Mike Retires from the Wrestling Museum

Sunday, December 6th, 2009 | Wrestling | 1 Comment

Mike retired on October 31st from the Wrestling Museum. After founding the museum, he spent 11 years as the Executive Director. Here is a press release from the Museum:

The executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum (DGIWIM) is stepping down after leading the organization for over a decade. Mike Chapman founded the museum in 1998 following a successful career in journalism that spanned three decades to become the museum’s full-time executive director in 2002.

“I have devoted a large part of my life to preserving the history of wrestling at all levels, amateur and professional, and the museum was the culmination of that effort,” said Chapman.

Continue reading…

Iowa History Journal Issue 5 Now Available

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 | Iowa History Journal | No Comments

Issue number 5, October 2009, of the Iowa History Journal is now available.

Inside the issue:

• Saga of the USS Iowa
• Old Chapel Resurrected
• Rocky Marciano’s Fatal Trip
• Three Baseball Books
• Recalling the Big Peach
• Iowa History Quiz
• Columns by Iowans

Visit IowaHistoryJournal.com to subscribe!

Tags: Fred Becker, Rocky Marciano, USS Iowa

IHJ Featured in Tuesday’s Des Moines Register

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 | Iowa History Journal, Newspaper | No Comments

The Des Moines Register did a short piece on the Iowa History Journal in its Biz Buzz section on Tuesday. The blurb reads:

Iowa writer and promoter Mike Chapman has a new venture, Iowa History Journal, which he began publishing with a soft launch last winter and which is now promoting its fifth issue.

The inaugural issue in January featured University of Iowa football legend Nile Kinnick. Subsequent covers featured former Iowans Herbert Hoover, Donna Reed and actor George “Superman” Reeves.

The October issue features Fred Becker, the first U of I football player to win All-American status. He died on a World War I battlefield.

Chapman is a former publisher of the Newton Daily News and founder of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum.

The Iowa History Journal is distributed to high schools and libraries. The October issue will be available soon in some bookstores, said publicist Donna Johnson. For subscription information, call (641) 792-0920 or go to IowaHistoryJournal.com.

(Source: www.desmoinesregister.com)

First Ever Alan Rice Hall of Fame Inductions to Take Place October 16 and 17 at the Wrestling Museum

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 | Wrestling | No Comments

From the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum‘s website:

Five of the greatest stars in Greco-Roman history and one of the most important political figures of the past decade – along with an Iowa family with a sensational wrestling background – will be honored on Oct. 16-17, 2009, at the inaugural inductions into the Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions.

The hall is located in the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum here, and is named for Alan and Gloria Rice, a husband-and wife team that has been one of the most influential forces in American wrestling history. Greco-Roman wrestling is a style that allows only holds above the waist, and Alan Rice has been one of its staunchest advocates for half a century.

Continue reading for more details on the event as well as the featured guests and inductees…

Tags: Alan Rice, Billy Baldwin, Dan Gable, Dennis Hall, Dennis Hastert, Jeff Blatnick, Joe Warren, Mike Houck, Steve Fraser