// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Fred Fozzard? Fozzard-ly famous.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | June 14, 1945 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home town | Portland, Oregon, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Wrestling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Events | Freestyle and Folkstyle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | Oklahoma State | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | USA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Myron Roderick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fred Fozzard (born June 14, 1945) is an American former freestyle and folkstyle wrestler. He won a freestyle World Championship at the 1969 World Championships at 82 kg, becoming the first American wrestler to win a World Championship. He also placed fifth at the 1970 World Championships at 82 kg. As a college wrestler, Fozzard was a three-time All-American and 1967 NCAA wrestling champion at Oklahoma State.
In 2012, Fozzard was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Fozzard was stricken with polio at the age of two, but overcame the disability through hard work and determination. He attended Marshall High School in Portland, Oregon. As a high school wrestler, he was a two-time Oregon state champion.[2] He then attended Oklahoma State, where he was a three-time All-American and NCAA wrestling champion in 1967.[3] He also would help Oklahoma State win two team NCAA championships, winning in 1966 and 1968.
Freestyle wrestling career
[edit]In 1969, Fozzard became the first American to win a World Championship, winning gold at the 1969 World Championships as a freestyle wrestler in Mar Del Plata, Argentina.[4] He was one of two American freestyle wrestlers to win a World Championship in 1969, alongside Rick Sanders. He followed that up with a fifth-place finish at the 1970 World Championships in Edmonton, Canada.[5]
References
[edit]- ↑ Fred Fozzard. nwhof.org. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ↑ Sanders, Fozzard to be honored. oregonlive.com. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ↑ Fred Fozzard - All-Americans. nwhof.org. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
- ↑ Slater, Anthony. (June 2, 2012). National Wrestling Hall of Fame: Former OSU wrestler Fred Fozzard calls Anthony Robles his hero. The Oklahoman. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
- ↑ Fozzard to Be Inducted Into Wrestling Hall of Fame. flowrestling.org. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
