He wrestled in the first collegiate dual meets for Yale in 1903, and five years later became the first collegian to win an Olympic gold medal. George S. Dole, his twin brother Louis, and Hall of Famer George Nicholas Mehnert were the dominant wrestlers of the first decade of the Twentieth Century. The Dole brothers were born in Michigan, grew up in Maine, and enrolled together at Yale in 1902.

The next spring, responding to a challenge from Columbia University, Yale students formed the nation's first varsity wrestling team, which won all of its dual meets over the next five years. The Dole twins were exactly the same size, and always wrestled each other to see who would compete at their preferred weight, 125 pounds. It is said they often switched assignments without anyone knowing the difference.

In 1905, four eastern universities formed an association to conduct the first Intercollegiate Championships. The Doles and teammate A. C. Gilbert - later a famous toymaker - swept the first three weights to assure Yale's team title. George Dole became the first four-time champion, while Louis won three times.

The Doles entered the National AAU meet in Newark, N.J., in 1907. There George astonished the wrestling world by pinning Mehnert in the 125-pound finals, Mehnert's only loss in seven years. The British organized the 1908 Olympics in London with only two lightweight classes, 119 and 133. Neither Dole could make the smaller weight, leaving it to Mehnert. George Dole wrestled at 133 and won the gold.

Returning to graduate school, George became the Yale coach, then coached in various prep schools until 1917, when he joined the Navy and later earned the Navy Cross. He was a professor of economics at St. Lawrence until his death from a heart attack in 1928 at the age of 43.

As a pioneer of the sport of wrestling in this country and one of America's first world champions, George Stuart Dole is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.