George Dole
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born(1885-01-30)January 30, 1885
Ypsilanti, Michigan, U.S.
DiedSeptember 6, 1928(1928-09-06) (aged 43)
Winthrop, Maine, U.S.
Home townBath, Maine, U.S.
Medal record
Men's freestyle wrestling
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1908 London Featherweight

George Stuart Dole (January 30, 1885 – September 6, 1928) was an American wrestler who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.[1] In 1908, he won the gold medal in the freestyle featherweight class.[2]

Early life

Dole was a Swedenborgian, who moved to Maine after his father was called as rector of that denomination's church in Bath, Maine. George was an identical twin and without the markings on the back, it is impossible to tell the difference between he and brother Louis.

He wrestled and attended college at Yale University with his identical twin brother Louis.[3] He was the sole four-time EIWA champion in its first 74 years. George won two AAU national titles, including a 1907 pin of George Mehnert at 125, the 2-time Olympic champion’s only career loss. Dole beat out twin brother, Louis, and Mehnert, for honors as the College Wrestler of the Decade, 1901-1910, by Amateur Wrestling News. In 1907, George received Yale Wrestling’s “Y Award” in the first presentation other than to major sports (track, crew, football, baseball).[4]

Olympics

The Dole family story says that the brothers flipped a coin to see which would go to the Olympics. Louis won, but he got sick, so George went in his place. At the 1908 Olympics in London, he was the lone American in his weight class, competing against eleven Englishmen. No other country was represented. He advanced through three preliminary bouts and won the best-of-three falls final in only two bouts.[5]

Later life

He coached at Yale and at various prep schools until 1917, when he joined the military. He was a commander on a World War I sub chaser and earned the Navy Cross during his service. George was an economics professor at St. Lawrence University, until dying of a heart failure in 1928.

In 1997, Dole was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.[6]

References

  1. ↑ George Dole Bio, Stats, and Results. Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  2. ↑ "George Dole". Olympedia. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  3. ↑ Wrestling - Dole Twins | The Subchaser Archives. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  4. ↑ George Dole, Yale 1906 - Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association. eiwawrestling.org. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  5. ↑ WCSH. (April 4, 2015). Maine Olympian George Dole | newscentermaine.com. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  6. ↑ George Dole. National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 18, 2022.


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