George “Doc” Nelson (1890-1970)
George “Doc” Nelson served as Utah State University’s head athletic trainer for 38 years. He established the wrestling program at Utah State in 1923, where he coached the team to 13 state wrestling championships, 10 Western Division Rocky Mountain Conference titles and one Intermountain AAU crown. The Fieldhouse on campus was renamed in his honor on February 25, 1956.
George was born in Larvik, Norway, on August 29, 1890. Starting in the fourth grade, he began building his body and stamina by doing calisthenics, skiing, swimming and other forms of exercise.
At an early age, George joined the crew of a sailing vessel and began to work his way to America. By the age of fifteen, he had sailed around the world.
George’s first job was in a sawmill, where his rugged determination and never-say-die attitude were first manifested. By age 18, he was made foreman of a construction crew before moving from Tacoma, Washington to Seattle, where he secured a membership as a wrestler in a local athletic club.
George sparred with such men as Jack Dempsey, Lou Firpo and several other “named” stars of the time, before moving to Salt Lake City to continue pursuing the mat sport. This decision would provide Utah with one of the finest wrestlers the state has produced.
Shortly after his arrival, George became a Salt Lake City fireman, earning him the “Fighting Fireman” moniker on mat cards. It soon became apparent that he was running out of good opponents in the Utah area, so he traveled throughout the intermountain region in quest for worthy opponents. The rugged Norwegian would attempt to throw any three heavyweights in a 90-minute time limit. Interest in these matches was high, as most people who had seen George wrestle were of the opinion that few heavyweights in the nation could stay in the same ring with him.
As each new challenger was defeated by the young Utah grappler, local fans were willing to match their man against anything that could enter a ring. Once when a circus advertised the presence of “Big Jim,” a 480-pound wrestling bear that had been throwing champion wrestlers, George supporters were quick to say he could throw the monster.
George, one never to turn down any ring opponent, accepted the challenge and went into the ring with the furry fury for a no-time match. George, according to the agreement, was to get twenty-five dollars every time he could throw the beast. As a result, George, after struggling with “Big Jim” for ten minutes, caught the giant in a half crossbar, put his weight on the hold, and threw the big Alpine bear on his back. The feat marked the first time since the animal started on the national circuit some four years before that any wrestler had thrown the bear using a legal hold.
After the match, the manager and trainer of “Big Jim” took a bet from George that he couldn’t throw the huge animal again in two tries. Fans were turned away from the repeat performance which saw George throw the bear again and get the grand prize that had increased to one hundred dollars.
Another time George was called down from his home in Preston, Idaho, where he had moved to accept a position as director of physical education at Oneida Academy, to try his strength in lifting the 98-pound Jeanne Ward, billed as “the girl no man can lift off the ground.” George, offered fifty dollars if he could accomplish the feat, went home with the money and the satisfaction of another challenge met.
George wrestled many legends over his career, including Ira Dern, Jim Londos, Doc Roller, Ed “Strangler” Lewis and Dean Detton. He was billed by the Los Angeles Daily Times as “one of the truly great mat men of his time.” The Times indicated that George possessed a deadly headlock that was considered second only to the one of “Strangler” Lewis. George fought Santel for the light heavyweight championship of the world in 1923.
George stayed on as physical education director and coach at the Preston Oneida Academy from 1915 to 1920. In 1921, E. L. “Dick” Romney, who just two years before had been installed as athletic director and coach of “all major and minor sports,” wrote to George Nelson and asked him if he would consider coming to Utah State College as a trainer for all sports. He accepted the position and joined Romney in September of 1921.
From that day forward, George Nelson was affectionately known as simply “Doc” to the thousands of athletes who passed through USU during his tenure.
Whether it’s working kinks out of a sore back, taping a sprained ankle, or demonstrating the right holds for a pinning combination, George earned the respect and loyalty of all who worked with him. Soon after his appointment at Utah State, he saw his chance to develop a wrestling team and immediately began the work of training interested students in the grapple sport. His teams, taking advantage of his years of experience, progressed rapidly and in two years were taking part in intercollegiate matches. It would become the first collegiate wrestling team in Utah, and take home seven Western Division mat titles under George’s supervision.
George was a great devotee of skiing, even using his nine-foot level land racers to commute to work from Providence whenever the weather permitted. For his noteworthy career, he was honored and presented with an award by the National Association of Athletic Trainers in recognition of his years of service as an athletic trainer.
*Note: All bios are current and up-to-date as of Summer 2022.