At his induction into the FDU Athletic Hall of Fame, Stewart Pruzansky, at center with his wife Hermyne. Also pictured, from left, his brother Lenny, their dad Sidney, daughters Robyn and Heidi and brother David.
by varsity coach Bob Metz to compete at different weights, depending on what division the opposition's best wrestler competed in. “I was as low as 115 pounds, but my normal weight was 125,” he said. “I wrestled against guys as heavy as 148.” Metz, now 81 and residing in Maine, confirmed this, stating, “I always had Stewart wrestle against the others team’s best. It helped our team and it’s what made him so good.” Because freshmen were ineligible for varsity then, Pruzansky had only three collegiate varsity seasons, but during that period, he was undefeated in dual meets, which was a long-standing record when FDU dropped the sport. In 1972, his senior year, Pruzansky was the Eastern regional champion and NCAA Tournament runner-up at 125 pounds, which earned him AllAmerica honors. But that’s just part of his wrestling resume. In addition to high school and college accomplishments, Pruzansky won New Jersey State AAU Greco 70
January 2008 • Clifton Merchant
and freestyle wrestling championships, seven times each between 1965 and 1972. He was national YMCA freestyle champion in 1968, runner-up in the National AAU Tournament in 1972, and Maccabiah Games freestyle champ in 1973, plus being a member of the Maccabiah team championship squad in judo. He also competed in the U.S. Olympic trials in 1968 and 1972. Even today, Pruzansky’s Garden State reputation is so great in wrestling that earlier this year, he was appointed to the selection committee of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s New Jersey Chapter. A balky shoulder prevents Pruzansky from serious wrestling these days, but he loves to play pingpong and takes on all challengers. But his real adult sport is racquetball, which he plays at the Classic Athletic Club in Fairfield, where this year, he won a state tournament title for men older than 55. “It was the first tournament I ever entered,” said Pruzansky, still clearly a very competitive man.
Unfortunately for CHS, there have been no Pruzansky offspring to compete in the wrestling program. Stewart and his wife Hermyne have two daughters, Robyn, 26, and Heidi, 24, who live in Los Angeles and New York, respectively. Robyn was a member of the state fencing championship team at Montclair Kimberley Academy 10 years ago, and Heidi was a CHS wrestling team manager. “That’s the best I could do for Clifton wrestling,” Pruzansky said. But professionally, Pruzansky has done something for Clifton. Pruzansky Plumbing in Passaic, serves thousands of homes and businesses in the two cities. Stewart's grandfather Henry founded the business in 1910. Stewart’s father Sidney eventually took over, and after a short career as a research analyst, Stewart joined the firm in the late 1970s. And for those who are familiar with them, it would be difficult to say which is greater, the legend of Pruzanskys in plumbing or wrestling. Both have championship records.