Etched In Stone

National Wrestling Hall of Fame and USA Wrestling's "Etched In Stone” podcasts are the stories of wrestling's legends, told by wrestlers. The series will take you inside the lives of those inducted into the Hall of Fame, as they share never before told stories about their trials, tribulations and triumphs. Wrestling is arguably the toughest sport in the world. After you hear about the unparalleled athletic achievements, discipline and commitment of these legends, it will no longer be debatable.

GRAY SIMONS | SEVEN: Building Up Rocky Top 02/20/2024

GRAY SIMONS | SEVEN: Building Up Rocky Top After leaving the place he’d help establish as a national wrestling power, Gray Simons spent five seasons at Indiana State as the Sycamores’ head coach prior to taking over his first “big school” - the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. While sports-crazy, Tennessee was still new to the wrestling game. Gray Simons and a talented recruiter named Steve Gaydosh wouldn’t just change Tennessee’s fortunes - they would turn Tennessee into a waking giant in college wrestling. As programs started to fall around them, Tennessee held strong, as did its athletes, overcoming some severe adversity on their way to stardom. Gray Simons and company were building something special on Rocky Top. Episode 4: Building Up Rock Top Listen & Follow Etched in Stone | | | | About Gray Simons During his four years of collegiate competition at Lock Haven University, Gray Simons entered seven national tournaments. He won all seven, and six times was voted outstanding wrestler of the event. Four years he reigned supreme at 115 pounds in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and all four years was chosen the NAIA's finest, an unparalleled achievement. Three times he won the University Division title in the NCAA and as a junior and senior was voted the outstanding competitor. The only two defeats of his 93 collegiate matches came early in his freshman season. He then proceeded to win 84 in a row. In the two years after his graduation, while stationed at the U.S. Military Academy, he continued to annex national championships in military, YMCA and AAU competition. He won the gold medal in the 1963 World Military Games. Gray Simons twice represented his country in the Olympic Games, in 1960 and 1964. On the mat, he was known as a superb technician, with quickness, skill and perfect execution of an infinite variety of moves. His abilities helped spread nationwide the "Granby Series" of moves developed by his Hall of Fame high school coach in Norfolk, Virginia, Billy Martin. After the close of his competitive career, he served with distinction as a collegiate coach at Lock Haven, Indiana State, Tennessee and Old Dominion University, and never has suffered a losing season. Among his proteges were two NCAA champions and several All-Americans. In both roles, as a wrestler and coach, this quiet man has set an outstanding example for young athletes everywhere. As a wrestler of unchallenged achievement and a sportsman of the highest caliber, Elliot Gray Simons is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. /episode/index/show/etchedinstone/id/30033753

GRAY SIMONS | SEVEN: Mat Town's Championship Era 01/22/2024

GRAY SIMONS | SEVEN: Mat Town's Championship Era Gray Simons finished his college career by setting a new standard in college wrestling. Seven national championships, college wrestling’s first four-time title winner in any division to go along with two Olympic appearances. The Olympic disappointment didn’t last long as Gray Simons returned to Mat Town to take over its proud wrestling program. Simons was primed to lead the program to new heights, taking over as the program’s head coach after his distinguished competitive career. But could Simons build the Bald Eagles into a winner against the nation’s heavyweights or would something else stand in his way? Episode 3: Mat Town’s Championship Era looks at Gray Simons’ return to Lock Haven. Listen & Follow Etched in Stone | | | | About Gray Simons During his four years of collegiate competition at Lock Haven University, Gray Simons entered seven national tournaments. He won all seven, and six times was voted outstanding wrestler of the event. Four years he reigned supreme at 115 pounds in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and all four years was chosen the NAIA's finest, an unparalleled achievement. Three times he won the University Division title in the NCAA and as a junior and senior was voted the outstanding competitor. The only two defeats of his 93 collegiate matches came early in his freshman season. He then proceeded to win 84 in a row. In the two years after his graduation, while stationed at the U.S. Military Academy, he continued to annex national championships in military, YMCA and AAU competition. He won the gold medal in the 1963 World Military Games. Gray Simons twice represented his country in the Olympic Games, in 1960 and 1964. On the mat, he was known as a superb technician, with quickness, skill and perfect execution of an infinite variety of moves. His abilities helped spread nationwide the "Granby Series" of moves developed by his Hall of Fame high school coach in Norfolk, Virginia, Billy Martin. After the close of his competitive career, he served with distinction as a collegiate coach at Lock Haven, Indiana State, Tennessee and Old Dominion University, and never has suffered a losing season. Among his proteges were two NCAA champions and several All-Americans. In both roles, as a wrestler and coach, this quiet man has set an outstanding example for young athletes everywhere. As a wrestler of unchallenged achievement and a sportsman of the highest caliber, Elliot Gray Simons is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. /episode/index/show/etchedinstone/id/29596258

GRAY SIMONS | SEVEN: Masterful Mite 11/27/2023

Gray Simons | SEVEN: Unrolling Granby 08/22/2023

Gray Simons | SEVEN: Unrolling Granby From the legendary Granby High School in Norfolk, Virginia, the path to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for Elliot Gray Simons included some unbelievable feats of wrestling, but it didn’t start off with immediate accolades. Simons would win a state championship for Hall of Fame coach Billy Martin before enrolling at tiny Lock Haven State Teachers College. There, Simons would dominate the college wrestling world, becoming the first wrestler in history to win four NAIA national titles and was the first to win four collegiate national championships across any division. He would also win three NCAA titles, battling with some of the titans of the sport, including future members of the Hall of Fame. Seven is the story of one of America’s great wrestling minds - a stellar athlete with two Olympic appearances - and a dynamic technical mind - delivering next-level techniques learned at Granby and tweaked for the college wrestling world. Episode 1: Unrolling Granby chronicles Simons’ start back in Virginia and his journey to Lock Haven, his first NCAA title and his first appearance at the Olympic Games in Rome. Listen & Follow Etched in Stone | | | | | About Gray Simons (From NWHOF.com) During his four years of collegiate competition at Lock Haven University, Gray Simons entered seven national tournaments. He won all seven, and six times was voted outstanding wrestler of the event. Four years he reigned supreme at 115 pounds in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and all four years was chosen the NAIA's finest, an unparalleled achievement. Three times he won the University Division title in the NCAA and as a junior and senior was voted the outstanding competitor. The only collegiate defeat in his 90 collegiate matches came in his freshman season. He then proceeded to win 84 in a row, a record at the time. In the two years after his graduation, while stationed at the U.S. Military Academy, he continued to annex national championships in military, YMCA and AAU competition. He won the gold medal in the 1963 World Military Games. Gray Simons twice represented his country in the Olympic Games, in 1960 and 1964. On the mat, he was known as a superb technician, with quickness, skill and perfect execution of an infinite variety of moves. His abilities helped spread nationwide the "Granby Series" of moves developed by his Hall of Fame high school coach in Norfolk, Virginia, Billy Martin. After the close of his competitive career, he served with distinction as a collegiate coach at Lock Haven, Indiana State, Tennessee and Old Dominion University, and never has suffered a losing season. Among his proteges were two NCAA champions and several All-Americans. In both roles, as a wrestler and coach, this quiet man has set an outstanding example for young athletes everywhere. As a wrestler of unchallenged achievement and a sportsman of the highest caliber, Elliot Gray Simons is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Show Credits: Show written and produced by Jason Bryant, Mat Talk Online Amateur Wrestling News, Volumes 4-5, 1959-1960 Wrestlers at the Trials, James V. Moffatt, 2007 The Granby Roll, J.W. "Johnny" Brown, 2008 Music Provided by Envato Elements. /episode/index/show/etchedinstone/id/27770829