I would like to see everyones opinion on who they consider to be the most accomplished wrestler from kansas, period.
I am assuming Melvin Douglas, 2X Div.1 champ, would be near the top.

Pete Mehringer

The "Kansas Whirlwind". Born in Jetmore, KS!

I would vote...

Melvin Douglas - 4 Olympic and World Medals!

Pete Mehringer
Here is a short resume:
Self-Trained Kinsley High School Head Wrestling Coach
2 Time KSHSAA Champion (Hitch hiked to state tournament as a senior and still won)
Olympic Gold Medalist
NFL Player (3 years with St. Louis Browns and 1 year with AFL team Los Angeles Bulldogs)
Movie Actor (Extra in "Knute Rockne All-American" and stunt double in "Road to Zanzibar")
Professional Wrestler

I think that if he had the opportunities that are now available he could have been a force to reckon with. Heck if he had just had the ability to wrestle in college more than a year he would have wrestled in several Olympic Games.

On a side note, that darn Phog Allen isn't all he's talked up to be. He would not allow the sport of wrestling to last at KU.

I agree he has quite the resume, but was there even any competition in the sport of wrestling back then? If wrestling was back then, what it is today, maybe he would have been just an average wrestler.
If he were to have beat Melvin Douglas in college with no more experience than he had, then that would have been a real ACCOMPLISHMENT.

I think this year I am going to change my strategy, and have Tucker read books on wrestling 3 nights a week, and shadow wrestle. I'll keep everyone posted on our results.lol

"Olympic Gold Medalist" is all I need to know about the level of competition he faced.

I guess for that time in the United States wrestling career, that is a great accomplishment, but nobody today, no matter how natural you are to the sport of wrestling, is going to read a book and become an olympic gold medalist two years later. jmo

Even in those days competition in the Olympics was international. Was it as competitive as today and were the athletes trained as well as they are today?
No, but for the time it was as good as it there was.

Would Mehringer be the "stud" today he was then? No
Would he be a "stud" with today's training and techniques? Absolutely.

The man was an outstanding natural athlete; one of the best, in the world, in his day.

Hey Tyson, Don't underestimate the importance of visualization and shadow wrestling. I think that is one of the best ways to program your brain to wrestle on autopilot. I agree though...I'm not sure anyone could self teach themselves to a gold medal in the Olympics now...or even the NCAAs.

I gotta go with Douglas being the best to come out of the state.

You make the argument for Pete Mehringer being the best ever to come out of the state of Kansas by saying you don't know of anyone who could read a book and become a great wrestler and, in fact, an Olympic Gold Medalist a few years later.
He didn't just read a book and become an Olympic champion anyway. It took at least 6-7 years before he reached this milestone.

There is always more to the story than just the legend. He was a great all-around athlete and if you win an Olympic Gold in wrestling in any era, you are a stud, especially at the light heavyweight division. Saying Mehringer couldn't compete in this era is like saying Jesse Owens couldn't compete in this era-- I am not buying it.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Movies/2008/08/09/6400111.html

Melvin Douglas...hands down