National Wrestling Hall of Fame

LATINO WRESTLING EXPERIENCE NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM | 15 The year 1958 saw two Spanish- surnamed individuals with Oklahoma ties achieve important milestones in wrestling, helping open paths for future Latino grapplers and coaches. These men were Morey Villareal, coach of Rogers High School in Tulsa who led his squad to the state title and Richard Delgado, an All- American for the University of Oklahoma who defeated cross-state rival Bobby Taylor of Oklahoma State University to win the NCAA title at 115 pounds. That these two men would earn such recognition in the Sooner State in an era where few Hispanics even graduated from high school, provides insight into the capability of sport to effectively challenge stereotypes about the abilities of ethnic minorities. It is not a stretch to argue that, as of 2013, Dick Delgado is still considered one of the greatest wrestlers in the long and storied history of the Sooner mat program. Richard "Dick" Delgado was born in National City, Calif., on June 8, 1931. He attended San Diego High School, and began his wrestling career in the 10th grade under the tutelage of Coach Frank M. Crosby. It did not take long for his talent to shine through, as he earned first place in the Junior Pacific AAU event, and finished third in the San Diego Regional Olympic tryouts in 1948. In 1949, he finished third in the state at 112 pounds. and was state champion in 1950 weighing 121. His overall record while at SDHS was 35-4. In addition, by the time he finished his high school career, Delgado had already laid claim to a national title, winning AAU Junior Nationals in 1950. Success on the mat continued during his stint in the U.S. Navy (1950-1954), as he tallied other honors such as another three National AAU crowns, two in freestyle and one in Greco-Roman. Delgado also traveled to Japan, where he finished the tour with a record of 8 -1. Delgado's tremendous mat success while serving his country attracted the attention of legendary University of Oklahoma Coach Port Robertson, who brought the young Mexican American to landlocked Norman. Robertson's investment of a scholarship was amply rewarded during Delgado's tenure at OU. Among the accolades he won were: Big Seven Conference champion in 1956 and 1957, and a Big Eight crown in 1958, all at 123 lbs. Delgado garnered All-America status three times during his career; finishing third in 1956 and winning NCAA titles in 1957 and 1958. His pin of Bill Hulings of the University of Pittsburgh sealed the team title for the Sooners in 1957, the third and final title for a Robertson-led Sooner team. In 1958, Delgado was voted the NCAA's Outstanding Wrestler. While raking up collegiate awards, he also continued his dominance in the AAU with national titles in 1956 and 1957, and second-place finishes in 1958, 1959 and 1960. Another great honor was his selection to the 1956 U.S. Olympic team that competed in Melbourne, Australia (finishing fifth). Finally, Delgado has another connection to a Latino involved in wrestling, as he earned the 1958 Manuel Gorriaran, Sr. Award for most falls, named in honor of a legendary, Cuban-born, supporter of collegiate and Olympic wrestling. His final Sooner record is 38-5, a winning percentage of .884. During his time at OU, Delgado married his wife June, though they eventually divorced. The marriage produced three sons, Samuel, Michael and John, who were then adopted by June's new husband; thus all of Dick's children carry the surname of Gimple. After finishing his mat career in 1960, Delgado began a long career as a coach, spending time in Kansas before moving back to California and continuing to lead mat programs at Saint Augustine High School, his alma-mater, San Diego High School, and El Cajon Valley High School. He retired in the mid- 1980s and died on July 3, 1991. Among his posthumous honors are: entrée into the California Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003 and induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011. The career of Richard "Dick" Delgado was certainly path-breaking. Serving his country in the military, he earned national and international distinction even before commencing his collegiate career. Then, as a member of the powerful Oklahoma Sooners, he won multiple national titles and was part of a national championship squad. After that, he became a coach in a part of the country where, during the early 1960s, there were few Latino role models to be found. Finally, he returned to his hometown to mentor the next generation of grapplers from southern California. In summary, Richard lived a full and rewarding life; his accomplishments are best summarized by one of his Sooner teammates, Ambassador Edwin G. Corr in his letter nominating Delgado for the Hall of Fame: "Dick was one of the first great Hispanics of American wrestling. He prepared the way for other Hispanic and minority wrestlers, but has not achieved the recognition that other great minority wrestlers have. I believe that this should be corrected by Dick's induction into the National Hall of Fame. His six national championships, selection as the Outstanding Wrestler in the 1958 NCAA tournament, and an Olympian merit his selection." RICHARD "DICK" DELGADO Wrestled 1956-1958 University of Oklahoma 112/115lbs // 125lbs

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