At 98, Henson is the oldest living NCAA wrestling champ, according to the Stillwater, Okla.-based National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Welcomed into the Hall as a Distinguished Member in 1978, Henson was a two-time Oklahoma state champ for Tulsa Central High School who then headed west to Stillwater to wrestle at what was then called Oklahoma A&M (Agricultural and Mechanical) College. Wrestling for Ed Gallagher (named one of the three greatest college mat coaches of all time in a 2005 NCAA survey), Henson compiled a near-perfect 31-1 record as a Cowboy, winning three consecutive national titles as a middleweight (145-155 pounds) in 1937, 1938 and 1939. He was twice named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler, becoming the first to earn that honor as a sophomore. One magazine declared Henson to be the best amateur wrestler of 1930s; Jay Hammond's "History of Collegiate Wrestling" book named Henson as the greatest college matman of the pre-World War II era.
Stanley Henson with his coach Ed GallagherAfter serving in World War II, Henson entered medical school. He became the first surgeon in Ft. Collins, Colo. and is considered to be a pioneer in the field of sports medicine.
In the Legends interview, Henson speaks about growing up in the Great Depression, working in the oil fields, wrestling for coach Gallagher (a fellow Distinguished Member of the Hall of Fame), serving in the United States Navy, and his distinguished career in medicine.
The interview may be heard for free at mattalkonline.com. It is also available via iTunes, Stitcher, Spreaker, and Soundcloud as well as an RSS link for use in other third-party podcasting applications like Downcasts, BeyondPod, and Podcast Republic.
"We are excited about the Legends interviews because it gives fans the opportunity to hear the greats of our sport talk about their lives and careers in their own words," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "Our goal is to preserve the sport of wrestling's history, and these audio histories are important to helping us achieve it."
Bryant of the Mat Talk Podcast Network created the Legends interview concept, and also serves as the host and producer of the interviews. Bryant is president of the National Wrestling Media Association, and has been honored for his work as both a broadcaster and writer, including the Bob Dellinger Wrestling Writer of the Year award.
"I've wanted to do a show with our legends for a while, and crowdfunding has made that a reality," said Bryant. "There are so many stories to tell and preserve, and we hope that fans of our great sport will enjoy and be supportive of the Legends series."
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