- Terrence McCann
Terrence John McCann (
March 23 1934 –June 7 2006 ) was an American wrestler who won theGold Medal in the bantamweight division offreestyle wrestling at the1960 Summer Olympics inRome , and later helped found the United States Wrestling Federation (now called USA Wrestling). He was born inChicago, Illinois .He was also the retired
Executive Director ofToastmasters International , having served in that position for 26 years. [See "In memory of Toastmasters' former Executive Director" [http://www.toastmasters.org/artisan/member.asp?CategoryID=1&SubCategoryID=10&ArticleID=447&SearchText=] ]He died in
Dana Point, California at age 72 from a rare asbestos-linkedcancer and was survived by his wife of 52 years, Lucille, as well as seven children, eighteen grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and three siblings.Wrestling
McCann began wrestling in a city-sponsored park recreation program when he was 11. [See "The Third Wave" by Terrence J. McCann, The Toastmaster July 2001 p13] McCann wrestled collegiately for the Iowa Hawkeyes where he only lost three matches in three years while winning three Big Ten and two
NCAA titles. He then went on to represent theUnited States in the1960 Summer Olympics where he won a gold medal. McCann was inducted, as a Distinguished Member, into theNational Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum (USA) in 1977.Shortly before his death, he appeared in a nationally televised interview at the 2006 NCAA wrestling championships. He crushed an apple with his bare hand, showing the incredible strength he still had at age 72.
Toastmasters International
McCann was appointed as the Executive Director of Toastmasters International (TI) in March 1975, having accepted the position in February [See "The Toastmaster" July 2001, p10] . He was TI's fourth and longest serving Executive Director.
A decade earlier he had already discovered the benefits of the TI program, when he joined the Oil Capital Toastmasters club in
Tulsa ,Oklahoma , upon the suggestion of Bill Borders, a friend and former national wrestling champion. [See "The Toastmaster" July 2001, p10] [See Bill Borders' wrestling results [http://www.wrestlinghalloffame.org/champions/?names&wrestler=119] ]Hobbies
McCann enjoyed physical sports such as bicycling, surfing and weightlifting, despite having endured nine knee operations and a shoulder operation.
Notes
External links
* [http://sport.monstersandcritics.com Obituary] (not available as of 17 July 2006)
* [http://www.usolympicteam.com/OlyNewsletterJulyAug06.pdf USA The Olympian] Obituary - starts p21
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