National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum facts for kids
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is a special place in Stillwater, Oklahoma. It's like a museum and a hall of fame all in one, celebrating amateur wrestling. This museum also helps run the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.
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History of the Wrestling Hall of Fame
The idea for this museum started in 1972. The United States Wrestling Federation chose Stillwater, Oklahoma, as its home. The museum officially opened its doors in 1976.
In 2010, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame took over the Dan Gable Museum. This museum was first opened in 1998 in Newton, Iowa. Later, it moved to Waterloo in 2006.
In May 2016, the Hall of Fame made a big decision. They voted to take back all honors given to a former member. This was the first time the Hall of Fame had ever done something like this.
The museum gets its money from private donations and state funding. Six people from Oklahoma helped create the Hall of Fame. They were Myron Roderick, Dr. Melvin D. Jones, Ralph Ball, Robert L. McCormick, Bill Aufleger, and Veldo Brewer. Oklahoma State University also helped. They gave land for the museum at no cost for a very long time.
Explore the Wrestling Museums
National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma, has many cool areas. These include the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors and the Paul K. Scott Museum of Wrestling History. There's also the Cliff Keen Theater and the William S. Hein Library.
The museum is quite large, covering about 15,000 square feet. It has many interactive exhibits where you can learn by doing. There are also digital kiosks. You can even watch old NCAA Championship wrestling matches from the 1930s until today.
The John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors is where the greatest names in wrestling are celebrated. Special members are honored with granite plaques. The Paul K. Scott Museum of History shows off a huge collection of wrestling items. This includes many college and Olympic uniforms.
Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame also runs the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. This museum includes the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa. It also has the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. This part honors professional wrestlers who had a strong background in amateur wrestling. There's also the Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions.
The Dan Gable Museum also features the Dan Gable Teaching Center. This center has a wrestling room. It gives young people in the area a chance to train and learn.
State Chapters of the Hall of Fame
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum started its State Chapter program in 1993. The main goal is to honor coaches, officials, and others who have helped the sport of wrestling. These people show the best qualities of wrestling and share them with young people every day. The Hall of Fame currently has state chapters in 36 states across the country.
United World Wrestling Hall of Fame
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater also has the UWW Hall of Fame. This section celebrates some of the best international wrestlers and coaches in the sport.
See also
- Collegiate wrestling
- Scholastic wrestling
