Page 24 - 2008-09 Individual Wrestling State Finals Program
P. 24

Tournament History




             Many changes have been made to the Indiana state   Tournament Milestones
           wrestling tournament since its inception, and to this day it   1922
           remains one of the most exciting and best-attended state   First State Tournament
           finals event.                                  held at Indiana University
             While not officially sponsored by the IHSAA, but held   1933
           with special permission, the first state high school wrestling   First IHSAA-Sponsored
           tournament took place in 1922 at Indiana University. A total of   State Tournament Held
           19 wrestlers from seven schools participated in the first tourna-  1935
           ment. From 1922 to1935, a regulation high school wrestling   First Use of Scoring System
           match called for one eight-minute period with both wrestlers   1944-49
           starting in the neutral position on their feet. No point system   IHSAA Ceases Sponsorship
           was in place, and the winner was determined solely on riding   due to World War II
                                                                1950
           time or by a fall. For the 1935-36 season, a point system was   IHSAA Resumes Sponsorship of State
           installed and periods were added to make the matches more   Tournament; Sectionals Implemented
           interesting for fans.                                1951
             From 1922 to 1951, the only IHSAA rules for wrestling   First Set of Rules Written and Adopted
           were the same ones that applied to all sports in the state,   1957
           mainly eligibility and age requirements. During this time, so-  Rules Modified to help prevent
           called gentlemens’ agreements  were decided upon before   Excessive Weight Loss
           meets by the coaches and these rules were enforced by   1958
           the officials.                                 Regionals Implemented
             A new set of rules, written by coaches Chauncey McDaniel   1973
           of Southport High School and Clifford Myers of Bloomington   National Federation Rules Adopted
           High School, were adopted by the IHSAA beginning with the   using Indiana Rules
                                                                1976
           1951-52 season. Modifications in the standing rules, most   Semi-States Implemented
           notably those that helped to prevent excessive weight loss,   1981
           were made in time for the 1957-58 wrestling season. Finally in   First State Finals held
           1973, using Indiana’s rules as a measuring stick, the National   at Market Square Arena
           Wrestling Federation Rules were written and adopted.   1996
             Due to the sport’s rapid growth, the IHSAA took over   Separate Tournament Initiated to
           sponsorship of the tournament from 1933 to 1943, though   determine Championship Team
           the state finals were still held at Indiana University.  However,   2000
           as the Great Depression gripped the country and the United   First Individual State Finals held
           States entered World War II, there was a gradual decline in   at Conseco Fieldhouse
           the number of schools participating. That forced the IHSAA to
           drop wrestling from its sponsorship from 1944 to 1949. During   Indiana State High School Championships
           this period, various participating schools kept the tournament
           going by holding an annual invitational state tournament.  Sponsored by Indiana University
             The IHSAA resumed sponsorship of the tournament in   Year   Winner   Coach
           1950 and continues to do so today.  From 1950 to 1959,   1922  Terre Haute Wiley ...............Guy Stantz
           Bloomington and Lafayette Jefferson high schools alternated   1923  Terre Haute Wiley ...............Guy Stantz
           as the host school before the finals were moved in 1960 to   1924  Bloomington .......................Harold Mumby
           Southport High School’s 7,200-seat fieldhouse.   1925  Bloomington .......................Harold Mumby
             The finals eventually required even more seating and   1926  Elwood ................................Theodore Koontz
           from 1981 to 1999 were held at Market Square Arena in   1927  Wabash ..............................Billy Thom
           Indianapolis before moving to Conseco Fieldhouse in 2000.   1928  Wabash ..............................No Coach
           Over the last 80 years, the wrestling tournament has grown   1929  Bedford ...............................Emil Held
           from a two-day event in the early years to one that consists of   1930  Bloomington .......................Harold Mumby
           separate team and individual competitions over a four-week   1931  Bloomington .......................Harold Mumby
           period, including 64 sectionals, 16 regionals, four semi-states   1932  Muncie ................................Walter Fisher
           and the state finals.
             In 1996, individual champions in each weight class and   Indiana State High School Invitational
           a team champion were crowned for the first time on separate   War Year Champions
           weekends. The IHSAA individual wrestling tournament has   Year   Winner   Coach
           been conducted under its usual format with the state finals   1944  Southport ............................Arlington Pitcher
           culminating at Conseco Fieldhouse. The team tournament   1945  Bloomington .......................Harold Mumby
           calls for the top two team finishers at each sectional to   1946  Bloomington .......................Clifford Myers
           advance to the four-team regionals, two teams compete at   1947  Bloomington .......................Clifford Myers
           semi-state, before eight teams move on to the state finals at   1948  Bloomington .......................Clifford Myers
           Center Grove High School.             1949  Bloomington .......................Clifford Myers

           22                         IHSAA - Pure Spirit.  Pure Sport!


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