National Wrestling Hall of Fame

LATINO WRESTLING EXPERIENCE NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM | 59 One of the most violent and infamous race riots in United States history began in Tulsa, Okla. in late May of 1921. Sparked by a claim that a white female had been "insulted" by a black shoeshine man, the resulting mayhem left, officially, around 40 individuals dead, hundreds wounded -- most of them black -- and an area referred to as the "Negro Wall Street (the Greenwood district)" devastated. Among the witnesses to these events was the Villareal family, who owned and operated a grocery in the vicinity and offered help to African Americans during the riot. At the head of this family were Marciano and Josephine Villareal, immigrants from Barcelona, Spain and Mexico City. One of their children, Morey, became one of the earliest Latinos to earn first team All-America status (at 135 lbs.) in collegiate wrestling. The racism witnessed in 1921 was never far from the life, both in school or on the field of athletic competition, for young Morey. Initially, he was not allowed to compete on the Tulsa Central High School football team simply because "Mexicans" were not supposed to play a sport that was only for white athletes. Morey overcame many challenges to play varsity football and win the Oklahoma Welterweight Golden Gloves. He also won the state wrestling championship in his weight division during his senior year of 1933. While it was very unusual for an individual of Spanish-surnamed descent to graduate from high school during this era, it was even more extraordinary for him to receive an offer of an athletic scholarship. His athletic successes, however, led to an offer from Central Oklahoma. Villareal quickly made his mark in Edmond as he garnered All America honors at 135 pounds in 1936 and 1937. In addition to his achievements on the mat, Morey earned his bachelor's in education in 1937. That same year, he married Martha Lou Haney and the couple had six children. With the coming of World War II, Morey enlisted in the United States Navy and served his country as a Chief Training Officer. Not surprisingly, he taught Navy cadets wrestling, hand-to-hand combat, and martial arts. He completed his military service in 1946 and began to look for work in teaching and coaching, the fields he had always loved. His first assignments were in Belen, New Mexico and, later, in Beverly, Kansas as head football and basketball coach. While he enjoyed working in education, Morey believed that he could earn a better living in business. He earned a Master's in Education Administration from the University of Tulsa. Still, the classroom and athletics called to him and he ultimately accepted the position of head wrestling coach at Tulsa Rogers High School in 1955. Villareal's teams excelled on the mat year after year. In 1958, his wrestlers won the state wrestling championship, the first and only title in the history of the school. For these achievements and many others to follow, Morey was named Oklahoma High School Wrestling Coach-of-the-Year in 1959 and again in 1969. Among Villareal's other notable accomplishments were being selected to coach the Oklahoma All-Star Wrestlers against the Japanese Olympic team in 1968. In addition, he served as president of the Oklahoma Wrestling Association in 1957, 1958, and 1969-1971. He was named to the Oklahoma High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1973. Coach Villareal, the "Ole Fox" as his charges called him, retired in 1976. With all of his success, in 2005, Villareal garnered national recognition with a certificate of Congressional Recognition from Representative John Sullivan. He was honored by induction into the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1998. When Villareal passed away in September of 2006, the Tulsa newspaper included him in a section entitled "Lives Well Lived" dedicated to recalling the accomplishments of locals who had died that year. Morey overcame a great deal of doubt from many in Oklahoma by breaking down the existing barriers which kept Latinos from becoming both outstanding athletes and coaches. He challenged the hostility and racism that he witnessed firsthand in 1921 by being a diligent and effective student, a terrific athlete, teacher, coach, and family man. At the same time, he demonstrated to early 20th century whites that "Mexicans" should be permitted an opportunity to achieve based on their individual talents and efforts. MOREY W. VILLAREAL Wrestled 1936-1937 University of Central Oklahoma 135lbs

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