Welcome To The Museum of American Fencing

Dick Berry, 2-time US Epee Champion, has donated some original photos, 3 award plaques, Michigan State University Fencing Team warm-up, fencing jacket, mask and pants.

Dernell Every, Hall of Famer / Olympic Bronze Medalist / 3-time US Foil Champion / Olympian 1928 - 1948 / has made a spectacular donation.  Dernell had promised to give some of his memorabilia to the "just-started" Museum of American Fencing in Los Angeles in 1993. But before that package was sent, Mr. Every died.   So in 1994, his medals and photos went to his closest friends, Pan Am fencer Grace Acel Hillyer Anderson and her husband Paul Anderson, who was instrumental in starting the fencing team at UConn in the 1940s. The Andersons promised to send me a selection of Mr. Every's collection as soon as they had the time. Sometime in the late 1990's I lost contact with the Anderson family and Dernell Every's fencing gifts.  Fast forward to 2011....Paul Anderson's daughter, Valerie Gillen (who had inherited the Anderson's and Mr. Every's items) decided to donate these fencing riches to the Museum.  Here is what was donated:

10 U.S. National Championship medals, 5 AFLA Metropolitan medals, U.S. Olympic belt buckle from Amsterdam 1928, U.S. Olympic belt buckle from Los Angeles 1932, 4 Yale University medals, 4 large Olympic medallions from Amsterdam 1928, Los Angeles 1932 and London 1948; a Centennial celebration letter opener from the Fencers' Club 1883 - 1983; 50 photographs from the 1948 U.S. National finals in the Roosevelt Hotel and photos from the 1948 London Olympics;  a U.S. Olympic Committee pin in silver with an image of Big Ben from the 1948 Olympics; 2 I.F.A. medals; 4 U.S. Olympic team patches;  2 "concurrent"1928 Amsterdam Olympic metal clips; F. I. E. Organizing Committee credential for the 1958 World Championships in Philadelphia;  a selection of U.S. Olympic pins; 1932 Los Angeles Olympics Identification card;  1932 Los Angeles Olympic metal identification badge for the Olympic Village and Games; 2 large Yale University awards; American Olympic Fencing Committee minutes from 1938 at the NYAC;  biographies of all of the 1936 U.S. Olympic fencers; Robert Grasson's (Yale Coach) complete collegiate records;  a button from a man's blazer with the colored Olympic patch of the United States.

Stacey Johnson, Hall of Famer, President of US Fencing Association and 1980 Olympian, has donated her 1980 Moscow Olympics warm-up suit and t-shirts.

Gay Jacobson D'Asaro, Hall of Famer,  2-time US national foil champion and 2-time Olympian, has donated her 1980 Moscow Olympics warm-up suit.

Joe Byrnes, Hall of Fame armorer, has donated his 1964 Tokyo Olympics warm-ups in mint condition.

Vinnie Bradford, 1984 Olympian, 5 times US Champion in foil and epee, 3-times Pan American Games medalist and member of the famed San Jose State fencing dynasty, has donated her 1979 Pan Am Games sweat suit (made by Levis), the 1983 Pan Am red jacket and rain jacket, and t-shirts from the 1984 LA Olympics.

Bill Goering was a Pan Am Games team member, Pan Am Gold medal winner in 1959, Pan Am Silver medal in 1971, and Midwest Section Saber Champion 24 times.  He was also on the USFA Board of Directors from 1959 - 1991.  We thank his wife Monica for the donation of Bill's Pan Am games outfit from 1971, his University Games outfit from 1983, a selection of photographs, patches, and medals.

Lajos Csiszar, Penn coach and Hall of Famer, gave 3 handmade saber guards and pairs of custom made pants to David Micahnik, Penn coach and Hall of Famer.  Dave Micahnik has donated these to the Museum.

Gus Prokop was one of the most "talented" foil stars of his era.  A teammate of Axelrod's at Stuyvesant Highschool, he fenced at the 1948 London Olympic Games.  His son, Rick Prokop, has given the Museum a large collection of images from his father's past including shots of many of our '48 stars on board the ship crossing the Atlantic.

Denise O'Connor, two-time Olympian, (1964, 1976), Hall of Famer who fenced in five World Championships (1965, '66, '69, '70, '75), as well as the Pan American Games of 1975 (Bronze Medal), has donated 2 parade outfits from the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

Daniel Costin, (owner and Coach of Avant Garde Fencers Club) ,Romanian national saber champion and member and Coach of the Romanian National Saber Team, and coach of the US Junior Saber Team has donated his Romanian Olympic warm-up jacket from the '91 World Championships in Budapest.

Michael Marx, 5-time Olympian & 8-time US foil champion, has donated his 1992 Olympic parade uniform, his 1996 Olympic fencing uniform and a Levi's shirt autographed by the complete 1984 US Olympic Fencing Team.
 

George Worth was U.S. national sabre champion (1954); U.S. medalist five times. 4 times a member of the U.S. Olympic fencing team (1948, '52, '56, '60). Finalist, Olympic sabre individual (1948) - fifth place. Member, bronze medal-winning sabre team (1948) and fourth place sabre team (1960). One of the leading officials in the sport and a member of the US Fencing Hall of Fame.  His wife, Karen Worth has donated 2 of George's sabers that were hand-made and signed by Lajos Csiszar, his mask, glove, Pan Am Games belt from 1971, and a number of trophies, pins and patches.

Samuel Thompson Stewart Jr., born in 1912, was a 1936 Olympian who represented Salle Vince & later the NYAC. He won the 1935 U.S. Men’s Sabre Team Champions rep. Salle Vince with Peter Bruder & J. A. Cerra and 1937 & 1938 U.S. Men’s Sabre Team Champions NYAC w/ Acel, Huffman & Marson and 1950 U.S. Sabre Team champions again w/ NYAC & J. Flynn, Ralph Marson, Nick Muray.

George Masin ( a member of the Fencing Hall of Fame) has donated a series of medals that Mr. Stewart won.

George Masin, Olympian, Epee champion, Hall of Famer, has donated his cap and a bag from the 1972 Olympic Games.

Dr. Todd Makler, NCAA Saber champion 1967 & 1968 (Penn),  and 1972 Epee Olympian has donated an official commemorative pewter tray from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics which is inscribed with the signatures of the winners of the 4 individuals, plus the various other official names.  Todd's father, Dr. Paul Makler was a member of that '64 team and was also President of the AFLA / USFA.  Todd's brother, Brooke, was NCAA epee champion (Penn) and a member of the 1976 US Olympic team.  We thank the whole Makler Olympic fencing family.

Robert Blum, inducted into the Hall of Fame in the summer of 2010, has donated his hat and Olympic blazer from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.  Blum was a finalist in the 1958 World Saber Championships.

Larry Anastasi, 1964 & 1968 Olympian who competed in the Olympics in foil and epee, was the US National champion in foil and epee, won the Pan Am Games gold medal in foil and epee, has donated his uniform from the Olympics including jacket with Olympic patch, pants, 2 electric epees, fencing bag, mask, gloves, extra blade.

James Williams, a former Columbia fencing team captain, two-time All-American, 2-time Pan Am Games medalist, and Olympic silver medalist in saber at the 2008 Beijing Games, has donated one of his saber lames to the Museum.
 
Keeth Smart, 3-time Olympian, 2-time US saber champion and Olympic silver medalist in saber at the 2008 Beijing Games, has donated one of his saber lames to the Museum.
 
Jason Rogers, Olympic silver medalist in Beijing, has made his third donation to Museum including his 2009 Pan American individual and team championships Gold medals in a beautiful case and the Gold medal from the 2009 Division I saber circuit in Portland.  Additional items included :Olympic t-shirt, Ohio State fencing t-shirt, plus various Olympic paraphernalia from '08 Beijing.  Jason has also sent Ralph Lauren shirts, shorts, hats from the Olympic Games and warm-ups from both the '04 and '08 Games and a backpack from the Beijing Games.

Karen Worth, the widow of GEORGE WORTH, 4-time US saber Olympian, Olympic finalist and member of the US Fencing Hall of Fame, has donated some beautiful photos of her great husband.
 
Ed Richards, 2-time US foil champion, fencing master, Olympian and member of the US Fencing Hall of Fame, has donated his black master's jacket that he wore for many years while coaching at the Westside Fencing Center.