President Donald Trump greets former University of Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable, right, during a campaign rally at Des Moines International Airport on Wednesday in Des Moines.
President Donald Trump listens as Dan Gable speaks during a campaign rally at Des Moines International Airport on Oct. 14 in Des Moines.
A copy the letter Dan Gable received from President Donald Trump announcing he was awarding the Waterloo native the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
President Donald Trump listens as Dan Gable speaks during a campaign rally at Des Moines International Airport on Oct. 14 in Des Moines.
WASHINGTON — Waterloo native and Iowa wrestling icon Dan Gable will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump during a 10:30 a.m. ceremony Monday at the White House.
Trump contacted the Olympic gold medalist Oct. 14 to inform Gable he would be awarded the highest honor a United States civilian can receive.
Nearly 60 years ago, a slightly built young man’s family was wracked by unspeakable tragedy.
The White House delayed scheduling the ceremony to assure Gable’s entire family could attend. Gable said he recently learned he will receive the medal Monday morning.
Update from this Oct. 15 Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Gable will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Dec. 7 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern inside the White House.
“We’ve been scrambling to set up all the arrangements. We have some who are driving and some who are flying,” Gable said. “I’m excited. We are all excited. We’re going to enjoy the weekend.
“It’s an honor. I’ve received a lot of awards and have a lot of trophies, but this is the highest honor a civilian can receive. It’s really hard to wrap my head around that.”
Gable’s travel party will include he and wife Kathy’s entire immediate family, their four daughters – Jenni Mitchell (Brian), Annie Gavin (Mike), Molly Olszta (Danny) and Mackenzie McCord (Justin) and their 13 grandchildren — with the party ranging in age from six months to Gable, who recently turned 72.
“One extreme to another, and I’m the oldest extreme,” laughed Gable. “We are going to take in everything we can.”
Gable is the first wrestler to receive the honor. Other coaches and athletes of prominence who earned the award include Jesse Owens, Babe Ruth, Paul “Bear” Bryant, Pat Summit and John Wooden.
Gable is considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, the winner of two NCAA Division I titles, a world title and a gold medal at the 1972 Olympics. As a coach, he led the University of Iowa to 15 national team titles.
Back in October, Gable told The Courier this about the award: “I’m excited. It’s good for Waterloo. It’s good for the museum. It’s good for the state. It is motivation for me to keep doing what I’m doing for the sport I love, wrestling.”
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, himself a former college wrestling coach, was one of the key figures behind a letter to the president in August recommending Gable receive the honor, saying he “defined greatness as an athlete and a coach.”
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Kate McCord, Dan Gable's granddaughter, swings in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum wrestling room in Waterloo in March of 2019.
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Dan Gable speaks at his museum's grand re-opening in 2019. The fabled Waterloo wrestler won the gold medal in 1972 at the Munich Olympics.
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Wrestling legend Dan Gable, left, greets his Waterloo West High School wrestling coach Bob Siddens at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in 2012.
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Dan Gable makes a point while speaking to a group of wrestlers during a visit to the Waterloo West High School wrestling camp Tuesday.
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Wrestling legend Dan Gable gestures while speaking to a group of wrestlers Tuesday at West High.
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Dan Gable figurine
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Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett and Dan Gable hold each other’s new books for a photo at the Dan Gable wrestling museum May 10 in Waterloo.
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Linda Klingman (not pictured) talks with Waterloo wrestling legends at a book signing for Gable’s new book “A Wrestling Life 2” at the Dan Gable wrestling museum in May.
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Members of the Allendale, Michigan high school wrestling team spruce up the landscaping at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum, Thursday in Waterloo.
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Olympic goal medalist Dan Gable's statue at West High School Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Waterloo, Iowa.
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Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, right, greets Dan Gable, left, at the Dan Gable Museum for the Battle of Waterloo Hall of Fame reception Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, in Waterloo, Iowa.
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Dan Gable, left, and Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, right, talk wrestling, football and politics at the Dan Gable Museum during the Battle of Waterloo Hall of Fame reception Thursday.
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Dan Gable, left, and Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, right, talk wrestling, football and politics at the Dan Gable Museum during the Battle of Waterloo Hall of Fame reception Thursday.
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Olympic goal medalist Dan Gable's statue at West High School Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Waterloo, Iowa.
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Olympic goal medalist Dan Gable's statue at West High School Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Waterloo, Iowa.
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Olympic gold metal wrestler Dan Gable, left, shares the stage with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at the Electric Park Ballroom Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015, in Waterloo, Iowa.
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Olympic gold metal wrestler Dan Gable, left, shakes hands on stage with Donald Trump during a campaign event at the Electric Park Ballroom on Oct. 7, 2015, in Waterloo.
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Waterloo-born Olympic wrestling champion and former University of Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable spoke at a crime victim conference in Iowa City Wednesday.
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Dan Gable
Dan Gable (1948 - ) of Waterloo is without question an icon in the sport of wrestling and one of the greatest collegiate coaches of all time in any sport. He was undefeated his entire prep career at West High School under Coach Bob Siddens, continuing that until the final match of his collegiate career at Iowa State University under Coach Harold Nichols. He blazed through his weight class and won a gold medal the 1972 Summer Olympics at Munich, West Germany. He then devoted his life to coaching, taking over the University of Iowa wrestling program in 1976 after previously serving as an assistant under Gary Kurdelmeier of Cresco. The Hawkeye wrestlers won the NCAA national championship 15 of Gable's 21 years as head coach, including nine in a row, tying an NCAA all-sport record, and 21 Big Ten championships. He dedicated himself to the sport of wrestling as a youth following the murder of his sister Diane.
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Dan Gable head wrestling coach statue at the University of Iowa.
“It’s an honor. I’ve received a lot of awards and have a lot of trophies, but this is the highest honor a civilian can receive. It’s really hard to wrap my head around that.” Dan Gable
"It's an honor. I've received a lot of awards and have a lot of trophies, but this is the highest honor a civilian can receive. It's really hard to wrap my head around that."
Dan Gable
Jim Nelson
Sports Reporter
I’m a Waterloo native who has covered Cedar Valley sports for more than 30 years for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. I’m also a big Cincinnati Reds fan … Go Big Red Machine!
