George Nicholas MEHNERT

George Mehnert was the first American to win two gold medals in Olympic wrestling. In addition, he won six AAU championships between 1902 and 1908. At the 1908 Olympics in London, it was said he "showed form quite above any other man in the whole contest, and undoubtedly was the most scientific, both in attack and defense, of any wrestler taking part in the Games". Throughout his career he lost only two matches, the only significant one being in the finals of the 1907 AAU meet when he was defeated by George Dole, who also won a gold medal in 1908. Mehnert was a vegetarian, which probably helped him keep his weight down to less than 130 lbs. Despite being small, he toured as a professional wrestler in 1909 and 1910. He later was active in sports administration, serving as president of his club, the National Turnverein in Newark, New Jersey, and acting as the chief clerk of the AAU wrestling committee.