George Martin, a Distinguished Member inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1982, was born on June 4, 1911.
As a wrestler, he was a National Collegiate champion for Iowa State in 1933, and as captain led the derby-hatted Cyclones to a share of the team title.
Martin won the National AAU championship in 1934 but passed up a chance at the Olympics to become coach at Wisconsin. In 1935 there were no high school teams in the state, although some schools had intramural wrestling. He convinced a few to add the sport to their varsity programs, and in 1940 the first state tournament was held.
After a three-year wartime interruption, during which he earned a Bronze Star for heroism as a naval officer, he returned to coaching and served with honor until his death in 1970.
During those early years in Wisconsin, Martin traveled some 40,000 miles within the state-equal to nearly two trips around the world-giving demonstrations, presenting clinics and talking with school boards, administrators and parents to sell the values of the sport.
His stature as the father of wrestling in Wisconsin is attested by the fact that the state's own wrestling hall of fame is named for him.
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