A championship-caliber competitor, teacher, coach, administrator, writer and sports scientist, David Curby’s lifelong contributions to the sport of wrestling have earned him recognition by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as the Order of Merit recipient for 2019.

Curby helped found and serves as the director of the International Network of Wrestling Researchers, which has more than 500 members in 75 countries, and also serves as the editor of the International Journal of Wrestling Science, the organization's official publication. His website, INWR-Wrestling.com, is the world's foremost website on the scientific aspects of wrestling. The INWR has organized and conducted scientific symposiums at the World Championships since 2010. Curby, who has compiled a library of more than 2,800 published scientific articles on wrestling, helped found and serves as secretary for United World Wrestling's Scientific Commission. He served as executive director of Beat the Streets Chicago and also coaches a youth wrestling club at St. Sabina Parish in Chicago.

On the mat, Curby was a Junior National Champion and a Junior World team member. He was a four-year starter and team captain at the University of Michigan. In 1974, he captured the Big 10 title at 190 pounds and participated in the NCAA Championship for the national runner-up Wolverines. A Fulbright Scholar, Curby received his bachelor's degree in physical education from Michigan and his master's degree and doctorate from Northern Illinois in physical education and educational psychology.

He was athletic director and administrator of physical welfare at Niles North School in Skokie, Illinois, from 1994-2008, after working as a teacher and department chair of physical education and health at Lyons Township High School. Curby was named "Physical Educator of the Year" in 1984 by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Curby was recognized as an Outstanding American by the Illinois Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015 and received the Alan Rice Leadership Award from the Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions in 2014. He received the United States Olympic Committee's "Doc" Counsilman Award for scientific contributions to coaching in 2011 and is also a member of the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association Hall of Fame.

Following the death of his son, Jacob, in 2010, Curby and his family founded the Jacob Curby Foundation, in memory of their son who was a member of the United States National Greco-Roman team, and conducted the Jacob Curby Cup, which was one of America's premier Greco-Roman competitions.