Celebrating Black History Month
Ed Ballinger 

Photo of Ed with Uriah Jones at the 1976 Cherry Hill US Nationals
In 1965, Edward Ballinger wanted to play football, but his father wouldn't let him, so a classmate who was captain of the fencing team encouraged him to try the sport. After joining the fencing team at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, Ed continued his instruction at a YWHA community center on the Grand Concourse, fencing on Sunday mornings. Ed went on to compete in individual and team foil for the USA at the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympic Games, the same year he graduated from New York University. In 1971, he was NCAA team champion, as well as individual foil, team foil, and three-weapon team champion at the Intercollegiate Foil Championships. He was the US National Champion in foil in 1973 and 1975 and won team foil titles in 1971 and 1973. At the 1975 Pan American Games, he won a gold medal in team épée and a silver medal in team foil. Since retiring from competition, Ed has dedicated his time to sharing the sport of fencing with youth. He coached fencing at Trinity School in New York City (1976 - 1979), YWCA of Greater New York (1976 - 1982), Baruch College (1980, 1983 - 1984), Cape Cod Fencing Club, and Boston Fencing Club. Ed served on the USA Fencing Board of Directors from 2001 to 2003. He was elected to the NYU Hall of Fame in 2011 and the USA Fencing Hall of Fame in 2012.



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