STILLWATER, Okla. – The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and USA Wrestling are excited to announce that their “Etched In Stone - Stories of Wrestling Legends” podcast featuring Distinguished Members and brothers John Smith and Pat Smith and the Smith family will launch Monday, February 1.
The seven-episode series is hosted and produced by Ryan Warner, a former wrestler who produces the very successful “Wrestling Changed My Life” podcast. The episodes are: Episode I – 1984, Episode II – The Redshirt, Episode III – The King of the World, Episode IV – Pat’s Rise, Episode V – The Cuban, Episode VI – 36 and 0, and Episode VII – Cowboy For Life.
All seven episodes will be available on Monday at etchedinstonepodcast.com and through Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. They can also be accessed on USA Wrestling’s website at https://www.teamusa.org/usa-wrestling and the Hall of Fame’s website at https://nwhof.org/.
The podcast features extensive interviews with current Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith, who for six years was the best wrestler in the world capturing two Olympic gold medals and four world championships, and Pat Smith, who made history when he became the first four-time NCAA Division I champion. The podcast also has interviews with members of their family, including older brother Lee Roy Smith, an NCAA champion for Oklahoma State, world silver medalist, United States National Team Coach and Executive Director of the Hall of Fame, and Mark Smith, a three-time All-American for Oklahoma State.
In addition to the Smith brothers, interviews include their mother, Madeline; sisters, Cathy Perry and Rita White; in-laws Mark Perry Sr., Lisa Smith and Chuck White; Distinguished Members Kendall Cross, Dan Gable, Randy Lewis; Bruce Burnett, who will be inducted as a Distinguished Member in 2021; and coaches, competitors and teammates.
The brainchild of 1976 NCAA wrestling champion Pat Christenson, the EIS audio series features legendary wrestlers discussing the trials and tribulations they encountered on the way to becoming one of wrestling’s best. Podcasts also include interviews with competitors, coaches, teammates and others who were part of the journey, giving additional insight on the legend. Podcasts are produced by former wrestlers and wrestling insiders, who will utilize their knowledge and unique perspective to extract the stories that fans want to hear.
The first EIS podcast featured Distinguished Member Mark Churella, a four-time All-American and the first three-time NCAA wrestling champion for the University of Michigan. Hosted by Hall of Fame wrestling writer, broadcaster and announcer Jason Bryant, the three-episode podcast is available at etchedinstonepodcast.com. Christenson did all the interviews for the Churella podcast and helped produce it with Bryant.
The Hall of Fame and USA Wrestling are developing future EIS podcasts on Distinguished Members, including Dan Gable, Lloyd Keaser and Lee Kemp.
National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum
America’s shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation and now features interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. It also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport. For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.
