Login
Login

Dick Hutton

{{short description|American amateur and professional wrestler (1923–2003)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox professional wrestler

|name = Dick Hutton

|image = Dick Hutton - Olympic Auditorium Wrestling News 31 January 1962 (cropped).jpg

|image_size =

|caption = Hutton in 1962

|birth_name = Richard Heron Avis Hutton

|names = Dick Hutton

|height = 5 ft 10 in

|weight = 235 lb

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1923|10|4|mf=y}}

|death_date = {{death date and age|2003|11|24|1923|10|4|mf=y}}

|birth_place = Amarillo, Texas, U.S.

|death_place = Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.

|billed =

|trainer = Ed Lewis

|debut = 1952

|retired = 1964

|alma_mater = Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College

}}

{{MedalTableTop|name=|image=|imagesize=|alt=|caption=}}

{{MedalSport | Collegiate Wrestling}}

{{MedalCountry | }} Oklahoma A&M

{{MedalCompetition|NCAA Championships}}

{{MedalGold|1947 Champaign| Heavyweight}}

{{MedalGold|1948 Bethlehem| Heavyweight}}

{{MedalGold|1950 Cedar Falls| Heavyweight}}

{{MedalSilver|1949 Fort Collins| Heavyweight}}

{{MedalBottom}}

Richard Heron Avis Hutton[https://www.olympic.org/richard-heron-avis-hutton Olympic Games - Richard Heron Avis Hutton] (October 4, 1923 – November 24, 2003) was an American amateur and professional wrestler. He was a three-time NCAA champion and, as a professional, held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, making him a one-time world champion in professional wrestling.

Early life

Hutton was born in Amarillo, Texas to Bailey and Gladys Hutton. He had one brother, Jerald Hutton. His family later moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma where he became a two-time state finalist for Daniel Webster High School. Later on Dick joined the U.S. Army and was a veteran of World War II. He attended Oklahoma A&M.

While at Oklahoma A&M he was the NCAA wrestling champion three times, in 1947, 1948 and 1950. In 1949, he lost in the finals to Verne Gagne, a future professional wrestler. In total he was a four-time NCAA finalist, four-time All-American and three-time NCAA champion.

Also while at Oklahoma A&M, he went to compete at the 1948 Summer Olympics, where he finished 7th in the heavyweight division in freestyle wrestling.

Professional wrestling career

Hutton made his debut in 1952, in a loss against Bill Longson.{{cite web |url=http://www.fighttimes.com/magazine/magazine.asp?article=715 |title=We Lose Dick Hutton |author=Cameron, Dave |date=June 2007 |work=From The Archives |publisher=Fighttimes.com |access-date=September 14, 2011}} Hutton left Tulsa, as it was primarily a territory for light-heavyweight wrestlers, and went to Texas.

While in Columbus, Ohio, in a territory run by Al Haft, Hutton would wrestle members of the audience. Beating Hutton would've earned the fan $1,000. No one ever won.

Hutton developed a friendship with Lou Thesz. After several competitive training contests with Hutton, Thesz considered him to be the best wrestler he'd ever faced and chose Hutton to be the next NWA World Champion, winning the title from himself. On November 14, 1957, in Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens 10,000 people saw Hutton beat Thesz for the belt after 35:15, when Thesz submitted to an abdominal stretch.

He teamed regularly with Gene Kiniski in Toronto.

On January 9, 1959, after a championship reign of 421 days, Hutton dropped the belt to Pat O'Connor.

Hutton never really had much other success in professional wrestling. He was criticised by some people for having a lack of charisma with poor drawing ability. However, many other wrestlers praised his wrestling ability.Symkus, Ed and Vinnie Carolan. Wrestle Radio U.S.A.: Grapplers Speak. Toronto: ECW Press, 2004. (pg. 185) {{ISBN|1-55022-646-0}}

Hutton was forced into retirement because of heart trouble and other injuries.

Personal life

Hutton was married to Katherine. He died on November 24, 2003, at the age of 80.

Championships and accomplishments

= Amateur wrestling =

= Professional wrestling =

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Wikiquote}}

  • {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130115073337/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2003/11/25/268319.html Article on Dick Hutton]}}
  • {{professional wrestling profiles}}
  • {{commons category-inline}}

{{NWA World Heavyweight Championship}}

{{NWA World Tag Team Champions (Amarillo version)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hutton, Dick}}

Category:1923 births

Category:2003 deaths

Category:American male professional wrestlers

Category:American male sport wrestlers

Category:NWA World Heavyweight Champions

Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys wrestlers

Category:Oklahoma State University alumni

Category:Olympic wrestlers for the United States

Category:Professional wrestlers from Texas

Category:Sportspeople from Amarillo, Texas

Category:Stampede Wrestling alumni

Category:Wrestlers at the 1948 Summer Olympics

Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers

Category:20th-century American professional wrestlers

Category:NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Champions

Category:NWA Canadian Tag Team Champions (Calgary version)

Category:20th-century American sportsmen