Villanova Univeristy Athletics

Tony Sala was a four-year member of the Villanova boxing team from 1934-37 and was team captain for the 1936 and 1937 seasons.  He is best known for being the champion of his weight class three straight years at the Eastern Intercollegiate Championships from 1935-37.  Sala is a 1937 graduate and was inducted to the Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1974. 
 
At a time when college boxing was enjoying increasing popularity, Sala emerged as a standout performer on the Villanova team.  He boxed at 175 pounds, which was considered the light heavyweight class at the time.  Sala won the light heavyweight title at the Eastern Intercollegiate Championships for the first time in 1935, then retained the title in each of the next two years. 
 
Villanova scheduled just one intercollegiate competition in 1934, a match against Temple in which Sala did not participate.  He has three known results from the 1935 season, including a win and a draw at his 175 pound weight class.  He defeated an opponent from Penn by TKO after 42 seconds in the third round, and also fought to a third round draw in a bout against Western Maryland.  Sala is also listed as fighting at the heavyweight class and winning by TKO against Temple.  That year’s Eastern Intercollegiate event was held at Penn State on March 15-16. 
 
Two results are listed for Sala during the 1936 season, when Villanova tallied a 3-1 record which included wins over Penn, Washington & Jefferson and Temple along with a loss to Western Maryland.  Sala defeated an opponent from Western Maryland in a third round decision, and also won by forfeit against Temple.  He went on to win his second career Eastern Intercollegiate title, with the championships returning to Penn State on March 13 and 14 of that year. 
 
Villanova posted a 2-1-2 record during the 1937 season, with wins over Bucknell and Western Maryland along with ties against Army and Temple.  The lone loss was to Wisconsin in a match that took place in Madison on March 19, one week after the Eastern Intercollegiate Championships in Syracuse.  All four of Sala’s known results from the 1937 season are victories.  He won by third round decisions against Army, Bucknell and Western Maryland in addition to a forfeit win over Temple.