Dave Schultz (amateur wrestler)
Encyclopedia
David Leslie Schultz (June 6, 1959 – January 26, 1996) was an Olympic and world champion freestyle wrestler.
to Phillip Gary Schultz and Dorothy Jean St. Germain. He had one brother named Mark, and has two half-siblings – Michael and Seana. As a young child he was a little chubby (nicknamed "Pudge"), and was often bullied at school by classmates for his weight and appearance. He also suffered from dyslexia
, which many of his teachers mistook for mental disabilities.
Schultz began wrestling in junior high school, and would win both his first national and international wrestling titles in 1977 – the same year he had become a state champion as a senior at Palo Alto High School
. As a high school senior he pinned 2-time NCAA champion and NCAA "Outstanding Wrestler" Chuck Yagla at the Great Plains Championships.
In college Schultz was a three-time NCAA
All-American, first at Oklahoma State University and then twice at the University of Oklahoma
. In 1982, he was the 167-pound weight class NCAA Champion defeating Mike Sheets from Oklahoma State University in the finals by criteria tie-breaker in overtime.
Dave Schultz would go on to win 10 Senior National titles (eight in Freestyle and two in Greco-Roman
) over a 19 year span, at three weight divisions: 149.9 lb, 163 lb and 180.5 lb. In international competition, Schultz won a 1983 World Championship and then a 1984 Olympic gold medal. He won four World Cup and two Pan American Games
titles, and is the only American ever to win the prestigious tournament in Tbilisi, Georgia twice. In all, he was a seven-time World and Olympic medalist. Together, Dave and his brother Mark Schultz
were the first American brothers to each win gold medals in the same Olympics, and likewise the only American brothers to win World and Olympic Championships.
At various times, he also served as an assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma, Stanford University
, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. Schultz trained renowned professional wrestler
and 1996 Olympic Gold Medal
ist Kurt Angle
to be a wrestler.
. A member of the Du Pont family
, du Pont had exhibited bizarre and threatening behavior preceding the murder. At the trial, neither the prosecution nor the defense suggested a motivation for the crime. A jury rejected du Pont's request to be found not guilty by reason of insanity, and he was found guilty but mentally ill. Du Pont was sentenced by Judge Patricia Jenkins to 13–30 years incarceration and died in jail on December 9, 2010. Schultz's father, Philip, told the New York Times that "the fact that he's officially gone is almost a moot point. I did forgive the man for what he did. I never forgave the act."
Schultz was 36 at the time of his death. His body was cremated. Schultz's surviving family included his wife, Nancy; his son, Alexander; his daughter, Danielle; all his siblings; and both parents. In 1997, he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.
. Schultz's widow founded the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club in March 1996 to sponsor the stranded wrestlers through the Olympics. The Club succeeded beyond its initial short-term projection and continued to train athletes in both men's and women's freestyle
and Greco-Roman
wrestling until its closure in 2005. Among the wrestlers who competed under Dave Schultz WC sponsorship were Olympic gold medalists Kurt Angle
(100 kg/220 lbs Men's Freestyle, 1996) and Brandon Slay
(76 kg/167.5 lbs Men's Freestyle, 2000), Olympic bronze medalist Patricia Miranda
(48 kg/105.5 lbs Women's Freestyle, 2004), and World Champion Stephen Neal
(130 kg/286 lbs. Men's Freestyle, 1999).
Since Schultz's death USA Wrestling
has hosted the annual Dave Schultz Memorial International wrestling meet at the United States Olympic Training Center
in Colorado Springs, Colorado
.
Early life
Schultz was born in Palo Alto, CaliforniaPalo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
to Phillip Gary Schultz and Dorothy Jean St. Germain. He had one brother named Mark, and has two half-siblings – Michael and Seana. As a young child he was a little chubby (nicknamed "Pudge"), and was often bullied at school by classmates for his weight and appearance. He also suffered from dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
, which many of his teachers mistook for mental disabilities.
Schultz began wrestling in junior high school, and would win both his first national and international wrestling titles in 1977 – the same year he had become a state champion as a senior at Palo Alto High School
Palo Alto High School
Palo Alto Senior High School, known locally as "Paly," was founded in 1898 and is one of the oldest high schools in the region. Located in Palo Alto, California, United States, Paly is nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, and is adjacent to Stanford University. Paly is known for its academically...
. As a high school senior he pinned 2-time NCAA champion and NCAA "Outstanding Wrestler" Chuck Yagla at the Great Plains Championships.
Wrestling career
His high school wrestling records had qualified him to compete on his first U.S. international team in the Tblisi Tournament in Soviet Georgia, considered by many in the wrestling community as the "toughest tournament in the world." Schultz earned a silver medal and was the highest-placing American at the tournament. Due to the timing of Tblisi, Schultz failed to qualify for the California State Championships, but his coach Ed Hart successfully petitioned the state coaches association to allow him to compete. Wrestling two weight classes above his normal division, Schultz pinned all his opponents in the state championships but the last, whom he defeated 12-1 in the final match. Later that year he won his first national title by winning the U.S. National Open Greco-Roman Championships and won the award for most falls in the least amount of time. Schultz's senior year is considered by most experts as the most successful senior year in U.S. high school wrestling history.In college Schultz was a three-time NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
All-American, first at Oklahoma State University and then twice at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
. In 1982, he was the 167-pound weight class NCAA Champion defeating Mike Sheets from Oklahoma State University in the finals by criteria tie-breaker in overtime.
Dave Schultz would go on to win 10 Senior National titles (eight in Freestyle and two in Greco-Roman
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
) over a 19 year span, at three weight divisions: 149.9 lb, 163 lb and 180.5 lb. In international competition, Schultz won a 1983 World Championship and then a 1984 Olympic gold medal. He won four World Cup and two Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
titles, and is the only American ever to win the prestigious tournament in Tbilisi, Georgia twice. In all, he was a seven-time World and Olympic medalist. Together, Dave and his brother Mark Schultz
Mark Schultz (amateur wrestler)
Mark Philip Schultz is an Olympic and 2-time World champion freestyle wrestler and a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
were the first American brothers to each win gold medals in the same Olympics, and likewise the only American brothers to win World and Olympic Championships.
At various times, he also served as an assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma, Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. Schultz trained renowned professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and 1996 Olympic Gold Medal
Gold Medal
Gold Medal is the sixth studio album by the American hard rock band The Donnas, released in 2004 on Atlantic Records. It was one of the first albums released in the DualDisc format, but was recalled due to a mastering error which resulted in the final track being partially omitted from the CD...
ist Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
to be a wrestler.
Death
Training for another Olympic bid and coaching the private Team Foxcatcher squad in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, Dave Schultz was shot and killed on January 26, 1996, by the team's sponsor, John E. du PontJohn Eleuthère du Pont
John Eleuthère duPont was an American multimillionaire and member of the prominent du Pont family who was convicted of murder in the third degree...
. A member of the Du Pont family
Du Pont family
The Du Pont family is an American family descended from Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours . The son of a Paris watchmaker and a member of a Burgundian noble family, he and his sons, Victor Marie du Pont and Eleuthère Irénée du Pont, emigrated to the United States in 1800 and used the resources of...
, du Pont had exhibited bizarre and threatening behavior preceding the murder. At the trial, neither the prosecution nor the defense suggested a motivation for the crime. A jury rejected du Pont's request to be found not guilty by reason of insanity, and he was found guilty but mentally ill. Du Pont was sentenced by Judge Patricia Jenkins to 13–30 years incarceration and died in jail on December 9, 2010. Schultz's father, Philip, told the New York Times that "the fact that he's officially gone is almost a moot point. I did forgive the man for what he did. I never forgave the act."
Schultz was 36 at the time of his death. His body was cremated. Schultz's surviving family included his wife, Nancy; his son, Alexander; his daughter, Danielle; all his siblings; and both parents. In 1997, he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.
Legacy
After Schultz's murder, 20 former Foxcatcher athletes were left without training or coaching resources only six months before the 1996 Olympic Games1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. Schultz's widow founded the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club in March 1996 to sponsor the stranded wrestlers through the Olympics. The Club succeeded beyond its initial short-term projection and continued to train athletes in both men's and women's freestyle
Freestyle wrestling
Freestyle wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practised throughout the world. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. It is, along with track and field, one of the oldest organized sports in history...
and Greco-Roman
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
wrestling until its closure in 2005. Among the wrestlers who competed under Dave Schultz WC sponsorship were Olympic gold medalists Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
(100 kg/220 lbs Men's Freestyle, 1996) and Brandon Slay
Brandon Slay
Brandon Slay won an Olympic gold medal for the United States in wrestling. Slay currently is the Assistant National Freestyle Coach and National Freestyle Resident Coach for USA wrestling, stationed at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.-High school Years:He graduated from Tascosa...
(76 kg/167.5 lbs Men's Freestyle, 2000), Olympic bronze medalist Patricia Miranda
Patricia Miranda
Patricia Noriko Miranda is the first American woman in Olympic history to receive a medal in woman's wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics games in Athens, Greece...
(48 kg/105.5 lbs Women's Freestyle, 2004), and World Champion Stephen Neal
Stephen Neal
Stephen Matthew Neal is a former American football guard who played his entire career for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He is a former national champion amateur and collegiate wrestler at Cal State-Bakersfield...
(130 kg/286 lbs. Men's Freestyle, 1999).
Since Schultz's death USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling is the organization that currently governs freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling in the United States...
has hosted the annual Dave Schultz Memorial International wrestling meet at the United States Olympic Training Center
United States Olympic Training Center
The United States Olympic Training Centers are three campuses created by the United States Olympic Committee as training facilities for its Olympic and Paralympic athletes. They are located in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Lake Placid, New York; and Chula Vista, California. There is a U.S. Olympic...
in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
.
Athletic achievements
- 1982 NCAANational Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I Champion, 167 lb class - 1983 Senior Freestyle world champion, 163 lb
- 1984 Olympic gold medalist, 163.1 lb
- 1986 Goodwill GamesGoodwill GamesThe Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
gold medalist - 1994 Goodwill GamesGoodwill GamesThe Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
silver medalist - Seven-time USA Senior Freestyle champion (1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995; all except 1988 (180.5 lb) at 163 lb)
- Five-time World Cup champion (1980, 1982, 1985, 1994, 1995)
- Two-time Pan American GamesPan American GamesThe Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
champion (1977 (Greco-Roman), 1987(Freestyle)) - Three-time AAU National Champion (1977 GR, 1981 FS, 1982 GR)
- Three-time NCAA Division I all-American (1978, 1981, 1982)
- Two-Time Tbilisi Champion (1984, 1991)
- Two-time Olympic Festival Champion (1985, 1987)
- Two-time Sunkist International Champion (1989, 1990)
- Three-time DeGlane Challenge Champion (1983, 1990, 1991)
- Three-time World silver medalist, 163 lb (1985, 1987, 1993)
- Two-time World Bronze medalist (1982, 1986)
Sources/External links
- Dave Schultz at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Palo Alto Weekly obituary, with recollections of Schultz as a youth - January 31, 1996
- Washington Post obituary
- Sports Illustrated article by Rick ReillyRick ReillyRichard "Rick" Paul Reilly is an American sportswriter. Long known for being the "back page" columnist for Sports Illustrated, Reilly moved to ESPN on June 1, 2008 where he is a featured columnist for ESPN.com and wrote the back page column for ESPN the Magazine...
on the 1996 U.S. Olympic wrestling team drawing inspiration from the memory of Dave Schultz and the presence of his wife and children at the Atlanta Games