Robin Reed
Encyclopedia
Robin Reed is considered among the greatest amateur wrestlers in the history of the sport. Throughout his career he never lost a wrestling match, official or unofficial, to anyone at any weight class. He was known for winning a gold medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics
, leading Oregon State
to its first team national championship, and for consistently wrestling in the 170 pound weight division despite his actual weight being close to 140.
, but first took up wrestling at Portland
's Franklin High School
, where he took the class in order to get out of having to take gym. He is quoted as saying: "I needed gymnasium credits to graduate from high school, but I didn't want any gym because I was already getting all the exercise I needed operating an air hammer at the shipyards. I was only 125 pounds and could barely hold onto that air hammer, so I was getting all the gym I needed." He learned quickly and dominated the competition, going undefeated throughout his time there.
After high school he attended Oregon State University
(then known as Oregon Agricultural College), and won every match he was in, winning the 125-pound National AAU
championship in 1921 and the 135-pound championship in 1922 and 1924 (He failed to win a title in 1923, despite winning every match he was in). While still a student at Oregon State, he coached the local Corvallis High School wrestling team to win the state championship.
(He still beat him, however, despite not being able to pin him).
While hitch-hiking from his home in Oregon to New York City in 1924 to join the U. S. Olympic team, Reed stopped at Iowa State University to work out, but was refused permission. He asked the coach if he could work out if he first pinned every member of the wrestling team. The coach agreed. Reed proceeded to pin every Iowa State wrestler and he got his workout.
During practice for the Olympics in Paris, Reed bet he could pin Harry Steel, the U. S. heavyweight champion and eventual gold medal winner in that weight class. He not only pinned Steel, but he did it five times in fifteen minutes.
At the Olympics, he entered the 134.5 pound weight class (the second lowest) and pinned every single one of his opponents, including fellow Oregon State
teammate Chester Newton
in the finals. The United States team ended up getting gold in 3 other weight categories, including heavyweight, so it is widely believed that if the rules had permitted it, Robin could have won the gold medal in every weight class.
While still a student there, he became coach of the Oregon State varsity team
, and led them to win the national AAU championship in 1926, Oregon State's first team national championship in any sport.
In late 1926 he became a professional wrestler, a career he would follow for 10 years. In 1936, he went into the real estate business and built a house in Lincoln City
, on the Oregon Coast, where he would reside until he died in 1978.
He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1978.
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...
, leading Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers wrestling
The Oregon State Beavers wrestling program was established in 1909, competing in collegiate wrestling across 92 seasons since then. Traditionally a national powerhouse, the Beavers won the Amateur Athletic Union national championship in 1926 and have won their conference championship 47 times...
to its first team national championship, and for consistently wrestling in the 170 pound weight division despite his actual weight being close to 140.
Early years
Reed was born in Pettigrew, ArkansasArkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, but first took up wrestling at Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
's Franklin High School
Franklin High School (Oregon)
Benjamin Franklin High School is a public high school in Portland, Oregon, United States. Franklin is located in central southeast Portland in the South Tabor neighborhood, at the foot of Mt. Tabor.-History:...
, where he took the class in order to get out of having to take gym. He is quoted as saying: "I needed gymnasium credits to graduate from high school, but I didn't want any gym because I was already getting all the exercise I needed operating an air hammer at the shipyards. I was only 125 pounds and could barely hold onto that air hammer, so I was getting all the gym I needed." He learned quickly and dominated the competition, going undefeated throughout his time there.
After high school he attended Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
(then known as Oregon Agricultural College), and won every match he was in, winning the 125-pound National AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
championship in 1921 and the 135-pound championship in 1922 and 1924 (He failed to win a title in 1923, despite winning every match he was in). While still a student at Oregon State, he coached the local Corvallis High School wrestling team to win the state championship.
Olympics
While still attending Oregon State, Robin participated in the 1924 Pacific Northwest Olympic team trials. He entered the 145.5, 158.5, 174.0, and 192.0 pound weight classes, and won them all. He made the Olympic team, and on the boat trip to Europe he had unofficial matches against every other member of the United States team. It was widely known that he had the ability to pin every member of the team, and on this occasion he nearly accomplished that, pinning 12 out the 13 of them, all but the person who would become the gold medalist at heavyweight that year, Harry SteelHarry Steel
Harry Steel was an American wrestler and olympic champion. He competed at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, where he received a gold medal in freestyle heavyweight. He did not make the US team at first, but the man who was supposed to go couldn't. Harry replaced him & won the gold medal.-References:...
(He still beat him, however, despite not being able to pin him).
While hitch-hiking from his home in Oregon to New York City in 1924 to join the U. S. Olympic team, Reed stopped at Iowa State University to work out, but was refused permission. He asked the coach if he could work out if he first pinned every member of the wrestling team. The coach agreed. Reed proceeded to pin every Iowa State wrestler and he got his workout.
During practice for the Olympics in Paris, Reed bet he could pin Harry Steel, the U. S. heavyweight champion and eventual gold medal winner in that weight class. He not only pinned Steel, but he did it five times in fifteen minutes.
At the Olympics, he entered the 134.5 pound weight class (the second lowest) and pinned every single one of his opponents, including fellow Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers wrestling
The Oregon State Beavers wrestling program was established in 1909, competing in collegiate wrestling across 92 seasons since then. Traditionally a national powerhouse, the Beavers won the Amateur Athletic Union national championship in 1926 and have won their conference championship 47 times...
teammate Chester Newton
Chester Newton
Chester William Newton was an Olympic wrestler for the United States. He won a silver medal in the featherweight...
in the finals. The United States team ended up getting gold in 3 other weight categories, including heavyweight, so it is widely believed that if the rules had permitted it, Robin could have won the gold medal in every weight class.
Retirement
Upon his return from the Olympics, Robin retired his amateur wrestling career having never lost a match- a feat unmatched by anyone else in the history of the sport other than Japan's Osamu WatanabeOsamu Watanabe
is a Japanese Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling. Born in 1940, he attended Chuo University during a time when they were viewed as one of Japan's dominant collegiate wrestling programs....
While still a student there, he became coach of the Oregon State varsity team
Oregon State Beavers wrestling
The Oregon State Beavers wrestling program was established in 1909, competing in collegiate wrestling across 92 seasons since then. Traditionally a national powerhouse, the Beavers won the Amateur Athletic Union national championship in 1926 and have won their conference championship 47 times...
, and led them to win the national AAU championship in 1926, Oregon State's first team national championship in any sport.
In late 1926 he became a professional wrestler, a career he would follow for 10 years. In 1936, he went into the real estate business and built a house in Lincoln City
Lincoln City, Oregon
Lincoln City is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It is named after the county. The population was 7,930 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, on the Oregon Coast, where he would reside until he died in 1978.
He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1978.