Cecil “Bo” Cameron

September 3, 1915 – May 6, 2003

The wrestling career of “Bo” Cecil Cameron began at Cresco High School. Cameron, under the coaching of Dave Bartelma, won the 95-pound State Championship title in 1931 and the 115-pound State Championship title in 1933. He earned a high school record of 33 wins and 0 losses, a state record at that time.

Cameron graduated from the University of Michigan with a college record of 25 wins and 5 losses. In 1937 five of the eight wrestlers of the University of Michigan’s Big Ten Championship team were from Cresco. In addition to “Bo” Cameron, they were Don Nichols, Harold Nichols, Earl Thomas, and Frank Morgan.

In Big Ten competition, at 126-pounds, Cameron placed third in 1936 and 1937 and second in 1938.

Following college graduation Cameron coached for one year at Ann Arbor High School. In that year his team had an 8-1 record and placed second in state competition.

In 1949 and 1950 he served as assistant wrestling coach at Iowa State Teachers College and then began a 27-year coaching career (10 years as assistant coach) in Cedar Rapids schools, first at Wilson and then at Jefferson.

As an assistant coach Cameron worked with two State Championship teams, one runner-up team and eight individual State Champions with a record of 141 wins, 42 defeats and 6 ties.

He retired from coaching in 1978 and from teaching (science) in 1981.

“Bo” Cecil Cameron was inducted into the Cresco Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1976.

High School

CoachDave Bartelma

Record33-0

• 95 pound State Champion 1931
• 115 pound State Champion 1933

College

Record25-5

• Big Ten third place finisher 1936
• Big Ten third place finisher 1937
• Big Ten second place finisher 1938

Coaching

Record141, 42, 6

Schools:

• Ann Arbor, Michigan 1 year
• Assistant Coach, Iowa State
• Teacher’s College 1949-50
• Cedar Rapids, 27 years

Record:

• Three State Championships Teams
• Three State runner-up teams
• 16 State Champions

Years Coached: 30

Retired From:

• Coaching 1978
• Teaching 1981