Dec 21, 2018
He devoted a lifetime to the sport of wrestling. But in more
than 60 years as an athlete, coach and teacher, Charlie Speidel
contributed far more to the lives of others than ever can be
recorded in the statistics of achievement.
He was a pioneer for wrestling and helped it gain stature as a
major sport in the high schools and colleges of Pennsylvania and
across the eastern states. He traveled extensively, often with arch
rival Billy Sheridan, to present clinics and introduce the
sport.
The record shows that "Doc" Speidel coached 38 years at Penn State
University. His teams won 191 dual meets and lost only 53. Seven of
them were undefeated. They won eight Eastern Intercollegiate team
championships and 56 individual titles. Six of his wrestlers were
National Collegiate champions. And in 1953, his Nittany Lions
became the only eastern squad ever to win the NCAA team
championship.
He was an author of wrestling books and articles for such
publications as the Encyclopedia Brittanica. During World War II he
served four years as fleet recreation officer in the South
Pacific.
In 1930, he brought the nation's wrestling coaches together and
founded the National Wrestling Coaches Association, later serving
two terms as its president. All this is a matter of record.
But Charlie Speidel's contributions cannot be measured by victories
and defeats. First of all, he was a teacher who gave of himself to
enrich the lives of young men.
He taught "total wrestling" -not only the mechanics, but
enthusiasm, self-reliance and the importance of deep dedication,
hard work and the strength of the will to win. He stressed the
importance of education and insisted that his athletes complete
their degrees.
Recognized as one of the great coaches, and one of the great
humanitarians of the sport, Charles Martin Speidel is honored as a
Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
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