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Tough to scramble when you can't move because your wrists are locked tight in an iron grip. BTW, I am an Askren fan too.

All the old-timers I have talked to said they felt Hodge would shut anyone down once he got on top and grabbed thieir wrists. Gary Kurdelmeier, a very powerful wrestler who was NCAA champion at 177 the year after Hodge, wrestled him twice and was pinned both times, and had black and blue marks on his arms for several days. Gary said Hodge would turn anyone who had the courage to really wrestle and not just turtle up on him. Wayne Baughman, winner of 16 national titles in all styles and a keen observer of the sport for half a century as a wrestler and a coach, said in his opinion Hodge would have beaten anyone in college stye wrestling. I guess we all have our own opinons of who was the best, and why. The best wrestler I ever saw in person, during my 55 years of writing aobut the sport, was Dan Gable as a junior. He was 31-0 with 29 pins. He also beat five NCAA champions during his college career, including three two-timers.

No way to leave Dan Hodge off any such list. Never lost in college and never taken down his entire college career. Pinned over 73 percent of foes. His junior year, Hodge won the NCAA title with four straight pins, the freestyle title with five pins and then entered the Greco-Roman nationals (his first ever try in that style) and won with four more pins. So, he won three national titles in less than a month's time with 13 straight pins. And his impact on the sport was such that to this day he remains (sadly) the only wrestler to ever appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. 7

They are truly studs, in all walks of life. Anyone wanting to know more about them can look for a book written by Lou in 1985 called "The New Breed: Living Iowa Wrestling", or the book "Uncommon Bonds: A Journey in Optimism", written by all three Banachs in 2015. "The New Breed" has a terrific cover photo with Lou, Ed, Barry Davis, Jim Zalesky and Pete Bush pictured. Lou provides a great insiders look at the program during the Gable years. Some outstanding photos, as well. The photo of Lou wrestling 405-pound Tab Thacker is fascinating. The book is hard to find but pops up on EBay every now and then.

Steve and Lou in recent photo.

On Saturday night, Steve Banach was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in the "Outstanding American" category. He joins brothers Ed and Lou as the only three brothers in the hall. FROM THE HALL -- Retired United States Army Infantry Colonel Steve Banach began wrestling in the eighth grade and competed alongside his younger twin brothers Ed and Lou Banach for Port Jervis High School in Port Jervis, New York. He continued his career at Clemson University, where he was elected captain of the wrestling team as a freshman and was an Atlantic Coast Conference finalist. Banach then decided to transfer to the University of Iowa, where his twin brothers were wrestling for Dan Gable. Steve ended his wrestling career at the 1984 Final Olympic Trials as a member of the US Army Wrestling Team. He served with distinction in the United States Army from 1983 to 2010. This period of service included deployments to six combat zones. Steve demonstrated impeccable leadership during his service in the U.S. Army. He is a Distinguished Member of the 75th Ranger Regiment and served in that special operations organization for nine years, culminating with command of the 3rd Ranger Battalion from 2001-2003. He led U.S. Army Rangers during a historic night combat parachute assault into Afghanistan on October 19, 2001, as the “spearhead” for the Global War on Terror for the United States of America. He subsequently led U.S. Army Rangers in a second combat parachute assault into Al Anbar Province in western Iraq in 2003. Banach served as the 11th Director of the prestigious School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) and led the development of the U.S. Army’s Design Methodology doctrine. As a Stryker Brigade Commander, he led the development of the Company Intelligence Support Team tactics, techniques, and procedures, for the U.S. Army. He served as the lead Design Officer for the Department of the Army Cyber Information Warfare Design Planning Team. He also served as the Director of the Army Management Staff College and was responsible for the design and implementation of the US Army’s Civilian Education System. He earned the Distinguished Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Bronze Star Medal for Service, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge with two awards, and the Master Parachutist Badge with two Bronze Combat Jump Stars. Banach also holds a certificate in Leadership in Crisis: Preparation and Performance, from the JFK School of Government at Harvard University. After leaving the U.S. Army, Banach served as the CEO of the Operational Art & Strategic Initiatives Studies Group (OASIS-G) and is now the Vice-President for Strategic Planning at SOFTwarfare, LLC.

11986 -- Yes,that is correct. I was there covering the meet for the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Lou rushed right out and tried a body lock; his left knee buckled and he went straight to his back and was pinned. A little overzealous. He couldn't wait for the rematch at the NCAA and used a ltitle more strategy, winning a 3-1 win.

After attending 47 NCAA tournaments, I rate Lou Banach as one of the best I ever saw, when it counted most. Lou went 1-3-1 in his three NCAAs with an overall tournament record of 15-1. Competing at about 215, he was outweighed in every NCAA match but one. He pinned Bruce Baumgartner in the finals as a sophomore, pinned 400-pound Tab Thacker his junior year when he took third while battling a shoulder injury, and defeated 395-pound MItch Shelton his senior year then pinned tough Wayne Cole of Iowa State in the finals. Lou also pinned four-time AA Steve "Dr. Death" Williams in a dual while being outweighed by about 50 pounds. Lou then won a gold medal in the 1984 Olympcis at 220.

Many years ago, I spent an afternoon with Grace Thorpe, Jim's daugther, in Yale, OK. She told me that her father loved to wrestle a "backyard style" and never was defeated. Pretty interesting. Also, Bob Mathias belongs in any conversation about the greatest athlete ever. He won the Olympic decathlon gold medal in London in 1948 at AGE 17 -- and won again four years later. He told me that he wanted to go again in 1956 but he was ruled ineligible by the AAU for starriing in a movie about his own life. He was also a star running back at Stanford and played in the Rose Bowl. Glen Brand, 1948 Olympic wrestling champion, told me he was in awe of Mathias when he won the decathlon in 1948 and Glen considered Mathias the best athlete he ever saw.

The Cary and Barry show is about to take off. I have known BD since he was a senior in high school and his passion for the sport is as high as it gets. I think this is a great coaching staff full of wisdom and enthusiam. As an old sailor (not at the Academy but in the regualar navy) myself, I am happy for the program.

Very well said, jchapman!

It is open Thursday from 2 to 5:30 p.m., Friday from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. I don't have specific times for USA Wrestling practice sessions. Dan Gable will be signing from 2:45 to 4:45 on Thursday only, and the line the last couple of years were so long that it took nearly half an hour to get to him. There will be other stars there too...including Olympic champions Ben and John Peterson and Ed and Lou Banach. It's a very family-oriented event.

WrestlingKnowNothing --- hope you can come to our booth and say "hi" as you are one of the 3-4 posters that I respect the most...a true student of the sport's rich history. And Purduefan... the same goes for you. I am also a fan of Purdue as it is coached by a man from the hometown of Frank Gotch, and I am friends with Joe Corso, a great Boilermaker.-- MC

Fans attending the tournament in KC may want to consider going to the WIN FanExpo between sessions. It is FREE at the KC Convention Center just 4 blocks west of the arena, on 13th Street. There will be USA Wrestling practice sessions, food & drink available for purchase, tons of apparel, merchandise and equipment on display, live progamming and autograph sessions. Dan Gable will be signing on Thursday at 2:45, and on Saturday Olympic champions Lou and Ed Banach will be guests at the booth of Mike Chapman, who started this show 32 years ago. Mike will have many of his 32 books for sale and some very rare wrestling memorabilia. In additon, the Dan Hodge Trophy will be on display. Last year, nearly 20,000 fans attended over three days!

Some backgorund on the Div. 3 wrestler with losses. And by the way, Dan Hodge himself was 100 pecent in favor of honorirng Nick Ackerman in this fashion, as was Olympic champion Randy Lewis (read his comments below):: BUT WHILE SANDERSON was destroying the record books in Ames, 60 miles to the south, a story of equal impact was taking place. On the campus of Simpson College, in Indianola, another wrestler was also making history….in a far different fashion and with staggering emotional impact. Nick Ackerman was inflicted with spinal meningitis as a young boy and both legs had to be amputated below the knees to save his life. Yet by showing determination and courage which outstrips anything ever seen before in the 73-year history of NCAA wrestling, he won the 174-pound national championship at the Division III tournament in Waterloo, IA. And he did it by defeating defending national champion Nick Slack of Augsburg, who was riding a 60-match winning streak of his own! The 3,000 fans in Young Arena responded by a prolonged two-minute standing ovation to show their respect for what had just been accomplished. Ackerman finished his senior season with a 38-4 record, 13 of which were pins. “The story of Nick Ackerman has uplifted the entire sport,” said Randy Lewis, 1984 Olympic champion. “When I read about it, I got emotional. I started calling people and saying, ‘Have you read this story?’ What other sport could do this for an athlete? Wrestling should be so proud of this guy. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s the best story of the year…of the decade…maybe ever….in wrestling history. Someone should make a movie of it!” “I never even dreamed about winning the Hodge Trophy. I don’t put myself in that class. It’s so overwhelming that I can’t put it into words,” said Ackerman when told of the award. “This has been the most unbelievable year of my life.”

You are correct Fadzaev2. BTW, I always enjoy your posts and appreciate your historical comments. If you get a chance, stop by our booth at the WIN Show/Fan Festival in KC and have your photo taken with the Dan Hodge Trophy. -- Mike Chapman, creator of the Dan Hodge Trophy

"For the Love of Catch" is a documentarry film with Randy Couture, Dan Severn, Dan Gable, Tom and Terry Brands and Mark Johnson in featured roles. It tells the history of the sport and even goes to the location where Abe Lincoln wrestled Jack Armstrong in 1831 in New Salem, Illinois. ... and to the hometown of Frank Gotch, world heavyweighr champion back in the 1911-1915 era. Curran Jacobs, captain of the Michigan State team in 2012 and winrer of four major catch tournaments, is the star and director. He and Mike Chapman wrote the sciprt. Curran has a degree in theater arts from MSU and has appeared in five movies, while Chapman has written 32 books, 17 about wrestlng. "For the Love of Catch" can be seen for free on You Tube and has over 80,000 view sofar.

Dan Hodge had a pretty good year as a junior at OU in 1956. He pinned his way through both the Big Seven Conference and NCAA meets with a total of six straight and was named OW at both meets. Two weeks later, he won the national AAU freestyle title with six straight pins and was named OW. The next day, he won the Greco-Roman nationals with three pins. In the span of 16 days, Hodge won national titles in three styles and a tough conference meet -- with 15 straight pins! A few months later, on April 1, 1957, he became the first (and only) wrestler ever to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

ionel -- my error in not including the 1950 season when Lange won his third NCAA title. Thanks to Jason B. for cleaning that up, and to Wrestlingknownothing for that important addition.

My pick is Lowell Lange, who won three NCAA titles for tiny Cornell College in Iowa. As a high school senior at West Waterloo (Iowa), he won the AAU national freesstyle title in 1946, at 135 pounds. In 1947, he won the 136-pound NCAA title as a pure freshman. He missed the 1948 season with injuries from a car accident but won his second title in 1949 by defeating the 1948 NCAA champion in the finals. According to Lange's biography at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, "he swept through the 1949 collegiate tournament without surrending a single point, perhaps the only wrestler to do since scoring rules were adopted." His overall record, including three freestyle national titles, was 160-1. My second choice is Dan Hodge and my third pick is Gray Simons. -- Mike Chapman, creator of WIN and the Dan Hodge Trophy.

Sherwyn Thorson was a three-year starter on the Iowa football team's offensive line in the early 1960s and played many seasons in the CFL and is in the Winnipeg Bluebombers Hall of Fame. He was NCAA heavyweight champion for Iowa in 1962 after being runnerup as a sophomore in 1960. He missed the 1961 seson due to a strange academic situation. "Thumper" Thorson was one of the first college wrestlers to lift weights seriously and he is a member of both Iowa wrestling halls of fame. Art Baker (191 pounds, 1959) and Jim Nance (hwt, 1963 and '65) were NCAA champions for Syracuse and also were football stars in college and had successful pro careers, while Curley Culp did the same at Arizona State. Culp was a rare double, being first-team All-American in football and NCAA wrestling champion (1967). He had a lenghty pro career and is a member of the Pro Footall Hall of Fame. There are others too.

Ever heard of Dan Hodge? And thanks to Gus for including Dan Gable. His junior year he was 31-0 with 29 pins, and he set the all-time NCAA record with 24 pins in a row. between his junior and senior years. During his college career, he defeated 5 NCAA champions, including three 2-timers! He was 181-1 over seven years of high shcool and college. And Gray Simons belongs on any all-time college list, winning 7 collegiate titles (4 NAIA and 3 NCAA) and being OW six times. .

In the 50 years I have been writing about college wresltlng, Dan Gable is the most dominating force on top I have ever seen. He was relentlless in pursuit of the pin, working the double bar arm to perfection. His junior year he was 31-0 with 29 pins. He set the collegiate record of 24 in a row between his junior and senior seasons, breaking the record of 22 held by Dan Hodge. He then squeaked past Lehigh's Herb Campbell 23-3 and rolled off eight more pins in a row. Mark Churella and Mike Sheets were also brutal on top. .

Guys -- there are many very good candidates every year and the voting is often controversial, for sure. As the creator of the Dan Hodge Trophy, I am sometimes disappointed in the outcome too, but I understand there are different viewpoints. You may be interested to know that Dan Hodge was very supportive of Emmett Willson's selection when we discussed the candidates and he learned that Emmett had won Vegas, the Midlands and the All-Star Classic. -- Mike Chapman