Dave’s legacy will live on forever in the sport of wrestling: he inspired the youth by serving as a coach for individuals and teams at the collegiate level. He was the older brother of Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler Mark Schultz.
At the 1984 Olympic Games, Dave and Mark won the gold medal, and were the only brother duo in history to win both the Olympic and World championships. For their Olympic wins, they were honored at the White House by President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy Reagan.
In the major motion picture Foxcatcher, which was nominated for five Academy Awards, Dave Schultz is portrayed by actor Mark Ruffalo.
Mark Schultz pays homage to his late brother in his authentic and powerful memoir, Foxcatcher, which was released on November 18.
While he was only 36 years old at the time of his death, Dave left behind an impressive body of accomplishments,titles and accolades. He was a five-time Wrestling World Cup champion, and a gold medalist at the 1986 Goodwill Games in Moscow. Ever since his death, USA Wrestling has annually hosted the Dave Schultz Memorial International wrestling meet in his honor, which takes place in Colorado Springs.
In 1997, Dave was posthumously inducted into the coveted National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a distinguished member. Dave’s life story is an inspiration to us all. May he R.I.P.
