TAKE WRESTLING OUT OF THE OLYMPICS?!
by Peter Vuono
     February 13 newspaper reports state that the International Olympic Committee in it's infinite wisdom has decided to take wrestling out of the Olympics by the year 2020. Wrestling is perhaps the oldest known sport. In Kyafaje, Iraq, a city near Baghdad, a bronze statuette of a wrestler  was found that was Sumerian made. The statuette dated back 4800 years. In Egypt there are paintings of wrestlers on the temple of the monarch Beni Hasan XVII dating back 4850 BC. The philosopher Plutarch regarded wrestling as the most artistic and requiring of skill of all Greek sports. Greek myths are abound with titanic wrestling matches between Hercules and Antaeus, Hercules and Achelous and Ajax and Ulysses.
     Sumo wrestling dates back to 24 BC and the great Indian wrestlers known as pahlewans( "Champions" or "Strong Men") are a big part of Indian history and culture. George Washington, who was 6'2" and weighed 215 was an outstanding wrestler as was Abe Lincoln who defeated the Louisiana champion, Jack Armstrong. Lincoln was the first to establish wrestling in the armed forces as part of physical training and self defense. Other presidents who wrestled were Teddy Roosevelt(Sumo), U.S. Grant, Zachary Taylor and William H. Taft.
     Too many pro wrestlers than can be mentioned have strong backgrounds in college style wrestling. Among them Chris Taylor and Kurt Angle were medal winners with a Bronze for Chris and Gold for Kurt.In the 50's and 60's Wee Willie Davis, Nat Pendleton, Gorgeous George and Man Mountain Dean were houshold names as much as Hulk Hogan, Bruno Sammartino, Ric Flair and The Rock are now.
     Wrestling is the only sport mentioned in the bible. In the book of Genesis the story is told of Jacob wrestling with an angel. It also mentions that the first woman Eve, "Wrestled with her conscience" after being tempted. Perhaps the IOC should do the same.