Mike McCormick
Special to the Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE — Indiana State hosted the 10th annual NCAA wrestling championships in 1937, an event usually omitted in dialogues covering notable Wabash Valley athletic experiences.
It was the first time that either Terre Haute or a teachers college hosted an official national intercollegiate athletic championship event.
As a result, 85 athletes and numerous officials representing the NCAA and 25 colleges converged 73 years ago upon the Indiana State Teachers College gym on North Seventh Street between March 18 and 21.
The achievement was especially noteworthy because ISTC did not have a wrestling team. The host school tendered two entrants — Charles McClure at 126 pounds and John Lloyd, at 135 pounds — but both were scratched before the competition began.
Though his college did not have a wrestling program at the time, Ernest Zeller, a four-year football letterman at Indiana State, participated as a heavyweight in the 1932 and 1933 NCAA wrestling finals and achieved All–America status in 1933 by finishing third. A 1928 Gerstmeyer graduate, Zeller also competed in the 1932 Olympic trials.
Credit for landing the tournament must be shared by president Ralph N. Tirey; Arthur L. Strum, athletic director and chairman of the department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation; Dr. Walter E. Marks, assistant professor of HPER; and Meet Director Raymond E. Sparks, an ISTC student-athlete (Class of 1930) and a HPER instructor at his alma mater during the 1936-37 academic year.
By all accounts, the college and the community were gracious hosts. The Chamber of Commerce and the Elks purchased tickets to promote the meet and student and faculty committees allocated responsibilities to advance the event. The ISTC band under director Harold Bright learned the participants’ school songs.
Special issues of “The Statesman,” then a semi-weekly student newspaper, and “Ink Sense,” a bi-monthly student magazine, were devoted to the tournament.
In a letter received by college administrators after the meet, the NCAA governing committee asserted it was the best conducted NCAA championship wrestling meet in history. The first official national collegiate wrestling tournament was held at Iowa State University in Ames in 1928. It also served as a qualification tournament for the Olympics. There was no team scoring but individual champions were crowned in seven weight categories.
In ensuing years, Ohio State (1929), Penn State (1930), Brown University at Providence, R.I. (1931), Indiana University (1932), Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. (1933), Michigan (1934), Lehigh (1935) and Washington & Lee of Lexington, Va. (1936) hosted the meet.
The 1929 and 1930 meets were scored but team scoring did not become a permanent fixture until 1934. Team champions named in other years were unofficial.
There was no bout scoring in the national tournament until 1941. Matches were decided by fall, riding time advantage and referee’s decision, in that order. The system favored mat wrestling. Takedowns were merely a way to accumulate riding time.
Pre-World War II collegiate wrestling was dominated by Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical College, then known as “Oklahoma A & M” but now Oklahoma State University. “The Aggies” won every official and unofficial team title between 1928 and 1942 except in the Olympic years, 1932 and 1936. In 1932, Indiana University — coached by Billy Thom — was declared the team champion and, in 1936, Oklahoma University won the unofficial crown. Both meets were conducted using Olympic rules and weight classes instead of collegiate standards.
Central Oklahoma State Teachers College at Edmond, now the University of Central Oklahoma, finished second in 1936 behind Oklahoma but ahead of A & M.
Southwestern Oklahoma State Teachers College, now Southwestern Oklahoma State University, had a strong team, too. But the Bulldogs, who handed A & M its first dual meet loss in six years, was dealt a severe blow when the NCAA declared three of its All-Americans — George Hanks, Karl Kitt and Orville Nickerson — ineligible. The Oklahoma colleges were favorites in 1937. With Southwestern handicapped, Oklahoma A & M — coached by legendary Ed Gallagher, Vern McMillan’s mentor at Baker University — had a clear advantage. Their line-up included 1935 NCAA heavyweight runner-up Lloyd Ricks and gifted sophomores Joe McDaniel (118-pounds) and Stan Henson (145-pounds). Only Oklahoma University posed as a threat.
On Friday, March 19, Superintendent of Terre Haute Schools George C. Carroll excused students who had purchased tourney tickets. Oklahoma A & M advanced six men to the semi-finals while the Sooners placed four. In upsets, Dale Brand of Cornell College of Iowa pinned Oklahoma’s David C. Matthews at 126 pounds while, at 175 pounds, John Ginay of Illinois defeated Willard Lorette of A & M in overtime.
In the semi-finals on Saturday, A & M’s McDaniel needed overtime to edge Davis Natvig of Iowa State Teachers, now Northern Iowa, and earn the right to meet Bill Carr of Oklahoma. Carr had pinned McDaniel in a dual meet during the season.
Defending champ Ted Anderson of Central Oklahoma notched an overtime triumph over Harold Byrd of A & M at 126 pounds while Henson, who became a three-time NCAA champ and eventually a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, had a solid win over Robert Finwall of the University of Chicago.
Bill Keas of Oklahoma, 1936 NCAA runner-up at 155 pounds, beat Dale Scrivens of A & M but Harvey Base of A & M advanced in the 165-pound class. Ricks became a heavyweight finalist by edging Bob Haak of Indiana in overtime. Minnesota’s Clifton Gustafson whipped Southwestern Oklahoma’s Bill Norton to face Ricks for the title.
McDaniel gave A & M an advantage by gaining revenge from Carr to capture the 118-pound title. Cornell College’s Brand upset Anderson and Ray Cheney of Iowa State Teachers scored a decision over Morey Villareal of Central Oklahoma to become the first NCAA champions for their respective schools. Chosen the meet’s Outstanding Wrestler, Henson defeated Jack McIlvoy of Illinois for the title. He is universally considered the greatest collegiate wrestler of the pre-World War II era.
Oklahoma’s Keas edged Ernest Jessup of Kansas State in the 155-pound finals. Harvey Base picked up another title for A & M by defeating Marshall Word of Oklahoma at 165 pounds. John Whitaker of Minnesota topped Ginay at 175 pounds.
The Aggies sealed the team title long before Ricks became their fourth individual champion by conquering Gustafson. A & M ended with 31 points while second place Oklahoma had 13. Minnesota and Iowa State Teachers (Northern Iowa) tied for third.
