As a high school wrestler at Quabbin Regional High School, Fran Cranston was instructed and inspired by his former coach, Jim Beschta.

Five years after graduating from his alma mater, Fran returned to Quabbin to begin what would become a 28-year coaching career. While coaching at Quabbin, Fran mentored three New England Champions, two All-State Champions, four Divisional-State Outstanding Wrestlers, twenty-one individual State Champions, and one NCAA All American. During his career, Fran compiled a remarkable 271-70-2 record, coaching two State Championship teams, in 1987 and 2004, and four state runner-up teams (1981, 1986, 1995 and 1997). His 2004 championship team won the Division 2 State title in a walkover, with the runner-up team the only one within 100 points of Quabbin. In capturing this title, Quabbin became the first team to qualify nine wrestlers for the Massachusetts All-State Tournament. Fran was named the Massachusetts Interscholastic Wrestling Coaches Association (MIWCA) Coach-of-the-Year three times (1986, 1987, and 2004), as well as the 1987 Massachusetts USA Wrestling Coach-of-the-Year and the 1995 Boston Globe Coach-of-the-Year. In recognition of his stellar career, Coach Cranston was inducted into MIWCA Hall of Fame, where he is proud to be joined by six of his former wrestlers.

A native of Barre, Massachusetts, Fran entered the insurance business after graduating from the College of the Holy Cross. Cranston worked for The Protector Group Insurance Agency for twelve years, and later acquired a branch office from his employer that he owned and operated for another eleven years. At that time, Fran decided to sell the insurance agency so that he could follow his true passion of teaching. Cranston subsequently earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from Clark University, and currently teaches mathematics in the Worcester Public School System.

Today, Fran still resides in Barre, where he continues to be involved is his local community. He is the Campaign Chairman of the Committee to elect Sen. Stephen M. Brewer (Chairman of Ways and Means), a member of the Barre Savings Bank Board of Corporators, and a former President of the Barre Emergency and Rescue Squad.

Coach Cranston always expected his wrestlers to think of the team above themselves. His wrestlers displayed tremendous sportsmanship, consistently demonstrating respect for opponents and officials. As importantly, Fran encouraged his wrestlers to excel as students, and to be active and responsible community members. One of the many examples of this community service was his teams' steadfast participation in the "Adopt a Highway" program. In recognition of his many contributions to the Massachusetts wrestling community,

Fran Cranston is being honored by the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for his Lifetime Achievement in Wrestling.