Charlie Speidel

He devoted a lifetime to the sport of wrestling. But in more than 60 years as an athlete, coach and teacher, Charlie Speidel contributed far more to the lives of others than ever can be recorded in the statistics of achievement.

He was a pioneer for wrestling and helped it gain stature as a major sport in the high schools and colleges of Pennsylvania and across the eastern states. He traveled extensively, often with arch rival Billy Sheridan, to present clinics and introduce the sport.

The record shows that "Doc" Speidel coached 38 years at Penn State University. His teams won 191 dual meets and lost only 53. Seven of them were undefeated. They won eight Eastern Intercollegiate team championships and 56 individual titles. Six of his wrestlers were National Collegiate champions. And in 1953, his Nittany Lions became the only eastern squad ever to win the NCAA team championship.

He was an author of wrestling books and articles for such publications as the Encyclopedia Brittanica. During World War II he served four years as fleet recreation officer in the South Pacific.

In 1930, he brought the nation's wrestling coaches together and founded the National Wrestling Coaches Association, later serving two terms as its president. All this is a matter of record.

But Charlie Speidel's contributions cannot be measured by victories and defeats. First of all, he was a teacher who gave of himself to enrich the lives of young men.

He taught "total wrestling" -not only the mechanics, but enthusiasm, self-reliance and the importance of deep dedication, hard work and the strength of the will to win. He stressed the importance of education and insisted that his athletes complete their degrees.

Recognized as one of the great coaches, and one of the great humanitarians of the sport, Charles Martin Speidel is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Awards:

Year
1979
Award
Distinguished Member
Chapter/Region
National

All Coaching Dual Records:

Season
1964
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
10
Wins
6
Losses
3
Ties
1
Win PCT.
60
Season
1963
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
9
Wins
5
Losses
4
Ties
0
Win PCT.
55.56
Season
1962
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
10
Wins
6
Losses
3
Ties
1
Win PCT.
60
Season
1961
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
10
Wins
6
Losses
4
Ties
0
Win PCT.
60
Season
1960
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
10
Wins
9
Losses
0
Ties
1
Win PCT.
90
Season
1959
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
5
Losses
3
Ties
0
Win PCT.
62.5
Season
1958
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
2
Losses
4
Ties
2
Win PCT.
25
Season
1957
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
9
Wins
6
Losses
2
Ties
1
Win PCT.
66.67
Season
1956
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
7
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
87.5
Season
1955
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
7
Wins
5
Losses
2
Ties
0
Win PCT.
71.43
Season
1954
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
6
Losses
2
Ties
0
Win PCT.
75
Season
1953
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
9
Wins
9
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
100
Season
1952
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
9
Wins
9
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
100
Season
1951
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
8
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
100
Season
1950
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
7
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
87.5
Season
1949
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
7
Wins
5
Losses
2
Ties
0
Win PCT.
71.43
Season
1948
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
7
Wins
2
Losses
3
Ties
2
Win PCT.
28.57
Season
1947
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
7
Wins
3
Losses
4
Ties
0
Win PCT.
42.86
Season
1942
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
7
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
87.5
Season
1941
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
7
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
87.5
Season
1940
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
5
Losses
2
Ties
1
Win PCT.
62.5
Season
1939
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
5
Losses
2
Ties
1
Win PCT.
62.5
Season
1938
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
7
Wins
4
Losses
2
Ties
1
Win PCT.
57.14
Season
1937
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
7
Wins
6
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
85.71
Season
1936
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
7
Wins
6
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
85.71
Season
1935
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
6
Wins
6
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
100
Season
1934
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
6
Wins
4
Losses
1
Ties
1
Win PCT.
66.67
Season
1933
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
5
Wins
5
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
100
Season
1932
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
6
Wins
4
Losses
1
Ties
1
Win PCT.
66.67
Season
1931
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
6
Wins
5
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
83.33
Season
1930
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
6
Wins
5
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
83.33
Season
1929
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
6
Wins
6
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
100
Season
1928
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
7
Wins
5
Losses
2
Ties
0
Win PCT.
71.43
Season
1927
School
Penn State
Division
Duals
7
Wins
5
Losses
2
Ties
0
Win PCT.
71.43
Season
Career
Duals
260
Wins
191
Losses
56
Ties
13
Win PCT.
73.46

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