In 1949, Charles Hetrick was crowned national champion at 128 pounds (photo courtesy of Oklahoma State Sports Information).The Gallagher Award is "presented annually to an OSU wrestling alumnus who exemplifies the spirit and leadership eminent in the tradition of champions."
"I never had the luxury to wrestle for Mr. Gallagher, but I knew him quite well," Hetrick said. "My high school coach wrestled for Mr. Gallagher so I was familiar with the system. His philosophy was ‘there never was a horse that couldn't be rode, nor a man that couldn't be throwed.' He was one of the pioneers in wrestling in this part of the country.
"This is a great honor. I remember when Gallagher Hall was built and I always wanted to compete there, and I finally got the opportunnity after World War II."
Hetrick began at Oklahoma A&M in 1941. After serving five years with the United States Marine Corps during World War II, Hetrick enrolled in Southwestern Tech in Weatherford before returning to Oklahoma A&M in 1947.
Hetrick was a two-year letterwinner at A&M from 1949-50. In 1949, he was crowned national champion at 128 pounds and was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the NCAA Tournament.
Hetrick assumed his coaching career as soon as his wrestling career ended in 1950. He started his career at Salina High School in 1950 before retiring from Blackwell High School, his alma mater, in 1974. Hetrick also served as the head coach at Stillwater High School and Bartlesville Sooner High School.
During his time as a head coach, Hetrick coached 26 individual state champions and 21 wrestlers to runner-up finishes. He won three team state titles and had one state runner-up finish as well.
Hetrick has had 26 wrestlers go to college on scholarship. Of those wrestlers, four won NCAA championships, eight were NCAA runners-up and 10 went on to become Big Eight champions. Twenty-three of his wrestling alumni went into coaching as well.
Hetrick was inducted into the Oklahoma High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 1968.
Hetrick joins past winners that include OSU coaches John and Pat Smith, Olympic gold medalists Frank Lewis, Doug Blubaugh, Kenny Monday, Kendall Cross and 2005 recipient Bobby Douglas.
Past Winners:
1986 – Rex Peery
1987 – Frank Lewis
1988 – Myron Roderick
1989 – Tommy Chesbro
1990 – Joe McDaniel
1991 – John W. Divine
1996 – Ray Murphy
1997 – John Smith
1998 – Grady Peninger
1999 – Kenny Monday
2000 – Pat Smith
2001 – Kendall Cross
2002 – Mike Sheets
2003 – Doug Blubaugh
2004 – Grover Rains
2005 – Bobby Douglas
2006 – Charles Hetrick
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