Dan Gable and Lee Roy Smith Dan Gable, namesake of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum, stands with Lee Roy Smith, executive director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame during the World Team Trials in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on June 10, 2010. The meeting was to announce the historic partnership between the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.

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Dan Gable for healthy living The Dan Gable Museum was busy with activity on Thursday, July 29, 2010, during RAGBRAI, an annual bike ride across the state of Iowa sponsored by the Des Moines Register that attracts over 20,000 people. Dan Gable (center) was on hand for a special autograph signing from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Among the visitors to the museum was Shellie Pfohl (right), new Executive Director of the President’s Council for Physical Fitness and Sport, and Karlin Hayes (left), daughter of National Wrestling Hall of Fame member Larry Hayes. Gable was a member of the council for four years. To read Gable's blog about his visit with Pfohl, click here.

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Gable Trained The stands were full when Dan Gable put new Northern Iowa head wrestling coach Doug Schwab and two of his wrestlers through a workout in the Dan Gable Teaching Center on Thursday, July 29. The workout was part of the special events hosted by the Gable Museum during RAGBRAI, an annual bike ride across the state of Iowa. Waterloo was one of the overnight stops and Gable, a native of Waterloo, publicly welcomed riders to his hometown at the main campground.

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The Claw On Friday, July 9, 2010, Dan Gable (center, green shirt) joined professional wrestling hall of famer Baron Von Raschke (red shirt) and his foursome in performing the claw, the move Raschke made famous in the ring, at the Gable Museum celebrity golf outing.

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Did you miss Wednesday's radio edition of "On the Mat"? Click below to listen to a podcast of the show.

Recording of the radio show August 4, 2010, featuring authors Erik Paulson and Matt Granahan.

Recording of the radio show July 28, 2010, featuring Nick Moore, 2010 Junior National Champion, and Mark Reiland, 1991 NCAA champion for the University of Iowa and Iowa City West Head Wrestling Coach.

Recording of the radio show July 21, 2010, featuring Mike Finn, editor of WIN Magazine, and Pete Isais, director of events at USA Wrestling.

Recording of the radio show July 14, 2010, featuring Steve Fraser, 1984 Olympic champion and USA Wrestling National Team head coach.

National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum and Dan Gable International Wrestling Museum Announce Historic Partnership to Increase Sport’s Visibility

STILLWATER, Okla. – Wrestling’s two greatest museums will soon become one, as the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum and the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum are joining forces to preserve the rich history and proud traditions of the sport of wrestling for future generations.

The historic partnership was announced today by Jim Keen Sr., Chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, and Bob Buckley, President of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum.

Highlights of the partnership include:

As of June 6, the Dan Gable International Wrestling Museum and Institute in Waterloo, Iowa will be known as the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum will retain its current name and continue to operate in Stillwater, Okla.

Management for both museums will be combined, with joint marketing, fundraising, promotion, education and other programs executed out of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater. The joint operation will combine each museum’s resources to operate more efficiently, which will allow for greater public awareness and education efforts to further inspire the next generation of champion athletes.

Each museum will continue to host its unique series of events, as in the past.

Dan Gable Museum talks with Larry Owings

They will forever be connected. The victory will never be forgotten.

When sophomore Larry Owings defeated Dan Gable in the 1970 NCAA finals at 142 pounds it was national sports news. The match is now part of wrestling lore: Dan Gable, riding a string of 181 consecutive high school and college victories, lost his last collegiate match.

Owings placed second at the NCAA tournament the subsequent two years. Gable won the 1972 Olympics without surrending a point. As the head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa, Gable's teams won 15 NCAA titles in 21 years.

Kyle Klingman of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum caught up with Owings at the Ohio Tournament of Champions in Columbus. Owings was part of the celebrity signing that included three-time All-American Hudson Taylor of Maryland and NCAA champion Steve Luke of Michigan.

Owings discusses all three of his matches with Dan Gable, dealing with success, and his daughter's star power in this special interview. Click below to listen in.

Exclusive audio interview with Larry Owings

The legend arrived: Dan Gable returns to Waterloo

Exclusive audio interview with Dan Gable

He may be the greatest athlete and coach ever. Dan Gable, born and raised in Waterloo, Iowa, set the standard for wrestling in this country. His legendary resume includes a 183-1 high school and college record, winning the 1972 Olympics without surrendering a point, compiling a 355-21-5 dual meet record as the head coach at the University of Iowa, and winning 15 NCAA team titles in 21 years. Sports Illustrated named Gable the top sports figure from Iowa in 2000.

Funk, Foley, Vachon among those honored at Tragos/Thesz HOF

By JOYCE PAUSTIAN - For SLAM! Wrestling

WATERLOO, Iowa - Despite some changes to the format from previous years -- and to the museum itself -- the 2010 George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame held its induction ceremonies this past weekend. Five new members were inducted to the Hall of Fame, and several other awards were handed out as well.

Just a few weeks before the induction weekend, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo's Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum -- home of the Tragos/Thesz Hall -- announced a partnership, joining forces to preserve the rich history and proud traditions of the sport of wrestling for future generations. The Iowa facility is now the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. Management for both museums will be combined, with joint marketing, fundraising, promotion, education and other programs executed out of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater. The joint operation will combine each museum’s resources to operate more efficiently, which will allow for greater public awareness.

To read more, click here.

Hudson Taylor: Magician on a Mission

Hudson Taylor, a three-time All-American from Maryland, was a celebrity at the Ohio Tournament of Champions in Columbus, Ohio, on April 24. Taylor is the great, great, great grandson of James Hudson Taylor, considered by some as the greatest missionary since the Apostle Paul.

The modern day Taylor is known for his ability to secure a fall -- and for his magic. At the 2009 NCAA tournament Taylor won the Gorriaran Award for the most falls in the least amount of time. But his card tricks, not his wrestling, were on display at the Ohio Tournament of Champions.

Kyle Klingman of the Dan Gable Museum spoke with Taylor at the tournament about his name, the greatest magician ever, and his future in wrestling. Click below to listen in.

Audio interview with Hudson Taylor

Thompson, Allen among Hall of Fame inductees

mike_allen by Jim Nelson, special from the Waterloo Courier

WATERLOO - Tolly Thompson's message is simple: "Eat it, live it, love it and like it."

Wrestling was at the root of that philosophy for Thompson, who became one of five new inductees into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame Saturday during a ceremony at the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum.

"Growing up here, living here ... growing up in Northeast Iowa ... To go into the Dan Gable, Glen Brand Hall of Fame is an honor," Thompson said.

He joined New Hampton native Gordan Hassman, Iowa national champion Dan Holm, Waterloo native Mike Allen (pictured right) and Iowa City West head coach Mark Reiland as part of the 2010 class.