National Wrestling Hall of Fame

he scaled the ultimate heights in 1952 when he won the freestyle Olympic gold medal at 160.5 pounds. Interestingly, because of the scoring system in place at the time, he didn't know that he had won gold until his name was announced to ascend the podium. Although he had beaten his final opponent from Iran, he didn't pin him and was convinced that cost him the medal. Instead, he won the gold medal with the fewest number of black marks. teacher and coach was considered a violation of amateur status rules and he was denied the chance to compete. The United States failed to produce an Olympic Champion in Melbourne. 1960 of Smith wanted to defend his title at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia and won the team trials to get there. Unfortunately, his profession The city of Rome hosted the Games of the XVII Olympiad, featuring a total of 84 participating nations. CBS paid $394,000 for the right to broadcast the Games in the United States. Wrestlers in freestyle and Greco-Roman—324 in all, from 46 countries—competed in the ruins of the Basilica of Maxentius, completed in 312 AD as the largest structure in the Roman Forum. The wrestling mats were framed by the three remaining arches from the basilica. Because much of the original vaulted roof structure was long gone (it had fallen in an earthquake in the seventh century), wrestling took place essentially outdoors. 19 52 VIEW RARE FOOTAGE OF OLYMPIC Two-time NCAA titlist Bill Smith scaled the ultimate heights in 1952 when he won the freestyle Olympic gold medal. 1952 OLYMPIC MEDALISTS CHAMPION DOUG BLUBAUGH'S historic run to gold at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games. With six falls in seven matches, Blubaugh was recognized at the Games as the most outstanding wrestler in the world. THE GOLD STANDARD NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM | 7 U.S. wrestlers Shelby Wilson and Doug Blubaugh became the first two wrestlers from the same hometown to win gold medals in their respective weight classes in the same Olympics. Both men were raised in the town of Ponca City, Okla., and wrestled together through high school and college. They were joined atop the podium by American teammate Terry McCann. Starting in Chicago playground programs at age 12, McCann advanced through high school championships to the University of Iowa, where he lost only three matches in three years, won three Big Ten titles, and twice was National Collegiate champion. In 1957, he won the first of three straight AAU titles at 125.5 pounds. He was also undefeated in eight dual meets with the Soviet Union prior to the 1960 Olympics. Because of injury, he started the 1960 Olympic Trials at the bottom of the ladder, but earned a trip to Rome and won the gold medal. His victory in Rome was the first of many Olympic championships for the University of Iowa. He is also the first Illinois native to win an Olympic wrestling gold medal. As a high school wrestler in Ponca City, Shelby Wilson won three conference championships and suffered only three defeats—all in the state meet, two of them in the finals. At Oklahoma State, after an injury cut short one season, he captured two Big Eight titles and twice charged to the national finals—only to suffer disheartening defeats both times. Even his journey to the 1960 Olympics was difficult—he won his place on the team in challenge bouts. Although he won his Rome, he accumulated four black marks in the demerit system before defeating Moustafa Tajik of Iran and winning the gold medal. In Rome, Blubaugh put on an impressive early matches in show. He won his first four matches by fall, then took on undefeated World champion Emam Goudarzi Habibi of Iran. After falling behind 8-0, he pinned the Iranian in 2:15. After a decision over another foe, he pinned Mohamed Bashir of Pakistan in 59 seconds to earn the gold medal. The Oklahoma farm boy reached the apex of a brilliant athletic career, earning the 1960 Olympic gold medal at 160.5 pounds, and with it recognition as the outstanding wrestler in the world. 1964 and 1968 The United States failed to produce a gold medalist at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan and in the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, but the 1972 Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Team would garner gold and gain worldwide media attention for the sport in America. 1960 19 60 Olympic Gold Medalists (from left) Shelby Wilson, Terry McCann and Doug Blubaugh.

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