Dan Gable, 1972

[Conewago]

I've often heard that Gable "won an Olympic gold medal without surrendering a single point."

No other wrestler has ever done that, at least as far as I know.

It's hard for me to figure out where that ranks in terms of accomplishments, though, since current rules are such that there's basically no chance a freestyle wrestler could even come close to that.

What were the rules like back then? Was Gable's accomplishment as incredible as it seems or did the rules of the day make it a bit less incredible than it seems?

(Keep in mind that Gable was wrestling on a knee that needed a replacement afterward, so, either way it's pretty amazing.)

 

[ClarkstonMark]

well Dake could probably do it or come close next year

 

[District four]

I've often heard that Gable "won an Olympic gold medal without surrendering a single point."

No other wrestler has ever done that, at least as far as I know.

It's hard for me to figure out where that ranks in terms of accomplishments, though, since current rules are such that there's basically no chance a freestyle wrestler could even come close to that.

What were the rules like back then? Was Gable's accomplishment as incredible as it seems or did the rules of the day make it a bit less incredible than it seems?

(Keep in mind that Gable was wrestling on a knee that needed a replacement afterward, so, either way it's pretty amazing.)

I

I've often heard that Gable "won an Olympic gold medal without surrendering a single point."

No other wrestler has ever done that, at least as far as I know.

It's hard for me to figure out where that ranks in terms of accomplishments, though, since current rules are such that there's basically no chance a freestyle wrestler could even come close to that.

What were the rules like back then? Was Gable's accomplishment as incredible as it seems or did the rules of the day make it a bit less incredible than it seems?

(Keep in mind that Gable was wrestling on a knee that needed a replacement afterward, so, either way it's pretty amazing.)

This is too easy I'll pass lol. If this was on hr I would dive right in lol. Is that called stalling asking for a friend lol

 

[uncle jim 62]

He was only a 2 time NCAA champion. and 1 time Olympic champ He got his knee replaced 25 years later. Yes rules were much different Also I kidd, I know how good he was.

 

[Conewago]

He was only a 2 time NCAA champion. and 1 time Olympic champ He got his knee replaced 25 years later. Yes rules were much different Also I kidd, I know how good he was.

He did, in fact, have some kind of surgery right after the Olympics.

 

[CurtisLoew40]

well Dake could probably do it or come close next year

Since the Olympics are moved back does Dake have to stay at 74kg? He has much more time to get up to 86kg now that they're postponed and everyone knows Cox is going 97. Can guys change weights I guess is what I'm asking lol?

It should be Dakes time, I really hope it is, to knock Burroughs out and win his own medal.

If Bo is going to stay in it until 2021 then this should help him, and Cox, immensely. They should look like much different 97kg guys next year.

 

[PSUAllTheWay]

Dan Gable was one of the finest wrestlers this country every produced. He dominated HS, College, and International Competition while wrestling at the end on one leg and still shut out the best in the world. I'm confident that he would have done this irrespective of the rules he was playing by as the best are very good at tuning their game to whatever the rules of engagement are. He and Wade Schalles were my heroes growing up.

 

[hbluejr]

A couple years ago for fun I dug into this run and some other great gold medal runs...I personally think Gable's '72 run is still the gold standard for U.S. dominance (and maybe '71 + '72 the two year standard).

As far as rules go then, matches were 9 minutes (3 three minute periods; aggregate scoring) and takedowns were 1 pt. Matches were not stopped early for technical superiority (only falls). Of course there were no "step-outs" and out-of-bounds was very strictly enforced (frlooked like only one point of 1 wrestler was OOB?), but as far as the pre-"step-out" era goes, I think these were about as difficult a set of conditions as one could create to go unscored upon throughout a tournament. The strict out of bounds rules also really played against Gable's strengths as he was extremely aggressive and international competition would play the edge (see finals video below).

As far as his performance goes, in 21 matches leading up to and including the Olympics, Gable racked up 12 pins (57%) and outscored opponents 130-1 in matches that didn't end by fall (14.4 pts/match). Again, 1 point TD's then and very strict out-of-bounds rules. The only person to score on him during that streak...Larry Owings... of course! (Gable won 7-1 in their OTT match).

Domestically he beat Lloyd Keaser 22-0 and 11-0 in the finals of the US Olympic Trials. And, Keaser would win World gold the next year in 1973 in Iran after Gable retired.

At the '72 Olympics, Gable had 3 pins, 1 technical superiority (21-0, I believe), and shutout decisions over Silver medalist Kikua Wada (JPN) and Bronze medalist Ruslan Ashuraliyev (USSR). Ashuraliyev would go silver-gold-gold in the next three World Championships.

Gable also dominated the World Championships as a 23 year old in 1971. He pinned his first four opponents, including Wada (see Farrell quote below), before avenging an early season Tibilisi loss to Vasilli Kasakov (USSR) with a 5-1 victory in the finals. Notably, the reigning world champ, 6x World and Olympic Champion, Abdollah Movahed (Iran) was in Gable's bracket, but knocked out in the 6th round.

From the 3/19/1972 NY Times:

Bill Farrell, United States Olympic coach, says Gable's stamina is superhuman.

“Last August in the World Games in Sofia [Bulgaria],” said Farrell, whose team finished second to the Russians there, “Dan wrestled a Japanese named’ Wads. ‘They thought he was the best in the world until Dan got hold of him. Dan just kept going at him, grabbing, pulling and handling the poor guy. Finally, Wada couldn't take it anymore, so he let himself be pinned.”

Over those 2 years Gable beat 12 Russians/Soviets.

Looks like 4 videos of Gable's matches from the 1972 run pop up here:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dan+gable+1972+olympics+

 

[a_mshaffer]

A couple years ago for fun I dug into this run and some other great gold medal runs...I personally think Gable's '72 run is still the gold standard for U.S. dominance (and maybe '71 + '72 the two year standard).

As far as rules go then, matches were 9 minutes (3 three minute periods; aggregate scoring) and takedowns were 1 pt. Matches were not stopped early for technical superiority (only falls). Of course there were no "step-outs" and out-of-bounds was very strictly enforced (frlooked like only one point of 1 wrestler was OOB?), but as far as the pre-"step-out" era goes, I think these were about as difficult a set of conditions as one could create to go unscored upon throughout a tournament. The strict out of bounds rules also really played against Gable's strengths as he was extremely aggressive and international competition would play the edge (see finals video below).

As far as his performance goes, in 21 matches leading up to and including the Olympics, Gable racked up 12 pins (57%) and outscored opponents 130-1 in matches that didn't end by fall (14.4 pts/match). Again, 1 point TD's then and very strict out-of-bounds rules. The only person to score on him during that streak...Larry Owings... of course! (Gable won 7-1 in their OTT match).

Domestically he beat Lloyd Keaser 22-0 and 11-0 in the finals of the US Olympic Trials. And, Keaser would win World gold the next year in 1973 in Iran after Gable retired.

At the '72 Olympics, Gable had 3 pins, 1 technical superiority (21-0, I believe), and shutout decisions over Silver medalist Kikua Wada (JPN) and Bronze medalist Ruslan Ashuraliyev (USSR). Ashuraliyev would go silver-gold-gold in the next three World Championships.

Gable also dominated the World Championships as a 23 year old in 1971. He pinned his first four opponents, including Wada (see Farrell quote below), before avenging an early season Tibilisi loss to Vasilli Kasakov (USSR) with a 5-1 victory in the finals. Notably, the reigning world champ, 6x World and Olympic Champion, Abdollah Movahed (Iran) was in Gable's bracket, but knocked out in the 6th round.

From the 3/19/1972 NY Times:

Bill Farrell, United States Olympic coach, says Gable's stamina is superhuman.

“Last August in the World Games in Sofia [Bulgaria],” said Farrell, whose team finished second to the Russians there, “Dan wrestled a Japanese named’ Wads. ‘They thought he was the best in the world until Dan got hold of him. Dan just kept going at him, grabbing, pulling and handling the poor guy. Finally, Wada couldn't take it anymore, so he let himself be pinned.”

Over those 2 years Gable beat 12 Russians/Soviets.

Looks like 4 videos of Gable's matches from the 1972 run pop up here:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dan+gable+1972+olympics+

I remember the evening news depicting his gold medal and how that was cool for two reasons: 1) beating the Russians; 2) wrestling exposure on the national news

 

[Conewago]

Thanks for the post,
hbluejr

That helps a lot. I was totally ignorant about 1972 rules (that was what I most wanted to learn via this thread).

 

[AgSurfer]

I've posted about this before, but a good brag always bears repeating. My friend and I managed to sneak into the wrestling gym in Munich to see the Gold medal matches the same night that Gable won. We actually spoke with him about 45 minutes before he beat the Russian for the Gold and had a chance to congratulate him afterwards.

 

[nitlion6]

I've posted about this before, but a good brag always bears repeating. My friend and I managed to sneak into the wrestling gym in Munich to see the Gold medal matches the same night that Gable won. We actually spoke with him about 45 minutes before he beat the Russian for the Gold and had a chance to congratulate him afterwards.

I have seen this posted several times. It is as cool a story now as it was prior.

 

[lookleft goright]

I am almost positive that Brands did not give up a point in the olympics when he won it.

 

[uncle jim 62]

google

 

[moug]

I am almost positive that Brands did not give up a point in the olympics when he won it.

Brands won his semifinal match 4-1. That was the only point he gave up on his way to gold.