STILLWATER, OK. -- The National Wrestling Hall of Fame lost one of the sports' most accomplished scientists and humanitarians on Saturday, September 12 from complications of cancer in Dallas, Texas.  Dr. Norman Borlaug is credited with saving a billion lives through his collaboration with scientists around the world in adapting new wheats to new lands and encouraging their production.  For his ground breaking achievements, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.

Named by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 most influential minds of the 20th century, Dr. Borlaug was 95.  Borlaug was born on March 25, 1914 on a farm southwest of Cresco, Iowa to Norwegian-American parents Henry and Clara Borlaug.  He attended Cresco High School and placed 3rd at 145 pounds in the 1932 Iowa High School State Wrestling Championships.

After graduating from high school, he chose to further his education at the University of Minnesota where he competed as a member of the varsity wrestling team.  As a senior, he advanced to the Big 10 semi-finals.  While still in college, he helped his coach, Dick Bartelma, organize the Minnesota high school program, and then refereed the first regional and state wrestling tournaments.  He received Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees from UM between 1937 and 1942.

In a biography about Borlaug, Dr. Kenneth Quinn writes, "Norman developed a dogged tenacity from participating in his high school wrestling program - another quality that would play a crucial role in some of his greatest achievements.  His coach Dick Bartelma, taught him to never give up, no matter how formidable his adversary.  This attitude propelled Borlaug to earn induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum as an Outstanding American in 1992."

Even the Nobel Peace Prize Foundation recognized Dr. Borlaug's extraordinary drive and talents by describing him as "a vigorous man who can perform prodigies of manual labor in the fields, he brings to his work the body and competitive spirit of the trained athlete, which indeed he was in his high school and college days."

His list of accomplishments and achievements include not only the Nobel Prize, but also receiving the Congressional Gold Medal and more than 50 honorary doctorate degrees.  He is considered the "Father of the Green Revolution" for his battle against starvation in Africa.

Gregg Easterbrook writes of Borlaug, "Though barely known in the country of his birth, elsewhere in the world, Norman Borlaug is widely considered to be among the leading Americans of our age." 

For information on the memorial service, Borlaug's obituary and complete vitae, please visit 
http://borlaug.tamu.edu/