Gorriaran Award Winners

[Wrestleknownothing]

Probably the most misspelled award in all of sports, the Gorriaran Award is named for Hall of Famer Manuel Gorriaran, who "is best known for his insistence on the fall as the ultimate goal of amateur wrestling, and for inaugurating an award given at tournaments everywhere, the Gorriaran Trophy for the wrestler scoring the most falls in the least total time."

Check out his full NWHOF bio: https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame/bio/66

 

Wrestle, Wrestle Wrestle. Twist 'em Like a Pretzel.

Iowa State leads all schools with 8 Gorriaran winners.

 

Big Boys On Their Backs

The heaviest of weights has been the most prone to the worst of endings.

But the keen observer will note that the lion's share of those came from the absolute biggest of the big boys when the weight knew no bounds. So maybe things are different now?

And indeed they are. While 285 still leads the way, 165 is close behind with just one fewer winner (6 vs 5). It is pretty wild that for the first 38 years of the award it was almost a 50/50 proposition that the pinfall leader was also the scale leader.

 

Backside Backsides

It is probably no surprise that the 3rd place winner is the most common source of Gorriaran glory given the extra matches. 

 

Love Me Two Times

It is no surprise that the original pinfaller himself was also the first to win the award twice.

But how about Nebraska's Gary Albright? He won as a true freshman, and then again as a redshirt senior.

 

Most Gorriaran-est

Say that ten times fast.

Sorted by pinfalls, place and year.

 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

  On 4/15/2025 at 4:39 PM, Wrestleknownothing said:

Probably the most misspelled award in all of sports, the Gorriaran Award is named for Hall of Famer Manuel Gorriaran, who "is best known for his insistence on the fall as the ultimate goal of amateur wrestling, and for inaugurating an award given at tournaments everywhere, the Gorriaran Trophy for the wrestler scoring the most falls in the least total time."

Check out his full NWHOF bio: https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame/bio/66

 

Wrestle, Wrestle Wrestle. Twist 'em Like a Pretzel.

Iowa State leads all schools with 8 Gorriaran winners.

 

Big Boys On Their Backs

The heaviest of weights has been the most prone to the worst of endings.

But the keen observer will note that the lion's share of those came from the absolute biggest of the big boys when the weight knew no bounds. So maybe things are different now?

And indeed they are. While 285 still leads the way, 165 is close behind with just one fewer winner (6 vs 5). It is pretty wild that for the first 38 years of the award it was almost a 50/50 proposition that the pinfall leader was also the scale leader.

 

Backside Backsides

It is probably no surprise that the 3rd place winner is the most common source of Gorriaran glory given the extra matches. 

 

Love Me Two Times

It is no surprise that the original pinfaller himself was also the first to win the award twice.

But how about Nebraska's Gary Albright? He won as a true freshman, and then again as a redshirt senior.

 

Most Gorriaran-est

Say that ten times fast.

Sorted by pinfalls, place and year.

 

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Thanks you for correcting me on this spelling! My roommate had one and I never knew.

I guess the confusion comes from people thinking Manny G was Armenian (Gorrarian), when in fact he is Cuban (Gorriaran).

[Wrestleknownothing]

  On 4/15/2025 at 5:00 PM, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Thanks you for correcting me on this spelling! My roommate had one and I never knew.

I guess the confusion comes from people thinking Manny G was Armenian (Gorrarian), when in fact he is Cuban (Gorriaran).

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I got the spelling wrong more than a few times myself. I forced myself to type it out that many times as penance.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

  On 4/15/2025 at 5:17 PM, Wrestleknownothing said:

I got the spelling wrong more than a few times myself. I forced myself to type it out that many times as penance.

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I noticed! And I wasn't kidding when I said my roommate had one of these... it was probably about ten feet from my bed for a few months after nationals, and I still would have spelled it wrong.  (He prob would too)

[ionel]

  On 4/15/2025 at 4:39 PM, Wrestleknownothing said:

Probably the most misspelled award in all of sports, the Gorriaran Award is named for Hall of Famer Manuel Gorriaran, who "is best known for his insistence on the fall as the ultimate goal of amateur wrestling, and for inaugurating an award given at tournaments everywhere, the Gorriaran Trophy for the wrestler scoring the most falls in the least total time."

Expand  

 

  On 4/15/2025 at 5:17 PM, Wrestleknownothing said:

I got the spelling wrong more than a few times myself. I forced myself to type it out that many times as penance.

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Yes you have.  This is an understatement.  Just remember there is no "pin" in fall and no "fall" in pin.  It ain't that hard.  

[Wrestleknownothing]

  On 4/15/2025 at 6:01 PM, ionel said:

 

Yes you have.  This is an understatement.  Just remember there is no "pin" in fall and no "fall" in pin.  It ain't that hard.  

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From the rules the year the award was created: Pin falls only shall count.

And pin falls it shall be.

[ionel]

  On 4/15/2025 at 6:22 PM, Wrestleknownothing said:

From the rules the year the award was created: Pin falls only shall count.

And pin falls it shall be.

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And yet your intern failed you again:

best known for his insistence on the fall as the ultimate goal of amateur wrestling