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“Pudge” From A Bad Nickname To Olympic Gold
By admin | July 12, 2011
Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz was born in Palo Alto, California. As a slightly plump child his nickname was “Pudge” causing him to be bullied in school by fellow students. Additionally, his teachers thought he suffered from mental disabilities even though he was simply dyslexic.
Schultz turned to the sport of wrestling in junior high school and was successful early on, winning both a national and international wrestling title in 1977. The talented athlete also became the state champion while he was a high school senior. At this young age, Schultz was able to pin Chuck Yagla, a 2-time NCAA champion.
Dave competed in the “toughest tournament in the world” when he qualified to participate with the U.S. international team for the Tbilisi Tournament in Soviet Georgia. He won a silver medal and placed the highest out of all the competing Americans.
His successful wrestling career included becoming a three-time NCAA All-American, winning an Olympic Gold medal in 1984, four World Cups, two Pan American games titles and he was the only American to win the Tbilisi tournament a record two times.
Dave Schultz was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1997 after his death. Sadly, the great athlete was shot and killed by his team’s sponsor, John E. du Pont at age 36.
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