These links below take you to lists of famous and Successful people that have wrestled.
The list below is from http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/AmateurWrestlingFanAddicts/
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they were once wrestlers Updated January 14, 2005
Q: What do Abraham Lincoln, Ari Fleischer, Andy Rooney, Ashton Kutcher, Robin Williams and Kurt Cobain all have in common?
A: They were once amateur wrestlers!
This list is a compilation of a list from the 1996 USA Wrestling Team Guide… along with additional contributions from members of AmateurWrestlingFanAddicts, posters to TheMat forum, news reports, and HammondWrestling.com for many of the names on their NFL Players That Wrestled list… with special thanks to fellow FanAddict Tom Fortunato (webmaster, “Web’s Best of Amateur Wrestling”) and Rob England (aka wrestlingcards” on TheMat forum.)
The accuracy of this list cannot be guaranteed. If you have any additions or corrections, please post them to Yahoo group AmateurWrestlingFanAddicts, Vintage Amateur Wrestling) or email [email protected]. Thanks!
U.S. PRESIDENTS
Chester Arthur, Calvin Coolidge, Dwight Eisenhower, Ulysses S Grant, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Zachary Taylor, John Tyler, George Washington
U.S. SENATE
The late John Chafee (former senator from Rhode Island), Lincoln Chafee (current senator from RI), Chuck Hagel (current senator from Nebraska), John McCain (current senator from Arizona), the late Paul Wellstone (Minnesota)
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The late Carl Albert (former Speaker of the House, from Oklahoma), current Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (Illinois), Brad Glass, Greg Ganske (Iowa), Jim Leach (Iowa), Bob Ney (Ohio), Jim Nussle (Iowa)
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Frank Carlucci, Donald Rumsfeld
FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARIES
Ari Fleischer, George Stephanopoulos
OTHER POLITICIANS
Cruz Bustamante (lieutenant governor of California), Arne Carlson (former governor of Minnesota), Howard Dean (former governor of Vermont; 2004 Democratic Presidential candidate), Steven Friedman (chief economic advisor for the current Bush administration), Jim Jordan (state senator in Ohio; 4-time Ohio HS state champ)
ACTORS/COMEDIANS
William Baldwin, Jim Belushi (TV show According to Jim), the late John Belushi (Animal House), Jason Biggs (American Pie), the late James Cagney, Tom Cruise, Tony Danza (Taxi), Kirk Douglas, the late Chris Farley (Saturday Night Live), Al Franken (Saturday Night Live), the late Victor French (TV show Highway to Heaven), John Gavin (Imitation of Life, Psycho), PeeWee Herman (Paul Ruebens in HS in Florida – though this is highly disputed), Breck Jamison (formerly of As The World Turns), Alex Karras (1980s ABC sitcom Webster), Harvey Keitel (The Piano), Ashton Kutcher (That 70s Show; The Butterfly Effect), Jay Leno (Tonight Show), Mario Lopez (Saved by the Bell), Bill Maher (Politically Incorrect), Howie Mandel (St Elsewhere), Thomas McCarthy (Boston Public), Jay Mohr (Jerry Maguire; Mohr Sports, Last Comic Standing), Hugh O’Brian (Wyatt Earp), the late Jack Parr (host of NBC’s Tonight Show from 1957-1962), the late Nat Pendleton (1920s Olympic wrestler, 1930s movie actor), Mark Ruffalo (Collateral), George Stults (Kevin Kinkirk on the WB’s 7th Heaven), Tom Sullivan (blind Renaissance man – actor, singer, writer), Mr. T. (Laurence Turead) (The A Team), Tab Thacker, Vince Vaughn (Swingers, Dodgeball: The Movie), Tim Van Patten, Robin Williams
ADVENTURERS
Don Briggs (former University of Northern Iowa assistant coach, now base camp manager at Mt. Everest)
AMERICAN HEROES
Joseph Darby (Army soldier who notified superiors of abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison, May 2004), Bob Dettmer (Army intelligence officer who is Forest Lake, MN wrestling coach), Jeremy Glick (killed on United flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001), Charles Moose (former Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Chief – led investigation in Washington DC area sniper shootings October 2002), Tommy Norris (Medal of Honor winner for actions in Vietnam), Scott Patrick (Indiana State Trooper killed in the line of duty December 22, 2003)
AMERICAN HEROES who died in service to our country in the 2003-05 Iraq war
Army Spc. Raymond Spencer Adams (wrestled in HS in Delta, UT), Marine Lance Corporal Brian E. Anderson (wrestled in HS in Durham, NC), Marine Major Jay Thomas Aubin (killed in a British helicopter crash in Kuwait – wrestled in HS in Skowhegen, Maine), Marine Lance Corporal Andrew Aviles (wrestled in HS in Tampa), Marines Jeremiah Barro and Jared Hubbard (teammates at Buchanon HS in California, killed at the same time), US Army Sgt. Gregory Belanger (wrestled in HS in Deerfield, Massachusetts), Marine Lance Corporal Demarkus Brown (wrestled at Laurel Park HS in Virginia), Marine Lance Corporal Brian Rory Buesing (wrestled in HS in Charlotte County, Florida), Marine Corporal Richard Carl (wrestled in HS at Glenns Ferry, Idaho), Marine Lance Cpl Andrew Dang (wrestled in HS in San Mateo, CA), Cpl. Kevin Dempsey (wrestled at New Canaan HS in Connecticut), Marine Captain Travis Ford (wrestled in HS in Ogalalla, Nebraska), Pfc. Adam Froelich (wrestled in HS in Winslow and in Haddon Township, NJ), Dimitrios Gavriel (wrestled at Timberland HS in New Hampshire and at Brown University), Marine Lance Cpl. Cory Ryan Geurin (wrestled in HS at Santee, CA), Air Force Staff Sergeant Patrick Lee Griffin (wrestled in HS in Dryden, NY), Sgt. Jack Hennessy (wrestled at Naperville Central HS in Illinois), Marine Lance Cpl. Lance Koenig (on North Dakota State wrestling roster at time of death), Marine Sgt. Brian McGinnis (wrestled in HS in St. Georges, Delaware), Army Sgt. Mike Mitchell (wrestled at Monache HS, California), Marine Major Kevin Nave (wrestled in HS in White Lake Township, Mich.), Staff Sgt. Todd Nunes (wrestled in HS in Chapel Hill, Tennessee), Marine Lance Corporal Patrick O’Day (wrestled in HS at Santa Rosa, California), Marine Lance Corporal David Edward Owens, Jr.(wrestled in HS in Winchester, Virginia), Army Staff Sergeant Andrew Pokomy (wrestled in HS in Naperville, Illinois), Cpl. Brian Prening (wrestled at Plymouth HS in Wisconsin), Marine Branden Ramey (wrestled at Belvidere HS in Illinois), Sgt. 1st Class Randy Rehn (wrestled in HS in Longmont, Colorado), Marine Corporal Randal Kent Rosaker (wrestled in HS in Alamosa, Colorado), Army Spc. Jonathan Santos (wrestled at Sehome HS in Bellingham, Washington), Edward Seitz (first US diplomat killed in Iraq; wreslted at Holy Name HS in the Cleveland area), Pfc. Kenneth Souslin (wrestled in HS at Lexington, Ohio), Marine Corporal Kirk Straseskie (wrestled in HS in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin), Navy SEAL David Tapper (wrestled in HS at Waterford, Connecticut), Spc. Kyle S. Thomas (wrestled in HS in Topeka, Kansas), Army Sgt. Lee Duane Todacheene (wrestled in HS at Navajo Prep, Farmington, New Mexico – first member of the Navajo Nation to be killed in Iraq), Staff Sgt. Marvin Lee Trost III (wrestled at Concord HS in Indiana), Marine PFC Brent Vroman (wrestled in HS at Omro, Wisconsin), Marine Lance Cpl. Jordan Winkler (wrestled at Union HS in Oklahoma), US Army Sgt. Michael Woodliff (wrestled at Charlotte County HS, Florida)
Independent contractor killed in Fallujah: Michael Teague (coached wrestling at Kenwood HS, Clarksville, Tennessee)
Prisoner of war in Iraq: Pfc. Patrick Miller (wrestled in HS in Park City, Kansas)
Killed in helicopter crash in Sicily: Navy Commander Kevin Bianchi (wrestled at the US Naval Academy in the 80s)
THE ARTS
Rodney Gilfry (opera), Louis Sullivan (late 1800s Chicago architect)
ASTRONAUTS/NASA
Astronauts Joe Allen, Scott Carpenter, Michael Collins, Ed Lu (Cornell U class of 1994), Jim Voss; NASA space shuttle program manager Ronald Dittemore; NASA scientist William Kerslake (1952 and 1956 Olympics)
AUTHORS
Terry Davis (Vision Quest), John Irving (The World According to Garp), The late Ken Kesey (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Dr. Ben Lerner (Body by God 2003 bestseller about whole body health), Gregg McCrary (FBI agent/profiler, author of The Unknown Darkness), Ron Kovic (Born of the Fourth of July)
BUSINESS LEADERS (note: these may not be presently in the positions listed)
Rocky Aoki (Benihana Restaurants), Scott Beck (Boston Market), James Bigger (Nestle), Ben Bishop (Bethlehem Steel), Dan Cathy (Chick-fil-a), Walt Disney, John Filer (Aetna), Robert Fisher (Morgan Stanley in the 1990s), Stephen Friedman (Goldman Sachs), Joseph Galli (Newell Rubbermaid), William Graham (CEO of The Graham Companies – made multi-million dollar donation to reinstate wrestling at his alma mater Bucknell University), Robert Hannan (Thrift Drug), Dean Kamen (inventor, Segway), Henry Kravis (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.), James Macalear (SMS Corp.), Ron McGruder (Olive Garden), Art Martori (Production Farm Management), David Pottruck (former CEO at Charles Schwab), Edward Rust (State Farm), Arthur Rutzen (Wells Fargo), Scott Sullivan (ex-chief financial officer at WorldCom), John Vaughan (Alco Standard)
JOURNALISTS
Dave Fleming (NFL writer for ESPN: The Magazine), Horace Greeley (1800s journalist; “Go west, young man!” was his quote), Norm Pearlstine (Editor-in-Chief, Time), Geraldo Rivera, Andy Rooney
MILITARY LEADERS
Denny Benchoff (3-star general), the late Greg “Pappy” Boyington, Gen. Charles C. Krulak, Rear Admiral William J. McDaniel, the late George Patton, Al Rushotz, the late Retired Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf
MUSICIANS
The late Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), Glen Danzig (wrestled as Glen Anzalone), the late Shannon Hoon (Blind Melon), Ja-Rule, Maynard James Keenan (Tool), Ludacris, the late Layne Staley (Alice in Chains), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick)
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE (past and present)
Wrestling accomplishments and football teams listed when known
Damien Anderson, Art Baker (Buffalo Bills – 1959 NCAA 191 lb champ/2nd African-American champ), Ronde Barber (Tampa Bay Bucaneers), Tiki Barber (New York Giants), Walter Barnes (Washington Redskins), Harris Barton, Marcus Bell, Brad Benson (New York Giants – Pennsylvania HS state champ), Greg Boone (Oakland Raiders), Jeff Bostic (Washington Redskins), Tom Brady (New England Patriots), Bob Bruenig, Tedy Bruschi (New England Patriots), Phil Bryant (Philadelphia Eagles), Ralph Cindrich (Houston Oilers – Pennsylvania HS state runner-up), Tom Cousineau (Cleveland Browns – placed third in Ohio HS state tournament), Tom Covert (Chicago Bears), the late Damien Covington (Buffalo Bills), Roger Craig (San Francisco 49ers), Curley Culp (Kansas City Chiefs – 1967 NCAA heavyweight champ), Larry Czonka (Miami Dolphins), Rob Davis (Green Bay Packers), Dan Dierdorff (St Louis Cardinals), Carl Edwards (San Diego Chargers – 3-time Maryland HS state champ), Donnie Edwards (San Diego Chargers), Ron Essink (Seattle Seahawks – NCAA Division II champ), Jim Everett (New Orleans Saints), Mike Fanning, Demarco Farr (St Louis Rams), Ed Flanagan (Detroit Lions), Patrick Flannery (Houston Oilers), Terrell Fletcher (San Diego Chargers), Bill Fralic (Atlanta Falcons), Doug “Bubba” France (Los Angeles Rams – Ohio HS state runner-up), Antonio Garay, Frank Garcia (St Louis Rams – 2-time Arizona HS state champ), Bill George (Chicago Bears – 2-time Pennsylvania HS state champ), Charlie Getty (Kansas City Chiefs – 2-time NCAA All-American), John Gilmore (Chicago Bears), Kevin Glover (Detroit Lions), LeRoi Glover (Dallas Cowboys), Mike Goff (Cincinnati Bengals), Bob Golic (Cleveland Browns – Ohio HS state champ), Mike Golic (Philadelphia Eagles), Darrien Gordon (Denver Broncos), Scottie Graham (Minnesota Vikings), Tim Green (Atlanta Falcons), Morlon Greenwood (Miami Dolphins), Kelly Gregg (Baltimore Ravens – 3-time Kansas HS state champ), Archie Griffin (Cincinnati Bengals), Nick Greisen (New York Giants), Randy Grossman (Pittsburgh Steelers), John Hannah (New England Patriots), John Hartunian, Carlton Haselrig (Pittsburgh Steelers – 6-time NCAA champ/3 Div I titles), Ron Heller (Seattle Seahawks), Chad Hennings (Dallas Cowboys – Iowa HS state champ), Jay Hilgenberg (Chicago Bears – Iowa HS state runner-up), Orlando Huff (Seattle Seahawks), Corey Hulsy (Oakland Raiders), Bo Jackson (Oakland Raiders), Mario Johnson (New England Patriots), Dahanie Jones (New York Giants), Henry Jordan (Green Bay Packers), Dave Joyner (Green Bay Packers), John Jurkovich (Cleveland Browns), Alex Karras (Detroit Lions), Tim Krumrie (Cincinnati Bengals – Wisconsin HS state champ), Ernie Ladd (Kansas City Chiefs), Jess Lewis (Houston Oilers – 1969-1970 NCAA heavyweight champ), Ray Lewis (Baltimore Ravens – 2-time Florida HS state champ), Ronnie Lott (San Francisco 49ers), Kirk Loudermilk (Minnesota Vikings), Sean Mahan (Tampa Bay Bucaneers), Joel Mackovicka (Seattle Seahawks), Steve Martin (Houston Texans), Mickey Marvin (Oakland Raiders), Napoleon McCallum (Oakland Raiders), Randall McDaniel (Minnesota Vikings), Mark McDonald (Arizona Cardinals), Chris McIntosh (Seattle Seahawks), Brian McKinnie (Minnesota Vikings), Greg Meisner (Los Angeles Rams), Matt Millen (Oakland Raiders), Johnny Mitchell, Ronald Moore (Cleveland Browns), James Mungro (Indianapolis Colts), Jim Nance (New England Patriots – 1963 & 1965 NCAA heavyweight champ – first African-American heavyweight champ), Lorenzo Neal (Tennessee Titans), Stephen Neal (New England Patriots – 1998-1999 NCAA heavyweight champ, 1999 world freestyle champ), Jeremy Newberry (San Francisco 49ers), Chuck Noll (Pittsburgh Steelers – Pennsylvania HS state champ), Leo Nomellini (San Francisco 49ers – Big Ten champ), Chuke Nwokoric, Jonathan Ogden (Baltimore Ravens), Irv Pankey (Los Angeles Rams – 2-time Maryland HS state champ), David Patten (New England Patriots), Scott Peters (New York Giants), Bob Pickens (Chicago Bears), Jim Plunkett (Oakland Raiders), Dave Porter (Green Bay Packers), Mike Pyle (Chicago Bears – Iowa HS state champ), Mike Reid (Cincinnati Bengals), Eric Rhett (Cleveland Browns – Florida HS state champ), Willie Roaf (New Orleans Saints), Warren Sapp (Tampa Bay Bucaneers – Florida HS state champ), Brad St. Louis (Cincinnati Bengals), Cory Schlesinger (Detroit Lions – Nebraska HS state champ), Steve Sefter (Philadelphia Eagles – 2-time Pennsylvania state champ; NCAA All-American), Jerry Sherk, Tony Siragusa (Baltimore Ravens – New Jersey HS state champ), Fred Smerlas (Buffalo Bills – Massachusetts HS state champ), Bill Szott (Washington Redskins – New Jersey HS state champ), Dave Szott (Kansas City Chiefs – New Jersey HS state champ), Woody Thompson (Atlanta Falcons – Pennsylvania HS state champ), Jim Thorpe (New York Giants), Mike Trgovac (Carolina Panthers – Ohio HS state champ), Kyle Turley (St Louis Rams), Ryan Turnbull (Cleveland Browns), Tommy Vardell (San Francisco 49ers), Adam Vinatieri (New England Patriots), John Ward (New York Jets – NCAA All-American), Ted Washington (New England Patriots), Fred Weary (St Louis Rams), Charles White (Los Angeles Rams), Randy White (Dallas Cowboys), Tom Wilhelm, Cory Widmer (New York Giants), Ricky Williams (Miami Dolphins), Coy Wire (Buffalo Bills), Greg Wojochowski (St Louis Rams – 1971 NCAA heavyweight champ), Bryant Young
OLYMPIC ATHLETES IN OTHER SPORTS WHO ONCE WRESTLED
Mark Lenzi (diving), Sugar Ray Leonard (boxing), Jason Morris (judo), Jimmy Pedro (judo), Brian Shimer (bobsled), Jim Thorpe (early 20th century decathlete)
PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES (other than NFL)
Brett Butler (baseball), Pat Day (horse racing), Kevin Harvick (NASCAR), Mark Hampton (baseball), Larry Holmes (boxing), Glenn Hubbard (baseball), Sandy Koufax (baseball), Granville Liggins (CFL), Matt Tressler (baseball), Jeremy Rose (horse racing), the late Willie Shoemaker (horse racing), Sherwyn Thorson (CFL – 1962 NCAA heavyweight champ), Spud Webb (basketball), Tim Wilkerson (NHRA drag racing)
No Holds Barred (UFC/Octagon) competitors Mark Coleman, Randy Couture, Tom Erikson, Rulon Gardner, Kevin Jackson, Mark Kerr, Matt Lindland, Thom Ortiz, Kevin Randleman, Dan Severn, Ken Shamrock, Brock Lesnar - Lesnar won the 2000 NCAA wrestling championship as a heavyweight
RELIGIOUS
The Right Rev. Peter Hess Beckwith, Episcopal Bishop, Springfield, Illinois (wrestled at Hillsdale College, MI in the late 50s/early 60s), Joseph Smith (founder, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon)
SCIENCE
Dr. Norman Borlaug (Nobel prize winner), William Kerslake (NASA scientist; wrestled at 1952 and 1956 Olympics)
SPORTS BROADCASTING
The late Roone Arledge, Jim Lampley, Bill Macatee
SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT (pro rasslers who were amateur wrestlers)
* NOTE: Not all these can be easily confirmed, especially considering that many pro rasslers have “stage” names that differ from what they would have wrestled under in high school and college… and that some pros have been “credited” with amateur wrestling experience that is not independently verifiable.
Kurt Angle (Clarion – 1990/1992 NCAA heavyweight champ, 1996 Olympic gold), Bob Backlund (North Dakota State – NCAA Div III heavyweight champ early 1970s), B. Brian Blair (in HS in Tampa mid 1970s), Nick Bockwinkel (UCLA mid 1950s – not verified), George Bollas (Ohio State – 1946 NCAA heavyweight champ), Jack Brisco (Oklahoma State – 1964 NCAA 191 lb champ), Mike DiBiase, Ric Flair (Rick Fliehr wrestled in HS in Minneapolis in the 1960s), Dory Funk (Dorrance Funk at Indiana State), Verne Gagne (U of Minnesota – 1948-1949 NCAA 191 lb/heavyweight champ), Ray Gunkel (Purdue late 1940s), the late Curt Henning (Robbinsdale HS in Minnesota), Dan Hodge (Oklahoma – 1955-1957 177 lb NCAA champ, 1956 Olympic silver medallist), the late Dick Hutton (Oklahoma State – 1947-48, 1950 NCAA heavyweight champ), Iron Sheik (Khosrow Vazin), Adnan Kaisy (Oklahoma State late 1950s), Gene Kiniski (in Canada), Brock Lesnar (Minnesota – 2000 NCAA heavyweight champ), the late Earl McCready (Oklahoma State – 1928-1930 NCAA heavyweight champ), the late LeRoy McGuirk (Oklahoma mid 1930s), Mankind/Mick Foley (Ward Melville HS on Long Island), the late Gorilla Monsoon (Robert Morella at Ithaca College – 1959 NCAA heavyweight finalist), the late Pat O’Connor (in New Zealand), Randy Orton, Maxx Payne (Darryl Petersen at Iowa State in the early 80s), thee late Nat Pendleton (Columbia 1910s – 1920 Olympic silver medallist), Craig Pittman (U of Kentucky 1970s), Baron von Raschke (Jim Raschke at Nebraska early 1960s), Brad Rheingans (North Dakota State 1970s – 1980 US Olympic team member), Bob Roop, the late Buzz Sawyer (wrestled as Bruce Woyan), the late Joe Scarpello (Iowa – 1947 NCAA 175 lb champ), Larry Sharpe, the late Ruffy Silverstein (Ralph Silverstein at Illinois), the Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Rechsteiner at Michigan), Pat Tanaka, the late Chris Taylor (Iowa State – 1972-1973 NCAA heavyweight champ, 1972 Olympic bronze medallist), Steve “Doctor Death” Williams (Oklahoma late 70s/early 80s – three-time All-American), Barry Windham (Syracuse), the late Mr. Wrestling/Tim Woods (Tim Woodin at Michigan State – 1958-1959 two-time NCAA 191 lb finalist)
TV PERSONALITIES
Rocco DiSpirito (NYC restaurateur on NBC reality show The Restaurant Summer 2003/spring 2004), Justin Giovinco (4-time NCAA qualifier from Pitt; on CBS Big Brother 4 Summer 2003), Todd Mitchell (2-time Utah HS state champ; on NBC Average Joe 2 January 2004), the late Jack Parr (host of NBC’s Tonight Show 1957-1962), Geraldo Rivera, Andy Rooney, Matthew Von Ertfelda (finalist on CBS Survivor: Amazon Spring 2003)
WRESTLING COMMENTATORS
Jeff Blatnick, Ken Chertow, Dan Gable, Jim Gibbons, Russ Hellickson, Ken Kraft, Tim Johnson, Will Short
Q: What do Abraham Lincoln, Ari Fleischer, Andy Rooney, Ashton Kutcher, Robin Williams and Kurt Cobain all have in common?
A: They were once amateur wrestlers!
This list is a compilation of a list from the 1996 USA Wrestling Team Guide… along with additional contributions from members of AmateurWrestlingFanAddicts, posters to TheMat forum, news reports, and HammondWrestling.com for many of the names on their NFL Players That Wrestled list… with special thanks to fellow FanAddict Tom Fortunato (webmaster, “Web’s Best of Amateur Wrestling”) and Rob England (aka wrestlingcards” on TheMat forum.)
The accuracy of this list cannot be guaranteed. If you have any additions or corrections, please post them to Yahoo group AmateurWrestlingFanAddicts, Vintage Amateur Wrestling) or email [email protected]. Thanks!
U.S. PRESIDENTS
Chester Arthur, Calvin Coolidge, Dwight Eisenhower, Ulysses S Grant, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Zachary Taylor, John Tyler, George Washington
U.S. SENATE
The late John Chafee (former senator from Rhode Island), Lincoln Chafee (current senator from RI), Chuck Hagel (current senator from Nebraska), John McCain (current senator from Arizona), the late Paul Wellstone (Minnesota)
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The late Carl Albert (former Speaker of the House, from Oklahoma), current Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (Illinois), Brad Glass, Greg Ganske (Iowa), Jim Leach (Iowa), Bob Ney (Ohio), Jim Nussle (Iowa)
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Frank Carlucci, Donald Rumsfeld
FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARIES
Ari Fleischer, George Stephanopoulos
OTHER POLITICIANS
Cruz Bustamante (lieutenant governor of California), Arne Carlson (former governor of Minnesota), Howard Dean (former governor of Vermont; 2004 Democratic Presidential candidate), Steven Friedman (chief economic advisor for the current Bush administration), Jim Jordan (state senator in Ohio; 4-time Ohio HS state champ)
ACTORS/COMEDIANS
William Baldwin, Jim Belushi (TV show According to Jim), the late John Belushi (Animal House), Jason Biggs (American Pie), the late James Cagney, Tom Cruise, Tony Danza (Taxi), Kirk Douglas, the late Chris Farley (Saturday Night Live), Al Franken (Saturday Night Live), the late Victor French (TV show Highway to Heaven), John Gavin (Imitation of Life, Psycho), PeeWee Herman (Paul Ruebens in HS in Florida – though this is highly disputed), Breck Jamison (formerly of As The World Turns), Alex Karras (1980s ABC sitcom Webster), Harvey Keitel (The Piano), Ashton Kutcher (That 70s Show; The Butterfly Effect), Jay Leno (Tonight Show), Mario Lopez (Saved by the Bell), Bill Maher (Politically Incorrect), Howie Mandel (St Elsewhere), Thomas McCarthy (Boston Public), Jay Mohr (Jerry Maguire; Mohr Sports, Last Comic Standing), Hugh O’Brian (Wyatt Earp), the late Jack Parr (host of NBC’s Tonight Show from 1957-1962), the late Nat Pendleton (1920s Olympic wrestler, 1930s movie actor), Mark Ruffalo (Collateral), George Stults (Kevin Kinkirk on the WB’s 7th Heaven), Tom Sullivan (blind Renaissance man – actor, singer, writer), Mr. T. (Laurence Turead) (The A Team), Tab Thacker, Vince Vaughn (Swingers, Dodgeball: The Movie), Tim Van Patten, Robin Williams
ADVENTURERS
Don Briggs (former University of Northern Iowa assistant coach, now base camp manager at Mt. Everest)
AMERICAN HEROES
Joseph Darby (Army soldier who notified superiors of abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison, May 2004), Bob Dettmer (Army intelligence officer who is Forest Lake, MN wrestling coach), Jeremy Glick (killed on United flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001), Charles Moose (former Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Chief – led investigation in Washington DC area sniper shootings October 2002), Tommy Norris (Medal of Honor winner for actions in Vietnam), Scott Patrick (Indiana State Trooper killed in the line of duty December 22, 2003)
AMERICAN HEROES who died in service to our country in the 2003-05 Iraq war
Army Spc. Raymond Spencer Adams (wrestled in HS in Delta, UT), Marine Lance Corporal Brian E. Anderson (wrestled in HS in Durham, NC), Marine Major Jay Thomas Aubin (killed in a British helicopter crash in Kuwait – wrestled in HS in Skowhegen, Maine), Marine Lance Corporal Andrew Aviles (wrestled in HS in Tampa), Marines Jeremiah Barro and Jared Hubbard (teammates at Buchanon HS in California, killed at the same time), US Army Sgt. Gregory Belanger (wrestled in HS in Deerfield, Massachusetts), Marine Lance Corporal Demarkus Brown (wrestled at Laurel Park HS in Virginia), Marine Lance Corporal Brian Rory Buesing (wrestled in HS in Charlotte County, Florida), Marine Corporal Richard Carl (wrestled in HS at Glenns Ferry, Idaho), Marine Lance Cpl Andrew Dang (wrestled in HS in San Mateo, CA), Cpl. Kevin Dempsey (wrestled at New Canaan HS in Connecticut), Marine Captain Travis Ford (wrestled in HS in Ogalalla, Nebraska), Pfc. Adam Froelich (wrestled in HS in Winslow and in Haddon Township, NJ), Dimitrios Gavriel (wrestled at Timberland HS in New Hampshire and at Brown University), Marine Lance Cpl. Cory Ryan Geurin (wrestled in HS at Santee, CA), Air Force Staff Sergeant Patrick Lee Griffin (wrestled in HS in Dryden, NY), Sgt. Jack Hennessy (wrestled at Naperville Central HS in Illinois), Marine Lance Cpl. Lance Koenig (on North Dakota State wrestling roster at time of death), Marine Sgt. Brian McGinnis (wrestled in HS in St. Georges, Delaware), Army Sgt. Mike Mitchell (wrestled at Monache HS, California), Marine Major Kevin Nave (wrestled in HS in White Lake Township, Mich.), Staff Sgt. Todd Nunes (wrestled in HS in Chapel Hill, Tennessee), Marine Lance Corporal Patrick O’Day (wrestled in HS at Santa Rosa, California), Marine Lance Corporal David Edward Owens, Jr.(wrestled in HS in Winchester, Virginia), Army Staff Sergeant Andrew Pokomy (wrestled in HS in Naperville, Illinois), Cpl. Brian Prening (wrestled at Plymouth HS in Wisconsin), Marine Branden Ramey (wrestled at Belvidere HS in Illinois), Sgt. 1st Class Randy Rehn (wrestled in HS in Longmont, Colorado), Marine Corporal Randal Kent Rosaker (wrestled in HS in Alamosa, Colorado), Army Spc. Jonathan Santos (wrestled at Sehome HS in Bellingham, Washington), Edward Seitz (first US diplomat killed in Iraq; wreslted at Holy Name HS in the Cleveland area), Pfc. Kenneth Souslin (wrestled in HS at Lexington, Ohio), Marine Corporal Kirk Straseskie (wrestled in HS in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin), Navy SEAL David Tapper (wrestled in HS at Waterford, Connecticut), Spc. Kyle S. Thomas (wrestled in HS in Topeka, Kansas), Army Sgt. Lee Duane Todacheene (wrestled in HS at Navajo Prep, Farmington, New Mexico – first member of the Navajo Nation to be killed in Iraq), Staff Sgt. Marvin Lee Trost III (wrestled at Concord HS in Indiana), Marine PFC Brent Vroman (wrestled in HS at Omro, Wisconsin), Marine Lance Cpl. Jordan Winkler (wrestled at Union HS in Oklahoma), US Army Sgt. Michael Woodliff (wrestled at Charlotte County HS, Florida)
Independent contractor killed in Fallujah: Michael Teague (coached wrestling at Kenwood HS, Clarksville, Tennessee)
Prisoner of war in Iraq: Pfc. Patrick Miller (wrestled in HS in Park City, Kansas)
Killed in helicopter crash in Sicily: Navy Commander Kevin Bianchi (wrestled at the US Naval Academy in the 80s)
THE ARTS
Rodney Gilfry (opera), Louis Sullivan (late 1800s Chicago architect)
ASTRONAUTS/NASA
Astronauts Joe Allen, Scott Carpenter, Michael Collins, Ed Lu (Cornell U class of 1994), Jim Voss; NASA space shuttle program manager Ronald Dittemore; NASA scientist William Kerslake (1952 and 1956 Olympics)
AUTHORS
Terry Davis (Vision Quest), John Irving (The World According to Garp), The late Ken Kesey (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Dr. Ben Lerner (Body by God 2003 bestseller about whole body health), Gregg McCrary (FBI agent/profiler, author of The Unknown Darkness), Ron Kovic (Born of the Fourth of July)
BUSINESS LEADERS (note: these may not be presently in the positions listed)
Rocky Aoki (Benihana Restaurants), Scott Beck (Boston Market), James Bigger (Nestle), Ben Bishop (Bethlehem Steel), Dan Cathy (Chick-fil-a), Walt Disney, John Filer (Aetna), Robert Fisher (Morgan Stanley in the 1990s), Stephen Friedman (Goldman Sachs), Joseph Galli (Newell Rubbermaid), William Graham (CEO of The Graham Companies – made multi-million dollar donation to reinstate wrestling at his alma mater Bucknell University), Robert Hannan (Thrift Drug), Dean Kamen (inventor, Segway), Henry Kravis (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.), James Macalear (SMS Corp.), Ron McGruder (Olive Garden), Art Martori (Production Farm Management), David Pottruck (former CEO at Charles Schwab), Edward Rust (State Farm), Arthur Rutzen (Wells Fargo), Scott Sullivan (ex-chief financial officer at WorldCom), John Vaughan (Alco Standard)
JOURNALISTS
Dave Fleming (NFL writer for ESPN: The Magazine), Horace Greeley (1800s journalist; “Go west, young man!” was his quote), Norm Pearlstine (Editor-in-Chief, Time), Geraldo Rivera, Andy Rooney
MILITARY LEADERS
Denny Benchoff (3-star general), the late Greg “Pappy” Boyington, Gen. Charles C. Krulak, Rear Admiral William J. McDaniel, the late George Patton, Al Rushotz, the late Retired Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf
MUSICIANS
The late Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), Glen Danzig (wrestled as Glen Anzalone), the late Shannon Hoon (Blind Melon), Ja-Rule, Maynard James Keenan (Tool), Ludacris, the late Layne Staley (Alice in Chains), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick)
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE (past and present)
Wrestling accomplishments and football teams listed when known
Damien Anderson, Art Baker (Buffalo Bills – 1959 NCAA 191 lb champ/2nd African-American champ), Ronde Barber (Tampa Bay Bucaneers), Tiki Barber (New York Giants), Walter Barnes (Washington Redskins), Harris Barton, Marcus Bell, Brad Benson (New York Giants – Pennsylvania HS state champ), Greg Boone (Oakland Raiders), Jeff Bostic (Washington Redskins), Tom Brady (New England Patriots), Bob Bruenig, Tedy Bruschi (New England Patriots), Phil Bryant (Philadelphia Eagles), Ralph Cindrich (Houston Oilers – Pennsylvania HS state runner-up), Tom Cousineau (Cleveland Browns – placed third in Ohio HS state tournament), Tom Covert (Chicago Bears), the late Damien Covington (Buffalo Bills), Roger Craig (San Francisco 49ers), Curley Culp (Kansas City Chiefs – 1967 NCAA heavyweight champ), Larry Czonka (Miami Dolphins), Rob Davis (Green Bay Packers), Dan Dierdorff (St Louis Cardinals), Carl Edwards (San Diego Chargers – 3-time Maryland HS state champ), Donnie Edwards (San Diego Chargers), Ron Essink (Seattle Seahawks – NCAA Division II champ), Jim Everett (New Orleans Saints), Mike Fanning, Demarco Farr (St Louis Rams), Ed Flanagan (Detroit Lions), Patrick Flannery (Houston Oilers), Terrell Fletcher (San Diego Chargers), Bill Fralic (Atlanta Falcons), Doug “Bubba” France (Los Angeles Rams – Ohio HS state runner-up), Antonio Garay, Frank Garcia (St Louis Rams – 2-time Arizona HS state champ), Bill George (Chicago Bears – 2-time Pennsylvania HS state champ), Charlie Getty (Kansas City Chiefs – 2-time NCAA All-American), John Gilmore (Chicago Bears), Kevin Glover (Detroit Lions), LeRoi Glover (Dallas Cowboys), Mike Goff (Cincinnati Bengals), Bob Golic (Cleveland Browns – Ohio HS state champ), Mike Golic (Philadelphia Eagles), Darrien Gordon (Denver Broncos), Scottie Graham (Minnesota Vikings), Tim Green (Atlanta Falcons), Morlon Greenwood (Miami Dolphins), Kelly Gregg (Baltimore Ravens – 3-time Kansas HS state champ), Archie Griffin (Cincinnati Bengals), Nick Greisen (New York Giants), Randy Grossman (Pittsburgh Steelers), John Hannah (New England Patriots), John Hartunian, Carlton Haselrig (Pittsburgh Steelers – 6-time NCAA champ/3 Div I titles), Ron Heller (Seattle Seahawks), Chad Hennings (Dallas Cowboys – Iowa HS state champ), Jay Hilgenberg (Chicago Bears – Iowa HS state runner-up), Orlando Huff (Seattle Seahawks), Corey Hulsy (Oakland Raiders), Bo Jackson (Oakland Raiders), Mario Johnson (New England Patriots), Dahanie Jones (New York Giants), Henry Jordan (Green Bay Packers), Dave Joyner (Green Bay Packers), John Jurkovich (Cleveland Browns), Alex Karras (Detroit Lions), Tim Krumrie (Cincinnati Bengals – Wisconsin HS state champ), Ernie Ladd (Kansas City Chiefs), Jess Lewis (Houston Oilers – 1969-1970 NCAA heavyweight champ), Ray Lewis (Baltimore Ravens – 2-time Florida HS state champ), Ronnie Lott (San Francisco 49ers), Kirk Loudermilk (Minnesota Vikings), Sean Mahan (Tampa Bay Bucaneers), Joel Mackovicka (Seattle Seahawks), Steve Martin (Houston Texans), Mickey Marvin (Oakland Raiders), Napoleon McCallum (Oakland Raiders), Randall McDaniel (Minnesota Vikings), Mark McDonald (Arizona Cardinals), Chris McIntosh (Seattle Seahawks), Brian McKinnie (Minnesota Vikings), Greg Meisner (Los Angeles Rams), Matt Millen (Oakland Raiders), Johnny Mitchell, Ronald Moore (Cleveland Browns), James Mungro (Indianapolis Colts), Jim Nance (New England Patriots – 1963 & 1965 NCAA heavyweight champ – first African-American heavyweight champ), Lorenzo Neal (Tennessee Titans), Stephen Neal (New England Patriots – 1998-1999 NCAA heavyweight champ, 1999 world freestyle champ), Jeremy Newberry (San Francisco 49ers), Chuck Noll (Pittsburgh Steelers – Pennsylvania HS state champ), Leo Nomellini (San Francisco 49ers – Big Ten champ), Chuke Nwokoric, Jonathan Ogden (Baltimore Ravens), Irv Pankey (Los Angeles Rams – 2-time Maryland HS state champ), David Patten (New England Patriots), Scott Peters (New York Giants), Bob Pickens (Chicago Bears), Jim Plunkett (Oakland Raiders), Dave Porter (Green Bay Packers), Mike Pyle (Chicago Bears – Iowa HS state champ), Mike Reid (Cincinnati Bengals), Eric Rhett (Cleveland Browns – Florida HS state champ), Willie Roaf (New Orleans Saints), Warren Sapp (Tampa Bay Bucaneers – Florida HS state champ), Brad St. Louis (Cincinnati Bengals), Cory Schlesinger (Detroit Lions – Nebraska HS state champ), Steve Sefter (Philadelphia Eagles – 2-time Pennsylvania state champ; NCAA All-American), Jerry Sherk, Tony Siragusa (Baltimore Ravens – New Jersey HS state champ), Fred Smerlas (Buffalo Bills – Massachusetts HS state champ), Bill Szott (Washington Redskins – New Jersey HS state champ), Dave Szott (Kansas City Chiefs – New Jersey HS state champ), Woody Thompson (Atlanta Falcons – Pennsylvania HS state champ), Jim Thorpe (New York Giants), Mike Trgovac (Carolina Panthers – Ohio HS state champ), Kyle Turley (St Louis Rams), Ryan Turnbull (Cleveland Browns), Tommy Vardell (San Francisco 49ers), Adam Vinatieri (New England Patriots), John Ward (New York Jets – NCAA All-American), Ted Washington (New England Patriots), Fred Weary (St Louis Rams), Charles White (Los Angeles Rams), Randy White (Dallas Cowboys), Tom Wilhelm, Cory Widmer (New York Giants), Ricky Williams (Miami Dolphins), Coy Wire (Buffalo Bills), Greg Wojochowski (St Louis Rams – 1971 NCAA heavyweight champ), Bryant Young
OLYMPIC ATHLETES IN OTHER SPORTS WHO ONCE WRESTLED
Mark Lenzi (diving), Sugar Ray Leonard (boxing), Jason Morris (judo), Jimmy Pedro (judo), Brian Shimer (bobsled), Jim Thorpe (early 20th century decathlete)
PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES (other than NFL)
Brett Butler (baseball), Pat Day (horse racing), Kevin Harvick (NASCAR), Mark Hampton (baseball), Larry Holmes (boxing), Glenn Hubbard (baseball), Sandy Koufax (baseball), Granville Liggins (CFL), Matt Tressler (baseball), Jeremy Rose (horse racing), the late Willie Shoemaker (horse racing), Sherwyn Thorson (CFL – 1962 NCAA heavyweight champ), Spud Webb (basketball), Tim Wilkerson (NHRA drag racing)
No Holds Barred (UFC/Octagon) competitors Mark Coleman, Randy Couture, Tom Erikson, Rulon Gardner, Kevin Jackson, Mark Kerr, Matt Lindland, Thom Ortiz, Kevin Randleman, Dan Severn, Ken Shamrock, Brock Lesnar - Lesnar won the 2000 NCAA wrestling championship as a heavyweight
RELIGIOUS
The Right Rev. Peter Hess Beckwith, Episcopal Bishop, Springfield, Illinois (wrestled at Hillsdale College, MI in the late 50s/early 60s), Joseph Smith (founder, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon)
SCIENCE
Dr. Norman Borlaug (Nobel prize winner), William Kerslake (NASA scientist; wrestled at 1952 and 1956 Olympics)
SPORTS BROADCASTING
The late Roone Arledge, Jim Lampley, Bill Macatee
SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT (pro rasslers who were amateur wrestlers)
* NOTE: Not all these can be easily confirmed, especially considering that many pro rasslers have “stage” names that differ from what they would have wrestled under in high school and college… and that some pros have been “credited” with amateur wrestling experience that is not independently verifiable.
Kurt Angle (Clarion – 1990/1992 NCAA heavyweight champ, 1996 Olympic gold), Bob Backlund (North Dakota State – NCAA Div III heavyweight champ early 1970s), B. Brian Blair (in HS in Tampa mid 1970s), Nick Bockwinkel (UCLA mid 1950s – not verified), George Bollas (Ohio State – 1946 NCAA heavyweight champ), Jack Brisco (Oklahoma State – 1964 NCAA 191 lb champ), Mike DiBiase, Ric Flair (Rick Fliehr wrestled in HS in Minneapolis in the 1960s), Dory Funk (Dorrance Funk at Indiana State), Verne Gagne (U of Minnesota – 1948-1949 NCAA 191 lb/heavyweight champ), Ray Gunkel (Purdue late 1940s), the late Curt Henning (Robbinsdale HS in Minnesota), Dan Hodge (Oklahoma – 1955-1957 177 lb NCAA champ, 1956 Olympic silver medallist), the late Dick Hutton (Oklahoma State – 1947-48, 1950 NCAA heavyweight champ), Iron Sheik (Khosrow Vazin), Adnan Kaisy (Oklahoma State late 1950s), Gene Kiniski (in Canada), Brock Lesnar (Minnesota – 2000 NCAA heavyweight champ), the late Earl McCready (Oklahoma State – 1928-1930 NCAA heavyweight champ), the late LeRoy McGuirk (Oklahoma mid 1930s), Mankind/Mick Foley (Ward Melville HS on Long Island), the late Gorilla Monsoon (Robert Morella at Ithaca College – 1959 NCAA heavyweight finalist), the late Pat O’Connor (in New Zealand), Randy Orton, Maxx Payne (Darryl Petersen at Iowa State in the early 80s), thee late Nat Pendleton (Columbia 1910s – 1920 Olympic silver medallist), Craig Pittman (U of Kentucky 1970s), Baron von Raschke (Jim Raschke at Nebraska early 1960s), Brad Rheingans (North Dakota State 1970s – 1980 US Olympic team member), Bob Roop, the late Buzz Sawyer (wrestled as Bruce Woyan), the late Joe Scarpello (Iowa – 1947 NCAA 175 lb champ), Larry Sharpe, the late Ruffy Silverstein (Ralph Silverstein at Illinois), the Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Rechsteiner at Michigan), Pat Tanaka, the late Chris Taylor (Iowa State – 1972-1973 NCAA heavyweight champ, 1972 Olympic bronze medallist), Steve “Doctor Death” Williams (Oklahoma late 70s/early 80s – three-time All-American), Barry Windham (Syracuse), the late Mr. Wrestling/Tim Woods (Tim Woodin at Michigan State – 1958-1959 two-time NCAA 191 lb finalist)
TV PERSONALITIES
Rocco DiSpirito (NYC restaurateur on NBC reality show The Restaurant Summer 2003/spring 2004), Justin Giovinco (4-time NCAA qualifier from Pitt; on CBS Big Brother 4 Summer 2003), Todd Mitchell (2-time Utah HS state champ; on NBC Average Joe 2 January 2004), the late Jack Parr (host of NBC’s Tonight Show 1957-1962), Geraldo Rivera, Andy Rooney, Matthew Von Ertfelda (finalist on CBS Survivor: Amazon Spring 2003)
WRESTLING COMMENTATORS
Jeff Blatnick, Ken Chertow, Dan Gable, Jim Gibbons, Russ Hellickson, Ken Kraft, Tim Johnson, Will Short