George Martin
June 04, 1911 - July 11, 1970
He extended the boundaries of his campus to the state borders. And in more than three decades as coach at the University of Wisconsin, George Martin accepted no limits on his efforts to develop the sport he loved.
He was a gifted athlete and a successful coach, but most of all he was a builder. A master craftsman in woodworking, he had the skills to construct the framework of national prominence in wrestling for his university and for his state.
As a wrestler, he was a National Collegiate champion for Iowa State in 1933, and as captain led the derby-hatted Cyclones to a share of the team title. The Iowans adopted their dapper headgear in answer to the cowboy attire of their rivals in Oklahoma.
Martin won the National AAU championship in 1934, but passed up a chance at the Olympics to become coach at Wisconsin. In 1935 there were no high school teams in the state, although some schools had intramural wrestling. He convinced a few to add the sport to their varsity programs, and in 1940 the first state tournament was held.
After a three-year wartime interruption, during which he earned a Bronze Star for heroism as a naval officer, he returned to coaching and served with honor until his death in 1970.
During those early years in Wisconsin, Martin traveled some 40,000 miles within the state-equal to nearly two trips around the world-giving demonstrations, presenting clinics and talking with school boards, administrators and parents to sell the values of the sport. Today there are more than 400 wrestling schools in Wisconsin.
His stature as the father of wrestling in Wisconsin is attested by the fact that the state's own wrestling hall of fame is named for him.
In recognition of his monumental contribution to the development of the sport and sportsmanship, George Alfred Martin is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Awards:
Year
1982
|
Award
Distinguished Member
|
Chapter/Region
National
|
All American Awards:
Season
1933
|
School
Iowa State
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
165
|
Place
1
|
Season
1932
|
School
Iowa State
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
158
|
Place
3
|
College Season Records:
Season
1933
|
School
Iowa State
|
Class
Senior
|
Bouts
15
|
Wins
14
|
Losses
1
|
Ties
0
|
Falls
10
|
Win PCT.
93.33
|
Place
1st
|
Season
1932
|
School
Iowa State
|
Class
Junior
|
Bouts
14
|
Wins
12
|
Losses
2
|
Ties
0
|
Falls
5
|
Win PCT.
85.71
|
Place
3rd
|
Season
1931
|
School
Iowa State
|
Class
Sophomore
|
Bouts
10
|
Wins
9
|
Losses
1
|
Ties
0
|
Falls
6
|
Win PCT.
90
|
Place
DNW
|
Season
Career
|
Bouts
39
|
Wins
35
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
0
|
Falls
21
|
Win PCT.
89.74
|
All Coaching Dual Records:
Season
1970
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
18
|
Wins
10
|
Losses
7
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
55.56
|
Season
1969
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
13
|
Wins
5
|
Losses
7
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
38.46
|
Season
1968
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
19
|
Wins
11
|
Losses
8
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
57.89
|
Season
1967
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
18
|
Wins
10
|
Losses
8
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
55.56
|
Season
1966
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
17
|
Wins
13
|
Losses
3
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
76.47
|
Season
1965
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
18
|
Wins
11
|
Losses
6
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
61.11
|
Season
1964
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
13
|
Wins
7
|
Losses
6
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
53.85
|
Season
1963
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
11
|
Wins
4
|
Losses
7
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
36.36
|
Season
1962
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
13
|
Wins
9
|
Losses
3
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
69.23
|
Season
1961
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
12
|
Wins
2
|
Losses
10
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
16.67
|
Season
1960
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
8
|
Wins
2
|
Losses
6
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
25
|
Season
1959
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
10
|
Wins
5
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
50
|
Season
1958
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
11
|
Wins
5
|
Losses
6
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
45.45
|
Season
1957
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
11
|
Wins
2
|
Losses
9
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
18.18
|
Season
1956
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
11
|
Wins
4
|
Losses
7
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
36.36
|
Season
1955
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
10
|
Wins
8
|
Losses
2
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
80
|
Season
1954
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
11
|
Wins
6
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
54.55
|
Season
1953
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
8
|
Wins
3
|
Losses
5
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
37.5
|
Season
1952
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
12
|
Wins
7
|
Losses
5
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
58.33
|
Season
1951
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
10
|
Wins
3
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
3
|
Win PCT.
30
|
Season
1950
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
9
|
Wins
5
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
55.56
|
Season
1949
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
6
|
Wins
2
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
33.33
|
Season
1948
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
7
|
Wins
3
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
42.86
|
Season
1947
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
9
|
Wins
4
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
44.44
|
Season
1946
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
7
|
Wins
5
|
Losses
2
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
71.43
|
Season
1942
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
9
|
Wins
7
|
Losses
2
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
77.78
|
Season
1941
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
11
|
Wins
5
|
Losses
5
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
45.45
|
Season
1940
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
13
|
Wins
8
|
Losses
5
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
61.54
|
Season
1939
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
7
|
Wins
3
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
42.86
|
Season
1938
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
9
|
Wins
4
|
Losses
5
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
44.44
|
Season
1937
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
10
|
Wins
4
|
Losses
6
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
40
|
Season
1936
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division |
Duals
8
|
Wins
4
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
50
|
Season
Career
|
Duals
359
|
Wins
181
|
Losses
166
|
Ties
12
|
Win PCT.
50.42
|