Wrestling was introduced to the Olympics during the eighteenth Olympiad about 704 B.C. It has since spread throughout the world, with each country developing it's own individual style (www.geocities.com). Wrestling was the most popular event in the ancient Greek Games, and lists of Olympic wrestling winners have been recorded since 708 B.C. One of the most famous of the Greek wrestlers was the philosopher, Plato, who won many prizes for wrestling as a young man. The greatest popularity of the Olympic Games was during the period of the five good emperors in Rome, around 125 A.D. With the expansion of the Roman Empire, the forerunner of modern freestyle developed. The style was completely free, with no holds barred on any part of the person or garments of the opponent. Wrestling was also popular in the Orient for at least twenty centuries. Syndicated feature columnist L. M. Boyd has stated that the Kingdom of Japan was wagered on the outcome of a wrestling match in 858 A.D. Two distinctive styles emerged in Japan, sumo and judo, and both remain immensely popular today. In Europe, during the Middle Ages, wrestling was considered a knihtly skill. In 1520, at the Field of Cloth of Gold, Henry VIII of England and Francis I of France were provoked by strong feelings while watching their countrymen compete. Henry challenged Francis and reportedly was thrown by him (http://dana.ucc.nau.edu).
             Early American settlers brought a strong wrestling tradition with them from England. The colonists also found wrestling to be popular among Native Americans. Amateur wrestling flourished throughout the early years of the nation and served as a popular activity at county fairs, holiday celebrations, and in military exercises (www.cnenigeria.com). The first organized national wrestling tournament in the United States was held in New York City in 1888. Canada's first national wrestling championships took place in Ottawa, Ontario, in 1909. The ...