Inducted 2010

William (Bill) Rocky Alterio was a 1950 graduate of Bellefonte Area High School. In 1951 he married Mary Corl before serving our country in Korea . Bill and Mary had 3 sons, Dave, Bob and Tom, and 1 daughter Linda.

Bill Alterio was a member of Bellefontes+

+first wrestling team, coached by Glenn Smith in 1947. As a freshman, Bill wrestled as a varsity starter at 145 lbs. For the next four years, Bill was a main stay at 138 and 145 lbs. The first two years of Bellefonte wrestling were truly a trial period, with dual meets against powerful teams like Clearfield and Muncy, which were a mere exhibition to see if the sport would take off. With a strong core of dedicated team mates, Bellefonte became a state power in 1949, and Bill was there to anchor the team. Being a starter all four years he wrestled, Bill became known as a tough mat wrestler by riding out opponents in an era where riding time was a factor in wins. This was a time when only the district champion moved on for a shot at a state title, and Bill was a district runner-up in 1949 and 1950, losing close matches to hall of famers and state champions Jerry Maurry of Clearfield and Charlie Roselle of Chief Logan.

In 1949, Bill was a member of the team that wrestled against Clearfield at Penn States Recreational Hall in front of an estimated crowd of 6,000, with Bellefonte dropping a hard fought 21-20 dual meet. This was the first ever high school match to be wrestled at Rec Hall and proved to really jump start high school wrestling to new heights in central Pennsyvania.

The 1950 team was undefeated tying 17-17 with the powerful Clearfield team that was considered the cream of Pennsylvania wrestling. Wrestling became a sport that the community supported, and Bill joined that supportive community after he graduated in 1950. Bill was also a four year starter at right guard for the Bellefonte football team and earned Big 33 honorable mention in 1950.

Bill lived and supported Bellefonte Athletics all his life and instilled his passion for sports in his three sons. Many people remember seeing Bill wrestling his wife Mary while they were in the stands watching their sons compete. The Alterio family, under Bills guidance, has produced Bellefonte wrestlers that cover the decades from the 1940s to the present. His family, including his sons and grandsons, have 23 varsity letters in wrestling and many more from participating in other Bellefonte athletics.

Bill died suddenly of cancer in 1985. While he had the pleasure of watching and coaching his three sons, he never had the chance to see his grandsons compete. He would have been proud to see the tradition continue and to watch his grandsons reach the accomplishments he dreamed of. Bill demanded a commitment to wrestling . . . to give it your all and to never, never quit . . . no matter what. He taught his family well and they passed that down through generations of family and friends involved in wrestling.

The Wrestling team of 1947 was truly a pioneering group of young men. Bill often mentioned how proud he was to have been a founding member of a sport that made Bellefonte a proud community. His family is very proud of what he started, and through all the years of Bellefonte Wrestling, a piece of him is still there.

To participate in a sport that demands so much, where there is no place to hide when you lose, and to give it your all and compete. If you can say youre a wrestler, then I can say youre a man and I would be proud to know you. Bill Alterio believed this, lived it, and instilled it in others. He was proud to be part of Bellefonte Wrestling, and so is his family, who continue his tradition of dedication, toughness, and sportsmanship in a sport that he loved and was so proud of.

Bill would have been extremely honored to be inducted into the Bellefonte Wrestling Hall of Fame, as is his entire family.

Bellefonte Area High School

Hall of Fame

Mr. Shane Alterio

Mr. Daren (“JR”) Brown

Mr. Preston Snyder

Mr. Tom Traxler

Mr. Mitchell Port

Mr. Tyler Fishburn

Mr. Josh Jones

Mr. Tim Traxler

Mr. Don Hess

Mr. Patrick “Pat” Corbett

Mr. Patrick “Pat” O. Kelley, Sr.

Mr. Woody Ishler

Mr. George Lyons, Jr.

Mr. Joel Lyons

Mr. Michael "Mike" Reish

Mr. Jason Scott

Mr. Michael "Mike" Gardner

Captain Nathan "Nate" Lingle

Mr. William "Bill" Alterio

Mr. Dan Faulkner

Mr. Ellery Seitz

Mr. Gary Young

Mr. Richard Houser

Mr. Roger Port

Mr. Harry "Skip" Whitehill

Mr. Bill Workman

Mr. Mike Masullo

Mr. John Wood

Mr. Tom Muir

Mr. Dennis Sciabica

Mr. Shawn Fishburn

Mr. Frank Masullo

Mr. Steve Yarnell & Mrs Linda Yarnell

Mr. Tony Lingenfelter

Mr. Kenneth "Buck" Smith

Mr. Rodney Mitchell

Mr. Thomas Crater

Mr. Jeremy Rose

Mr. Budd Whitehill

Mr. John Weber, Mr Ed Pierce, and Mr Ralph Dale

Mr. Sam Markle

Mr. Brandon Frantz

Mr. Gary Poorman

Mr. Andy Thal

Mr. Larry Walker

Mr. Stan Mousetis

Mr. Albert Leitzell

Mr. Robbie Weikel

Mr. Bob Wert

Mr. Gene Bennett

Mr. Lynn Stover

Mr. Bill Fisher

Mr. Mark Bush

Mr. Scott Corl

Mr. Denny Anderson

Mr. Matt Hardy

Mr. Todd Fishburn

Mr Kenny Walker

Mr. Rodney Musser

Mr. Jim Torsell

Mr. Bill Krebs

Mr. George "Whitey" Noll

Mr. Larry Taylor

Mr. Glenn Smith

Mr. Tom Riglin

Mr. Joe Masullo

Mr. Tom Musser

Mr. Dave Adams

Mr. Ken Moyer

Mr. Ron Pifer

Mr. Jim Thal

Mr. Larry Fornicola