National Hall of Fame Journal

www.nwhof.org Spring 2017

WHAT’S INSIDE Looking to the Future ...... 2 - 3 41st Honors Weekend June 2-3 Class of 2017 ...... 4 - 5 State Chapters ...... 6 - 8 DGM News ...... 9 - 10 Hall of Fame News ...... 11 - 15

BOARD OF GOVERNORS Terry Shockley, Chairman Steve Silver, Vice Chairman Tom Slowey, Secretary Ed Gallegos, Treasurer

Rich Bender John Harris, III John Bowlsby Matt Hull Robert Buckley Jay Keel Mike Child Mike Moyer The National Wrestling Hall of Fame will induct the Class of 2017 during its 41st Michael David O’Hara Annual Honors Weekend on June 2-3 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. DerGarabedian Lee Roy Smith Stan Dziedzic Sandy Stevens Tom Talbot The Class of 2017 inductees are Distinguished Members Tony (Babe) Gizoni, Martin Floreani Noel Thompson Roger Frizzell Ty Wilcox Cary Kolat, Andre Metzger and Chuck Yagla, Meritorious Official Mike Hagerty, Outstanding American Captain Dominic (Dom) Pudwill Gorie, Order of Merit MUSEUM INFORMATION recipient Greg Hatcher and Medal of Courage recipient Thomas Green. National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum “The Class of 2017 features truly remarkable individuals who have been successful 405 W. Hall of Fame Ave. on and off the mat,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Stillwater, OK 74075-5025 Wrestling Hall of Fame. “We look forward each year to honoring those who have Phone: 405.377.5243 Fax: 405.377.5244 not only made contributions to our sport, but also those who have taken the skills www.nwhof.org/stillwater they learned in wrestling and have used them to excel throughout their lives.” [email protected] Hours Of Operation Honors weekend begins Thursday, June 1, with the State Chapter Conference. Monday - Friday Moderated by State Chapter Director Krista Graff, the event allows State Chapter 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Saturdays representatives to discuss best practices for growing their Chapters and our sport. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. —————­­———­­———­­—­­—­­—­­—­­—­­ The Presentation of Plaques Ceremony for the Class of 2017 will be at the Hall of NWHOF Dan Gable Museum Fame & Museum on June 2 at 7 p.m. There is no charge for the plaque presentation. 303 Jefferson St. Waterloo, IA 50701-1321 Phone: 319.233.0745 On Saturday, June 3, there will be a Testimonial Brunch for honorees in the Fax: 319.233.3477 morning, a fashion fair and the 41st Annual Honors Banquet in the evening. The www.nwhof.org/waterloo [email protected] brunch and banquet will both be held at the Oklahoma State University Student Union. Hours Of Operation Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. For more information or to receive a formal invitation to Honors Weekend, please On weekends by appointment call (405) 377-5243 or visit www.nwhof.ticketleap.com to make reservations. Please call ahead of your visit. Looking to the Future Looking to the Future Continuing to Fulfill Our Mission Strategic Plan has us Seeing 20/20 None of the individuals honored by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame would ever accept In November, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame hosted a group of individuals for a Strategic Planning session, facilitated the premise that “just being good is good enough.” So, in serving our mission, we feature those by Board of Governors member John Harris. The Strategic Planning Committee identified and prioritized eight Action individuals who dare to achieve levels of excellence on, around and off the wrestling mat. Items to help determine the direction and focus of our organization from 2017 to 2020. To accelerate our goals, we have These qualities are exemplified by each class, including our Class of 2017 who are slated for defined the following areas upon which to focus our energy and resources to increase the stature, visibility and financial enshrinement this June. viability of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Dan Gable Museum and the State Chapter Program: What we try to do with our sport’s history at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, the NWHOF 1) Leveraging existing and new technology to reach as many people as possible, both inside and outside Dan Gable Museum and through our State the walls of our facilities. Chapter program, is to convey how wrestling continues to adapt to the ever-changing times, 2) Launching a professional public relations and marketing effort to further increase our reach. so that boys, girls, men and women from 3) Identifying, planning and implementing revenue-producing initiatives, including but not limited to Lee Roy Smith every background can learn the life skills and merchandise, sponsorships and programs of substantial value. Executive Director character traits gained from participating in the sport. For example, the expression “One Size Fits All” has never been 4) Cultivating the organization’s Sustainability Plan by offering a development program that will support applicable to the sport of wrestling. Quite the contrary, as many of our the ongoing annual operations of the organization while advancing the importance of investing in its exhibits demonstrate, wrestling is “A Sport For All – Any BODY Can endowment fund. Wrestle” because it does not discriminate against a person’s size, speed, Medal of Courage winner Kyle Maynard is pictured here climbing Stone Mountain in Georgia. Kyle inspires young 5) Promoting, actuating and continually affirming the organization’s core values of Accountability and strength, gender, physical limitations or socio-economic background. wrestlers to never give up regardless of various challenges. Integrity; Diversity and Inclusion; Excellence and Innovation; and Leadership and Service throughout At the core of wrestling’s benefits is learning how to best adapt, survive and even thrive in the face of opposition. Learning governance, operations, programs and services. these skills doesn’t just occur on the mat, but as a metaphor that is lived out through many aspects of sport, work and life. Furthermore, we reveal how the championship traits embodied by a great wrestler also make for a better person and 6) Revisualizing and reorganizing to improve and grow our State Chapter Program. overall citizen, which can help make a great country. 7) Proactively and opportunistically evaluating possible partnerships and taking action on those that fit We at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame are excited to serve our mission. a sport with values that reach beyond our walls to educate 8) Initiating board and staff programs that better communicate expectations, provide specialized training and inspire multiple generations. In 2016, we completed a opportunities and produce effective succession plans for board, staff and committee members of NWHOF. spectacular renovation of our Stillwater home and are now focused on doing the same with the Dan Gable Museum. By this time next year, we anticipate having two state-of-the-art museums to further inspire and educate youth, adults and If you would like to help us further our mission of preserving wrestling’s history, recognizing excellence and senior citizens about the most significant legends of our inspiring future generations, please fill out and return this form with yourtax-deductible gift. You can also visit sport. We will offer field trips and educational programs www.nwhof.org/support to securely give online. We appreciate your generosity and support of the Hall of Fame. and presentations to various target audiences, along with lesson plans, biographical stories, statistics, facts and video Coached by Cael Sanderson, a four-time NCAA Champion and Olympic gold highlights that can be accessed online for educational medalist who was inducted as a Distinguished Member in 2011, Penn State has Name: ______Amount Enclosed: purposes. won five of the last six NCAA team titles. The Nittany Lions also won in 1953 and they rank fifth all-time in wrestling team championships behind Oklahoma State (34), Address: ______( ) $25 ( ) $50 ( ) $100 ( ) $250 Individuals like yourself who support the National Wrestling (23), Iowa State (8) and Oklahoma (7). Hall of Fame and its museums are important to us. We know City, State, Zip: ______( ) $500* ( ) $1,000** ( ) $2,500 that you want our museums to be both a resource of information and an impressive real-time experience on the sport’s past, present and future, showcasing wrestling as the oldest and greatest sport in the world. Our work is challenging, but Phone Number: ______( ) $5,000 Other: ______also uplifting. Thanks to you, we have come further than we ever could have imagined, and with your continued support, we can take our mission even further ... and faster! Email: ______Mail to: NWHOF, 405 W. Hall of Fame Ave., Stillwater, OK 74075

* Those who donate $500 annually are eligible to purchase NCAA tickets through the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. ** Those who donate $1,000 annually become a member of the Chairman’s Champions Club.

Page 2 National Wrestling Hall of Fame • Spring 2017 Preserving History • Recognizing Excellence • Inspiring Generations Page 3 Hall of Fame Inductions Class of 2017

Tony Gizoni Cary Kolat Andre Metzger Chuck Yagla Captain Dominic Gorie Tom Green Mike Hagerty Greg Hatcher Distinguished Member Distinguished Member Distinguished Member Distinguished Member Outstanding American Medal of Courage Meritorious Official Order of Merit Distinguished Member Tony (Babe) Gizoni was a three-time state champion for Washington (Pennsylvania) High School Outstanding American recipient Captain Dominic (Dom) Pudwill Gorie was 41-9-1 at Miami Palmetto High School in Florida, and won back-to-back NCAA Division I championships for Waynesburg University in 1950 and 1951, earning Outstanding and wrestled at the Naval Academy. Gorie received his bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering from the Naval Wrestler in 1950. He was ineligible to compete in the NCAA tournament as a freshman and was declared ineligible as a Academy and his master’s degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee. He piloted Naval fighter jets from senior due to competing in dual meets and tournaments that were not approved by the NCAA. Gizoni was 52-0 in college, 1981-92, accumulating more than 600 carrier landings, while also flying 38 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. and his overall record for high school and college was 120-3-1, with the three losses and the tie occurring in his freshman Gorie was selected as an Astronaut Candidate in 1994. He served as a spacecraft communicator in Mission Control for year of high school. Gizoni did not lose a match in his last three years of high school or in his four years of college, winning numerous Space Shuttle flights and was chief of the Astronaut Shuttle Branch. In 1998, his career in space took flight with 108 consecutive matches. He also served in the Korean War and earned a Bronze Star in 1956. the first of two shuttle missions as a pilot, followed by two more as Mission Commander. Gorie, who retired from NASA in 2010, has logged over 49 days in space. Gorie is now an active volunteer and board member with Combat Wounded Veterans Distinguished Member Cary Kolat was a four-time state champion for Jefferson-Morgan High School in Green County, Challenge, a national organization that provides adventures to wounded veterans while focusing on rehabilitation research. Pennsylvania. He went 137-0 and was named Outstanding Wrestling at the state tournament every year, an honor that no other wrestler had achieved even twice. He wrestled two seasons at Penn State University, earning All-America honors both Medal of Courage recipient Tom Green’s life changed on May 15, 1997, in a workplace accident when a pipe burst and sprayed seasons and winning the Big Ten title and being named Wrestler of the Year as a sophomore. After transferring to Lock Haven potassium hydroxide in his face. Blind from the accident and his face badly burned, Green, who had also been working as a University, Kolat won back-to-back NCAA Championships in 1996 and 1997, while also capturing two Pennsylvania State wrestling referee, used the support of his wife, Mary, and his two sons, Caleb and Cormac, to persevere. Green underwent Athletic Conference titles and back-to-back Eastern Wrestling League Championships, where he was named Outstanding a series of surgeries, including a cornea transplant, as well as another rare eye surgery that eventually helped him regain his Wrestler both years. Kolat won a silver medal at the World Championships in 1997 and a bronze in 1998. He won gold medals sight. One year after the accident, he returned to wrestling as a volunteer assistant coach, helped start a youth program and at the World Cup in 1998, 1999 and 2000, and at the in 1999 and 2000. He was a silver medalist at the eventually took over as head wrestling coach for the Port Byron Central School District in New York. Green has led Port World Cup in 2001 and finished ninth at the in 2000. Kolat is currently the head wrestling coach at Campbell Byron to the Patriot League title the last six seasons while being named Coach of the Year seven times. As a wrestler, he is still University in Buies Creek, North Carolina. the all-time wins leader at Weedsport High School, and he qualified for nationals at Cayuga Community College and earned all-state honors at SUNY Cortland. Distinguished Member Andre Metzger has wrestled and won more matches than anyone else, competing in over 2,000 matches and winning 1,870 for an estimated winning percentage of 93.5 percent. He was a state champion at Cedar Springs High Meritorious Official recipient Mike Hagerty has 25 years of experience as an NCAA official, working NCAA Division I School in Michigan and was the first wrestler to win five junior national titles (three freestyle and two Greco-Roman). Before Championships since 2003, including 11 finals matches. He has officiated 14 NCAA Division II Championships, 16 Big 12 enrolling at the , he became the youngest American to medal at the World Championships when Championships and seven Pac-12 Championships. Hagerty founded the Inter- Officials Association in he won a bronze medal in 1979. He was a two-time NCAA champion and a four-time All-American, winning titles in 1981 2015 and continues to serve as Executive Director. He was president of the National Wrestling Coaches Association in 1989 and 1982 after finishing second in 1980 and fifth in 1979. Metzger was the United States Senior Greco-Roman champion in and was a member of the Board of Directors from 1996-2001. Hagerty has been a USA World Team coach six times. He has 1980 and a five-time U.S. Freestyle Champion, winning titles in 1979, 1982, 1984, 1986 and 1987. He won gold medals at the been coaching at Blue Springs High School in Missouri for the past 24 years, winning three state championships and seven Pan American Games in 1979 and 1987, while capturing silver medals at the World Cup in 1980, 1986 and 1988 and at the other top-three finishes, while being named Missouri Coach of the Year five times. He wrestled at Higginsville High School World Games in 1986. He is the head coach at the University of North Texas as well as a member of the coaching staff for the in Missouri, where he was an Honorable Mention All-American. Hagerty qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships Bombers of Frisco Wrestling Club. at Central Missouri State, where he was a conference champion as well as team captain and Outstanding Wrestler. Distinguished Member Chuck Yagla was a three-time All-American for the University of Iowa, winning NCAA titles in 1975 Order of Merit recipient Greg Hatcher was a nine-letter winner and one of the last three-sport athletes at Alma College in and 1976, when he was also named Outstanding Wrestler. He was an alternate on the 1976 Olympic team and earned a spot Michigan. He was captain of the wrestling team and first-team All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Hatcher on the 1980 team but did not compete when the United States boycotted the Olympics in Moscow. Yagla was a four-time was inducted into the Alma College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. He started The Hatcher Agency in Little Rock, Arkansas, National Open champion, and he won gold and silver medals at the World Cup while also placing second at the prestigious in 1990 with a loan from the bank, an assistant and 500 square feet of office space. At the end of the first year, he had Tbilisi tournament in Russia. He began his career as an official in 1983 and worked NCAA Division I Championships from outgrown the office space and had seven employees, while selling more insurance than any other agent in the state. The 1996-2007, including five finals matches. Yagla officiated six NCAA Division II Championships and worked the Big Ten and Hatcher Agency was named Arkansas’ Small Business of the Year in 1993 and has led the state in health insurance every Pac-10 Championships for over 20 years, working as head official for each conference four times. He refereed two National year. Hatcher founded the Arkansas Wrestling Association in 2005 and more than 4,000 kids are now wrestling in Arkansas. Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star meets and was selected to work the National Duals 12 times. He stepped off the mat He helped start programs and purchased wrestling mats for 65 Arkansas high schools, a wrestling academy and 10 college following the 2007 NCAA Championships, but he continued to be involved, working as Coordinator of Wrestling Officials programs, while also funding the Hatcher Wrestling Center at Ouachita Baptist and Lyon College, and the Hatcher Wrestling for the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences. Yagla also received the Meritorious Official award from the Hall of Fame in 2009. Room at his alma mater. Page 4 National Wrestling Hall of Fame • Spring 2017 Preserving History • Recognizing Excellence • Inspiring Generations Page 5 State Chapters State Chapters Iowa Oklahoma Upstate New York

Front Row (L to R): Wayne Mammen, Bob Jones, Sharron (L to R): Dennie Friederichs, Dan Cummings, Brian Reimers, Front Row (L to R): Tom Brack, Charlene Lumly Davis Front Row: Ursula Hurley (accepting for her late husband Jones and Jacob Pourchot. Back Row (L to R): State Chapter Tim Baier and Tom Danner. Not pictured: Dr. Mark Mysnyk. (accepting for her late father Thomas Lumly) and Mike Clark. Thomas Hurley). Back Row (L to R): John Murray, James Director Krista Graff, Dave Gannaway, John Penn, Khris Back Row (L to R): Rex Holt, Stephen Randall, Matt Grice and Carrier, Robert Zifchock, John Kopalek, Richard Morton, Whelan and Bob Dane (accepting for Bob Schnarr). Congressman Markwayne Mullin. Charles Hughes, Robert Stulmaker and Bradford Hamer. Maryland Missouri West Virginia

Front Row (L to R): Robert Christin, Bruce Gabrielson and Front Row (L to R): George Hoover and Ray Bergfeld. Back Front Row (L to R): Aristotle Svingos, Joann Cullen and Dr. Henry Franklin. Back Row (L to R): Keith Runk, Homer King Row (L to R): Greg Warren, Larry Smith and Mickey Stewart. Dan Doyle. Back Row (L to R): Dale Slack, Richard “Dick” and William Zimmerman. Edge and Mike Contic.

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame thanks all of its State Chapters for submitting photographs of their honorees for the journal. New Jersey Ohio

More than 10,000 fans at the University of Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena witnessed Distinguished Member Dan Gable presenting Dr. Mark Mysnyk with his Outstanding American award from the Iowa Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. (L to R): Billy Cuff (accepting for Henry Boresch), Mark Front Row (L to R): Larry Deaton, Chuck Angello, John McLaughlin, Sam Appello, Louis Jasmine, William Henderson, Sedlick and Jim Speelman. Back Row (L to R): Jeff Gaier, Dick Doug Oliver (accepting for Deane Oliver), Thomas Hutchinson Bliss, Steve Reedy and Andy DiSabato. and Al Reinoso.

Page 6 National Wrestling Hall of Fame • Spring 2017 Preserving History • Recognizing Excellence • Inspiring Generations Page 7 State Chapters NWHOF Dan Gable Museum News Our State Chapter program was established in 1993 to honor and recognize coaches, officials and others involved at Dan Gable Museum Announces 2017 HOF Class the grassroots of our sport. This select group represents the best qualities of wrestling and is instrumental to the sport’s continued success and growth. The Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa will induct the Class of 2017 on June 24 during a banquet at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo, Iowa. State Chapters present the following awards: The GBWHOF was established in 2002 to honor those who have made an impact on a national level or who have done • Lifetime Service to Wrestling - awarded annually to coaches, officials and contributors who have given a extraordinary work in the state of Iowa. The hall recognizes native-born Iowans and those who achieved their fame while minimum of 20 years of service to the sport of wrestling. wrestling or coaching for an Iowa school. • Medal of Courage - presented to an individual who has overcome insurmountable odds whether it be physical or mental. The honorees are Tom Kettman, Chad Zaputil, Travis Paulson, Trent Paulson, George Flanagan (posthumously) and the • Outstanding American - given to an individual who has succeeded in other walks of life, but who attributes 1987 Iowa State wrestling team. Darrell Frain will be presented with the Bob Siddens Iowa High School Coaching Excellence part of his or her success to what he or she learned in wrestling. Award, and Jim Brown will receive the Russ Smith Community Impact Award. Tom Kettman led Don Bosco High School in Gilbertville, Iowa, to 12 state team championships (five For more information on the State Chapter program, please visit www.nwhof.org/state-chapters. On the State Chapter traditional and seven dual) in 11 seasons as head coach from 2001-11. He coached 17 individual state page, you can find nomination forms for each state and information if you are interested in becoming involved with champions, including four-time winners Mack Reiter and Bart Reiter. your State Chapter. If you are in a state that is listed as not having an active Chapter, and you are interested in helping us establish a one, please contact State Chapter Director Krista Graff at [email protected]. Chad Zaputil was a three-time Big Ten champion, a three-time NCAA tournament finalist and a three-time All-American. He had a career record of 109-8-1 and STATE CHAPTER BANQUETS ANNOUNCED helped the University of Iowa win three NCAA championships in 1991, 1992 and 1993. Chad was a two-time state champion and a three-time state finalist at Date State Chapter Contact Person Contact Information Register Online Centerville High School in Centerville, Iowa. March 4 Arkansas Jerry Evans [email protected] Tom Kettman Travis Paulson was a three-time All-American for Iowa State, a member of the U.S. March 19 Washington Jim Meyerhoff [email protected] wa-nwhof.ticketleap.com Freestyle World team in 2010 and a finalist at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. He was April 9 Wisconsin Keith Swett [email protected] a three-time state champion and had a career record of 172-3 for Lewis Central High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Chad Zaputil April 22 Minnesota Spencer Yohe [email protected] mn-nwhof.ticketleap.com April 22 Oregon Jim Pond [email protected] or-nwhof.ticketleap.com Trent Paulson was an NCAA champion, a two-time Big 12 champion and a three-time All-American for Iowa State with a collegiate record of 117-20. He April 22 Virginia Nancy Perry [email protected] va-nwhof.ticketleap.com was a member of the U.S. Freestyle World team in 2009 and was a two-time state April 23 Kansas Robert Gonzales [email protected] champion. Trent had a career record of 192-2 with 115 falls for Lewis Central. April 29 Massachusetts Laura Driver [email protected] ma-nwhof.ticketleap.com George Flanagan began coaching at Cresco High School, in Cresco, Iowa, in 1936 April 30 Georgia Bud Hennebaul [email protected] ga-nwhof.ticketleap.com and led his teams to four state championships and six runner-up finishes. He Travis Paulson April 30 Pennsylvania Ann Peery Ritter [email protected] pa-nwhof.ticketleap.com coached 34 individual state champions and had a 317-89-5 record. He was an Iowa Collegiate champion for Iowa State Teachers College, now Northern Iowa, in 1933. May 13 Alabama Daryle Qualls [email protected] al-nwhof.ticketleap.com The 1987 Iowa State wrestling team won the NCAA Division I championship with six All-Americans, May 13 Colorado Gerald Moore [email protected] co-nwhof.ticketleap.com Trent Paulson five finalists and four NCAA champions. In only his second season, a 27-year-old Jim Gibbons led the May 20 Dan Dierdorff [email protected] ca-nwhof.ticketleap.com Cyclones to the title and prevented the University of Iowa from winning its 10th consecutive title. The May 21 Michigan Michael DeGain [email protected] starting lineup and their individual NCAA finishes were Perry Summitt (118), Billy Kelly (1st at 126), Jeff Gibbons (3rd at May 21 North Carolina Rex Wells [email protected] nc-nwhof.ticketleap.com 134), Joe Ghezzi (142), Tim Krieger (1st at 150), Stewart Carter (1st at 158), (2nd at 167), Steve Metzger (177), Aug. 12 Florida Jane Townsend [email protected] fl-nwhof.ticketleap.com Eric Voelker (1st at 190), and Andy Cope (HWT). Assistant coaches were Les Anderson, , Joe Gibbons and Kevin Darkus. Aug. 19 Tennessee P.A. Bowler [email protected] Darrell Frain has coached at Orient-Macksburg High School, in Orient, Iowa, for 17 seasons and has a 292-58 record. His teams have won two traditional state titles and two dual team championships. He has coached 30 individual state finalists Sept. 17 New Jersey Steven John Jastrabek [email protected] nj-nwhof.ticketleap.com and 18 state champions. Sept. 17 Upstate New York Carl Koenig [email protected] ny-nwhof.ticketleap.com Jim Brown began what became “Tickets for Kids” when he purchased tickets to University of Iowa matches and donated Oct. 1 Maryland Dan Zottarelli [email protected] md-nwhof.ticketleap.com them to youth wrestling organizations. He expanded the program to include the NWCA National Duals and the NCAA Oct. 8 Oklahoma Steve Ferguson [email protected] ok-nwhof.ticketleap.com Division III Wrestling Championships. Brown has allowed more than 7,500 young wrestlers to attend dozens of matches and Oct. 15 Ohio Gordie Longshaw [email protected] oh-nwhof.ticketleap.com tournaments, including the 2016 Olympic Trials. Nov. 5 Arizona Todd Ford [email protected] The Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa is located inside the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. For more information, please telephone (319) 233-0745.

Page 8 National Wrestling Hall of Fame • Spring 2017 Preserving History • Recognizing Excellence • Inspiring Generations Page 9 NWHOF Dan Gable Museum News Hall of Fame News Dan Gable Museum Prepares for $1.4 Million Renovation NWHOF NCAA Fan Fest Exhibit Will Feature “Sport for All” The National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s plan to renovate the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, continues, and the proposed The National Wrestling Hall of Fame will bring its “Sport for $1.4 million renovation will not only transform the facility into All” mural to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships a state-of-the art museum with interactive displays, but it will on March 16-18 in St. Louis, Missouri, to show attendees at also feature an expanded wrestling room, teaching center and the free NCAA Fan Festival that “Any Body Can Wrestle.” theater. The Hall of Fame will also host a roundtable discussion and autograph session at Fan Fest featuring wrestlers of different “This museum wants to be a focal point with what it’s doing sizes, genders and ethnicities. to raise kids and people to a higher level of expectations,” says Pictured is the proposed floor plan, which we feel accomplishes Dan Gable, who was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the “We created this exhibit to show that there is a place in our goal of having a flexible and open space that has a good National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1980. “I want the museum our sport for everyone, no matter your size, your gender, flow for visitors. to make a big difference in the youth and future of the state of your ethnicity or physical limitations,” said Lee Roy Smith, Iowa and our country.” Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “We want those who look at this exhibit to see themselves in The Dan Gable Training Center has a wrestling room that hosts one of the wrestlers featured, who are not only outstanding male and female wrestlers five nights a week as well as an annual athletes but who are also tremendous role models.” youth wrestling camp. The programming helps build positive The Sport For All exhibit in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. and invaluable skill sets for living a championship life beyond The mural features life-size images of 5-foot-3-inch and the mat while strengthening young people’s minds and bodies. 105-pound Bobby Weaver, who won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics; 6-foot-4-inch and 286-pound Stephen Our goal is to host more programs in the future to help impact Neal, a two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American at Cal State-Bakersfield who won three Super more youth, while also increasing traffic and revenue to support Bowl rings as an offensive lineman for the New England Patriots; 5-foot-10-inch and 147-pound Adeline Gray, a the museum. three-time World champion; 5-foot-8-inch and 125-pound Anthony Robles, an NCAA champion and three-time All-American at Arizona State; and 4-foot-11-inch and 105-pound “It’s not just a building; it’s a place you want to go to time and Clarissa Chun, a World champion and Olympic bronze medalist. again and it never gets old,” said Gable. “There are more than Our plan is to leverage our unique assets to showcase wrestling It also has a growth chart on the side with the heights of some of the and the great individuals, including the museum’s namesake, 110 years of wrestling on display. With these proposed upgrades, who have helped create our sport’s legacy. it will be a symbol of excellence for everything – not just for greatest names in wrestling: , Cael Sanderson, wrestling – for people all over the world regardless of gender or , , Pat Smith, , Lee Kemp, a g e .” Sara McMann and Henry Cejudo. “Visitors to our museum have really enjoyed taking pictures with The Wrestling Beyond the Walls Dan Gable Museum Capital the mural and measuring themselves to see where they match up Campaign has already received a significant number of financial against some of our sport’s legends,” said Smith. “Because of the commitments and is now at a critical stage of seeking the tremendous response, we felt it would be great to bring it to the remaining donations needed to fully fund and start construction NCAAs so those who have not had the opportunity to visit our on the $1.4 million project. newly renovated museum could experience this totally unique Clarissa Chun poses next to herself on the Sport for All wall. The project is under the direction of Robert Buckley, who is exhibit.” chairman of the Hall of Fame Construction Committee, with assistance from committee members and members of the Hall Want to know more about what goes on at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum? Follow us on social of Fame staff. The exhibits are being developed by Dimensional media for the most up-to-date information about the museum, events and inductions. We will take visitors through wrestling’s rich history in Iowa Innovations in Kansas City, who created the exhibit spaces and through a timeline as well as with interactive exhibits. kiosks for the recent $3.8 million renovation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma. If you would like to make a donation, please telephone the NWHOF Dan Gable Museum at (319) 233-0745. /NWHOF @NWHOF @NationalWrestlingHOF

Page 10 National Wrestling Hall of Fame • Spring 2017 Preserving History • Recognizing Excellence • Inspiring Generations Page 11 Hall of Fame News Hall of Fame News Hall of Fame and Milwaukee Tool Announce Partnership Four Distinguished Members Join UWW International Hall of Fame Four Distinguished Members of the National Wrestling Hall The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum and Milwaukee Tool of Fame were inducted into the announced a multi-year sponsorship in October 2016. International Wrestling Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro prior to the start of the wrestling competition at the “We are proud to partner with the National Wrestling Hall of Fame,” said 2016 Olympic Games. Steve Richman, Group President of Milwaukee Tool. “We look forward to working together to increase the exposure of the sport of wrestling and the The four Americans honored were Rick Tucci, who was tremendous accomplishments of those they recognize.” inducted as a Distinguished Member in 2001 and received the Meritorious Official award in 1994; the late William “Bill” Farrell, who was inducted as a Distinguished Member in 1987; Milwaukee Tool’s logo is included on the front page of the Hall of Fame website at nwhof.org, and Milwaukee the late Joe Scalzo, who was also included as a Distinguished Tool will be featured by the Hall of Fame on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+. Milwaukee Tool will also Member in 1987; and the late Dave Schultz, who was inducted Receiving Hall of Fame awards were Americans (L to R): Rich Bender (on receive on-site exposure at select State Chapter banquets and will work with the Hall of Fame to generate more as a Distinguished Member in 1997. behalf of Joe Scalzo), Nancy Schultz Vitangeli (on behalf of Dave Schultz), awareness and interest in wrestling. Rick Tucci and Andy Barth (on behalf of Bill Farrell). Photo by Larry Slater. The presentation was moderated by UWW Vice President Stan “Milwaukee Tool believes utilizing great tools is vital to constructing things that last,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Dziedzic, who was inducted as a Distinguished Member in 1996. Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “The mission of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is to recognize inspiring champions who develop and use the tools they need to build legacies that distinguish them from the Tucci officiated eight Olympics and 75 World Championships at the senior, junior and cadet levels. He has been president competition. We feel that this is the perfect partnership, and we look forward to working with Milwaukee Tool.” of the USA Wrestling Officials Association since 1986 and was an international instructor from 1990-2012. He received the FILA Golden Whistle in 1988 and has also been awarded two FILA Gold Stars.

Farrell was coach of the USA Freestyle team at the 1972 Olympics that produced medalists and Distinguished Members 2017 U.S. Freestyle World Dan Gable, and Ben Peterson. Farrell also coached 13-time World and Olympic medalist and Distinguished Team Trials in June Get Your Wrestling Member Bruce Baumgartner, and he was president and coach of the New York Athletic Club. Legends Some Hall of Scalzo was one of the founders and organizers of the FILA USA Wrestling will host its most important domestic men’s freestyle Fame Merchandise event of the year, the 2017 U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials, on June World Cup in 1973 and hosted the first 13 World Cups in the 10 at the Bob Devaney Center on the campus of the University of United States. He was vice president of FILA and organized the Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska. 1962 and 1966 World Championships. Schultz won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics and the 1983 It was also announced that the UWW Junior Freestyle World Team World Championships. He was a World silver medalist in 1985, Trials, featuring top college and high school stars, will be held on 1987 and 1993, and he was a World bronze medalist in 1982 June 9 at the Devaney Center. and 1986.

The winners of the U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials in the eight In addition to the four Americans, UWW inducted Ine World Championships weight classes will earn a spot on the Barlie of Norway (Women’s Freestyle), Martine Dugrenier of U.S. World Team, which will compete in the World Wrestling Canada (Women’s Freestyle), David Gobedjishvilli of Georgia The National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Championships in Paris, France, Aug. 21-26. (Men’s Freestyle), Park Jang-Soon of Korea (Men’s Freestyle), has a kiosk with the UWW Hall of Fame, featuring photographs Anatoli Kolessov of Russia (Greco-Roman), Victor Kuznetsov and biographies of its honorees in Men’s Freestyle, Women’s The winners of the UWW Junior Freestyle World Team Trials in the of Russia (coach), Hector Milian of (Greco-Roman), Freestyle Greco-Roman, Leadership, Legends and Referees. Photo by Austin Bernard. eight World Championships weight classes will earn spots on the Manuel Andradey Rodriguez of Mexico (leader), Stefan Rusu U.S. Junior World Team which will compete in the UWW Junior of Romania (Greco-Roman), Dr. Harold Tunneman of Germany (Order of Merit) and Janos Varga of Hungary (Greco- World Wrestling Championships in Tampere, Finland, Aug. 1-6. Roman). Visit www.nwhof.org/products-page Tickets are now on sale for both Trial events through huskers.com/ to purchase Hall of Fame Products. Wrestlers from 11 countries are represented in the Class of 2016, with a total of seven individual Olympic gold medals and 17 individual World Championships included in their combined accomplishments. tickets.

Page 12 National Wrestling Hall of Fame • Spring 2017 Preserving History • Recognizing Excellence • Inspiring Generations Page 13 Hall of Fame News Hall of Fame News U.S. Freestyle Wrestlers Excel in 2016 Titan Mercury Wins USA’s First World Clubs Cup It was an exciting year for USA Wrestling in freestyle competition. Led by multiple NCAA champions , David Taylor and Nick Gwiazdowski, the Titan Mercury Wrestling Helen Maroulis became the first American woman to win an Olympic Club defeated Iran’s highly-touted Bimeh Razi Club in the gold medal, upsetting Japan’s Saori Yoshida, the three-time reigning finals to win the World Clubs Cup in Olympic gold medalist and 13-time world champion at the 2016 December in Kharkiv, . Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Maroulis, who also won her first World title at the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas, is the It marks the first time in history that a team from the United top-ranked wrestler in the world at 53 kg/116 lbs. by United World States has won the World Freestyle Wrestling Clubs Cup. It Wrestling. also marked the third time in three years that TMWC and Bimeh Razi met in the finals, with Bimeh Razi capturing Kyle Snyder captured gold at both the 2015 World Championships and the title in 2014 and 2015. at the Olympics, and he is the top-ranked wrestler in the world at 97 kg/213 lbs. by UWW. He also won his first NCAA title in 2016 and Dieringer was a perfect 4-0 for the tournament, including a stunning 6-4 victory over two-time World University Kyle Snyder proudly shows off his gold medal in Rio. is back at Ohio State. Snyder will be trying for his second title at the NCAA Division I Championships in St. Louis, Missouri, March 16-18. champion Reza Afzali at 74 kg/163 lbs. in the finals. Taylor, who was the national Dave Schultz High School The Titan Mercury Wrestling Club with their gold medals. Snyder and Maroulis will become the 42nd and 43rd hand-sketched Excellence Award winner for 2009, defeated 2015 World portraits added to the Hall of Fame gallery of Olympic gold medalists bronze medalist, 2016 Olympian and World No. 8 Alireza Karimimachiani, 12-6, in the finals match to finish 3-1 in the in Stillwater, Oklahoma. tournament at 86 kg/189 lbs.. J’den Cox, who was the Missouri and Central Region winner of the Gwiazdowski, who was the DSHSEA winner for Upstate New York in 2011, defeated four-time Asian champion and Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2013, won his second World No. 9 Parviz Hadi, 3-2, at 125 kg/275 lbs. NCAA title in 2016 and then captured a bronze medal at the 2016 The other victory for Titan Mercury in the finals match came from three-time NCAA Division III champion and Ukrainian- Olympics. He is ranked No. 4 in the world at 96 kg/213 lbs. by UWW. native Nazar Kulchytskyy at 70 kg/154 lbs. Cox is a senior at the University of Missouri and will be looking for his third NCAA championship in March. Olympic and World champion Kyle Snyder was upset in the finals match by Abbas Tahan, 3-1. Snyder was leading 1-1 on criteria when Tahan pushed him out of bounds with two seconds left to turn defeat into victory. Logan Stieber, who was the national DSHEA winner in 2010, won a gold medal at 61 kg/134 lbs. at the 2016 World Championships in NCAA champion Nico Megaludis, who was the DSHSEA winner for Pennsylvania in 2011, lost 5-2 in the finals match at Helen Maroulis celebrates after she defeated Saori Yoshida to 57 kg/121 lbs. to Olympic bronze medalist and World champion Hassan Rahimi. Megaludis finished the tournament with Budapest, Hungary. Stieber is the top-ranked wrestler in the world at win gold in Rio. 61 kg/134 lbs. by UWW. He is featured in the collegiate section of our a 3-1 record. museum on a wall with fellow four-time NCAA champions Pat Smith, Cael Sanderson and Kyle Dake. All-Access Passes Available for 2017 Pro Hall of Fame Induction Alli Ragan won a silver medal at 60 kg/132 lbs. at the 2016 World Championships and not only moved into the UWW The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum is selling All-Access Passes for the 2017 George Tragos/Lou Thesz rankings, but she did so at No. 2. Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, scheduled for July 20-22. All-Access Passes allow attendees an opportunity to attend all weekend events, including a ticket to the Hall of Fame Banquet, a front row seat to the Impact Pro Wrestling show (while available), and preferred access at the autograph signing. There are also other events that are limited to All-Access Pass Holders and distinguished guests. A limited number of All-Access Passes are available for a reduced price of $115 through May 31, 2017. After May 31, the All- Access Passes will be $130. All-Access Passes can be purchased by calling the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum at (319) 233-0745 or emailing [email protected].

Follow the NWHOF Dan Gable Museum for the most up-to-date information about the museum, events and inductions.

Logan Stieber with World Champion gold. J’den Cox bites his bronze medal in Rio. Alli Ragan atop World Championships podium. /NWHOFDGM @WrestlingMuseum @dangablewrestlingmuseum

Page 14 National Wrestling Hall of Fame • Spring 2017 Preserving History • Recognizing Excellence • Inspiring Generations Page 15 National Wrestling Hall of Fame 405 W. Hall of Fame Ave. Stillwater, OK 74075

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