National Hall of Fame Journal

www.nwhof.org Fall 2020

WHAT’S INSIDE Executive Director Message .... 1-2 A Time to Rediscover the Passion of Wrestling Hall of Fame News ...... 4-8 Wrestling has always been more than just a sport. Rather, it’s a way of life and makeshift family to those who share a BOARD OF GOVERNORS calling. Tom Slowey, Chairman Tom Talbot, Vice Chairman Last spring was scheduled to be busy and exciting for the John Harris, III, Secretary sport. Ed Gallegos, Treasurer Ken Bellmard Tom Keen Anticipation, energy and enthusiasm were building for Rich Bender Frank Mosier what was to be a record-breaking crowd at the NCAA Doug Benschoter Mike Moyer Wrestling Championships in Minneapolis in March. The John Bowlsby David O’Hara USA Wrestling Olympic Team Trials, hosted by Penn Nate Carr Wayne Renneisen Stewart Carter Nancy Schultz State, sold out quickly and all eyes were looking toward Mike Child Vitangeli triumph in Tokyo. Our crusade for female wrestlers gained Lee Roy Smith Pat Christenson Austin Shanfelter momentum when the NCAA approved women’s wrestling Executive Director Jamey Cummings Terry Shockley Stan Dziedzic Steve Silver as an Emerging Sport at the Division I, II and III levels. Roger Frizzell Lee Roy Smith Matt Hull Sandy Stevens Athletes, coaches, administrators and fans could feel a palpable energy surrounding Daniel Hyman Ty Wilcox the sport as both mainstream and online news groups focused their attention on the Jay Keel mat. MUSEUM INFORMATION And then, COVID-19 stopped everything. National Wrestling Hall of Fame As our sport grapples with how best to emerge from the pandemic, wrestling’s leaders and Museum are eager to ensure a safe return to the mats. 405 W. Hall of Fame Ave. Stillwater, OK 74075-5025 The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum are responsible for Phone: 405.377.5243 preserving our sport’s history, recognizing excellence and inspiring future generations. Fax: 405.377.5244 The pillars of our mission are the tools that can be used to help explain how a contest of www.nwhof.org/stillwater two individuals pitted against each other in a battle of skill against skill and will against [email protected] Hours Of Operation will has survived since ancient times. Monday - Friday Unlike most sports, wrestling did not have to develop procedures to ensure their 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. athletes are safe to compete, but rather was able to adapt and improve existing health Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. and safety protocols. ————————­­ ———­­ ­­ The COVID-19 crisis has also reinforced the need to be resilient off the mat. Our Board of Governors and staff had to reduce our operating budget by 17 percent to address the NWHOF Dan Gable Museum economic challenge of our museums being closed and the postponement of 25 state 303 Jefferson St. chapter induction ceremonies, our annual Honors Weekend, the annual Glen Brand Waterloo, IA 50701-1321 Wrestling Hall of Fame of golf tournament, and the George/Tragos Phone: 319.233.0745 Hall of Fame weekend. Fax: 319.233.3477 www.nwhof.org/waterloo Our board’s vision in 2007 to create an endowment fund, resulting in an increased [email protected] reserve fund, helped to ease the impact. We planned to launch a campaign for our Hours Of Operation endowment last spring, but have put it on hold until the economy and our friends have Monday - Friday had an opportunity to recover from the pandemic. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. On weekends by appointment Please call ahead of your visit. (continued on page 2) Executive Director Message (continued from page 1) We are proud that we were able to continue our annual recognition of the top high school senior boys and girls wrestlers with our Dave Schultz and Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Awards. The Dan Gable Museum was able to hold its annual Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa induction in August, limiting attendance and following guidelines and recommendations from health and safety experts to help ensure the well-being of honorees and guests. The event was also streamed on Facebook Live for those who were unable to attend. We have joined forces with USA Wrestling on an exciting new initiative, Etched in Stone - Stories of Wrestling Legends. The audio podcast and online magazine, focused on sharing the untold stories of our Distinguished Members and wrestling legends, is scheduled to launch in November. We also continue to see growth and interaction with our constituents through the multiple social media platforms of both the Hall of Fame and the Dan Gable Museum. So much of the Hall of Fame’s economic sustainability depends on our ability to connect audiences to wrestling. Our leadership enlisted NCAA champion and Hall of Fame board member Stewart Carter to survey several of our sport’s African- American legends to get valuable input into how the Hall of Fame can better promote wrestling as a diverse and inclusive sport for all. Our goal is to share even more stories about how wrestling changes and improves lives in the hope of inspiring more youngsters to give our sport a try. We will continue to promote positive stories about our sport and want individuals who are not wrestling fans to leave our museums and induction ceremonies with a new understanding of why wrestling is such an amazing and special sport. I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to each of you who support our efforts, particularly during such a difficult and demanding time. As we move forward, we must work together to strengthen our sport and help it grow by extolling that wrestling is a “Sport For All” and is beneficial for everyone regardless of size, race or gender.

Minnesota Chapter Honors Class of 2020

The Minnesota Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame held its 18th Annual Honors Banquet on September 13. Attendance was limited because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tom Beyer, Mary Davis, Larry Goodnature, Mark Jensen, Don Kuusinen, Bill Schmidt, and Father Otto Weber were presented with the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award while Brian Bakke received the Medal of Courage and Bud Heidgerken was honored as an Outstanding American. Beyer, Davis, Jensen, Kuusinen and Heidgerken attended the ceremony while Front (L to R): Tom Beyer, Mike Bredeck (on behalf Bakke was honored at a prior event. Father Weber was honored posthumously of Father Otto Weber) and Mary Davis. Back (L to R): Mark Jensen, Bud Heidgerken and Don while Goodnature and Schmidt have chosen to be officially recognized at the Kuusinen. 2021 banquet.

Hall of Fame Offers “Lessons In Wrestling” Curriculum

Looking for a different home school option or a way to keep your club’s wrestlers engaged? We’re offering complimentary copies of our “Lessons In Wrestling” curriculum. It was originally developed for 5th-grade students, but can be fun and educational for ANY age. The curriculum utilizes wrestling in arts, geography, health, language arts, math, music, physical education, science, social studies and technology. To get a PDF copy of “Lessons In Wrestling,” email [email protected] or telephone (405) 377-5243.

Page 2 National Wrestling Hall of Fame • Fall 2020 Fall Appeal

We hope that you and your loved ones are safely navigating the impact of the COVID-19 virus. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has certainly felt the distressing effects of the pandemic with the closure of our museums and the postponement of our annual Honors Weekend, Dan Gable Museum events and most State Chapter induction ceremonies. College wrestling conference and national tournaments were canceled and the Olympics has been postponed. Through all of this, we have still been able to recognize the top high school seniors with our Dave Schultz and Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Awards and continue to advance our Wrestling For All initiatives, including Etched In Stone podcasts and our lesson plan. The Hall of Fame continues to see significant growth in its online presence and will soon be launching a new and upgraded NWHOF website. We are in the midst of perhaps the greatest challenge of our time, and our financial predicament as a result of the virus is substantial. In spite of current circumstances, we want you to know that your Hall of Fame will continue to perform the vital work necessary to showcase our sport’s benefits and values to those inside and outside the wrestling community. You play a critical role in our sustained success and we hope that you are able to support the Hall of Fame and its mission through this appeal. Your contribution will help us continue our mission to preserve our sport’s great history, honor and recognize our sport’s exceptional individuals and inspire future generations to understand the positive values that wrestling instills in all of us. Gratefully yours,

Tom Slowey Tom Talbot Lee Roy Smith Jim Miller Krista Graff Chairman Vice Chairman Executive Director Director Director Board of Governors Board of Governors NWHOF Dan Gable Museum State Chapters

If you would like to help us further our mission of preserving wrestling’s history, recognizing excellence and inspiring future generations, please fill out and return this form with your tax-deductible gift. You can also visit www.nwhof.org/support to give securely online. We appreciate your generosity and support of the Hall of Fame.

Name: ______Amount Enclosed: Address: ______( ) $25 ( ) $50 ( ) $100 ( ) $250 City, State, Zip: ______( ) $500 ( ) $1,000 ( ) $2,500 Phone Number: ______( ) $5,000 Other: ______Email: ______Mail to: NWHOF, 405 W. Hall of Fame Ave., Stillwater, OK 74075

Preserving History • Recognizing Excellence • Inspiring Generations Page 3 Hall of Fame News Honors Weekend Rescheduled, Class of 2020 Now Class of 2021

Due to the health risks associated with the COVID-19 outbreak, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame has rescheduled its Honors Weekend to June 4-5, 2021. “Rescheduling Honors Weekend was not an easy decision for us to make. It is our signature event and has been held every year but one since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the Hall of Fame. “The safety and health of our honorees and attendees is of the utmost importance to us and we believe this is the best decision to ensure that we do not put anyone at risk. “We look forward to June 2021, when we will celebrate the Class of 2020 that will now become our Class of 2021.” The Hall of Fame Class who will be inducted includes Distinguished Members Bruce Burnett, Dremiel Byers, Mark Lieberman and Bill Zadick, Meritorious Official Tim Shiels, Order of Merit recipient Gary Abbott, Medal of Courage recipient Gary Chopp and Outstanding American Carl Eschenbach.

Hall of Fame, USA Wrestling Team Up To Produce Audio Podcast Series

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has joined forces with USA Wrestling on an exciting new initiative, Etched in Stone - Stories of Wrestling Legends. Scheduled to launch in November, the series of audio podcasts and digital magazines will share the untold stories of Hall of Fame Distinguished Members. Listeners will hear Distinguished Members recount their trials and tribulations on the way to being honored as one of wrestling’s best. Competitors, coaches, teammates and others who were part of the journey will also provide insight. Podcasts and magazines will be created and produced by wrestlers and wrestling insiders, who will utilize their knowledge and unique perspective to extract the stories that fans want to hear. EIS will be distributed by the Hall of Fame, USA Wrestling and major podcast distribution channels, helping increase exposure for wrestling. The series is the brainchild of 1976 NCAA wrestling champion and Hall of Fame board member Pat Christenson. “As I made my first walk through the Hall, I was immersed and enthralled at the accomplishments of those inducted. But I wanted to know more. And I knew wrestling fans did too,” said Christenson. “There are very few stories about the legends of wrestling. Television production and book publishing are time-consuming and expensive. Consequently, few stories are told. “Because the series is produced with audio recording and digital printing, we can produce stories every bit as compelling and professional as ESPN’s ‘’ or ‘A Football Life,’” he added. “Because wrestlers or writers from wrestling markets are writing, producing and editing the episodes, the stories will have a unique story line.” Christenson produced an EIS podcast on Distinguished Member Mark Churella with Jason Bryant and is completing production on an EIS podcast on Distinguished Member Lee Kemp. Ryan Warner, a former wrestler who produces a very successful podcast, “Wrestling Changed My Life,” will produce four of the six stories in the first series. Warner has interviewed hundreds of wrestlers and produced a biographical podcast on wrestling icon Dan Gable. He will be producing EIS podcasts on Hall of Fame inductees John Smith and Pat Smith and the Smith family.

Page 4 National Wrestling Hall of Fame • Fall 2020 Hall of Fame News Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa Inducts Class of 2020

Limited attendees and enhanced health protocols allowed the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum to host its annual Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa induction ceremony on August 22. The event, which was rescheduled from June 19, was moved to the Dan Gable Museum and limited to 120 attendees, who underwent a temperature check upon arrival and wore masks. Tables were socially distanced seven feet apart per a recommendation from the Governor of Iowa and the meal was prepared in individually wrapped servings. “This event brought the wrestling community back together again,” said Sandy Stevens, Mistress of Ceremonies. 1982 Bettendorf High School wrestling Because of the limited number of attendees, the Dan Gable Museum streamed team was 12-0 in dual meets, won every tournament, set the all-time points record and the event on Facebook Live. The event is still available on at Facebook.com/ were ranked fourth in the nation. Every team NWHOFDGM. member qualified for state and all 10 placed in Inductee acceptance speeches are the Top Five, led by Brian McCracken’s state also available on the Dan Gable championship at 185 pounds. Museum’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. The GBHOF Class of 2020 inducted was Jason Kelber, Daryl Weber, Marv Reiland, Eric Akin, Alli Ragan and the 1982 Bettendorf High School wrestling team. The Carr Family was presented with the Bowlsby Family Legacy Award and Joe Stephens received the Bob Siddens High School Coaching Excellence Award. Corky Stuart received the Russ Smith Community Impact Award and The Carr Family, which included nine boys and Cael Happel was honored as the Bob Steenlage Iowa High School Wrestler seven girls, received the Bowlsby Family Legacy of the Year. Award. Every boy in the family (Willie, Fletcher, Located inside the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum Joe, Jimmy, Jerry, Nate, Solomon, Michael and in Waterloo, Iowa, the Glen Brand Hall of Fame was established in 2002 to Mark) wrestled and Fletcher, Joe, Jimmy, Nate and Michael earned All-America honors. honor native-born Iowans and those who wrestled or coached for an Iowa school who have made an impact on wrestling on a national level or who Pictured (L to R): John Bowlsby, Michael Carr, have done extraordinary work in Iowa. Solomon Carr, Dan Gable, Nate Carr and Joe Carr.

George Tragos/Lou Thesz Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame Weekend Rescheduled

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum has rescheduled its annual George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame weekend from July 23-25, 2020 to July 15-17, 2021. “We were disappointed, but the safety and health of our honorees and attendees is of the utmost importance to us and we believe that this is the best decision to ensure that we do not put anyone at risk,” said Jim Miller, Director of the Dan Gable Museum. “We will honor our Class of 2020 in 2021 and are also going to add a few special guests. Our goal is to take advantage of the extra time to make the 2021 event the biggest in our history.” Adnan Alkaissy and Earl Wampler will be inducted into the Tragos/Thesz Pro Hall of Fame while will receive the Award and will be presented the George Tragos Award. will be the first female recipient of the Lou Thesz Award, recognizing individuals in the professional wrestling industry who have used their skills in the realm of public service. Preserving History • Recognizing Excellence • Inspiring Generations Page 5 Hall of Fame News National Wrestling Hall of Fame Opens With Enhanced Health, Safety Measures

After being closed for four months because of COVID-19, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame reopened on July 13, following guidelines from health and safety experts to help ensure the well-being of its visitors and staff. “It has been so great to be able to welcome visitors back into the museum,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director. “We appreciate visitors understanding that the precautions that we are taking are to protect not only their health, but also the health of our community.” The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Visitors are requested to contact the museum in advance of their visit to make a reservation. Reservations can be made by telephone at (405) 377-5243 or by email at [email protected]. In order to maintain social distancing, the number of visitors permitted in the museum at one time will be limited, so walk-ups may not be admitted for safety reasons. Guests are required to undergo a temperature check to be admitted and face coverings (masks) must be worn at all times inside the museum. Each visitor is also being given a complimentary stylus to use at the interactive digital kiosks and hand sanitizer is available throughout the museum. The Hall of Fame is regularly cleaning and disinfecting the museum, with enhanced frequency in high-traffic and high-touch locations, such as interactive displays and kiosks. The Hall of Fame asks that individuals who have a fever, or otherwise feel ill, do not visit the museum. Anyone with a temperature above 100.4 degrees will not be admitted and should not visit the museum until they have no fever and no evidence of COVID-19 symptoms.

Dan Gable Museum Scheduled To Reopen On October 5

Originally closed on March 17 because of COVID-19, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum has been forced to delay its reopening a little longer because of construction on the road in front of the facility and resurfacing its parking lot. Construction is scheduled to be completed on October 1 and the museum will reopen to the public on October 5, following guidelines and recommendations from health and safety experts to help ensure the well-being of its visitors and staff. For everyone’s safety, visitors will be required to undergo a temperature check before entering the museum and face coverings (masks) must be worn at all times inside the museum. Social distancing will be encouraged and visitors will be asked to use hand sanitizer before interacting with touchscreen kiosks. The museum will be regularly cleaned and disinfected, with enhanced frequency in high-traffic and high-touch locations, such as interactive displays and kiosks.

Page 6 National Wrestling Hall of Fame • Fall 2020 Hall of Fame News In Memoriam

Richard DiBatista, a Distinguished Member inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1995, passed away in February, at the age of 99. His string of victories ran the gamut of state high school, national prep school, regional AAU and National Collegiate championships. His string of defeats ran the gamut of ... well ... nothing at all. DiBatista never lost a wrestling match at any level of competition. He won NCAA titles in 1941 and 1942 and was an overwhelming favorite for a third until the 1943 national tournament was erased by World War II. The worldwide strife also eliminated his opportunity to compete in the Olympics in 1944. During the War, DiBatista served as 2nd Lieutenant in the Marines and was stationed in the South Pacific. He coached briefly at Swarthmore College and Lower Merion and 10 years at Drexel. DiBatista made a lasting mark as one of the sport’s finest referees, calling high school, eastern collegiate and NCAA competition for 30 years. A member of the inaugural class inducted into the Penn Athletics Hall of Fame, DiBatista also lettered three years in football. Born in Palombaro, Italy, he and his family moved to Ardmore, when he was a young boy.

Carlton Haselrig, a Distinguished Member inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016, passed away in August, at the age of 54. If national titles are the standard used to measure greatness, then Haselrig ranks as the top heavyweight in collegiate history. In an era when NCAA Division II national champions could compete just a few days later in the Division I tournament, Haselrig took on all comers. Six times he advanced to the finals of an NCAA tournament. Six times his hand was raised. Haselrig’s unprecedented run of success at the top level prompted the NCAA to create the so-called “Haselrig Rule,” which bars small-school champions from moving on to the Division I tournament. Named to the NCAA 75th Anniversary Team in 2005, he had a career record of 143-2-1 for the University of at Johnstown. He only wrestled one year in high school, going 10-0 and winning the Pennsylvania state championship. Haselrig was fourth in the 1985 Espoir World Championships in Greco-Roman, and was competitive in Senior-level men’s freestyle before pursuing a football career. Despite not having played football since high school, Haselrig was selected by the in the 12th round of the 1989 Draft. He played four seasons for the Steelers, being selected to the in 1992, and one season with the before his NFL career ended because of off-field issues which he ultimately overcame.

Mickey Martin, a Distinguished Member inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014, passed away in July, at the age of 78. Competing for the , Martin finished third at the Big Eight tournament and the NCAA tournament as a sophomore before winning the conference and national titles as a junior. In 1963, he broke his collarbone and missed most of the season, but the injury did not prevent him from repeating as Big Eight and NCAA champion while helping the Sooners win the national team title. Martin was voted Outstanding Wrestler at the NCAA tournament, joining his father, Wayne Martin, also a Distinguished Member, as the only father - son combination to win the Outstanding Wrestler award. He spent two seasons as head coach of then NCAA Division II South Dakota State University, finishing ninth in the 1976 NCAA tournament and eighth in 1977 while coaching two individual national champions. As a high school coach for more than 25 years, Martin mentored athletes all over the state of Oklahoma. He coached three state championship teams and finished as runners-up six times. In all, he coached 31 individual high school state champions. Preserving History • Recognizing Excellence • Inspiring Generations Page 7 Hall of Fame News Cummings Joins Hall of Fame’s Board of Governors

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Board of Governors unanimously approved Jamey Cummings (Dallas, Texas) joining the Board of Governors. Cummings graduated with merit with a bachelor’s of science in aeronautical engineering from The Naval Academy where he was captain of the wrestling team, a two-time qualifier for the NCAA Division I Championships, and an Academic and Honorable Mention All-American. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from . Cummings served for nine years as an officer in the U.S. Navy’s SEAL teams, ascending to the rank of Lieutenant. During that time he led teams as large as 25 on multiple overseas deployments and lived abroad on assignment in Germany. Currently, Cummings is a senior client partner in Korn Ferry’s Technology Officers Practice and co-leads the firm’s Global Cybersecurity Practice. He advises organizations on the recruitment, assessment, development, and retention of technology and security and risk management talent at all levels, including the Board of Directors. His clients range from large global corporations to high growth entrepreneurial companies, spanning all industries. Prior to Korn Ferry, Cummings served as an associate principal in the industrial, supply chain and transportation and logistics practices of another leading executive search firm, working with clients in the consumer, retail, technology, government and defense, biotechnology and education sectors.

John Smith Is Latest Legend To Sign Dan Gable Museum Wall

Two-time NCAA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion John Smith signed his image on the wall at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in January. He joins fellow National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member , who was the first to sign a wall in November of 2019. Videos of both signings are available on the Dan Gable Museum Facebook page at Facebook.com/NWHOFDGM. The museum plans to continue the tradition in 2021 with Bruce Baumgartner, who won a record 13 world medals, including two Olympic and three world gold medals, and Waterloo native and museum namesake Dan Gable, a two-time NCAA champion, Olympic and world champion and record-setting coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Smith will become the first wrestler in the Oklahoma Hall of Fame when he is inducted as a member of the Class of 2020 on November 12.

Gable – Helles Lager Available In Commemorative Red, White, Blue Cans

In honor of the 2020 Olympics, SingleSpeed Brewing Co. repackaged its popular Gable - Munich Helles Lager in a commemorative red, white and blue can. SingleSpeed, located in downtown Waterloo, Iowa, makes a donation to the Dan Gable Museum for each Gable beer purchased and it has donated over $37,000 since 2017. The beer was originally created in 1987 by SingleSpeed owner Dave Morgan to honor Waterloo native Dan Gable winning a gold medal at the 1972 Olympics. A self-described Gable fanatic, Morgan won an Iowa state high school wrestling championship and helped New Hampton win the state team title in 1993. Page 8 National Wrestling Hall of Fame • Fall 2020