William Smith (wrestler) explained

William T. "Bill" Smith (September 17, 1928 – March 20, 2018)^[1] was an American wrestler and Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling at the 1952 Olympic Games.

Smith was born in Portland, Oregon and graduated from Thomas Jefferson Senior High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa.^[2] He then enrolled at Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa), where Smith won back-to-back NCAA wrestling titles at 165 pounds in 1949 and 1950. As a team, Iowa State Teachers College finished as NCAA Runners-Up in 1949 and NCAA Champions in 1950. He also won three Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) national titles.^[3] In 1978, Smith was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.^[4] Thomas Jefferson High School dedicated their Wrestling room shortly after they rebuilt their Activities Center Building in 2008. Smith died on March 20, 2018, at the age of 89. Intermat Wrestling website posted an article on Smith citing his accomplishments.^[5]

Olympics

Smith competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki where he received a gold medal in Freestyle wrestling, competing in the welterweight class.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Olympic champion, T.J. Grad Bill Smith dies at 89. 20 March 2018 .
2. Web site: Notable Oregonians. All-Oregon. 2008-12-25.
3. Web site: Bill Smith, University of Northern Iowa. Des Moines Register. 2014-02-25.
4. https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame/bio/31 William Smith
5. Web site: Olympic gold medalist, NCAA champ Bill Smith passes. Palmer. Mark. March 21, 2018. InterMat Wrestle.
6. http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=13&sp=WRE "1952 Summer Olympics – Helsinki, Finland – Wrestling"