Post by wrestlingpublicist on Jan 1, 2008 17:53:10 GMT -5
Does anyone have any information on Oregon wrestlers and coaches from the first half of the twentieth century? I pose this question not only because of historical curiosity. It was an 1920s-era Oregon State wrestler, Olympic Champion Robin Reed, whose endowment solidified in perpetuity the Beavers' wrestling scholarship fund. Oregon State wrestling is on sound financial ground because of this old alumnus. Are there possibly old Duck wrestlers whom the university don't even recognize as lettermen, who might be willing to lend a hand (and give a few bucks)?
The University of Oregon recognizes its wrestling history only back to the 1953-54 season, when it became am officially sanctioned intercollegiate sport. However, evidence of a Duck wrestling team exists as far back as 1913.
All one must do is visit the sports museum in the Casanova Center, which has a wrestling section that attests to this date.
It was five years before Oregon claimed its first defeat of arch-rival Oregon Agricultural College in 1918. Former Coach Ed Shockley took leave from his Eastern Oregon Car dealership and spent nearly a month on campus - unpaid - to help get the boys in shape for the meet. After a wartime suspension, Oregon began to rebuild its Wrestling program.A 1923 edition of Old Oregon contains this small article:
The varsity wrestling team of five won its first match of the season January 20 by defeating the North Pacific Dental college team in Portland. The score of the meet was 22 to 12, Oregon winning three of five contests.A late 1940s publication, Athletics at Oregon, contains the following paragraph.
Chester Sumption, a sophomore of Portland, Tom Chatburne, junior of Bandon, and Jens Terjeson, sophomore of Pendleton, won their events at 125, 135 and 175 pound classes respectively. The other members of the team are: Harvey Robertson, sophomore of Clackamas, and James Bradway, senior of Eugene.
Both boxing and wrestling have regular schedules at the University of Oregon. Although they have not yet reached their optimum development, efforts constantly are being made to improve them. Both sports enjoy excellent facilities in the physical education building, with modern, well-lighted super-equipped training rooms.Is there an early- or mid-20th century Oregon wrestler out there who might be willing to help fund the continuation of Oregon wrestling in exchange for a bit of well-deserved recogniton?