Memorial services for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame member, born Feb. 16, 1917, are scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 10, at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in his hometown of Sulphur, Okla.
McDaniel, who lettered at OSU from 1937-39, truly helped lay the foundation for the success of the Oklahoma State wrestling program, earning a 13-2 major decision over his Indiana counterpart in the first match ever wrestled at Gallagher Hall.
His name is still found all over the OSU record books. McDaniel still ranks 14th on the all-time winning percentage list with his 28-2 career record (93.33 percent). He is also one of 15 athletes to win at least three national championships at the school, winning at 118 pounds in 1937 and 1938 and 121 pounds in 1939.
McDaniel started his OSU career by losing two of his first three bouts. He didn't lose again after that, rattling off 27 consecutive wins to finish out his career.
He was destined to be an Olympic champion, but the Games of the XII Olympiad were engulfed in World War II, so Joe McDaniel had to settle merely for recognition as the outstanding wrestler of the world.
In addition to his individual titles, he also led Coach Gallagher's Cowboys three team championships in the years he lettered. As a 118-pound junior, he was voted outstanding wrestler of the 1938 tournament, an honor won a year earlier by his roommate, Stanley Henson. Three times he reigned as National AAU champion – twice as a collegian when the Cowboys also won team honors, and again in 1941, two years after graduation.
McDaniel's only serious exposure to international competition came at the close of his junior year in a 1938 European tour climaxed by a tournament at Stockholm, Sweden. He was undefeated in 12 bouts and scored an overwhelming victory over Odon Zombori of Hungary, winner of the Olympic gold two years earlier.
Despite a three-year hitch in the Air Corps and seven years as field representative for a major steel firm, McDaniel was never far from the sport of wrestling.
After a year of high school coaching and another at Maryland, he returned from the war to coach 11 years at Syracuse University, leading the Orange to a fourth-place national finish. In 1963, he moved to Wyoming, coaching two years in high school and eight at the University of Wyoming.
His career turned full circle in 1973, when he returned to his hometown of Sulphur, Okla., to serve as high school coach. In 30 years of coaching at all levels, his record was 257 victories against 105 defeats.
Following his accomplished wrestling career, Joe Clark McDaniel was honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now