THE TRIALS... 1984 ADDENDUM Summary of Key Events and Timelines August 20, 1982: Federal District Judge Aldrich orders the AAU removed from FILA and the USOC. Subsequently, USA Wrestling gains recognition by FILA and the USOC as the governing body for amateur wrestling in the US. USA Wrestling assumes responsibility for organizing and setting procedures for the 1984 Trials. March, 1983: USA Wrestling names Dan Gable head Olympic team Freestyle coach. January 23, 1984: The Executive Committee of USA Wrestling approves and issues the 1984 Olympic Trials procedures. March/April, 1984: Randy Lewis wins Central Qualifying tournament to become eligible for the Olympic Trials. Lee Roy Smith wins the World Cup Trials to become eligible. March 22-24, 1984: Ricky Dellagatta defeats Darrell Burley 13-4 in 136.5 pound finals of the National Open Freestyle championships. Dellagatta and Burley qualify for the Trials. Randy Lewis and Lee Roy Smith do not compete in the tournament. May 18-20, 1984: US Freestyle Olympic Trials (Final Qualifier) at Iowa City. Results at 136.5 pounds: 1st place, Dellagatta (loses to Smith 6-2; pins Burley; defeats Lewis 20-10). 2nd place, Smith (defeats Dellagatta 6-2; loses to Lewis 11-9; defeats Burley 16-4). 3rd place, Lewis (loses to Dellagatta 20-10; defeats Smith 11-9). June, 1984: For the Final Trials wrestle-offs, USA Wrestling decides that the 136.5 pounds Freestyle weight class (and several Greco-Roman weight classes) will be a fourman round-robin series rather than a ladder challenge. This adheres to the January 23 Trials procedure document. June 21, 1984: Final Trials, Allendale, MI. Results at 136.5 pounds Freestyle, day one: Dellagatta vs Burley – Dellagatta wins two-out-of-three matches: 4-6, 6-4, 15-6. Lewis vs Smith – Lewis wins the first bout on criteria, 7-7. Smith protests; protest is denied. Second bout – Lewis defeats Smith 7-6. Smith protests, protest is upheld by the Protest Committee, bout ordered re-wrestled in its entirety. Third (re-wrestled) bout – Smith defeats Lewis 13-0. Fourth bout – Smith defeats Lewis by injury default at 1:19, with Smith ahead at the time. The Protest Committee includes three officials – Chuck Almeida, Vince Zuaro and Ron Ogelsbury and two USA Wrestling staff members, Greg Strobel and Bernadette Norris. Head coach Dan Gable participates as an ex-officio member with no voting rights. Lewis, through his attorney, presents an appeal letter to USA Wrestling protesting the decision that the second match be re-wrestled. June 22, 1984: Results at 136.5 Freestyle, day two: Smith vs Burley – Smith wins 14-2, 11-4. Dellagatta vs Lewis – No matches wrestled. Dellagatta weighs in but Lewis defaults to him and withdraws from the tournament due to a knee injury. June 23, 1984: Results at 136.5 Freestyle, day three: Smith vs Dellagatta – Smith wins 8-3, 13-8. Smith is announced as the Freestyle 136.5 Trials winner, Dellagatta as the alternate. Late June, 1984: USA Wrestling denies Lewis appeal; US Olympic Committee denies Lewis appeal.
154 Wrestlers At The Trials
THE TRIALS... 1984 ADDENDUM brings his case July 5, 1984: Lewis, under provisions of the Amateur Sports Act, to arbitration ttee) Commi Olympic US the and g (Randy Lewis vs USA Wrestlin of Lewis – Dan behalf on s: hearing the at ng testifyi als Individu . in Chicago on behalf of USA Gable, Chad Crow, J Robinson, Scott Fulton, Stan Dziedzic; . Strobel Greg Holzer, Wrestling – Steve Combs, Werner It states that the July 12, 1984: Arbitrator Ken Denzel announces his verdict. and vacated; the reversed are ttee Commi Protest the actions and decisions of , over-turned and vacated are s matche mith Lewis-S ’ ourth ‘ f and hird’ ‘ t the results of le the disputed re-wrest to of no effect; and, that Lewis and Smith are directed 84 seconds with 5-4 leading Lewis with ersy, match from the point of the controv tta and Dellaga day; next the wrestle to directed are Smith and remaining. Lewis Lewis are directed to wrestle the day after that.
Bear, CA behind July 13, 1984: Lewis and Smith wrestle the 84-second match in Big ted. elimina is Smith 7-4. wins Lewis closed doors. Wrestling files an Smith files a state court injunction in Oklahoma. USA the Arbitrator’s vacate to ts attemp in Illinois in application in US District Court denied. are decision. Both ’s family files a restraining order on the arbitration ruling in July 14, 1984: Smith Federal Court in Los Angeles. The judge turns down the request. doors. Lewis defeats Dellagatta, 5-2 and 16-4 at Big Bear behind closed Committee ation Organiz Olympic Angeles Los to ed submitt Lewis’s name is 14 was the July . division e (LAOOC) as the US representative in the 136.5 Freestyl ants, per contest Olympic US of names final day for the US to submit the LAOOC mandate. Wrestling Officials July 19, 1984: Letter from Don Sondgeroth, President of US President of USA Holzer, Warner to ad, letterhe tion Associa Association, on and Robinson Dziedzic Wrestling, asking that Freestyle team coaches Gable, after the coaches as d tendere ions be severely reprimanded and their resignat Olympics. to USA WresJuly 26, 1984 – Date of a letter from Rick Dellagatta’s parents with the mance confor of lack to tling protesting the Trials results at 136.5 due 8 adAugust on ttas Dellaga the to back writes Trials procedures. Greg Strobel . letter protest the in posed s question dressing the
e Director Steve July 30, 1984: Personal letter written by USA Wrestling Executiv ’s appearance Gable of Combs to Dan Gable stating Combs’ strong disapproval in support Angeles Los in judge in the Arbitrator’s court and before the Federal ask actually not does Combs y, contrar the to of Lewis. Despite media reports “ ith total w letter, the ends he though coach, Olympic as ion resignat his Gable for the situation.” disrespect for your title and actions, I am challenged to rectify August 7 – 11, 1984: Wrestlers compete in the Olympic Games. ly censure Dan September 11, 1984: The Board of Directors of USA Wrestling official and for dispute the in (Lewis) athlete l individua an of Gable for taking the side accepts Gable tatives. represen g Wrestlin USA several of y integrit the challenging in a interest my by solely ed the censure, stating that "my actions were motivat and itors" compet the of one in interest l persona fair outcome, rather than any ttee Commi Protest the of y integrit the ng attacki way any in that he was not members. Wrestling. May, 1985: Steve Combs resigns as Executive Director of USA
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