Wrestling hall of fame to honor Sallisaw coach Mark Smith

First-year Sallisaw wrestling coach Mark Smith will be honored along with his three older brothers by the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame at its banquet in Edmond on Sunday.

Smith is one of four brothers receiving the first Madalene and Lee Roy Smith Family Wrestling Award. The Smith family is widely recognized as part of the great wrestling tradition that consistently puts Oklahoma at the top of the wrestling map year in and year out.

“One the big things for us boys is what my dad did,” Smith recalls. “Dad put the time in, and that‚s what it takes if you want to be at that next level. There‚s a lot of travel and a lot of sacrificing. He took us to those places to compete and took us to the best gyms to workout in, and he‚s been doing that since Lee Roy decided he wanted to wrestle, and that helped us with our successes.”

In fourth grade in 1967, Lee Roy Smith III told his father, Lee Roy Smith Jr., that he wanted to wrestle, and it was like flipping a switch, because from that moment forward, Smith Jr.‚s dedication and support didn‚t waiver.

“He took off with it for all four of us. He had a bigtime part in and he was instrumental in getting a lot of the youth leagues kicked off that we have now. Mom was very supportive and a hard worker. She was the type that has never missed a day of work.

“Our faith is important in our family. Our family is a tight group. [My parents] had 10 kids, and we all get along and we‚re tight and able to get along. My mom is full-blood Italian, so she‚s old-school Catholic and attends daily Mass, so the faith part of it is really important and there was a lot of prayer.

“That strong work ethic, never-give-up attitude, strong faith-based roots and dedication are the values that my parents instilled in us growing up, and that level of commitment is what this award is supposed to celebrate, and give the next generation of parents something to look up to and try to emulate.”

The four brothers – Lee Roy, John, Pat and Mark – will receive the inaugural award named after their parents and given to a family with two or more wrestlers who have achieved excellence in the sport and brought recognition to the state.

The Smith brothers are among the most successful state wrestlers to ever take the mat. Among them, the brothers have won 10 Oklahoma state high school titles, six national junior freestyle titles, 14 Big Eight/ Big 12 Conference championships, seven NCAA titles and 13 NCAA All-America seasons. John Smith also won two Olympic gold medals and four world titles, while Lee Roy earned a world silver medal.

The family award will be presented alongside coaches Mike Henry, Bill Reeves, Steve Shibley, LeRoy Smith and Ray Weis, and official Gordon Nelson, who will receive the Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award. Stilwell veterinarian and two-time NCAA wrestling champion Mike Sheets will be presented the Outstanding American Award.

The 2022 Oklahoma chapter banquet will be at the Hilton Garden Inn, 2833 Conference Drive in Edmond. A reception begins at 3 p.m., followed by the banquet at 4 p.m. and the induction ceremony at 5 p.m. Tickets are $70 per person, and can be purchased at OK-NWHOF.ticketleap.com or by contacting Howard Seay at c4dcowboys@aol.com or 918-639-8868.