Mike Retires from the Wrestling Museum

Sunday, December 6th, 2009 | Wrestling | 1 Comment

Mike retired on October 31st from the Wrestling Museum. After founding the museum, he spent 11 years as the Executive Director. Here is a press release from the Museum:

The executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum (DGIWIM) is stepping down after leading the organization for over a decade. Mike Chapman founded the museum in 1998 following a successful career in journalism that spanned three decades to become the museum’s full-time executive director in 2002.

“I have devoted a large part of my life to preserving the history of wrestling at all levels, amateur and professional, and the museum was the culmination of that effort,” said Chapman.

Continue reading…

First Ever Alan Rice Hall of Fame Inductions to Take Place October 16 and 17 at the Wrestling Museum

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 | Wrestling | No Comments

From the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum‘s website:

Five of the greatest stars in Greco-Roman history and one of the most important political figures of the past decade – along with an Iowa family with a sensational wrestling background – will be honored on Oct. 16-17, 2009, at the inaugural inductions into the Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions.

The hall is located in the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum here, and is named for Alan and Gloria Rice, a husband-and wife team that has been one of the most influential forces in American wrestling history. Greco-Roman wrestling is a style that allows only holds above the waist, and Alan Rice has been one of its staunchest advocates for half a century.

Continue reading for more details on the event as well as the featured guests and inductees…

Tags: Alan Rice, Billy Baldwin, Dan Gable, Dennis Hall, Dennis Hastert, Jeff Blatnick, Joe Warren, Mike Houck, Steve Fraser

Glen Brand Hall of Fame to Honor Mike

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009 | Wrestling | No Comments

From the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum‘s website:

April 17-18 three great wrestlers, two legendary coaches and a contributor who has devoted nearly 40 years to promoting wrestling will be inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa, Class of 2009.

Along with Leon “Champ” Martin, Franc Freeman, Jim Craig, Vic Marcucci, and Eric Voelker, Mike Chapman is being inducted and honored for his numerous contributions to the sport. He has devoted four decades to promoting the sport. He has been named National Wrestling Writer of the Year five times, and in 2007 was given the Order of Merit by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma, for lifetime achievement. He has written 13 books on wrestling, and has given speeches all over the nation. He is the founder of WIN magazine, the Dan Hodge Trophy, and the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum. A native of Waterloo, he lives here part-time.

Along with the inductions that weekend are MATMAN Wrestling Clinics, featuring Randy Lewis, Olympic champion, and Steve Knight, former Pan-American Games champion.

A schedule of events for the weekend is as follows:

Friday, April 17: Steve Knight Coaches Clinic, 7-9 p.m. – $25, includes free tour of museum and social afterwards and admission to hall of fame inductions on Saturday.

Saturday, April 18: Randy Lewis Kids Clinic, 9:30-11:30 a.m. – $20 per wrestler, limited to first 20 who sign up; includes free tour of museum and admission to hall of fame inductions

Saturday – Inductions to Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa, 1 p.m.

More information can be found on the Museum’s website here.

WIN Memorabilia Show at NCAAs This Weekend

Monday, March 16th, 2009 | Wrestling | No Comments

The annual WIN Memorabilia Show, a showcase of wrestling memorabilia and products, will be held during the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis this weekend.

The show is located in Union Station (1820 Market St, St Louis, MO) between sessions of the NCAA wrestling on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Guests are:

• Dan Hodge, subject of the new book, “Oklahoma Shooter: The Dan Hodge Story”, written by Mike Chapman
• Olympic champions Dan Gable, Rulon Gardner, Ed Banach, Steve Fraser, Brandon Slay, Doug Blubaugh, Bruce Baumgartner, John and Ben Peterson
• World champion Lloyd Keaser
• Dan Hodge Trophy winners Steve Mocco and Mark Ironside
• Wade Schalles, one of the greatest pinners of all time



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