Dan Gable Museum to honor Bobby Douglas at Open House on November 2 in Waterloo IA
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by NWHOF Dan Gable Museum
WATERLOO, Iowa - The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum announced that it will host a celebration to honor legendary wrestler and coach Bobby Douglas on November 2 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Dan Gable Museum.
Douglas will begin a new tradition when he becomes the first individual to sign his photograph on one of the walls in the museum.
Douglas was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1987 and was inducted into the Dan Gable Museum's Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa in 2003.
"I was fortunate to be coached by Bobby Douglas on national teams and later to coach national teams with him," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "I have never known a more strategic and visionary coach in the sport of wrestling."
Douglas was the first African American to wrestle in the Olympics, competing in 1964 and 1968, and the first to captain the U.S. Olympic team in 1968. He also wrestled on six World Championship teams, winning a silver medal in 1966 and a bronze medal in 1970. He was an assistant coach for 10 World and Olympic teams, was World Cup coach in 1987 and Olympic coach in 1992.
He had a long and distinguished college coaching career at Arizona State and Iowa State. In 1988, he led Arizona State to the national championship, the only wrestling team title won by a western school, and he led Iowa State to three runner-up finishes.
At Iowa State, he coached Cael Sanderson, who became the first undefeated four-time Division I national champion and later won a gold medal at the Olympics in 2004. Sanderson, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2011, is the wrestling coach at Penn State where he his teams have won eight of the last nine NCAA team titles.
Douglas was a two-time Ohio state high school wrestling champion and an NAIA national champion for West Liberty State in 1962. In 1963, he reached the NCAA Division I finals and finished second to defending national champion Mickey Martin of Oklahoma. He then transferred to Oklahoma State, where he won the Big Eight Conference title, but was knocked out of the national tournament by injury, ending his college career with a 72-2 record.
RSVP by clicking here.
For more information:
Call the museum at (319)233-0745 or email dgmstaff@nwhof.org
National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum
America's shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation while the Waterloo, Iowa, location reopened in March 2019 after undergoing a $1.4 million renovation. Both museums now feature interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. Stillwater also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport.
For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.
Douglas will begin a new tradition when he becomes the first individual to sign his photograph on one of the walls in the museum.
Douglas was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1987 and was inducted into the Dan Gable Museum's Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa in 2003.
"I was fortunate to be coached by Bobby Douglas on national teams and later to coach national teams with him," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "I have never known a more strategic and visionary coach in the sport of wrestling."
Douglas was the first African American to wrestle in the Olympics, competing in 1964 and 1968, and the first to captain the U.S. Olympic team in 1968. He also wrestled on six World Championship teams, winning a silver medal in 1966 and a bronze medal in 1970. He was an assistant coach for 10 World and Olympic teams, was World Cup coach in 1987 and Olympic coach in 1992.
He had a long and distinguished college coaching career at Arizona State and Iowa State. In 1988, he led Arizona State to the national championship, the only wrestling team title won by a western school, and he led Iowa State to three runner-up finishes.
At Iowa State, he coached Cael Sanderson, who became the first undefeated four-time Division I national champion and later won a gold medal at the Olympics in 2004. Sanderson, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2011, is the wrestling coach at Penn State where he his teams have won eight of the last nine NCAA team titles.
Douglas was a two-time Ohio state high school wrestling champion and an NAIA national champion for West Liberty State in 1962. In 1963, he reached the NCAA Division I finals and finished second to defending national champion Mickey Martin of Oklahoma. He then transferred to Oklahoma State, where he won the Big Eight Conference title, but was knocked out of the national tournament by injury, ending his college career with a 72-2 record.
RSVP by clicking here.
For more information:
Call the museum at (319)233-0745 or email dgmstaff@nwhof.org
National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum
America's shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation while the Waterloo, Iowa, location reopened in March 2019 after undergoing a $1.4 million renovation. Both museums now feature interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. Stillwater also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport.
For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.
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