Dale Lewis

Dale Lewis was a two-time NCAA champion at heavyweight for Oklahoma University, a two-time Olympian and a successful professional. But Dale took a strange path to greatness. Born in 1935 and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he played football and basketball in high school but never wrestled. Entering the United States Marines after high school, he discovered wrestling, and learned that he had a natural aptitude for the sport. In 1956, six months after he had started wrestling, Lewis earned a spot in Greco-Roman wrestling on the United States Olympic team that competed in Melbourne, Australia. After discharge from the Marines, he was offered a scholarship to the University of Oklahoma after earning a spot on the Sooner team. He was NCAA heavyweight champion in both 1960 and 1961, and won the AAU national freestyle title in 1961, defeating most of the top amateur heavyweights in the nation. He made his second Olympic team in 1960. Professionally, Lewis spent most of his career in Florida and won numerous regional titles, then ventured up to Canada late in his career. He wrestled as a pro for nearly two decades and died of leukemia on August 30, 1997.

Awards:

Year
2007
Award
George Tragos and Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Inductee
Chapter/Region
National

All American Awards:

Season
1961
School
Oklahoma
Tournament
Division I
Weight
UNL
Place
1
Season
1960
School
Oklahoma
Tournament
Division I
Weight
UNL
Place
1

College Season Records:

Season
1961
School
Oklahoma
Class
Senior
Bouts
20
Wins
17
Losses
1
Ties
2
Falls
4
Win PCT.
85
Place
1st
Season
1960
School
Oklahoma
Class
Junior
Bouts
21
Wins
20
Losses
1
Ties
0
Falls
9
Win PCT.
95.24
Place
1st
Season
1959
School
Oklahoma
Class
Sophomore
Bouts
10
Wins
3
Losses
7
Ties
0
Falls
1
Win PCT.
30
Place
DNP
Season
Career
Bouts
51
Wins
40
Losses
9
Ties
2
Falls
14
Win PCT.
78.43

All Rankings:

Season
1961
Rank Date
02/15/1961
Weight
UNL
Rank
1
School
Oklahoma

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