MMA News Forums - Dan Gable: A Wrestler All Should Know About...

If you know who he is already then he needs no introduction. For those that do not know who Dan Gable is, here you go:

http://students.ithaca.edu/~bwolfe1/...ages/gable.jpg

Dan Gable (born October 25, 1948 in Waterloo, Iowa), is a well-known American amateur wrestler. He is considered one of the greatest American amateur wrestlers of all time.

HIGH SCHOOL CAREER

1963
-Was not permitted to wrestle on the varsity wrestling squad
- lost to Ron Keister

1964
- Undefeated, Iowa High School State Champion

In 1964 as a sophomore in high school, Gable experienced a personal tragedy. His older sister, Diane, was raped and murdered in the Gable family home, while Dan and his parents were on vacation. Gable later recalled that the event gave him a singular passion for wrestling, as a way to uplift his shattered family. In his documentary Gable, he says "I needed to give them enough entertainment that they didn't have to look other places."

1965
- Undefeated, Iowa High School State Champion

1966
- Undefeated, Iowa High School State Champion

COLLEGE YEARS

After high school, Gable wrestled for Iowa State. Gable's overall collegiate mark was 99-1. His only defeat was in his final collegiate match where he lost to Larry Owings of the University of Washington.

1967
- Was not permitted to wrestle on the varsity wrestling squad because of NCAA rules that did not permit freshman to wrestle.
- 1966-67 Midlands Tournament Champion, wrestling unattached

1968
- 1967-68 Midlands Tournament Champion
- Big Eight Champion
- NCAA National Champion

1969
- 1968-69 Midlands Tournament Champion
- Big Eight Champion
- NCAA National Champion

1970
- 1969-70 Midlands Tournament Champion
- Big Eight Champion
- NCAA Runner-up

POST-COLLEGE FOLKSTYLE CAREER

1971
- 1970-71 Midlands Tournament Champion

1972
- 1971-72 Midlands Tournament Champion

FREESTYLE CAREER

Gable wrestled on the national freestyle wrestling circuit between 1967 and 1976 where he earned a record of 67-4-2. He wrestled on the international freestyle wrestling circuit between 1971 and 1973 where he earned a record of 30-1-1.

1967
Gable's domestic freestyle record in 1967 was 3-2.
- Went 3-2 at the U.S. Freestyle Nationals

1968
- Gable's domestic freestyle record in 1968 was 8-2-1.
- Went 3-2-1 at the Olympic Trials

1969
- U.S. Freestyle National Champion

1970
- U.S. Freestyle National Champion

1972
- Gable's international record in 1972 was 9-3
- US Freestyle National Runner up
In 1972, he won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics without surrendering a point to any of his opponents.

1973
- Gable's international record in 1973 was 1-0.
- Defeated Pavel Pinigan in a dual meet with Russia.

1976
- Failed to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, losing to Lee Kemp

COACHING CAREER

Gable became head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa in 1976. He formed a dynasty matched by few. From 1978 to 1986, the Hawkeyes won the NCAA title each year, a record nine in succession. He continued to coach the team until a sabbatical after the 1997 season. His record in dual meets was 355-21-5 which included 15 NCAA titles and 21 straight Big Ten titles.
In 1997, the Hawkeyes were expected to lose to the favored Oklahoma State Cowboys. But Gable, who was by this time coaching on crutches after hip replacement surgery, led his team to its 17th NCAA team title and to an unprecedented NCAA-record 170 points.

In addition to his leadership at the college level, Gable was head coach of the United States Olympic team in freestyle wrestling in 1980, 1984, and 2000. Currently, he is an assistant athletic director at the University of Iowa.
Gable's successor at Iowa, Jim Zalesky, won three NCAA titles under him. It was announced on April 14, 2006 that Gable would be rejoining the coaching staff at Iowa as current coach and former Gable national champion Tom Brands top assistant coach.

POPULARITY

- In an Esquire interview, actor, and high school wrestler Tom Cruise considered Gable his greatest hero. Gable himself was profiled in Esquire by the novelist and former University of Pittsburgh wrestler John Irving. The story was entitled "Gorgeous Dan".

- Gable has perennially been on the wishlist for a Republican candidate for Governor of Iowa or Congressional positions.

- In 1999, Sports Illustrated selected Dan Gable as the greatest sports figure in the history of the state of Iowa.