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| Greatest Athlete Ever? |
The greatest player ever in the most popular sport in the world (Soccer/Football) was Pelé (played 1956-77), by general consensus. Likewise, it has been generally accepted that Michael Jordan (1984-2003) was the best ever on the Basketball court. In Ice Hockey, Wayne Gretzky (1978-99) tops almost every list. In baseball, Babe Ruth (1914-35) probably is mentioned most as greatest ever, although arguments are made for other contenders. Sir Donald Bradman (1927-49) has the most supporters as best ever in Cricket. And so on. Ok, perhaps most American readers have not heard of Bradman, and believe that "cricket" actually refers to a cockroach that hops and makes an annoying noise, particularly when a poor joke is made [cue crickets now]. However, international readers might better appreciate his accomplishments in protecting the bales by battling googlies to smash shots past the silly mid-on, particularly during test overs.
But I'm not here to discuss these great athletes. I'm here to tell you about another one that you probably have never heard about, in a sport that everyone knows. The sport is Wrestling. You've heard of wrestling; it's been around at least since the ancient Greeks used to wrestle competitively in the nude [image not included here]. The greatest wrestler in modern history, without a doubt, was Dan Gable (1963-73) of Iowa. He racked up won-loss records that had never been seen before him or since he left the scene, and this includes just about every other sport there is, including team records. Here are his statistics:
Scholastic Wrestling
He entered high school in 1962, but was not allowed to wrestle as a freshman at the varsity level.
- High School Sophomore -- Record: 20-0. Iowa High School State Wrestling Champion (95 lbs)
- High School Junior -- Record: 21-0. Iowa High School State Wrestling Champion (103 lbs)
- High School Senior -- Record: 23-0. Iowa High School State Wrestling Champion (112 lbs)
During his three years as a high school varsity wrestler, his record was a perfect 64-0!
Collegiate Wrestling
As you can imagine, his college career was heavily anticipated by anyone who had ever heard of him. However, there had been other undefeated high school wrestlers who proved to have been over-rated because they might not have faced strong competitors until they reached the college level. Gable decided to go to Iowa State University, not far from home. He entered as a freshman in 1966.
- College Freshman -- He was barred from officially competing on the varsity level. However, he did manage to compete against other wrestlers in exhibition matches. Record: 17-0
- College Sophomore -- Record: 37-0. NCAA National Champion (137 lbs)
- College Junior -- Record: 31-0. Of the 31 victories, 26 were pins and 2 were forfeits -- an astonishing 90% rate. His final 11 matches were won by pins. NCAA National Champion (137 lbs)
So, now Dan Gable stood at the pinnacle of an impossible career. Through seven years of high school and college wrestling, he had compiled a 184-0 record -- unequaled by any other athlete in any sport at that level of competition. His record during the present season stood at 33-0 -- 31 of the wins (94%) were by pins. Facing him was Larry Owings of Washington University.
The sophomore Owings was no pushover. He had won over 200 high school matches, and was a two-time Oregon High School State Wrestling Champion. Earlier in the 1969-70 season, he had wrestled at the 177-lbs level, but lost 35 pounds with the express purpose of challenging Gable. His season record stood at 32-1 -- the only loss was to the previous year's NCAA champion. His overall career college record would be an impressive 87-4.
The two grapplers began their match, and within the first 30 seconds, Gable was already ahead, 2-0. However, at the closing seconds of the first round, Owings pulled ahead, 3-2. Trailing in points was not a position that Gable was used to.
Owings continued to press for a win during the second period, increasing his lead to an unbelievable 7-2. Gable had never given up more than 6 points in a decision match, and he had won that one 25-6, so the crowd realized that something special was going on. Gable battled back, and the round ended with Owings still on top, barely, 8-6.
In the final round, with only 30 seconds left, Owings was leading 9-8, but Gable was going to be awarded 2 points for riding time, which would end the match in his favor, 10-9. The next few seconds were a blur of action, and with only 17 seconds left, Owings eked into the lead, 13-9. Gable got his riding points, and as the clock ticked off the last seconds to end the battle, Gable had lost for the first time ever, in his 185th and final contest, 13-11.
The sophomore Owings was no pushover. He had won over 200 high school matches, and was a two-time Oregon High School State Wrestling Champion. Earlier in the 1969-70 season, he had wrestled at the 177-lbs level, but lost 35 pounds with the express purpose of challenging Gable. His season record stood at 32-1 -- the only loss was to the previous year's NCAA champion. His overall career college record would be an impressive 87-4.
The two grapplers began their match, and within the first 30 seconds, Gable was already ahead, 2-0. However, at the closing seconds of the first round, Owings pulled ahead, 3-2. Trailing in points was not a position that Gable was used to.
Owings continued to press for a win during the second period, increasing his lead to an unbelievable 7-2. Gable had never given up more than 6 points in a decision match, and he had won that one 25-6, so the crowd realized that something special was going on. Gable battled back, and the round ended with Owings still on top, barely, 8-6.
In the final round, with only 30 seconds left, Owings was leading 9-8, but Gable was going to be awarded 2 points for riding time, which would end the match in his favor, 10-9. The next few seconds were a blur of action, and with only 17 seconds left, Owings eked into the lead, 13-9. Gable got his riding points, and as the clock ticked off the last seconds to end the battle, Gable had lost for the first time ever, in his 185th and final contest, 13-11.
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| Owings' Victory |
After finishing college, Gable entered wrestling tournaments on a club team or as an independent. In the two years he continued beyond college, his record was 18-0. This brought his career wrestling totals to an astonishing 202-1.
Freestyle Wrestling
Despite what you might believe by watching World Wrestling Entertainment smack-downs, once a wrestler ends his collegiate career, there is no draft into the professional wrestling leagues. WWE "pro wrestling" is related to real wrestling as Big Bird is related to geese flying south for the winter. However, there is high-level competitive wrestling that occurs at the international level, and it is called Freestyle Wrestling. The rules and point system are similar to U.S. collegiate wrestling, and many former college wrestlers move on to freestyle wrestling.
Dan Gable did the same. He began testing the waters of freestyle when he was a college freshman. Unsure of the different rules and tactics, and against much older and more experienced wrestlers, he still won a respectable 11 out of 15 matches during his first two years. However, once he got the hang of it, he began his patented winning ways. During his final two years of college, he won all 29 of his freestyle matches, capturing National Amateur Athletic Union Championships in 1969 and 1970.
After college, in his first match of 1971, he lost to a Soviet wrestler, 3-2. That would prove to be the last wrestling match Dan Gable ever lost. He ended 1971 with a 24-1 record, and became the World Freestyle Wrestling Champion (149.5 lbs).
In 1972, he had an incredible run toward an Olympics Gold Medal (149.5 lbs). Working through the Olympics trials and actual competition, Gable racked up a 21-0 record, including 12 pins. Of the matches he won by points, he outscored his nine opponents 130-1! So who was it who ruined his perfect run by scoring one point against him? None other than Larry Owings, whom Gable defeated 7-1 in their long-anticipated rematch. Interestingly, Gable had previously defeated Owings at the 1968 Olympics Freestyle trials, 13-4 -- and that defeat is what drove Owings to seek "revenge" against Gable two years afterwards.
So Dan Gable ended his competitive wrestling career by winning his last 80 matches, and he was 91-5 during his entire freestyle career. Combined with his scholastic and collegiate wrestling career, he had won 293 of his 299 bouts (98%).
Coaching
Gable was not done with wrestling. He became the Wrestling coach at the University of Iowa for the 1976-77 season. The following year, he began a skein of championships unmatched before or since. His teams won the NCAA Wrestling Championship for the next nine years in a row. By the time he left his coaching position in 1997, his teams had won every Big Ten league championship (21 years in a row) and 15 national titles, compiling a 355-21-5 dual meet record -- a winning percentage of .944.
Dan Gable was the greatest wrestler in history. Based on the degree to which he dominated his field -- a 202-1 individual record, and 15 national titles as a coach -- he could be considered the greatest athlete ever among all the major sports.
Dan Gable did the same. He began testing the waters of freestyle when he was a college freshman. Unsure of the different rules and tactics, and against much older and more experienced wrestlers, he still won a respectable 11 out of 15 matches during his first two years. However, once he got the hang of it, he began his patented winning ways. During his final two years of college, he won all 29 of his freestyle matches, capturing National Amateur Athletic Union Championships in 1969 and 1970.
After college, in his first match of 1971, he lost to a Soviet wrestler, 3-2. That would prove to be the last wrestling match Dan Gable ever lost. He ended 1971 with a 24-1 record, and became the World Freestyle Wrestling Champion (149.5 lbs).
In 1972, he had an incredible run toward an Olympics Gold Medal (149.5 lbs). Working through the Olympics trials and actual competition, Gable racked up a 21-0 record, including 12 pins. Of the matches he won by points, he outscored his nine opponents 130-1! So who was it who ruined his perfect run by scoring one point against him? None other than Larry Owings, whom Gable defeated 7-1 in their long-anticipated rematch. Interestingly, Gable had previously defeated Owings at the 1968 Olympics Freestyle trials, 13-4 -- and that defeat is what drove Owings to seek "revenge" against Gable two years afterwards.
So Dan Gable ended his competitive wrestling career by winning his last 80 matches, and he was 91-5 during his entire freestyle career. Combined with his scholastic and collegiate wrestling career, he had won 293 of his 299 bouts (98%).
Coaching
Gable was not done with wrestling. He became the Wrestling coach at the University of Iowa for the 1976-77 season. The following year, he began a skein of championships unmatched before or since. His teams won the NCAA Wrestling Championship for the next nine years in a row. By the time he left his coaching position in 1997, his teams had won every Big Ten league championship (21 years in a row) and 15 national titles, compiling a 355-21-5 dual meet record -- a winning percentage of .944.
Dan Gable was the greatest wrestler in history. Based on the degree to which he dominated his field -- a 202-1 individual record, and 15 national titles as a coach -- he could be considered the greatest athlete ever among all the major sports.
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| Greatest Athlete Ever? |
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