U.S. Olympic Wrestling History

Martin "Farmer" Burns was considered to be the greatest wrestler of the 19th Century

Olympic Results from 1904 in St. Louis, Mo.
Name Style Weight Place
Robert Curry FS 105 lbs. 1st
John Hein FS 105 lbs. 2nd
Gustav Thiefenthaler FS 105 lbs. 3rd
William Nelson FS 115 lbs. 3rd
George Mehnert FS 115 lbs. 1st
Gustav Bauer FS 115 lbs. 2nd
Isidor Niflot FS 125 lbs. 1st
Louis Strebler FS 125 lbs. 3rd
August Wester FS 125 lbs. 2nd
Theodore McLeer FS 135 lbs. 2nd
Charles Clapper FS 135 lbs. 3rd
Ben Bradshaw FS 135 lbs. 1st
Otto Roehm FS 145 lbs. 1st
Rudolph Tessing FS 145 lbs. 2nd
Albert Zirkel FS 145 lbs. 3rd
Jerry Weinholz FS 158 lbs. 3rd
William Hennessy FS 158 lbs. 4th
Charles Erikson FS 158 lbs. 1st
William Beckman FS 158 lbs. 2nd
Frank Kungler FS 158.5 lbs. 2nd
Fred Warmbold FS 158.5 lbs. 3rd
Bernhulf Hansen FS HWT 1st
The 1904 Games in St. Louis saw the introduction of freestyle wrestling, a faster-paced discipline that permitted the use of the legs to attack and defend above and below the waist. The Americans swept all seven divisions, but then again, there was no foreign competition.
Olympic Results from 1908 in London, England

George Mehnert FS 119 lbs. 1st
George Dole FS 132.5 lbs. 1st
John Krug FS 147 lbs. 5th
John Craige FS 161 lbs. dnp
Frank Narganes FS 161 lbs. dnp
Lee Talbot FS HWT dnp
In Amsterdam in 1908, the Egyptian wrestler Ibrahim Mustafa was the first African wrestler to win an Olympic title.
Olympic Results from 1912 in Stockholm, Sweden

William Lyshon GR 132.5 lbs. dnp
George Retzer GR 132.5 lbs. dnp  
An 11-hour match persuaded organizers to impose time limits on matches in the 1924 Paris Games. The match which confronted the Finnish wrestler Alfred Johan Asikainen and the Russian Martin Klein lasted 11 hours and 40 minutes and appears on the Guinness Book of Records. Both wrestlers, having the same score, were separated by two periods of three minutes of ground wrestling. The Russian finally defeated the Finnish who weighed 8 kilos (17.64 lbs) more than he did. Exhausted by this match, Martin Klein could not beat the Swedish Johansson who won the gold medal for the 75 kilos (165.35 lbs).

Olympic Results from 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium
Charles Ackerly FS 132 lbs. 1st
Samuel Gerson FS 132 lbs. 2nd
George Metropoulos FS 149 lbs. dnp
Joseph Shimmon FS 149 lbs. dnp
Charles Johnson FS 165.5 lbs. 3rd
Angus Frantz FS 165.5 lbs. 4th
Walter Mauer FS 176 lbs. 3rd
John Redman FS 186.5 lbs. 4th
Fred Meyer FS HWT 3rd
Nathanial Pendleton FS HWT 2nd
Daniel Gallery GR 132.5 lbs. dnp
Adrian Brian GR 132.5 lbs. ndp
George Metropoulos GR 149 lbs. dnp
Oral Swigart GR 149 lbs. dnp
Henry Szymanski GR 165.5 lbs. dnp
Paul Zanoline GR 165.5 lbs. dnp
Frank Maichle GR 182 lbs. dnp
Nathanial Pendleton GR 182 lbs. dnp
Alexander Weyand GR HWT 4th
Edward Wilkie GR HWT 5th

George Pinneo, Coach
Olympic Results from 1924 in Paris, France

Bryan Hines FS 123 lbs. 3rd
Milton MacWilliam FS 123.5 lbs. dnp
Chester Newton FS 134 lbs. 2nd
Robin Reed FS 134 lbs. 1st (Reed was considered by both Cliff Keen and Billy Sheridan to be the greatest wrestler of the 20th Century)
Russell Vis FS 145 lbs. 1st
Perry Martter FS 145.5 lbs. dnp Big Ten Champion 1921 (158 lbs), 1922 (145 lbs); Captain of the Ohio State wrestling team 1921, 1923
Guy Lookabaugh FS 158.5 lbs. 4th
William Johnson FS 158.5 lbs. 5th
Herschel Smith FS 174 lbs. dnp
Walter Wright FS 174 lbs. dnp
John Spellman FS 191.5 lbs. 1st
Charles Strack FS 192 lbs. dnp
Roger Flanders FS HWT dnp
Harry Steele FS HWT 1st

Wilfred Cann and Charles Streit, Coaches
Olympic Results from 1928 in Amsterdam, Holland
Robert Hewitt FS 123.5 lbs. 5th (Michigan's first Olympic Wrestler)
Allie Morrison FS 134 lbs. 1st
Clarence Berryman FS 145.5 lbs. 6th
Lloyd Appleton FS 158.5 lbs. 2nd
Ralph Hammond FS 174 lbs. 4th
Heywood Edwards FS 192 lbs. 4th
Ed George FS HWT 4th
Olympic Results from 1932 in Los Angeles, CA (Coach Hugo Otopalik)
Robert Pearce FS 123 lbs. 1st
Edgar Nemir FS 134.5 lbs. 2nd
Melvin Clodfelter FS 145.5 lbs. 4th
Jack Van Bebber FS 158.5 lbs. 1st
Robert Hess FS 174 lbs. 4th
Peter Mehringer FS 192 lbs. 1st
John Riley FS HWT 2nd
Hugo Otopalik and Charles Streit, Coaches
A Swede named Ivar Johansson won a freestyle gold in the 82-kilogram class, and then melted off more than 10 pounds in 24 hours by fasting and sweating in a sauna so that he could enter the Greco-Roman 72-kilogram (158.5-pound) class. He won that, too.

Olympic Results from 1936 in Berlin, Germany
Ross Flood FS 123.5 lbs. 2nd
Francis Millard FS 134.5 lbs. 2nd
Harley Strong FS 145.5 lbs. 5th
Frank Lewis FS 158.5 lbs. 1st
Richard Voliva FS 174 lbs. 2nd
Ray Clemons FS 192 lbs. 5th
Roy Dunn FS HWT dnp  
Billy Thom-Coach Billy Sheridan, Manager
Ed Gallagher-Honorary Coach
1940 Olympic Coach—Paul Keen
Olympic Results from 1948 in London, England

William Jernigan FS 114.5 lbs. 7th
Gerald Leeman FS 125.5 lbs. 2nd
Hal Moore FS 139 lbs. 6th
William Koll FS 147.5 lbs. 5th
Leland Merrill FS 160.5 lbs. 3rd
Glen Brand FS 174 lbs. 1st
Henry Wittenburg FS 191.5 lbs. 1st
Richard Hutton FS HWT 7th
Cliff Keen and Art Griffith, Coaches

Olympic Results from 1952 in Helsinki, Finland

Robert Hugh Peery FS 114.5 lbs. 7th
Bill Borders FS 125.5 lbs. dnp
Josiah Henson FS 136.5 lbs. 3rd
Jay Evans FS 147.5 lbs. 2nd
William Smith FS 160.5 lbs. 1st
Dan Hodge FS 174 lbs. dnp
Henry Wittenburg FS 191.5 lbs. 2nd Captain
William Kerslake FS HWT 5th
Ray Swartz and Buell Patterson, Coaches
The Japanese Shohachi Ishii won the first Asian title at the Olympic Games in Helsinki, in 1952.
Olympic Results from 1956 in Melbourne, Australia
Richard Delgado FS 114.5 lbs. 5th
Lee Allen FS 125.5 lbs. dnp
Myron Roderick FS 139 lbs. 4th
Jay Evans FS 147.5 lbs. 5th
Ernest Fischer FS 161 lbs. 8th
Dan Hodge FS 174 lbs. 2nd
Peter Blair FS 192 lbs. 3rd
William Kerslake FS HWT 7th
Dave McCuskey and Shuford Swift, Coaches
Richard Wilson GR 114.5 lbs. dnp
Kent Townley GR 125.5 lbs. dnp
Alan Rice GR 134.5 lbs. dnp
Jay Evans GR 147.5 lbs. dnp
James Holt GR 160 lbs. 5th
James Peckham GR 174 lbs. 7th
Dale Thomas GR 192 lbs. 5th
Dale Lewis GR HWT dnp  

Joe Scalzo and Shuford Swift, Coaches
Olympic Results from 1960 in Rome, Italy

Elliot Simons FS 114.5 lbs. 5th
Terry McCann FS 125.5 lbs. 1st
Louis Giani FS 139 lbs. dnp
Shelby Wilson FS 147.5 lbs. 1st
Doug Blubaugh FS 161 lbs. 1st (Tribute)
Ed DeWitt FS 174 lbs. 4th
Daniel Brand FS 192 lbs. 5th
William Kerslake FS HWT 8th

Port Robertson and John Mandel, Coaches
Richard Wilson GR 114.5 lbs. dnp
Larry Lauchle GR 125.5 lbs. dnp
Lee Allen GR 134.5 lbs. 8th
Ben Northrup GR 147.5 lbs. dnp
Fritz Fivian GR 160 lbs. dnp
Russell Camilleri GR 174 lbs. 8th
Howard George GR 192 lbs. dnp
Dale Lewis GR HWT dnp

Briggs Hunt and John Mandel, Coaches

Olympic Results from 1964 in Tokyo, Japan (Rex Peery, Coach; Myron Roderick, Assistant Coach; Fendley Collins, Manager)
Elliot Simons FS 114.5 lbs. 7th
Dave Auble FS 125.5 lbs. 4th
Bobby Douglas FS 139 lbs. 4th
Gregory Ruth FS 154.5 lbs. 6th
Charles Tribble FS 172 lbs. dnp
Daniel Brand FS 192 lbs. 3rd
Gerald Conine FS 214 lbs. 6th
Larry Kristoff FS HWT 7th

Rex Peery and Fendley Collins, Coaches
Richard Wilson GR 114.5 lbs. 4th
Andrew Fitch GR 125.5 lbs. dnp
Ron Finley GR 139 lbs. 4th
James Burke GR 154.5 lbs. dnp
Russell Camilleri GR 172 lbs. 7th
Wayne Baughman GR 192 lbs. 7th
Patrick Lovell GR 214 lbs. dnp
Robert Pickens GR HWT 6th

Dean Rockwell and Fendley Collins, Coaches
Olympic Results from 1968 in Mexico City, Mexico
Rick Sanders FS 114.5 lbs. 2nd
Don Behm FS 125.5 lbs. 2nd
Bobby Douglas FS 139 lbs. dnp Captain
Wayne Wells FS 154.4 lbs. 4th
Steve Combs FS 172 lbs. 7th
Thomas Peckham FS 192 lbs. 4th
Jess Lewis FS 213.5 lbs. 6th
Larry Kristoff FS HWT 5th

Tommy Evans and Manny Gorriaran, Coaches
Richard Tamble GR 114.5 lbs. dnp
David Hazewinkel GR 125.5 lbs. dnp
James Hazewinkel GR 139 lbs. 7th
Werner Holzer GR 154.5 lbs. 6th
Larry Lyden GR 172 lbs. dnp
Wayne Baughman GR 192 lbs. 5th
Henk Schenk GR 213.5 lbs. dnp
Robert Roop GR HWT dnp

Henry Wittenberg and Dominick Torrio, Coaches
Olympic Results from 1972 in Munich, Germany

Sergio Gonzales FS 105.5 lbs. 7th
Jimmy Carr FS 114.5 lbs. dnp
Rick Sanders FS 125.5 lbs. 2nd
Gene Davis FS 136.5 lbs. dnp
Dan Gable FS 149.5 lbs. 1st
Wayne Wells FS 163 lbs. 1st
John Peterson FS 180.5 lbs. 2nd
Ben Peterson FS 198 lbs. 1st
Henk Schenk FS 220 lbs. dnp
Chris Taylor FS HWT 3rd
Bill Farrell and Russ Houk, Coaches
James Peckham, Coach
Wayne Holmes GR 105.5 lbs. dnp
James Steiger GR 114.5 lbs. dnp
David Hazewinkel GR 125.5 lbs. dnp
James Hazewinkel GR 136.5 lbs. dnp
Robert Buzzard GR 149.5 lbs. dnp
Gary Neist GR 163 lbs. dnp
J Robinson GR 180.5 lbs. dnp
Wayne Baughman GR 198 lbs. dnp
Buck Deadrich GR 220 lbs. dnp
Chris Taylor GR HWT dnp  
Alan Rice and Stephen Archer, Coaches

Olympic Results from 1976 in Montreal, Canada
William Rosado FS 105.5 lbs. dnp
James Haines FS 114.5 lbs. dnp
Joe Corso FS 125.5. lbs. dnp
Gene Davis FS 136.5 lbs. 3rd
Lloyd Keaser FS 149.5 lbs. 2nd
Stan Dziedzic FS 163 lbs. 3rd
John Peterson FS 180.5 lbs. 1st
Ben Peterson FS 198 lbs. 2nd
Russ Hellickson FS 220 lbs. 2nd
Jimmy Jackson FS HWT dnp
Bobby Douglas, Wayne Baughman and Russ Houk, Coaches
Michael Farina GR 105.5 lbs. 8th
Bruce Thompson GR 114.5 lbs. dnp
Joseph Sade GR 125.5 lbs. dnp
Gary Alexander GR 136.5 lbs. dnp
Patrick Marcy GR 149.5 lbs. dnp
John Matthews GR 163 lbs. dnp
Dan Chandler GR 180.5 lbs. dnp
Evan Johnson GR 198 lbs. dnp
Brad Rheingans GR 220 lbs. 4th
Pete Lee GR HWT 5th

James Peckham and Vaughn Hitchcock, Coaches
Olympic Results from 1980 in Moscow, Soviet Union

Bobby Weaver FS 105.5 lbs. DNC
Gene Mills FS 114.5 lbs. DNC
John Azevedo FS 125.5 lbs. DNC
Randy Lewis FS 136.5 lbs. DNC
Chuck Yagla FS 149.5 lbs. DNC
Leroy Kemp FS 163 lbs. DNC
Chris Campbell FS 180.5 lbs. DNC
Ben Peterson FS 198 lbs. DNC
Russ Hellickson FS 220 lbs. DNC Captain
Greg Wojciechowski FS HWT DNC
Dan Gable, Stan Dziedzic and Bobby Douglas, Coaches
Mark Fuller GR 105.5 lbs. DNC
Bruce Thompson GR 114.5 lbs. DNC
Brian Gust GR 125.5 lbs. DNC
Dan Mello GR 136.5 lbs. DNC
Tom Minkel GR 149.5 lbs. DNC
John Matthews GR 163 lbs. DNC
Dan Chandler GR 180.5 lbs. DNC
Mark Johnson GR 198 lbs. DNC
Brad Rheingans GR 220 lbs. DNC
Jeff Blatnick GR HWT DNC

Lee Allen and Wayne Baughman, Coaches
Olympic Results from 1984 in Los Angeles, CA

Bobby Weaver FS 105.5 lbs. 1st
Joe Gonzales FS 114.5 lbs. dnp
Barry Davis FS 125.5 lbs. 2nd
Randy Lewis FS 136.5 lbs. 1st
Andy Rein FS 149.5 lbs. 2nd
Dave Schultz FS 163 lbs. 1st
Mark Schultz FS 180.5 lbs. 1st
Ed Banach FS 198 lbs. 1st
Lou Banach FS 220 lbs. 1st
Bruce Baumgartner FS HWT 1st
Dan Gable, Stan Dziedzic and Bobby Douglas, Coaches

Mark Fuller GR 105.5 lbs. dnp
Bert Govig GR 114.5 lbs. dnp
Frank Famiano GR 125.5 lbs. 5th
Abdurrahim Kuzu GR 136.5 lbs. 4th
Jim Martinez GR 149.5 lbs. 3rd
Chris Catalfo GR 163 lbs. dnp
Dan Chandler GR 180.5 lbs. dnp
Steve Fraser GR 198 lbs. 1st
Greg Gibson GR 220 lbs. 2nd
Jeff Blatnick GR HWT 1st

Ron Finley and Pavel Katsen, Coaches
Olympic Results from 1988 in Seoul, South Korea

Tim Vanni FS 105.5 lbs. 4th
Ken Chertow FS 114.5 lbs. dnp
Barry Davis FS 125.5 lbs. dnp
John Smith FS 136.5 lbs. 1st
Nate Carr FS 149.5 lbs. 3rd
Kenny Monday FS 163 lbs. 1st
Mark Schultz FS 180.5 lbs. 6th
Jim Scherr FS 198 lbs. 5th
Bill Scherr FS 220 lbs. 3rd
Bruce Baumgartner FS HWT 2nd

Dan Gable and Jim Humphrey, Coaches
Mark Fuller GR 105.5 lbs. dnp
Shawn Sheldon GR 114.5 lbs. dnp
Anthony Amado GR 125.5 lbs. dnp
Ike Anderson GR 136.5 lbs. 6th
Andy Seras GR 149.5 lbs. dnp
David Butler GR 163 lbs. dnp
John Morgan GR 180.5 lbs. 7th
Michial Foy GR 198 lbs. dnp
Dennis Koslowski GR 220 lbs. 3rd
Duane Koslowski GR HWT 8th

Pavel Katsen and Tom Minkel, Coaches
Olympic Results from 1992 in Barcelona, Spain

Tim Vanni FS 105.5 lbs. 5th
Zeke Jones FS 114.5 lbs. 2nd
Kendall Cross FS 125.5 lbs. 6th
John Smith FS 136.5 lbs. 1st
Townsend Saunders FS 149.5 lbs. 7th
Kenny Monday FS 163 lbs. 2nd
Kevin Jackson FS 180.5 lbs. 1st
Chris Campbell FS 198 lbs. 3rd
Mark Coleman FS 220 lbs. 7th
Bruce Baumgartner FS HWT 1st

Bobby Douglass, Coach
Mark Fuller GR 105.5 lbs. dnp
Shawn Sheldon GR 114.5 lbs. 4th
Dennis Hall GR 125.5 lbs. 8th
Buddy Lee GR 136.5 lbs. 6th
Rodney Smith GR 149.5 lbs. 3rd
Travis West GR 163 lbs. dnp
Dan Henderson GR 180.5 lbs. 10th
Michial Foy GR 198 lbs. 6th
Dennis Koslowski GR 220 lbs. 2nd
Matt Ghaffari GR HWT dnp
Olympic Results from 1996 in Atlanta, Ga.

Rob Eiter FS 105.5 lbs. 8th
Lou Rosselli FS 114.5 lbs. dnp
Kendall Cross FS 125.5 lbs. 1st

Tom Brands FS 136.5 lbs. 1st
Townsend Saunders FS 149.5 lbs. 2nd
Kenny Monday FS 163 lbs. 6th
Les Gutches FS 180.5 lbs. 7th
Melvin Douglas FS 198 lbs. 7th
Kurt Angle FS 220 lbs. 1st
Bruce Baumgartner FS HWT 3rd

Brandon Paulson GR 114.5 lbs. 2nd
Dennis Hall GR 125.5 lbs. 2nd
David Zuniga GR 136.5 lbs. 10th
Rodney Smith GR 149.5 lbs. 9th
Gordy Morgan GR 163 lbs. 9th
Dan Henderson GR 180.5 lbs. dnp
Derrick Waldroup GR 198 lbs. 7th
Jason Gleasman GR 220 lbs. dnp
Matt Ghaffari GR 286 lbs. 2nd

Although some people, mostly Iowans from the 1970s to present, would argue that Dan Gable was perhaps the greatest wrestler of the 20th century, most experts including legendary coaches, Cliff Keen and Billy Sheridan, who witnessed thousands of the top wrestlers throughout the early part of the century through the end of the century, agreed that Robin Reed was the best wrestler in the 20th century that both of them ever saw. Keen lived to 1991, and Sheridan in 1960; both coached in the 1936 and 1948 Olympics, and observed all the world's best wrestlers nationally and internationally. Sheridan was born in Scotland in 1885, and emigrated to the U.S.

Article on Reed
Olympic Results from 2000 in Sydney, Australia

Sammie Henson FS 119 lbs. 2nd
Terry Brands FS 127.75 lbs. 3rd
Cary Kolat FS 138.75 lbs. dnp
Lincoln McIlravy FS 152 lbs. 3rd
Brandon Slay FS 167.5 lbs. 1st
Charles Burton FS 187.25 lbs. 5th
Melvin Douglas FS 213.75 lbs. dnp
Kerry McCoy FS HWT 5th
John Smith and Dan Gable Coaches

Steven Mays GR 119 lbs. dnp
Jim Gruenwald GR 127.75 lbs. 6th
Kevin Bracken GR 138.75 lbs. 6th
Heath Sims GR 152 lbs. dnp
Matt Lindland GR 167.5 lbs. 2nd
Quincey Clark GR 187.25 lbs. dnp
Garrett Lowney GR 213.75 lbs. 3rd
Rulon Gardner GR HWT 1st

Four wrestlers have deeply changed the history of Modern Olympic Games by winning three Olympic titles: the Swedish Carl Westergren (Greco-roman wrestling in 1920, 1924 and 1932), the Swedish Ivar Johansson (Greco-roman and freestyle wrestling in 1932, and freestyle wrestling in 1936), the Russian Alexandre Medved (freestyle wrestling in 1964, 1968 and in 1972) and the Russian Alexandre Karelin (in 1988, 1992 and 1996). Karelin prepared to capture his fourth title at the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, but was beaten by the American wrestler Rulon Gardner.
Olympic Results from 2004 in Athens, Greece

Stephen Abas FS 121 lbs. 2nd
Eric Guerrero FS 132 lbs. dnp
Jamill Kelly FS 145.5 lbs. 2nd
Joe Williams FS 163 lbs. 5th
Cael Sanderson FS 185 lbs. 1st
Daniel Cormier FS 211.5 lbs. 4th
Kerry McCoy FS HWT 7th
Zeke Jones and Bobby Douglas, Coaches
Dennis Hall GR 121 lbs. dnp
Jim Gruenwald GR 132 lbs. 10th
Oscar Wood GR 145.5 lbs. dnp
Brad Vering GR 185 lbs. dnp
Garrett Lowney GR 211.5 lbs. dnp
Rulon Gardner GR HWT 3rd
Steve Fraser, Coach Andy Seras/Shon Lewis
Olympic Results from 2008 in Beijing, China

Henry Cejudo FS 121 lbs 1st
Mike Zadick FS 132 lbs dnp
Doug Schwab FS 145.5 lbs dnp
Ben Askren FS 163 lbs 7th
Andy Hrovat FS 185 lbs dnp
Daniel Cormier FS 211.5 lbs dnc
Steve Mocco FS 264.5 lbs 7th
Kevin Jackson, Coach Lee Kemp/Kerry McCoy
Spenser Mango GR 121 lbs 8th
Jake Deitchler GR 145.5 lbs dnp
T.C. Dantzler GR 163 lbs dnp
Brad Vering GR 185 lbs dnp
Adam Wheeler GR 211.5 lbs 3rd
Dremiel Byers GR 264.5 lbs 7th
Steve Fraser, Coach Jay Antonelli/Rich Estrada