Well all you guys posting here might have something to say, but here's a little brag that will be tough to beat. I was there in Munich in 1972 and actually spoke to Gable while he was warming up to go against the Russian and I talked with him briefly after he won. (I remember him sitting on a rail inside the arena afterwards.) I also shook hands with Alexander Medved after he won his 3rd gold medal and announced his retirement after his win.
BTW - it was great watching Gable's win, but Wayne Well's match against the German was closer and hence, more exciting.
gable was a trailblazer. first gold, didn't have a point scored on him. He started it all off for USA but watch some of John Smith's international matches if you want to see excitement, technigue, etc. And for quite a few years! Smith took it to the next level.!!
Smith... I know I am ignorant when it comes to wrestling knowledge, but I also know that if dan gable wanted to continue wrestling he undoubtedly would have still reigned supreme for years and years and years.. I believe his knee was just destroyed... maybe i'm wrong though, I don't know the guy...
Gable was great but you show your ignorance if you say he was the best ever. At most you can say he was the best wrestler for two years. John Smith held that title for 6 straight years! Bruce Baumgartner won two or three World Titles/ Olympic Titles Dave Schultz and Kenny Monday both had multiple championships. Tom Brands had 3 and Terry had 2
Gable shows a ton of athleticism in his defense in addition to his great shape and techniques in his tie ups. If not the greatest wrestler in USA then definitely the most inspiring!
Some of you guys talk about Gable not being able to finish the outside single. Well, he was wrestling that bear of a Russian, the second best wrestler on the planet at the time. And who scored on who ultimately?
All you so call wrestling experts fail to see why Dan Gable is considered the greatest wrestler in US history. He was the hardest working, conditioned wrestler ever. Even the Russian admired him because of his heart. His coaching sucess is a testiment to his work ethic. Ask any of his students.
Nice try jw, but Brands was more relentless. Nothing wrong with how Gable wrestled in '72, I think that style is better than Brand's crazy scoring style, but they are different.
that would be a good point, however I'm talking about Gable and Brands when they were in their prime. When Brands won the world's in '93 it was probably the worst technique and performance of a world champion ever. However in '96 when Brands won @ Atlants, his prime, no on hardly ever touched his legs
Hey Socal, regarding your 'Brands would never let anyone on his legs' comment, you may want to check out the video of J.Smith vs. T.Brands from a Freestyle match back in about '91...Smith took Brands down about ten times with leg attacks.
I am a huge fan of Dan Gable and the Iowa Style. but Gable isn't really a go go go wrestler like barry davis or tom brands was. Brands would have never let anyone in on his legs like Gable did at the end. None the less great job Gable!!
umm, yea, aleksandr karelin. he trained a billion times harder than dan gable. how do u think he won 3 golds staright and went undefeated. he was the best conditioned athelete in the olympics, no one better
Let me weigh in on the Gable-Smith Debate. Gable won the Olympics competing against essentially professional atheletes (My father refered to eastern block athletes as "Shameuters". When Smith won, there was far more support for world class American wrestlers - US and USSR competed on a more level playing field.
Gable is the standard for all american wrestlers past and present....some may come and even be better but Gable will always be remembered as the Babe Ruth of US Wrestling
yea, sanderson was good at the ankle pick, nothing more. get a clue and get out of gable's jock. the aroma has been sniffed out by this point. to say he's the best AMERICAN of all time is a huge stretch. to say he's the overall best of all time is hillbilly stupid.
dan gable is truly the best wrestle of all time even though he lost once on college and cael sanderson didnt gable is better because of work ethic and no one ever scored a point on him at the olympics and sanderson did win it but he was just good at ankle picks nothing more
I wrestled for Ben at Maranatha Baptist Bible College. I appreciate everything he has ever done for me and a lot of who I am today is due to his example as a man. He has definitely used his talents for God.
Watch the match that materialized all the hard work for Dan Gable. He beats the Russian to win the Gold Medal in 1972 Olympic Games. September 15, 1972 Level: international Weight Class: 0 lbs
Ruslan Ashraliev USSR vs Dan Gable USA
BTW - it was great watching Gable's win, but Wayne Well's match against the German was closer and hence, more exciting.
period