Earl McCready
![]() Earl McCready | ||
Medal record | ||
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Men's Freestyle wrestling | ||
British Empire Games | ||
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1930 Hamilton | Heavyweight |
Earl Gray McCready (June 5, 1905 – December 9, 1983) was a Canadian amateur wrestler. McCready competed in the U.S. for Oklahoma State University in folkstyle, and as a freestyle sport wrestler who competed for Canada in the 1928 Summer Olympics. Later in life he became a pro wrestler.
Early life
He was born in Lansdowne, Ontario, and died in Seattle, Washington, United States.
Amateur wrestling
In 1928 he finished sixth in the Olympic Freestyle Heavyweight Tournament.
At the 1930 Empire Games he won the gold medal in the heavyweight class.
McCready attracted the attention of Oklahoma State wrestling coaches when he defeated their heavyweight at a 1926 tournament in Canada. McCready came to the Stillwater, Oklahoma college, where he played football and wrestled. In three years of wrestling varsity, the 5'11", 238-pound McCready was 25-0, with all but three of his victories by pin.
As an Oklahoma State Cowboy, McCready won three NCAA heavyweight titles (1928-1930), becoming the first three-time NCAA champion at any weight. He was also the first foreign-born NCAA wrestling champ. He is one of only two collegiate wrestlers with three NCAA titles to win all three of his finals matches by pin (the other being Dan Hodge of the University of Oklahoma, 177-pound champ, 1955-1957). McCready still owns the record fastest fall in an NCAA final, pinning Ralph Freese of the University of Kansas in just nineteen seconds at the very first NCAA wrestling championship in 1928.
Professional wrestling career
McCready worked for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling during the 50s.[1]
Championships and accomplishments
- Dominion Wrestling Union
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA British Empire Heavyweight Championship (Toronto version) (3 times, first)[3]
- NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship (San Francisco version) (1 time)[4]
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2016, "Pioneer" category[5]
- Stampede Wrestling
- Other titles:
- Canadian Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[7]
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2000[8]
References
- ^ Oliver, Greg (March 18, 2016). "SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Earl McCready". Slam! Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer.
- ^ "British Empire/Commonwealth Heavyweight Title (New Zealand)". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
- ^ "British Empire Heavyweight Title (Toronto)". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
- ^ "N.W.A. Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title (San Francisco)". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
- ^ "PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME MOVING FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK TO TEXAS". PWInsider. November 20, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
- ^ "Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1948-1990)". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
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(help) - ^ "Canadian Heavyweight Title". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
- ^ Oliver, Greg (March 18, 2016). "SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Earl McCready". Slam! Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer.
External links
- Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Earl McCready". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2012-10-24.
- 1905 births
- 1983 deaths
- Olympic wrestlers of Canada
- Wrestlers at the 1928 Summer Olympics
- Canadian male sport wrestlers
- Wrestlers at the 1930 British Empire Games
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Canada
- Canadian male professional wrestlers
- Professional wrestlers who competed in the Olympics
- Professional wrestlers from Ontario
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- People from Leeds and Grenville United Counties
- Commonwealth Games medallists in wrestling
- Canadian players of American football
- Oklahoma State Cowboys football players
- Oklahoma State Cowboys wrestlers
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
- Canadian sport wrestler stubs