Harry Steel 1899-1971

From– http://cantonohio.gov/greats/?pg=486

Harry Steel, 1924

Harry Steel was the first Ohio State wrestler to win the Olympic Gold Medal. Born in Stark County in 1899, he graduated from Canton McKinley High School in 1918. He lettered in football and wrestling at Ohio State. Leading his wrestling team to an undefeated season in 1921 and 1922, Steel served as Captain of the team and won the Western Conference Heavyweight Title in 1924. Serving as an alternate in the 1924 Olympics in Paris, Steel won the Men’s Heavyweight freestyle event. Steel has been inducted in the Helm’s Hall of Fame for Amateur Athletics in Los Angeles, and in the Varsity O Hall of Fame at The Ohio State University. He is now listed among the World Champions in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

[Harry Steel was the sixth Ohio State Athlete to compete in the Olympics, and the first from OSU to win any Olympic Medal(2). He remains one of only three Americans to ever win Gold in the Olympic Heavyweight Freestyle Wrestling class, joined only by Bernhoff Hansen in 1904, and Bruce Baumgartner in 1984 and 1992.(1)]

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From– http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/st/harry-steel-1.html

Full name: Harry Dwight Steel
Gender: Male
Born: April 8, 1899 in Sparta, Ohio, United States
Died: October 8, 1971 (Aged 72) in London, Ohio, United States
Affiliations: Ohio State Buckeyes, Columbus (USA)
Country: United States
Sport: Wrestling

Ohio State’s Harry Steel was a big ol’ farm boy who had almost no coaching, but was strong as the proverbial ox. At the 1924 Olympics, he had no experience to speak of, his best finish against good competition having been third in the 1924 AAU tournament, but in Paris he came under the tutelage of America’s top wrestler, Robin Reed. Reed taught Steel some moves, notably a leg dive that he learned quickly and used throughout the competition. The new skills, combined with his natural strength, paid off, as he won the gold medal.

Phase	Rank	Date	Result	Medal
Final Round	1	1924-07-14	Steel (USA) decision, Nilsson (SWE)	Gold
Semi-Finals	1	1924-07-13	Steel (USA) decision, Wernli (SUI)
Quarter-Finals	1	1924-07-12	Steel (USA) fall, MacDonald (GBR)
Round One	AC	1924-07-11	Steel (USA)

Olympic Gold Medal Wrestlers(1)–

Freestyle
Olympic Results from 1904 in St. Louis, Mo. Bernhoff Hansen FS HWT 1st
Olympic Results from 1924 in Paris, France Harry Steel FS HWT 1st
Olympic Results from 1984 in Los Angeles, Ca. Bruce Baumgartner FS HWT 1st
Olympic Results from 1992 in Barcelona, Spain Bruce Baumgartner FS HWT 1st

Greco-Roman
Olympic Results from 1984 in Los Angeles, Ca. Jeff Blatnick GR HWT 1st
Olympic Results from 2000 in Sydney, Australia Rulon Gardner GR HWT 1st

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More Info:

1. U.S. Olympic Wrestling History
2. 100 Buckeyes You Should Know
3. The 10 Most Memorable Moments in Olympic Wrestling History– Harry Steel FS
4. The 10 Most Memorable Moments in Olympic Wrestling History–Rulon Gardner GR
5. Rulon Garder website
6. Rulon Garder wiki
7. Jeff Blatnick wiki
8. Robin Reed wiki
9. Bernhoff Hansen wiki
10. Harry Steel wiki
11. Bruce Baumgartner wiki