Richard Sanders (wrestler)

Richard ("Rick") Sanders (January 20 1945 – October 18 1972) was an Olympic wrestler from the United States. He won a silver medal in both the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, the flyweight division, and the 1972 Munich Olympic Games in Germany in the bantamweight division. [" [http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=SANDERIC01] "] Both medals were won in freestyle wrestling. After the Munich Olympics, he was killed on October 18, 1972 while hitch-hiking to Greece when a Land Rover he was riding in hit a bus head-on in Yugoslavia [http://www.aafla.org/OlympicInformationCenter/OlympicReview/1973/ore62/ore62y.pdf] .

From the National Wrestling Division II Hall of Fame: Rick won three Oregon State Championships wrestling for Lincoln High School in Portland. His high school record was 80-1. When Rick arrived at Portland State University, he quickly led his team to national prominence. As a freshman he highlighted an undefeated season by winning the 1965 NAIA National Championships at 115 pounds and earned the Outstanding Wrestler Award. As a sophomore Rick lost the first match of his career when he moved up to the 123 pound class and placed third in the NCAA College Division Nationals. Two weeks later he dropped down to the 115 pound class and won the 1966 NCAA University Division National Championship. As a junior Rick had a perfect season going undefeated and winning both the 1967 NCAA College and University Division National Championships at 115 pounds. He was selected as the Outstanding Wrestler in both meets. As a senior Rick moved up to the 123 pound class and went undefeated during the regular season. He won his second NCAA College Division National Championship and was again selected as the Outstanding Wrestler. Two weeks later at the NCAA University Division Nationals, Rick lost for only the second time in his collegiate career when he placed second. His total collegiate record was 103-2. He led his Portland State team to a first place finish in the 1967 NCAA College Division Nationals, a second place finish in 1968, and a third place finish in 1967. The same three years Portland State also finished fifth, sixth, and eighth in the NCAA University Division Nationals. Rick is the only collegiate wrestler to win National Championships in the NAIA, NCAA College Division, and the NCAA University Division, and be outstanding wrestler in each.

As early as his freshman year in college, in 1965, Rick won his first of five national freestyle championships and made the U.S. World Team. In 1966 he placed third in the World Championships, in 1967 he placed second in the World, and won the Pan American Games. In 1968, Rick won an Olympic Silver Medal for the U.S.A. A year later, at 114.5 pounds, Rick became the first American ever to win a World Championship. He returned to the Olympics in 1972 and captured another Silver Medal. Of the eleven bouts, he won in two Olympics, nine came by fall. But suddenly, Rick was gone. He was killed in an automobile accident on October 18, 1972 in Yugoslavia while touring Europe after the Olympic Games in Munich.

Trivia

*The only man to ever shut out Dan Gable in a match.
*Won 6-0 in an open freestyle wrestling tournament.

References