IWHOF News Articles

What a fun day at the IWHOF! We got to hear stories of Susan’s (right) uncle Jinx Durfey. As a CHS Spartan, Jinx was a 1927 state champ at 85 lbs, 1928 2nd place champ at 95 lbs and 1929 state champ at 105 lbs. It was fun to hear about the early years in Cresco.

What do you do when you meet up with friends for your annual fishing trip? Visit the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame! Always fun to meet new wrestling fans and coaches to the Hall. Thanks, Brandon, Herbie, and Chris for making the IWHOF one of your stops along the way.

What a fun day at the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame! Thanks to the Durkin and Seifert families from Illinois for stopping in. We really enjoyed your visit and hope you stop back again. Check out those young wrestlers in the picture!

What a fun day visiting with Gene Frank (yes, related to 2003 Hall of Fame Inductee, Joe Frank). Gene wrestled for Cresco High School and Iowa State University  where he placed 3rd at 177lbs for the 1957 3rd place ISU team.  Thanks for stopping by and sharing your stories with us. We hope you come back this summer!

The Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame welcomed a new friend to the Hall on Tuesday, April 22, 2021. Kyle Klingman, Dan Gable Museum Director, brought writer, Andy Hamilton to the IWHOF for the first time and we had lots of fun talking wrestling. We hope this isn’t the last time we get to visit!

Check out the IWHOF Facebook Page at Iowawhof.

As we celebrate Black History Month, we are recognizing
some of the many wrestlers who have made a significant impact.

We are especially proud of our IWHOF Inductees; Simon O. Roberts,
Dr. Jason Smith, Stewart Carter and Mike VanArsdale.
#thisiswhatawrestlerlookslike  #SportForAll
#iowawrestlinghalloffame

The IWHOF Board regrets to announce the 2021 Border Battle is canceled.
Please join us in 2022.

The Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame Board regrets to announce the 2021 IWHOF Banquet & Induction Ceremony is canceled.
We look forward to celebrating in 2022.

It’s always a treat when Cresco wrestling fans bring family to the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame. Thanks to Jerome & Norma Hruska for stopping by with daughter Cindy to take a tour of the Hall of Fame.

Of course, Jerome’s forgotten more about wrestling than we will ever know.
Hruska was a three-time State Qualifier at Cresco High School. He was the Southwestern Community College wrestling head coach from 1967-68, and he was the head coach at Creston High School from 1969-79, where he compiled a 100-13-2 dual record. He also coached 38 State Tournament Qualifiers, including 19 State place winners at Creston.
Coach Hruska is credited for setting the tone of hard work, dedication, excellence, and high expectations into the Panther Wrestling Program and was in the first Induction Class of the Creston Wrestling Hall of Fame. Thanks to one of our favorite IWHOF Board Members for stopping by!

What do two hunters from Utah do on their down time while in Cresco?
Visit the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame, of course.

Taking a break, these four stopped in to talk wrestling. Thanks Caleb & Jeremy Lienhard and new friends Kerry & Rusty Farnsworth for the visit.

Say ‘hello’ to your cousin, Cael Sanderson, next time you see him and let him know we have his autograph here at the IWHOF!

On December 7, 2020 the first wrestler in history, legendary Dan Gable, was
awarded the Medal of Freedom.

Congratulations Dan as you join another legendary Iowan and Cresco native,
Dr. Norman Borlaug, as a medal recipient. Find out more about IWHOF Inductee
and Selection Committee member Dan Gable here.

A fun day at the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame when Raymond Hassman stopped in for a visit. Raymond is a brother to Inductee Gordon Hassman and we got to hear some good stories along the tour. We even found out Maynard “Spade” Harman was Raymond’s 8th grade teacher!

On his way to visit his father, we wanted to give an IWHOF shout-out to Raymond & Gordon’s father, Paul Hassman, New Hampton, Iowa’s first state wrestling champion and 106 year old resident. Thanks for the visit, Raymond, come back soon.

Wrestling fans, James & Jean, took a break from their Freedom Rock tour to check out the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame.
During the tour, James spied his relative, Inductee Larry Hayes.
Thanks for stopping by the IWHOF during your Thanksgiving break.
Stay safe out there and hope to see you back soon.

On a beautiful day in Iowa, Laura and Dick Mattoon drove all the way from Ankeny to visit the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in Cresco.
Laura is the mother of Kevin Dresser, head coach of the Iowa State University wrestling program. They were here in 2014 when Dresser was inducted into the IWHOF. We had a nice visit and heard some new stories about our native born Iowans in the Hall of Fame.