The National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater is a treasure chest of hidden gems. Dedicated in 1976, the hall’s stated purpose is to give the world’s oldest sport a permanent home for its culture and memorabilia, and its future plans including taking visitors as close to the mat as possible. 

Former OSU wrestler Lee Roy Smith, the hall’s executive director, is passionate about the work it does for the sport of wrestling. “We are in the business of presenting wrestling’s value to the public,” Smith said. “The mission statement of the hall of fame is to preserve history, recognize excellence and inspire future generations.”

Even for those not comfortable or familiar with wrestling or its culture, the hall of fame is working to make the sport as relatable to the public as possible. “Every year we offer an educational outreach program that focuses on one topic for the entire year,” Smith said. “Our current topic is women in wrestling. Previous topics have included African Americans in wrestling, Latino Americans in wrestling, and wrestling as a family sport.” 

Not only can you explore OSU’s legendary wrestling history at the hall, its national scope features college and high school standouts, state champions, Olympians and more. 

Several gems can also be found in the hall’s enshrinement gallery under the outstanding Americans section, which includes more than a few faces you wouldn’t expect to see. “There have been 13 U.S. presidents who wrestled,” Smith said. “George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were some of the most prominent. Many presidents said that they took up wrestling to be able to stand up to bullies.”

The gallery also includes images of presidents William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt among the other featured wrestlers who have done great things in life. 

The hall itself is planning some “great things” that will help give its many gems more exposure to the public. An extensive expansion and revitalization campaign is planned to make exhibits come to life for visitors and offer gathering places for groups and organizations. Sound, video and touch screens will help fans experience historic matches and grow their knowledge of wrestling. A campaign to fund the improvements recently received a $1 million pledge from Andrew and Avery Barth, the largest gift in the hall’s history.

“The renovation project will bring the hall of fame into the 21^st century so that we can communicate better with the public,” Smith said. “We need to advertise the sport and show the public what wrestling is all about. We want to inspire future generations.”​ 

Story by Alex Marianos