National Wrestling Hall of Fame

Dan Gable overwhelmed all six opponents in Munich, without giving up a single point, and was widely acclaimed as the outstanding wrestler of the 1972 Olympics. CLICK PLAY FOR ACTION FOOTAGE OF TWO-TIME OLYMPIAN BEN PETERSON and a brief interview in which he talks about his confidence and motivation leading to his gold medal performance at the 1972 Munich Games. 1976: John Peterson, following in the footsteps of his younger brother Ben, was the sole gold medalist for the United States in Montreal. 19 76 19 72 1972 In 1972, the Summer Olympics returned to Germany, this time to Munich. Anxious to emerge from the shadows cast by the Nazi regime over the 1936 Berlin Games, the West German government vowed to use the Munich Olympics to present a new, democratic and optimistic Germany to the world, as shown by the Games' official motto, "the Happy Games." The Olympic mascot, the dachshund "Waldi", was the first officially named Olympic mascot. The Games were largely overshadowed by what has come to be known as the Munich massacre. On Sept. 5, a group of Palestinian guerrillas belonging to the Black September organization broke into the Olympic Village and took 11 Israeli athletes, coaches and officials hostage in their apartments. Wrestlers were among the victims. Two of the hostages who resisted were killed in the first moments of the break-in; the subsequent standoff in the Olympic Village lasted for almost 18 hours. The attack prompted heightened security at subsequent Olympics. For the first time, 10 weight classes were competed in both freestyle and Greco- Roman wrestling. The United States won three of the freestyle gold medals. Dan Gable was known as much for his intensity and dedication as for his success. Throughout high school and college he never lost a match, until the NCAA finals of his senior year. That loss spurred him to greater heights. He won every major championship available to an American wrestler, and beat eight several Soviet wrestlers in international competition. After he was named the outstanding wrestler at Tbilisi in 1972, the Soviet national coach vowed, "Before the Olympics, we will find someone who can beat Gable." They never did. Gable severely injured his knee shortly before the 1972 Games, but overcame the pain to overwhelm all six opponents in Munich without giving up a single point, and was widely acclaimed as the outstanding wrestler of the 1972 Olympics. at 198 pounds, Ben earned the gold with more falls. 1976 to the 1972 Olympics, he completed his final year of law school, passed the state bar exam, assisted the University of Oklahoma coaching staff and trained five hours a day. As evidence of his preparation for the Olympic effort, his scores in the strength- endurance tests exceeded those of all other members of the United States wrestling team. And in a final victory over adversity, he dominated his opposition despite a separated and displaced rib, an enlarged spleen and a badly damaged knee. Encouraged—you might say pushed— by his friend and teammate, Dan Gable, Ben Peterson blended athletic skills with determination and strong faith. In the 1972 Olympics, Ben struggled to a draw with Gennadi Strachow of the U.S.S.R. When they emerged as the only survivors He stood atop the Olympic awards stand, gold medal draped across his chest, and sang the Star Spangled Banner. In the proudest moment of his wrestling career, Wayne Wells thanked his country for the opportunity to excel. In the months leading up 8 | NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM THE GOLD STANDARD The 1976 Summer Olympic Games were the first ever held in Canada. One factor favoring Montreal was that the International Olympic Committee did not want the Summer Games hosted in a superpower for fears of political backlash, fears which would prove true later on in the Olympic boycotts of 1980 and 1984. The Olympic Flame was "electronically" transmitted via satellite from Athens to Ottawa, by means of an electronic pulse derived from the actual burning flame. Because of the Munich massacre, security at these Games was visibly stricter as athletes and fans had to enter events through security financial disaster for Montreal, as the city faced debts for 30 years after the Games had finished. guards. The Olympics were a John Peterson, following in the footsteps of his younger brother Ben, was the sole gold medalist for the United States in Montreal. In 1972, he won six straight matches to earn the silver medal and watched as his brother Ben won the gold. But in 1976, it was his turn to achieve the ultimate wrestling success. After five straight wins, a closing 13-5 victory over Mehmet Uzun of Turkey captured the gold medal. Ben won the silver at 198 pounds. Stories about John and Ben Peterson are not only about outstanding athletic achievement, but also about positively influencing the lives of young athletes as outstanding ambassadors for the sport. WELLS WEAVER

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