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One of the best front headlocks series and one of the strongest man on the planet.

Olympic Champion Doug Blubaugh passes away at 76
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Doug Blubaugh's Wrestling Hall of Fame biography









By Jason Bryant USA Wrestling
05/17/2011

Doug Blubaugh, a 1960 Olympic Champion and a 1957 NCAA Champion for Oklahoma State, died Monday evening after an auto accident in Tonkawa, Oklahoma. He was 76.

Blubaugh was allegedly the victim of a hit-and-run while riding his motorcycle. Details are thin at this time, but Blubaugh was widely known for his toughness and old school bruising style.

"Doug is a treasure to the wrestling history and heritage in the United States," said National Wrestling Hall of Fame Director Lee Roy Smith. "We suffered a great loss.

"(Doug) always said he could do two things -- coach wrestling and farm," said Smith. "He was always willing to help anybody that asked. He was someone who was great at working with our best athletes. He was probably at his best when he was working with our best."

"Not to mention, the greatest achievements he had as wrestler in college and on the international state. It's a great loss," said Smith.

Blubaugh's dramatic pin over Iran's Emamail Habibi at 160.5 pounds during the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome has been well-documented and is one of the biggest American wins in international wrestling lore.

Blubaugh was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1979.

Doug Blubaugh's National Wrestling Hall of Fame biography

In the shadowed ruins of Rome's ancient Basilica, Doug Blubaugh battled the world champion from Iran for the Olympic gold medal. Emamali Habibi had never known defeat. Three times the Persian attacked, each time throwing the young American into danger. Then a swift counterattack from Blubaugh hurled his opponent to his back ... suddenly the struggle was ended. Thus did an Oklahoma farm boy reach the apex of a brilliant athletic career, earning the 1960 Olympic gold medal at 160.5 pounds, and with it recognition as the outstanding wrestler in the world. Doug Blubaugh was no stranger to the role of champion. He won NCAA honors for Oklahoma State in 1957 and National AAU Freestyle titles in 1957, when he was named outstanding wrestler, and 1959. A year before his Olympic conquest, he won a gold medal in the 1959 Pan American Games at Chicago, matching the 1955 achievement of his brother, Jack. They were the first brothers to capture Pan Am titles. Blubaugh is remembered, too, for his epic struggles with a former college teammate, Phil Kinyon. Over four years of Freestyle competition, they met 13 times. The first 12 bouts ended in draws, 11 scoreless. Five of these were in the 1960 Olympic trials, before Blubaugh crashed through for the takedown and victory that sent him on to Olympic glory. From a competitive career totaling more than 400 victories against just 17 defeats, Blubaugh turned to coaching and won added respect for his teaching skills and his honesty and dedication. After seven years as an assistant at Michigan State, during which he was Freestyle coach of U. S. teams in the 1971 Pan American Games and World Championships, he spent a decade as head coach at Indiana University. As a champion athlete of awesome achievement, and as a living example to young men of the highest standards of character and integrity, Douglas Morlan Blubaugh is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

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Arrangements set for Olympic champ Doug Blubaugh, with viewings Thursday & Friday and service on Saturday
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KOCO Television story on Doug Blubaugh







By USA Wrestling
05/18/2011

Arrangements have been set for 1960 Olympic champion wrestler Doug Blubaugh, 76, who passed away on Monday in Tonkawa, Okla.

There will be viewings for Doug Blubaugh at Grace Memorial Chapel, 2016 North 14th Street, Ponca City, OK 74601 on both Thursday, May 19 and Friday, May 20. For more details on times, call the chapel at 580-762-2463.

The service for Doug Blubaugh will be held on Saturday, May 21 at 10:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church, 218 South 6th St., Ponca City OK 74601.

Information on memorial requests from the family will be posted when received.

Please forward this information to Doug's many friends and colleagues within wrestling.

Tragic Accident Claims Distinguished Member Doug Blubaugh
by Kyle Klingman, National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum

STILLWATER, Okla. - Doug Blubaugh, one of America’s greatest wrestlers, was killed in a motorcycle accident on May 16, 2011, in Tonkawa, Okla. He was 76 years old.

A native of Ponca City, Okla., Blubaugh was an influential figure in college and international wrestling. He was a three-time All-American (1955-1957) and an NCAA champion (1957) for Oklahoma State. His greatest wrestling achievement was winning the 1960 Rome Olympic Games at 160.5 pounds in freestyle with a 7-0 record and five pins. Blubaugh was named the outstanding wrestler in the world for his exceptional performance.

His pin over Iran’s Emamili Habbibi (an eventual four-time World and Olympic champion) in the fifth round continues to be a memorable moment in American wrestling history. Blubaugh joined teammates Terry McCann (125.5 pounds) and Shelby Wilson (147.5 pounds) as Olympic gold medalists in 1960.

“Doug Blubaugh was the warmest and most sensitive man I have ever met,” said Lucille McCann, widow of Terry McCann. “He was very instrumental in helping Terry to win a gold medal. The night before his final’s match, Terry was depressed and unsure he would be able to win.

“Doug followed Terry all night and talked to him and reassured him he could do it. Doug told him he couldn't let everyone down who had helped him get this far. Doug had given Terry the confidence he needed to get the job done. I'm happy to have had Doug in my life. I will miss him.”

Blubaugh also served as a coach at many different levels. His most successful stint was as an assistant coach at Michigan State from 1966 through 1972. The Spartans won seven consecutive Big Ten team titles and the 1967 NCAA team title while Blubaugh was there. Michigan State never placed outside the top six at the NCAA tournament during Blubaugh’s seven year involvement with the program.

Grady Peninger, head coach at Michigan State from 1963 through 1986, was instrumental to Blubaugh’s early success. He was the head wrestling coach at Ponca City for seven seasons. In 1953, Doug Blubaugh became Grady Peninger’s first individual state champion.

“Doug was a great person,” said Peninger. “There wasn’t a bad bone in his body. He was honest to the point that some people took advantage of him. I felt like he was my own son. Doug always felt hard work would settle everything.”

In 1972, Blubaugh was named the head wrestling coach at Indiana University. He coached the Hoosiers for 12 seasons before retiring in 1984. Prior to joining the Michigan State program, Blubaugh was an assistant coach at Oklahoma University and Army. He coached on several international teams as well, including head coach of the United States’ 1971 Pan American and World Championship teams.

“Doug Blubaugh was a true Oklahoma State wrestling hero,” said current Oklahoma State head coach John Smith. “He was a tough farm kid who overcame adversity to become the best wrestler in the world. He was a good friend who will be greatly missed.”

Blubaugh was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1979. He is survived by two sets of identical twin boys (Dale and Dean, Dana and Dann) and one daughter (Dawn).


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