Shelby Wilson
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| Full name | Shelby Autrie Wilson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | July 14, 1937 (age 88) Ponca City, Oklahoma, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Wrestling | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Freestyle and Folkstyle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | Oklahoma State | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | USA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Myron Roderick | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Shelby Autrie Wilson (born July 14, 1937) is an American wrestler and Olympic champion from Ponca City, Oklahoma.[1] He won a gold medal in wrestling at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy.
Career
[edit]Wilson was born in Ponca City, Oklahoma,[2] As a child, he worked on the family farm.[3] Wilson started wrestling in junior high after being assigned to wrestling by his physical education teacher, despite Wilson never having heard of the sport at the time.[3] Wilson was a two-time Oklahoma state tournament runner-up while in high school, and was a two-time NCAA runner-up in college at Oklahoma State after being given a full wrestling scholarship to attend.[3] He once injured his ankle but after being denied a hardship ruling by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, he came back and only lost 3 matches in his college career, with all 3 coming in state finals.[4]
His journey to the 1960 Olympics began with a second place finish at a qualifying tournament, to earn a spot in the training camp. Wilson would defeat the challengers below him and then beat the top-ranked wrestler to earn his spot on the USA freestyle team. He would win Olympic gold in Rome at the 1960 Olympics, in the 67 kg division. This was the first and only major wrestling tournament that Wilson won.[4][5]
Wilson appeared as a contestant on the CBS television program, I've Got a Secret, on the September 14, 1960 episode. His secret was, "Both of us won Gold Medals in the Olympics last week (Wrestling)"[6]
In 1982, Wilson was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.[7] In 2023, he was inducted into the Oklahoma State University Hall of Honor.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Shelby Wilson". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- ^ "Beyond the Scoreboard". The Herald-Times. March 21, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
- ^ a b c Jackson, Tristan. "Former OV Coach Shelby Wilson reflects on Olympic gold medal 60 years later". Evening World. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
- ^ a b Bentley, Mac. "Wilson's Lone "Major' Crown Was Solid Gold Ex-OSU Wrestler Captured Olympic Title in Rome Games". The Oklahoman. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
- ^ ""1960 Summer Olympics – Rome, Italy – Wrestling"". Database Olympics. Retrieved April 29, 2008.
- ^ "400 September 14, 1960 Bill, Betsy, Henry, Bess". I've got a secret. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
- ^ "Shelby Wilson". National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
- ^ "Rickie Fowler Joins OSU Hall of Honor Alongside Five Other Athletes". Sports Illustrated. September 16, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
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- 1937 births
- Living people
- Wrestlers at the 1960 Summer Olympics
- Oklahoma State Cowboys wrestlers
- American male sport wrestlers
- Olympic gold medalists for the United States in wrestling
- Sportspeople from Oklahoma
- Sportspeople from Ponca City, Oklahoma
- Medalists at the 1960 Summer Olympics
- Ponca City High School alumni
- 20th-century American sportsmen