Burton B. Burger was born in Buffalo, New York, on December 26, 1935. He and his wife, Beverly, have been married for 47 years. They have two daughters, Julia and Andrea, 5 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

Burt's wrestling career is extensive and varied. He started wrestling at Hamburg High School in Hamburg, New York (Section 6), and wrestled there from 1952-1955. While in high school, he won the state title in 1955 and was team captain. He wrestled for Hall of Fame coach Doug Parker during his junior and senior years at Hamburg High School. As a Springfield College wrestler under coach Doug Parker, Burton Burger was undefeated in dual meets during his freshman year. During his junior and senior years at Springfield College, Burt was a team captain. He also won 3 New England titles at 157 pounds while at Springfield College and was only one of five wrestlers to accomplish that feat. During his four-year college wrestling career at Springfield, Burton Burger lost just 9 dual meets. Burt won the most pins trophy for 1957-58 and 1958-59, and he was voted Outstanding Wrestler in the 1958-59 New England Tournament. Burton competed in two Division 1 NCAA championships and placed in the top 8 in 1959. In 1960, Burton Burger won the Northeast Regional tryouts for the 1960 Olympic Games which were held in Rome. Burton wrestled both free style and Greco Roman during the Olympic trials.

While he was head wrestling coach at Wilbraham Academy from 1959 through 1976, Burton Burger's teams went 130-29-1. Wilbraham won the Class B championship in 1963 and was runner-up 3 times in Class A. Burt coached over 26 individual Class A champions and never had a losing season.

Burton Burger received his bachelor's degree from Springfield College in 1959 and his master's degree from Springfield College in 1960. Burt was a physical education teacher in the Chicopee Public Schools from 1960 through 1992. During those years, he ran a wrestling unit in all of his physical education classes. From 1970 through 1992, Burton Burger ran wrestling tournaments for grades 5-8, with as many as 300 entries and 1500 spectators! For many years, Burt tried to start a wrestling program in the Chicopee Public Schools. Finally, in 2006, Chicopee started a high school wrestling co-op team. After three years, the two high schools in Chicopee formed two individual wrestling teams. Burton Burger has been a volunteer coach for the entire 11 seasons that the Chicopee Public Schools has had high school wrestling. Both high schools in Chicopee have been successful with their wrestling programs because of their great head coaches. Burton Burger is very grateful to be a volunteer coach for the sport he loves. After his retirement in 1992, Burton has been very active as a spectator, a wrestling mentor, and a coach. Because of his involvement, the "Burton Burger Wrestling Tournament" was named for him at one of the Chicopee High Schools.