HELP! Football players that were once wrestlers

wrestlingcardking

hello forum members. I was hoping that some members could help me out. I used to collect cards like all of you until the mass production took my interest a bit. I am a wrestling coach and once I found that wrestlers had cards from Olympic issues and from the 1887 Allen and Ginter set, I got back into collecting. Now I am trying to research which famous people were wrestlers and collecting football cards of those who were wrestlers. I am trying to research their wrestling credentials and to motivate kids to come out for wrestling that normally would not.

example: I coached high school wrestling at Eureka High in california. It took mid way through his junior year but we got Rey Maualuga the middle linebacker from USC to come out and wrestle for us.

The old cards were great in having a little cartoon and speaking of the football players wrestling ability. The bowman cards from a few years ago had some good personal information.

Any help is appreciated. Anyone interested in my project is invited to look at www.myspace.com/wrestlingcardking to view much of my collection. There are over 500 scans of wrestling cards and I still have work to do.




Famous Wrestlers
This is a compilation from a variety of sources. Accuracy cannot be completely guaranteed. If you have any additions or corrections, please email missions1@aol.com. Thanks!

• Professional Football Players:
• Flozell Adams, OL (Dal), 2nd State Junior Year
• Chuck Amato, Coach (NC State) Easton, PA
• Dick Arrington, (Mia), 1965 3rd at HWT (Notre Dame)
• Art Baker- (Buf), NCAA Champion, 2nd African-American to win NCAA title
• Ronde Barber, SS (TB),
• Tiki Barber, RB (NYG),
• Walter Barnes, DL (Wa), SEC Champion in the 40s
• Harris Barton, OL (SF),
• Eric Bateman, OL (NYJ)
• Brad Benson, OL (NYG) PA State Champion
• Corey Bird, NJ State Champion
• Greg Boone, RB (Oak)
• Jeff Bostic, C (Wa), South Carolina State Champion
• Tedy Bruschi, LB (NE), Roseville, CA
• Bob Bruenig, LB (Dal)
• Teddy Bruschi, LB (NE)
• James Clark, Oregon State
• Tom Cousineau, LB (Cle) beat by Golic in semis 1975, 3rd Ohio State
• Tom (Jimbo) Covert, OT (Chi), PA State Champion
• Damien Covington, NJ State Champion?
• Roger Craig, RB (SF), Davenport, IA State Qualifier '78 Jr year
• Larry Csonka, RB (Mia),
• Curley Culp, DL (KC), 1967 NCAA Champion, 1st & 2nd AAU UNL
• Ken Dallifor, 2nd State 1977, 10 years in the NFL, Madison, MI
• Rob Davis, ST (GB),
• Joe DeCamillis, ST (Atl) 1988 All American Wyoming
• Dan Dierdorf, OL (StL), Canton, OH
• Scott Dierking, RB (NYJ), 1973 185 lbs
• Ruben Droughns, RB (Cle), Anaheim HS, CA
• Carl Edwards, (SD), 3x Maryland State Champ
• Donnie Edwards, LB (SD)
• Carl Ekren, SJSU
• Rob Essink
• Jim Everett, QB (LA),
• Mike Fanning, Notre Dame
• DeMarco Farr, DL (St.L)
• Ed Flanagan, OL (Det)
• Patrick Flannery, OL (Hou)
• Terrell Fletcher, RB (SD)
• Bill Fralic,OL (Atl), PA State Champion
• Doug "Bubba" France, OL (St.L) Ohio State finalist
• Alan Frude, 1966 5th at 152 lbs (Wyoming)
• Frank Garcia, OL (St.L), 2x Arizona State Champ
• Bill George (Chi) - "Intra Collegiate Champion" Waynesburg, PA ’46 185 lbs 2x 1st
• Charlie Getty, OL (KC), 1973 Penn State 5th College HWT, 2x AA
• John Gilmore, TE (Chi)
• Kevin Glover, OL (Det), Maryland State Finalist
• La'Roi Glover, DL (NO), 1992 2nd State CA
• Bob Golic, DL (Cle), 2x All-American Notre Dame, Beat Harold Smith
• Mike Golic, DL (Phi), St. Joseph HS Cleveland, OH 3rd State AAA 1981
• Darrien Gordon, DB (SD), 2x Oklahoma State Champ
• Scottie Graham, RB (Min), New York State Champion
• Tim Green, DL (Atl), New York State Champion 215 lbs
• Morlon Greenwood, LB (Hou), New York State Champion 215 lbs1996 Freeport HS
• Kelly Gregg, DL (Bal), Jr National Champion, 3x OK State Champ Edmond North 93-95
• Nick Greisen, LB (NYG), (wrestled Garrett Lowney)
• Archie Griffin, RB (Cin), Ohio
• Randy Grossman, TE (Pit),
• John Hannah, OL (NE),
• Nick Hardwick, OL (SD)
• John Hartunian
• Carlton Haselrig, OL (Pit), 3x NCAA D1 Champion, 3x NCAA D2 Champion
• Mike Heldt, OL
• Ron Heller, TE (Sea), 2x NY State Champion
• Chad Hennings, DT (Dal), State Champion IA Benton-Van Horn
• Jay Hilgenberg, OL (Chi), 1976 185 lbs 6th, 1977 185 lbs 2nd (City High, IA)
• Wally Hilgenberg, (Min)
• Rob Holmberg, LB (Oak), 1990 2nd PA State at 189 lbs
• John Howell, DB (TB), Nebraska State Champion
• Orlando Huff, LB (Sea)
• Corey Hulsy, OL (Oak)
• Bo Jackson, RB (Oak)
• Dave Jennings, St. Lawrence
• Mario Johnson, DL (NE),
• Dahanie Jones, LB (NYG)
• Henry Jordan, DL (GB), 2nd NCAAs 1957 Univ. of Virginia
• Dave Joyner, OL (GB), IL State Finalist
• John Jurkovich, DL (Cle)
• Isaiah Kacyvenski, LB, NY State Finalist 1996 215 lbs Union Endecott HS
• Alex Karras
• Tim Krumrie, DL (Cin), Wisconsin State Champion
• Nick Leckey, OL Kansas State Champion
• Brock Lesnar, DL (Min) Cut from team prior to season
• Jess Lewis, LB (Hou)
• Marvin Lewis, Coach (Cin), Fort Cherry HS, McDonald PA (lettered)
• Ray Lewis, LB (Bal) - 4A State Champion @189 lbs Lakeland HS FL
• Granville Liggins
• Ronnie Lott, CB (SF)
• Kirk Loudermilk, OL (Min),
• John Lynch, DB (TB),
• Joel Mackovica, RB
• Sean Mahan, OL (TB),
• Mike Malczyk,
• Steve Martin, DL (Hou)
• Mickey Marvin, NC State Champion
• Kyle Massey, MN
• Rey Maualuga, LB, Eureka HS, CA
• Napoleon McCallum, RB (Oak),
• Randall McDaniel, OL (Min),
• Mark McDonald, Mass HS
• Chris McIntosh, OL (Sea),
• Bryant McKinnie, OL (Min),
• Greg Meisner, DL (LA),
• Matt Millen, LB (Oak),
• Ronald Moore, RB (Ari),
• James Mungro, RB (Ind),
• Jim Nance, RB (NE), NCAA Champion 1963 &'65 (beat Larry Kristoff)
• Lorenzo Neal, RB (SD), 4th in '87, 2nd '88, 1st '89 @HWT CA
• Jeremy Newberry, OL (SF), Antioch, CA HS
• Leo Nomellini, (SF), Big 10 Champion
• Chuck Noll, Coach (Pit), PA State Champion
• Chuke Nwokoric
• Jonathan Ogden, OL (Bal), St. Albans DC 1988/89
• Ron Paar
• Irv Pankey, OL (LA), 2x Maryland State Champion, Aberdeen HS
• David Patten, WR (NO), Lower Richland HS, SC www.scmat.com
• Scott Peters, OL (NYG),
• Bob Pickens, IL, HS (WI) Greco Olympic Team
• Roger Pillath, 1962 4th at HWT (Wisconsin)
• Jim Plunkett, QB (Oak), James Lick HS, CA
• Dave Porter, OL (GB),
• Corey Proctor (Dal), Gig Harbor WA, Team MVP
• Mike Pucillo, 1st State Hwt Brandon, FL
• Mike Pyle, OL (Chi), 1957 Illinois State Champion HWT
• Rocky Rasley, OL (Det),
• Mike Reid, (Cin), PA, songwriter also
• Errict Rhett, RB (TB), State Champion Florida, Hollywood McArthur HS
• Jim Richter, OL (Buf), 2nd State Medina Highland HS
• Willie Roaf, OL (NO),
• Mike Sandusky, 4th HWT (Maryland)
• Warren Sapp, DT (TB), Florida State Champion
• Cory Schlesinger, FB (Det), Nebraska State Champion, 2x Columbus 189 lbs
• Mark Schlereth, OL (Wa), Alaska State Champion
• Steve Sefter, DT (Phi), 2x PA State Champion & 1981 NCAA All American
• Tony Siragusa, DT (Bal), 108-1, NJ State Champion 1985, David Brearly HS
• Fred Smerlas, (Buf), State Champion MA & New England
• Bruce Smith, DE (Buf)
• Derek Smith, Utah
• Brad St. Louis, TE (Cin)
• Dana Stubblefield, DL (SF),
• Matt Suhey, RB (Chi)
• Bill Szott, OL (Wa), NJ State Champion
• Dave Szott, OL (KC), State Champion NJ '86 , Greco Jr Nat'l AA
• Jerel Thomas, HWT ’75 1st UCLA
• Woody Thompson, RB (Atl), PA State Champion
• Jim Thorpe, HB (NYG) "loved to wrestle"
• Sherwyn Thorson
• Mike Tomczak, QB (Chi), Ohio wrestler
• Mike Trgovac, (Car), Ohio State Champion
• Kyle Turley, OL (NO), Valley View HS Moreno Valley, CA
• Ryan Turnbull, RB (Cle),
• Jeff Ulbrich CA
• Tommy Vardell, RB (SF), 1987 5th State CA
• Adam Vinatieri, K (NE), beat by Lincoln McIlravy in HS
• John Ward, OL (NYJ), NCAA All-American Oklahoma State
• Fred Weary, OL (Hou), 3x AL State Champion, 1st Reno TOC 1997
• Charles White, RB (LA) San Fernando HS, CA
• Randy White, DT (Dal)
• Cory Widmer, LB (NYG)
• Ricky Williams, RB (Mia), (pinned by Stephen Neal in high school)
• Tony Williams, DL (Cin), 3rd State Tennessee
• Leo Wisniewski, NT (Bal), PA State Champion
• Steve Wisniewski, G (Oak), CA State Champion?
• Coy Wire, LB (Buf), PA State Runner Up at 189 lbs
• Greg Wojciechowski,
• Bryant Young, DL (SF)
• Pro Wrestlers:
• Skandor Akbar, 10 years of amateur experience
• Terry Allen (Magnum TA), 1967 State Champion
• Kurt Angle, Clarion, 1995 World and 1996 Olympic Champion
• Bob Backlund - 1st 190 lbs and 2nd HWT NCAAs (D2) 1971 & 1972
• Dick Beyer, Syracuse University “The Destroyer”
• George Bollas, Ohio State, 1946 National Champion Heavyweight
• Jack Brisco, Oklahoma, 2nd 1964 @191, 1st 1965 @191
• Mike DiBiase - 1946 AAU National Champion Heavyweight
• Richard Fliehr, Minnesota State Champion Heavyweight
• Mick Foley, Sonybrook HS, NY
• Dorrance Funk Jr, Indiana State Champion
• Verne Gagne, Minnesota, 2nd, 1st, 2nd NCAAs
• Bob Geigel, Iowa 1948 NCAA 3rd
• Ray Gunkel, 1948 and 49 Freestyle Heavyweight 1st
• Larry Hennig
• Dan Hodge, Oklahoma, 1956 Olympic Silver Medalist
• Dick Hutton, 3x NCAA Champion
• Brock Lesnar, Minnesota, 2000 NCAA Champion
• Bob Marella, (Gorilla Monsoon), Ithaca 2nd NCAA
• Earl McCready, Oklahoma A & M, 3x NCAA Champ in 1928,29,30 @HWT
• Bill Miller, Ohio State, 1950s NCAA 4th
• Paul Orndorff
• Nat Pendleton, 1920 Olympic Silver Medalist
• Harley Race
• Jim Raschke, 1958 Nebraska State Champ, 2x AA, 1963 World Greco Bronze
• Rick Rechsteiner, Michigan,
• Steve Rechsteiner, Michigan, 1986 NCAA All American at 190 lbs
• Brad Rheingans - AAU Champion 76, 77, 78, 79, 80 Greco 220 lbs
• Bill Robinson, England National Title
• Bob Roop - 1967 AAU Heavyweight 4th, 1969 Greco 220 lbs 1st
• Joe Scarpello, Iowa, 1st, 3rd, 2nd at 175 lbs in 1947, 48, 49
• George Scott
• Iron Sheik (Khosrow Vazin) - 1971 AAU National Champ 180.5 lbs Minn. WC
• Ralph Silverstein, Illinois, 1935 NCAA Champion
• George Steele, 1960s to 1980s, Jim Myers 1981
• Maurice Vachon, 1948 Olympian, 7th place
• Shaska Whately, 3x Tennessee State Champion, SEC Heavyweight Champ
• Steve Williams (Dr. Death), Oklahoma, 4x NCAA All American
• Mr Wrestling (Tim Woods) - 1955 AAU Champ 191.5, 1957 AAU Champ 191.5
• Mixed Martial Arts and others:
• Royce Alger (Iowa)
• Reese Andy (Wyoming)
• Ben Askren (Missouri)
• Ryan Bader (Arizona State)
• Sean Bormet
• Eric Bradley (Penn State)
• Paul Bradley (Iowa)
• Shane Carwin
• Mark Coleman (Ohio State)
• Randy Couture (Oklahoma State)
• CB Dalloway
• Phil Davis (Penn State)
• Lindsey Durlacher
• Frank Edgar (Clarion) 4x NCAA Qualifier, Assistant Coach at Rutgers
• Tom Erickson (Oklahoma State)
• Rashad Evans (Michigan)
• Urijah Faber (UC-Davis)
• Jon Fitch (Purdue)
• Alan Fried
• Don Frye (Arizona State)
• Rulon Gardner (Nebraska)
• Joey Gilbert
• Ty Griffin
• Matt Hamill
• Carlton Haselrig (Pitt-Johnstown)
• Dan Henderson (Arizona State)
• Johny Hendricks (Oklahoma State)
• Matt Hughes
• Kevin Jackson (Iowa State)
• Quinton Jackson, Tennessee High School wrestler
• Mark Kerr
• Cary Kolat (Lockhaven)
• Josh Koscheck (Edinboro)
• Bobby Lashley
• Mo Lawal (Oklahoma State)
• Brock Lesnar (Minnesota)
• Chuck Liddell (Cal Poly)
• Matt Lindland (Nebraska)
• Gray Maynard (Michigan State)
• Chad Mendes (Cal Poly)
• Kenny Monday (Oklahoma State)
• Nate Moore (Purdue)
• Mark Munoz (Oklahoma State)
• Otto Olson (Michigan)
• Tito Ortiz (Bakersfield)
• Kevin Randleman (Ohio State)
• Jake Rosholt (Oklahoma State)
• Ryan Schultz
• Dan Severn (Arizona State)
• Sean Sherk
• Frank Trigg (Oklahoma)
• Cain Velasquez (Arizona State)
• Biff Walizer (Penn State)
• Tyrone Woodley
•
• Joe Allen, Astronaut
• William Baldwin
• John Belushi
• Greg Biffle, Washington
• Dr. Norman Borlag - Noble Prize Winner, Cresco High Iowa
• Pappy Boyington
• George Brooks
• Brett Butler, Major League Baseball,
• Michael Collins - Astronaut
• Tom Cruise - "Thomas Mapother" Glen Ridge HS, NJ (9th & 10 grades)
• Tony Danza,
• Pat Day, Horse Racing, Colorado State Champ, Eagle Valley HS 77-7
• Kirk Douglas - "Issur Danielovitch" D3 Nat'l Champ (St. Lawrence C.)
• Chris Farley
• Al Franken - Comedian
• Victor French - Actor
• Anton Geesink, Judo Olympic Champion, placed at worlds Greco Roman
• Brian Giles, Major League Baseball,
• Marcus Giles, Major League Baseball,
• Kevin Harvick, NASCAR, Bakersfield area high school
• Larry Holmes, Easton PA
• Glenn Hubbard, Major League Baseball,
• John Irving - Author, "World According to Garp", "Cider House Rules"
• Harvey Keitel - Actor
• Ken Kesey - Author, Merry Prankster of 1960s Kool-Aid Fame
• William Kerslake - NASA Scientist
• Jim Lampley
• Jay Leno - HS wrestler
• Mark Lenzi, Diving
• Sugar Ray Leonard
• Mario Lopez - "Slater, Saved by the Bell" 7th State 160 lbs CA in 1991
• Bill Macatee
• Jay Mohr - Saturday Night Live, NJ "Jerry McGuire"
• Jason Morris, Judo Olympian, 1989 NCAA All American
• Paul Newman, failed at wrestling per 70th birthday interview on 60 minutes
• Jimmy Pedro, Judo Olympian, Brown University
• Nat Pendleton – Olympian, Actor in the 30s "Whistling in the Dark" "Thin Man"
• Katie Roman
• Jeremy Rose, Horse Racing, District 6 Bellefonte PA
• Brian Shimer, Bobsled, 1979 Florida State Champion at 150 lbs
• Bill Shoemaker, Horse Racing,
• Joseph Smith - Founder of the Mormon Church
• Tom Sullivan, actor, singer, author
• Mr. T
• Jim Thorpe, decathlete,
• Vince Vaughn - Actor, Wrestled from 8th to 10th grade
• "Weezer"
• Spud Webb ?
• Robin Williams - HS Wrestler
• Rob Zander - "Cheap Trick"
• Presidents of the United States:
• Calvin Coolidge
• Dwight Eisenhower
• Abraham Lincoln
• Ted Roosevelt
• William Taft
• Zach Taylor
• John Tyler
• George Washington
• Politicians & Military:
• Carl Albert, Former Speaker of the House, Oklahoma
• Denny Benchoff - 3 Star General, West Point 137 lbs in the 60s
• Arne Carlson, Minnesota Governor
• Frank Carlucci-
• John Chafee- Former Senator of Rhode Island, undefeated 1941
• Sen. Lincoln Chaffee – Rhode Island, Brown Univ. Capt 134 lbs, undefeated 1941
• Ron Dittemore, NASA Program Manager, Medicine Lake HS, WA
• Ari Fleischer
• Rep. Greg Ganske – Iowa
• Brad Glass- IL 1948 State Champion
• Sen.Chuck Hagel – Nebraska University of Kearney
• Dennis Hastert - Speaker of the House, State Champion IL, coached HS
• William Kerslake, NASA Scientist, Olympian
• Comm. Gen. Krulach - US Marines
• Jim Leach – Iowa 1960 State Champion, Davenport HS
• John McCain - US Navy
• Jim Nussle- Iowa
• George Patton - Wrestled at West Point
• Tom Ridge, Director of Homeland Security
• Bob Robbins, 2x Division 1 All American, PA, 1965 & 1966
• Donald Rumsfield - New Trier HS IL 4th, Secretary of Defense (Princeton)
• Al Rushatz - Army FB, All-American fullback
• Norman Schwartzkopf - Wrestled at West Point
• George Stephanopolous - Columbia University
• Sen. Paul Wellstone – 1964 ACC Champion 126 lbs
• Business Leaders:
• Rocky Aoki - Benihana Restaurants, 1963 National AAU Greco Champ
• Roone Arledge - ABC Sports/News Exec.
• Scott Beck - Boston Market
• James Biggs - Nestle
• Dan Cathy - Chick-fil-A
• Steven Friedman, beat Blubaugh 1961 AAU National Freestyle 1st
• Henry Kravis-Kohlberg - Kohlberg, Kravis, & Roberts, Loomis Chaffee School CT
• Dave Pottruck - Charles Schwab
• Edward Rust - State Farm Insurance
• Art Rutzen - Wells Fargo Bank

otwcards

Feel free to add Ed Ott (MLB). He was a Wisconsin HS State Champion. There are quite a few baseball players that were high school wrestlers.

Like Tom Cruise (Glen Ridge), actor Andrew McCarthy also wrestled at Basking Ridge (Bernards Twp) before transferring to Pingry.

Editted: Sorry, but I responded without keeping in mind that you were asking about FB players.

Hoopster

Tom Cruise lost his big wrestling match in, Born on the Fourth of July

He joined the Marines, and the rest was history.

BunchOBull

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson; Freedom High School, Bethlehem, PA - football, track, & wrestling

Member of the 1991 University of Miami Championship Team (edited to add DT), WWF/E, actor

billwaltonsbeard

I think The Great Kabuki was the long snapper for the 1992 Falcons.

gameusedhoop

Check Steven Neal of the Patriots.

Neal was a championship wrestler at Cal State-Bakersfield ... Did not play football in college ... Completed his CSUB wrestling career in style, winning his second NCAA Division I title and winning the Dan Hodge Award, known as the Heisman Trophy of wrestling ... Also won the U.S. Freestyle Championship, the Pan-American Games title and the World Championships ... In winning the Pan-Am Games, came from behind to defeat the defending world champion from Cuba ... Was 44-0 for CSUB in 1999 ... Broke CSUB's school record for pins in a season (31) and in a career (71) ... He also finished as the school record holder for career wins at CSUB with 156 ... Finished his career with an 88-match win streak, with 49 pins in that stretch ... Under his leadership, the team won its second Pac-10 title in 1999, and placed eighth at the NCAA Division I Championships, the team's third top eight finish in four years ... Went into the Pac-10 record books in 1999, becoming the conference's first fourtime champion in the same weight class and just the second four-time champion ever ... He completed his career undefeated in Pac-10 competition with a record of 34-0, also best in conference history ... His career dual-meet record was 61-3, and 37-0 over his last two seasons (1998-99) ... Found success for the third consecutive year at the prestigious National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic, pinning Oklahoma's John Henry Ward in just 25 seconds ... He also won his third-straight Midlands Championships title, picking up the Dan Gable Outstanding Wrestler Award and the Gorrianran Award for the most falls in the least amount of time ... In 1998, he became just the third Roadrunner wrestler to complete an undefeated and untied season along with Olympians Joe Gonzalez and John Azevedo ... Compiled a 151-10 record in four seasons at CSUB while earning All-America honors all four years ... Placed second at nationals as a sophomore and fourth as a freshman ... His academics earned accolades as well, as he was a four-time Academic All-American and a four-time Pac-10 Academic All-Conference first team ... His 3.24 grade point average earned him NWCA Student Athlete of the Year honors.

mickeymantle24

BigDaddyBowman

I was a high school head wrestling coach for 7 years, but had to give it up when I becasme A.D. I chuckled when I saw the list, becasue every year, I did the same thing trying to convince fooball players to wrestle, and just "lift for football."


Other:

Alex Stepanovich, Multiple Ohio 275 State Champion, Ohio State, Cincinati Bengals

Mike Buddie, Cleveland St Ignatius High School, played for the New York Yankees, 3 or 4 time state champ, all 0hio in wrestling, football, and baseball...the best athlete I have ever seen!

Dan Bobish, Maple Hts High School, pretty big name in Ultimate Fighting

Jason Trusnik, Nordonia High School, Ohio Northern University, plays for Jets (I think)

Haruki Nakumura, St. Edwards High, Current Baltimore Ravens



I will rack my brain, and try to help you out with more. I will also look in my office files on Monday to see if I can find some more info.

nearmint

Big Daddy Lipscomb was a wrestler in the off-season.

mtcards

Manny Fernandez was a wrestler in the old NWA and also played for the Miami Dolphins in the 1970's

2dueces

Ernie Ladd tried pro wrestling.

BassPro77

wasn't Brian Bozworth in there some where??

elsnorto

Wahoo McDaniel (AFL) and Bill Goldberg (WLAF) each tried their hand and pro football before finding fame as professional wrestlers.

Snorto~

fur72

Thats quite a list. Welcome aboard.

Cant help you much with the wrestling / football thing but in college one of the Brands brothers wanted to beat me up!

bigreddog

Terry Owens has 1973 Topps Football Card issue. Later became Hulk Hogan

elsnorto

Isn't Hulksters real last name Bollea?

Snorto~

jeffcbay

Pete Rose was in Wrestlemania! lol

BigDaddyBowman

<< <i>Terry Owens has 1973 Topps Football Card issue. Later became Hulk Hogan >>







that isn't Hulk Hogan...just a look a like

schr1st

I think he's looking for people who were amateur wrestlers that ended up in other sports fields. Neither Wahoo (RIP) or Goldberg were amateur wrestlers, although I think Larry "Mike" Rotunda was at Syracuse (might be wrong).




<< <i>Wahoo McDaniel (AFL) and Bill Goldberg (WLAF) each tried their hand and pro football before finding fame as professional wrestlers.

Snorto~ >>

wolfbear

<< <i>Terry Owens has 1973 Topps Football Card issue. Later became Hulk Hogan >>



Urban legend.

Also, I believe the OP is interested in 'real' wrestlers, not pretend ones ...

wolfbear

Oops ... someone beat me to both points. Gotta be quick around here ...

wrestlingcardking

Thanks for the feedback.....

Mike Rotunda did attend Syracuse.....

I will definitely add the baseball players that were once wrestlers...trying to find their credentials instead of going by hearsay when possible.

Thanks for the responses........

I am looking for the "real" olympic type, college and high school wrestlers.....

SI For Kids like to mention high school stats, the old cartoons on the football cards were great as well.

wrestlingcardking

Duh! I have several cards of Stephen Neal and can't believe that I didn't have him on my list. He is one of the guys that is very prominently featured in my collection.

Getting threatened to get beat up by the Brands twins.....that would be scary.

Nakamura had to be a stud to be a wrestler at St. Edwards in Ohio....

again, thank you.

BigDaddyBowman

talk about ironic.......I got this 57 Roosevelt Brown in the mail today...I turn it over..and what do I see?

FavreFan1971

<< <i>Terry Owens has 1973 Topps Football Card issue. Later became Hulk Hogan >>



I do not believe this is true. Looks like him though
Darn PSa won't let me link the pics

ArchStanton

Carlton Haselrig won six NCAA championships. He then played in the NFL, then in the PA penal system. Now, he is trying his hand at MMA.

wikipedia link

Seriously, though, he is the best wrestler I have ever seen in my life. He was a god on the mat. He beat Kurt Angle in college. I did not see that match. I had more interaction with Angle, and he was amazing. He was a monster and could move circles around guys half his size. I'm talking about some of the best lightweights in the NCAA, and Angle made them look like they were in slow motion. I saw them both at their best, and I believe Haselrig was the better athlete.

edited to add*** How did I miss him on the first list?

wrestlingcardking

That cartoon is exactly is what I was looking for...i am going to look for that card now.

If any vintage football collectors have anything else similar let me know.

Haselrig is a beast and so is Stephen Neal...to never play college football and excel in the pros....that is unbelievable!

wrestlingcardking

I should be getting my Roosevelt Brown card by the end of the week. Just bought one now! Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.

If only I could browse old football sets and look at the backs of the cards!

BigDaddyBowman

<< <i>I should be getting my Roosevelt Brown card by the end of the week. Just bought one now! Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.

If only I could browse old football sets and look at the backs of the cards! >>



-------------------------------------------------------
your welcome! Here's a few more with wrestling being mentioned on the bio.

wrestlingcardking

Thanks for these scans....

I do have some cards of Leo Nomellini and Bill George that show wrestling. Looking at other backs are nice because I prefer some to others.

Walter Barnes is one that I have as well.

Jim Nance has some wrestling cartoons on backs of his cards.

James Clark is one from one of the sets....need to ID the card.

Walter Barnes is another.

Henry Jordan..........

Anyone have a Curley Culp that talks of his wrestling background?

Does Mike Sandusky have one that talks of his wrestling background? College All American wrestler.

nearmint

Here's Curley on his 1974 Topps card:

wrestlingcardking

thanks....I am going to look for a signed 1974 topps culp card now.

wrestlingcardking

Got the Roosevelt Brown the other day. Thanks.