Maurice E. LETCHFORD

South African-born wrestler Maurice Letchford’s only major international tournament was the 1928 Summer Olympics, where he competed in the welterweight division. After defeating Belgium’s Hyacinthe Roosen in the quarterfinals, he lost to upcoming silver medalist Lloyd Appleton of the United States in the semifinals, but bested France’s Jean Jourlin in the third place match to win a bronze medal. After being passed over for the inaugural 1930 British Empire Games, Letchford turned professional in 1932 and competed through the late 1940s. His professional career took him international, and he was a well-known performer in Canada, Britain, and the United States. After his competitive life ended, he turned to wrestling promotion and was active in this field in Canada through the mid-1950s, at which point he returned to South Africa. He continued to promote wrestling in that country until his death in August 1965.