering basic questions about wrestling, including rules, scoring, uniforms, more

Follow College Wrestling Examiner Mark Palmer on Twitter

Source: http://www.examiner.com/article/two-time-ncaa-hwt-champ-jess-lewis-about-to-retire-from-oregon-state

rod blagojevich uconn vcu mario williams unlv sam young ramon sessions