Wilson to National Wrestling Hall of Fame
Washington native John Richard (Dick) Wilson, who passed away in 2009 at 75, will be one eight people inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum in Stillwater, Ok., June 3 and 4.
Wilson, a Washington High School product, will be unducted along with Carlton Haselrig, Brandon Slay, William (Bill) Harlow, Randy Bortles, Joseph Galli Jr., Marcia Haise and Ron Good.
Wilson was a three-time NCAA Championship runner-up and a three-time All-American for the University of Toledo from 1959-61. He also won the Mid-American Conference Championships three straight years, and did not lose a dual match during his career. He was the National AAU champion in freestyle and Greco Roman in 1959 and 1961.
Wilson competed in Greco-Roman wrestling in the Olympics in 1956 and returned as team captain in 1960 and 1964 when he finished fourth. He won the Gold Medal in Greco Roman at the Pan American Games in 1959. He competed in Greco Roman in the World Cup, captaining the United States World Cup team in 1961 when he finished fifth, and returned to compete in 1962. He returned to the University of Toledo as head wrestling coach in 1967 and coached the Rockets from 1967-1974.