Bill Harlow Wins Gallagher Award
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by Gavin Lang
STILLWATER, Okla. - Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith announced today that three-time All-American and 1966 NCAA champion Bill Harlow is the 2010 recipient of OSU wrestling's Gallagher Award. He will be recognized prior to the Cowboys' dual vs. Oklahoma on Feb. 21.
The Gallagher Award is presented annually to an OSU wrestling alumnus who exemplifies the spirit and leadership eminent in the tradition of champions.
"This is a tremendous surprise to be honored by a program with so much tradition behind it," Harlow said. "The Gallagher Award speaks for itself. I look at the list of people who have won it before me and some of them are friends of mine. I remember when Bobby Douglas won it and couldn't make it to the presentation, so he asked me to stand in for him and I was honored just to stand in, much less win the award now."
The NCAA runner-up at 177 pounds in both 1964 and 1965, Harlow moved up to 191 pounds the following season, where he was crowned a national champion. He finished his OSU wrestling career with a record of 54-5-2 and won Big Eight titles in 1965 and 1966. During his national title season of 1966, Harlow compiled a 21-0-1 record.
"Bill Harlow is one of the greatest big men we have ever had at OSU and he had phenomenal skills," Smith said. "While I didn't get to watch him in person, I have seen film of him and his skill really stands out."
After graduating from Oklahoma State, Harlow joined Bobby Douglas in wrestling for the Michigan Wrestling Club out of Detroit. Both former Cowboys won AAU titles wrestling during that time. Harlow then moved on to the Chicago area, where he coached wrestling for four years at Carmel HS and for four years at Prospect HS. He was still active as a wrestler during that stretch of time and was the runner-up at the 1970 world championships in Edmonton, Canada. He also won a pair of USWF open tournaments. From there, Harlow went to graduate school in Minnesota before returning to Oklahoma to teach and coach wrestling at Broken Arrow HS for 10 years. He then served as an administrator at Broken Arrow for six years, but continued to coach wrestling.
Following his time at Broken Arrow, he became principal at Kellyville HS for three years, coaching wrestling all the while. He then moved on to Alaska, where he served as an administrator and helped coach wrestling for eight years. After that, he again returned to Oklahoma, where he is now in his eighth year teaching and coaching wrestling at Sapulpa HS.
"I am passionate about what I am doing," Harlow said. "I love watching wrestling and I love teaching kids.
"People don't know it, but the years you have as a wrestler at OSU are some of the best years of your life. You're wrestling in front of big crowds and getting the best coaching there is. I had phenomenal teammates and coaches at OSU. The people were amazing."
Gallagher Award Recipients
1986 - Rex Peery
1987 - Frank Lewis
1988 - Myron Roderick
1989 - Tommy Chesbro
1990 - Joe McDaniel
1991 - John W. Divine
1996 - Ray Murphy
1997 - John Smith
1998 - Grady Peninger
1999 - Kenny Monday
2000 - Pat Smith
2001 - Kendall Cross
2002 - Mike Sheets
2003 - Doug Blubaugh
2004 - Grover Rains
2005 - Bobby Douglas
2006 - Charles Hetrick
2007 - Fred Davis
2008 - Lee Roy Smith
2009 - Bobby Stites
2010 - Bill Harlow
The Gallagher Award is presented annually to an OSU wrestling alumnus who exemplifies the spirit and leadership eminent in the tradition of champions.
"This is a tremendous surprise to be honored by a program with so much tradition behind it," Harlow said. "The Gallagher Award speaks for itself. I look at the list of people who have won it before me and some of them are friends of mine. I remember when Bobby Douglas won it and couldn't make it to the presentation, so he asked me to stand in for him and I was honored just to stand in, much less win the award now."
The NCAA runner-up at 177 pounds in both 1964 and 1965, Harlow moved up to 191 pounds the following season, where he was crowned a national champion. He finished his OSU wrestling career with a record of 54-5-2 and won Big Eight titles in 1965 and 1966. During his national title season of 1966, Harlow compiled a 21-0-1 record.
"Bill Harlow is one of the greatest big men we have ever had at OSU and he had phenomenal skills," Smith said. "While I didn't get to watch him in person, I have seen film of him and his skill really stands out."
After graduating from Oklahoma State, Harlow joined Bobby Douglas in wrestling for the Michigan Wrestling Club out of Detroit. Both former Cowboys won AAU titles wrestling during that time. Harlow then moved on to the Chicago area, where he coached wrestling for four years at Carmel HS and for four years at Prospect HS. He was still active as a wrestler during that stretch of time and was the runner-up at the 1970 world championships in Edmonton, Canada. He also won a pair of USWF open tournaments. From there, Harlow went to graduate school in Minnesota before returning to Oklahoma to teach and coach wrestling at Broken Arrow HS for 10 years. He then served as an administrator at Broken Arrow for six years, but continued to coach wrestling.
Following his time at Broken Arrow, he became principal at Kellyville HS for three years, coaching wrestling all the while. He then moved on to Alaska, where he served as an administrator and helped coach wrestling for eight years. After that, he again returned to Oklahoma, where he is now in his eighth year teaching and coaching wrestling at Sapulpa HS.
"I am passionate about what I am doing," Harlow said. "I love watching wrestling and I love teaching kids.
"People don't know it, but the years you have as a wrestler at OSU are some of the best years of your life. You're wrestling in front of big crowds and getting the best coaching there is. I had phenomenal teammates and coaches at OSU. The people were amazing."
Gallagher Award Recipients
1986 - Rex Peery
1987 - Frank Lewis
1988 - Myron Roderick
1989 - Tommy Chesbro
1990 - Joe McDaniel
1991 - John W. Divine
1996 - Ray Murphy
1997 - John Smith
1998 - Grady Peninger
1999 - Kenny Monday
2000 - Pat Smith
2001 - Kendall Cross
2002 - Mike Sheets
2003 - Doug Blubaugh
2004 - Grover Rains
2005 - Bobby Douglas
2006 - Charles Hetrick
2007 - Fred Davis
2008 - Lee Roy Smith
2009 - Bobby Stites
2010 - Bill Harlow
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