National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum facts for kids
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is a special place that celebrates amateur wrestling. It is like a museum and a hall of fame all in one! Its main home is in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Since 2010, it also helps run the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.
Contents
History of the Hall of Fame
How the Museum Started
The idea for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame began in 1972. The United States Wrestling Federation decided that Stillwater, Oklahoma would be the best place for it. Stillwater was chosen over another city, Waterloo, Iowa. The museum officially opened its doors in 1976.
Joining with the Dan Gable Museum
In 2010, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame took over the Dan Gable Museum. This museum is located in Waterloo, Iowa. The Dan Gable Museum first opened in 1998 in Newton, Iowa. It later moved to Waterloo in 2006.
Who Helped Build It?
The museum gets money from private donations and state funding. Six people from Oklahoma helped create the Hall of Fame organization. They were Myron Roderick, Dr. Melvin D. Jones, Ralph Ball, Robert L. McCormick, Bill Aufleger, and Veldo Brewer. Oklahoma State University also helped a lot. The university provided the land for the museum for free!
Exploring the Museums
The Stillwater Museum
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 is also the Cliff Keen Theater and the William S. Hein Library. The museum is about 15,000 square feet, which is a lot of space!
You can find many interactive exhibits and digital screens there. You can even watch old NCAA Championship wrestling matches from the 1930s until today. The John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors celebrates the greatest names in wrestling. Their achievements are shown on special granite plaques. The Paul K. Scott Museum of History displays a huge collection of wrestling items. This includes many college and Olympic uniforms.
The Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame also runs the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. This museum has the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa. It also includes the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. This part honors professional wrestlers who were also great at amateur wrestling. You can also find the Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions here. The museum has the Dan Gable Teaching Center and a wrestling room. This gives young people in the area a chance to train.
State Chapters of the Hall of Fame
Honoring Local Heroes
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame started its State Chapter program in 1993. The 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 athletes every day. Today, the Hall of Fame has state chapters in 36 different states.
United World Wrestling Hall of Fame
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater also has the UWW Hall of Fame. This section honors some of the best international wrestlers and coaches from around the world.
See also
- Collegiate wrestling
- Scholastic wrestling
