Bobby Weaver
Encyclopedia
Robert Brooks Weaver, Sr. (born on December 29, 1958) was a freestyle wrestler
who won a gold medal at 48 kg (105.5 pounds) at the 1984 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles
. He also won a silver medal at the 1979 world championships and was a member of the 1984 Olympic team that boycotted the Moscow Olympics.
state high school titles while competing for Easton Area High School in Easton, Pennsylvania
. He won in 1975 and 1976 at the 98-pound weight class and in 1977 at the 105-pound weight class. In 1977 Weaver participated in the Dapper Dan Classic, which features the Pennsylvania all-stars against a national team, and won by a fall in 0:50. He graduated from Easton in 1977 and spent a post-graduate year at Blair Academy
, in Blairstown, New Jersey. At Blair he won the National Prep School Championship and the Outstanding Wrestler trophy.
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
in the fall of 1978. Competing in college was a challenge for Weaver since the lightest NCAA weight class was 118 pounds, well above his freestyle weight class of 105.5 pounds. He red shirted
as a freshman at Lehigh and saw little action the following season. However, the next three seasons was a starter for Lehigh at 118 pounds. He won conference titles in 1982 and 1983 and finished third in the 1982 NCAA Division I tournament. He finished his career at Lehigh with a record of 57-14-3 with 16 falls.
. Prior to his triumph in Los Angeles, Weaver had won six national freestyle championships, two FILA
World Cup gold medals, two World Cup silver medals, gold medals in tournaments in Germany, Poland and Cuba and a silver medal at the demand freestyle tournament in Tbilisi
.
Weaver was a flamboyant winner, especially when he won by pin
. He was known to jump up and down and do somersaults in the air, particularly when he pinned 1976 Olympian William Rosado for the 1980 team berth and when he pinned Takashi Irie in the 1984 48 kg Olympic finals. Following his win in 1984, he circled the arena several times with his young son, Bobby Jr., in his arms.
Weaver was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
in 2008. He missed the ceremonies because of a serious illness, but was able to attend the following year.
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
who won a gold medal at 48 kg (105.5 pounds) at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He also won a silver medal at the 1979 world championships and was a member of the 1984 Olympic team that boycotted the Moscow Olympics.
High School
Weaver, who began wrestling at the age of six, won three PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
state high school titles while competing for Easton Area High School in Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
. He won in 1975 and 1976 at the 98-pound weight class and in 1977 at the 105-pound weight class. In 1977 Weaver participated in the Dapper Dan Classic, which features the Pennsylvania all-stars against a national team, and won by a fall in 0:50. He graduated from Easton in 1977 and spent a post-graduate year at Blair Academy
Blair Academy
Blair Academy is a private, coeducational, secondary boarding high school with an enrollment of about 448 students for grades nine through twelve. The school has 78 faculty members...
, in Blairstown, New Jersey. At Blair he won the National Prep School Championship and the Outstanding Wrestler trophy.
College
Weaver matriculated at Lehigh UniversityLehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
in the fall of 1978. Competing in college was a challenge for Weaver since the lightest NCAA weight class was 118 pounds, well above his freestyle weight class of 105.5 pounds. He red shirted
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
as a freshman at Lehigh and saw little action the following season. However, the next three seasons was a starter for Lehigh at 118 pounds. He won conference titles in 1982 and 1983 and finished third in the 1982 NCAA Division I tournament. He finished his career at Lehigh with a record of 57-14-3 with 16 falls.
Freestyle
Weaver began competing in freestyle while still in high school. He caused a sensation at the 1976 Olympic trials when he pinned his first eight opponents. He eventually ended up as the alternate on the Olympic team. The just two years out of high school, Weaver finished second at the 1979 world championships in San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. Prior to his triumph in Los Angeles, Weaver had won six national freestyle championships, two FILA
Fila
Fila or FILA may refer to:*Fila , a South Korean sportswear manufacturer* Fila , an island of Vanuatu*Fila, Iran, a village in Lorestan Province...
World Cup gold medals, two World Cup silver medals, gold medals in tournaments in Germany, Poland and Cuba and a silver medal at the demand freestyle tournament in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
.
Weaver was a flamboyant winner, especially when he won by pin
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
. He was known to jump up and down and do somersaults in the air, particularly when he pinned 1976 Olympian William Rosado for the 1980 team berth and when he pinned Takashi Irie in the 1984 48 kg Olympic finals. Following his win in 1984, he circled the arena several times with his young son, Bobby Jr., in his arms.
Weaver was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on the campus of Oklahoma State University. The museum opened on September 11, 1976...
in 2008. He missed the ceremonies because of a serious illness, but was able to attend the following year.