DAN GABLE TEACHING CENTER:
Want to learn techniques and strategies from some of
the greatest champions in history? The Dan Gable
Teaching Center is designed to give visitors a feel
for what a wrestling practice room looks like, and
also to hold special clinics and seminars. Some of
America's greatest wrestlers and coaches will be
offering instruction on the finer elements of
Mankind's Oldest Sport on a regular basis.
“On
the Mat” is a weekly wrestling radio program that airs every Wednesday
night. The broadcast can be heard live from 6-7 p.m. Central Standard
Time. The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in
Waterloo, Iowa, hosts the show.
“On the Mat” can be heard live on the Internet at
www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa on 1650, The Fan. Feel
free to e-mail
radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with questions or comments about the show. Click here
for archived shows.
Museum
Information
Hours
of Operation:
Tuesday - Saturday
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Admission:
$5 for adults
$3 for students (17 and under)
Children 6 and under are free
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WALL: The greatest
wrestlers from all around the world are featured on
the "World Championships" wall. Here visitors will
see photos of such legends as Ivan Yarigian,
Alexander Karelin and Sergei Belaglazov of the
former Soviet Union, as well as Japanese star Yojiro
Uetake and Sweden's Ivan Johansson. Johansson is the
only wrestler to win a gold medal in both freestyle
and Greco-Roman wrestling in the Olympic Games.
WRESTLING IN EARLY AMERICA: The wall entitled
"Wrestling in Early America" gives museum visitors
an overview of what wrestling was like in the days
of the Native Americans, and when Colonists favored
a style that came from Europe known as collar and
elbow. Included are newspaper clippings and artwork
that depict wrestling in its formative stages in the
United States. One newspaper article from 1888 even
shows "Wrestling on Horseback" - which featured one
man on a horse trying to wrestle another off his
horse.
WILLIAM MULDOON and THE CIVIL WAR: Wrestling
was one of the two most popular activities in the
Union camps between battles in the Civil War, as
General Grant thought the sport made his soldiers
tough both mentally and physically. William Muldoon
of New York City became the Union camp champion and
then returned to New York City to become a
policeman. But he continued wrestling on the side
and soon quit his job with the police department to
tour as a wrestler - becoming the nation's first
professional athlete of note!
HONORED STARS: Besides Dan Gable, several of
the greatest wrestlers of all time are given special
treatment in the museum. You will see separate
displays for such stars as Dave Schultz, Dan Hodge,
Alexander Karelin, John Smith, Cael Sanderson and
Frank Gotch.
WRESTLING IN POP CULTURE: Over the last
century, wrestling has been highlighted in American
popular culture. Visitors will see displays of
wrestling cards, some dating back to the late 1890s;
comic book heroes like Tarzan, Superman and Alley Oop wrestling; various types of card and board
games, and action heroes with the stars of the WWF.
WRESTLING IN THE MOVIES: Did you know that
Kirk Douglas, one of the biggest movies stars of all
time, was a wrestler in college and that Tom Cruise,
the No. 1 star of the last decade, wrestled in high
school? You will see movie posters from such films
as "Vision Quest" and "Takedown," as well as other
interesting movie items.
MATMAN GIFT SHIP: Our extensive gift shop is
sponsored by Warren and Jayne DePrenger, owners of
MATMAN wrestling company. The gift shop has a wide
array of wrestling items for every fan, including
books, videos, posters, trading cards, Dan Gable
Museum apparel, and specialty items like cribbage
boards and paperweights. Every visit to the museum
should include a
stop at the MATMAN Gift Shop.
CORPORATE SPONSORS WALLS: The Dan Gable
International Wrestling Institute and Museum is
fortunate to have five major corporate sponsors.
MATMAN, Asics, USA Wrestling, the AAU and BRUTE all
have display walls in honor of their support of the
museum.
BOB SIDDENS, KEITH YOUNG, DAVE NATVIG LOUNGE:
Visitors can break up their tour with a pit stop at
the lounge named for three of the most successful
coaches in Iowa history. The lounge has a pop
machine and snack machine.
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