Saturday, July 28, 2018

"E.J." Ernest Pasteur, Jr. - - 2018 Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - - Lansing Civic Events - - July 26, 2018 - - by Chuck Krafft


THE GREATER LANSING AREA SPORTS HALL OF FAME
INDUCTION CEREMONY

July 26, 2018

“E.J.” Ernest Pasteur, Jr.

By Chuck Krafft

E.J. Pasteur had an excellent career as a football player and as a wrestler at Lansing Sexton High.  He led his football team in tackles as a senior.  He was named All-Area and All-District as a football player; he also was given Honorable Mention to the All-State Team.

As a wrestler, he led the Sexton team in pins as a Junior and as a Senior.  In both seasons he was named to the All-State team.  He was Co-Captain of the MHSAA Class A State Championship Team as well.

He moved on to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point where he lettered four years on the wrestling team.  He achieved championships in the New York Collegiate Championships, the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association and the Greco-Roman Wrestling at the University Nationals.  He also won a Gold Medal in Greco-Roman Wrestling at the Pan-Am Championships. 

The previous inductee may have set a world record for the shortest induction speech.  E.J. said he would not be doing that (although he was not overly long either.)

He thanked all the people who helped him as he observed that “People seldom do it alone.”  He thanked his coach at Sexton.  He recounted moving to Lansing from Grand Rapids before his junior year.  The people at Sexton, especially the wrestling coach and other wrestlers really reached out to welcome him so he chose Sexton.

The teammates at Sexton pushed him to be the best wrestler he could be.  The practices at Sexton were so demanding that he described meets as being like a “cakewalk.” 

He noted the difference between competitive wrestling as what is done on WWE.  He also thanked his family for his patience; when he was learning, he practiced many of his wrestling moves on his family members!!

For those who wish to read about the entire induction ceremony, here is a link.

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