Dan Gable is undoubtedly the most recognizable name in the lore of American wrestling. Going 64-0 on his way to three Iowa high school state championships, Gable was 117-0 with two NCAA D1 titles (at 130lbs and 137lbs) to his name going into his final match as a senior for the Iowa State Cyclones. In one of the most infamous upsets in wrestling, University of Washington sophomore Larry Owings beat Gable in the 1970 NCAA finals, and Gable would end his collegiate career 117-1, runner-up at 142lbs.
(Larry Owings, left, gets his hand raised over Dan Gable, defeating Gable 13-11; Photo: AP)
Fueled by the loss to Owings, Gable entered 1971 as a man on fire, capturing the World Championship at 68kg/149.6lbs for the United States in Men’s Freestyle. In his final year of full-time competition, Gable went undefeated in his 21 international wins, pinning 12 opponents and outscoring the other 9 by a 130-1 margin. He went unscored upon on his road to the Gold Medal (68kg) at the 1972 Munich Games.
In a turn of events, Gable would become an assistant coach for the Iowa Hawkeyes in 1972 (in-state rival to his alma mater Iowa State), part of a staff that won NCAA team titles in 1975 and 1976. Starting in the 1976-1977 season, Gable became the Hawkeye head coach and proceeded to win all 21 B1G team title and 15 NCAA team titles during his tenure from 1976-1997.
Dan Gable has since become an ambassador for the sport, maintaining his status as a hero and legend of the sport, working with CPOW (Committee for the Preservation of Olympic Wrestling) during the 2013 crisis where Olympic wrestling was eliminated from the 2020 Games. Gable continues to make appearances at wrestling events of all levels, making good on his promise to himself: “I might walk through the wrestling room once a week. I could go every day if I wanted. But just walk through; make sure it’s still there.”
Dan Gable the athlete was known for his superhuman conditioning and, by the '72 Games, where Gable had a knee injury, vast technical prowess. As a coach, Gable was known for pushing his athletes relentlessly but also knowing how to adapt to each of his athletes as individuals. His mindset has since inspired thousands of wrestlers to compete at a level few knew existed.
(College-age Dan Gable; Photo: GableFamily)
"I can take anyone down at anytime; they can’t take me down; no one can ride or turn me; I can control anyone."
"The amount that you're willing to sacrifice is directly proportional to your desire for success."
"No one ever drowned in sweat."
(Dan Gable on the top of the Olympic podium; Photo: Gable Family)
"Pain is nothing compared to what it feels like to quit."
"How long do we work at something we want to change? As long as it takes."
(Gable, right, as an assistant coach for the Iowa Hawkeyes; Photo: IU Athletics)
"Luck? Ah, we don't want luck. Luck is when you win the lottery. Attitude: That's how you win."
"You may get tired. So what? We expect to be tired, but we expect to be able to continue until a match is over as well."
“‘Well, you’re not gonna get any better sitting there.’” --as quoted by Tom Ryan, 2x NCAA All-American under Dan Gable in 1991 and 1992
(The six Olympic medalists in Men's Freestyle from the 1972 team, Gable stands second from the right; Photo: Bettmann/CORBIS)
"We as a wrestling community, better remember it is more than one individual that makes a winner.""A few favorite Dan Gable tales" by JR Ogden of The Gazette
"The Losses of Dan Gable" by Wright Thompson for ESPN
"A Season on the Mat: Dan Gable and the Pursuit of Perfection" by Nolan Zavoral
"A Wrestling Life: The Inspiring Stories of Dan Gable" by Dan Gable and Scott Schulte
