Oklahoma State University Athletics
Tadaaki Hatta Named 2019 Gallagher Award Recipient
February 21, 2019 | Cowboy Wrestling
STILLWATER– Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith announced former Cowboy wrestler Tadaaki Hatta as this year's Gallagher Award honoree.
The award will be presented on Sunday during the Iowa match. An OSU alumnus who has exemplified the spirit and leadership eminent in the tradition of champions is honored annually with the award.
"Tadaaki Hatta is a great representation of what Gallagher Award embodies," Smith said. "I'm excited that he's the recipient of it this year. Tadaaki Hatta's success following his time at OSU exemplifies the award."
Hatta was a letter winner at Oklahoma State in 1964, 1965 and 1966, and after an undefeated season, went on to win an NCAA title at 115 pounds in 1965. He won two Big Eight titles for the Cowboys and placed third in the NCAA Tournament in his final season with OSU.
The former Cowboy was on the U.S. Olympic freestyle team coaching in 1988, 1992 and 1996. In between coaching the Japanese Olympic team in 1968 and 1984, Hatta coached the 1972 Mexican Olympic team as well.
The USA Wrestling Gold Certified Coach was the head coach of the 1998 Men's Cadet World Team, the Women's 1999 Cadet World Team, the Women's Junior World Team (2001, 2002) and the 2002 Women's University Team.
In 2004, Hatta served as an assistant coach for the US Women's Olympic team and was the head coach of the US Women's team at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Hatta has spent time coaching at multiple youth club teams and high schools, among them St. Edward and St. Ignatius, where he still serves as an assistant rugby coach.
"Hatta has spent a great amount of time with youth all the way to elite athletes," Smith said. "Every time he got his hands on people, they developed. Great coach… great man… and great wrestler."
He graduated from Oklahoma State with a bachelor's of fine arts and still paints whenever he has time. Some of his works are featured at the Wrestling Hall of Fame and has a drawing as one of the permanent collections in the OSU Art Museum. In 1982, he wrote a book titled, "The Wrestling Techniques Handbook."
Gallagher Award Recipients
1986 – Rex Peery
1987 – Frank Lewis
1988 – Myron Roderick
1989 – Tommy Chesbro
1990 – Joe McDaniel
1991 – John W. Divine
1996 - Ray Murphy
1997 - John Smith
1998 - Grady Peninger
1999 - Kenny Monday
2000 - Pat Smith
2001 - Kendall Cross
2002 - Mike Sheets
2003 - Doug Blubaugh
2004 - Grover Rains
2005 - Bobby Douglas
2006 - Charles Hetrick
2007 - Fred Davis
2008 - Lee Roy Smith
2009 - Bobby Stites
2010 - Bill Harlow
2011 - Eddie Griffin
2013 - Jim Shields
2014 - Mike Jones
2015 - Jay Arneson
2016 - Hardell Moore
2017 - Stanley Henson
2018 – Nick Williams
2019 – Tadaaki Hatta
The award will be presented on Sunday during the Iowa match. An OSU alumnus who has exemplified the spirit and leadership eminent in the tradition of champions is honored annually with the award.
"Tadaaki Hatta is a great representation of what Gallagher Award embodies," Smith said. "I'm excited that he's the recipient of it this year. Tadaaki Hatta's success following his time at OSU exemplifies the award."
Hatta was a letter winner at Oklahoma State in 1964, 1965 and 1966, and after an undefeated season, went on to win an NCAA title at 115 pounds in 1965. He won two Big Eight titles for the Cowboys and placed third in the NCAA Tournament in his final season with OSU.
The former Cowboy was on the U.S. Olympic freestyle team coaching in 1988, 1992 and 1996. In between coaching the Japanese Olympic team in 1968 and 1984, Hatta coached the 1972 Mexican Olympic team as well.
The USA Wrestling Gold Certified Coach was the head coach of the 1998 Men's Cadet World Team, the Women's 1999 Cadet World Team, the Women's Junior World Team (2001, 2002) and the 2002 Women's University Team.
In 2004, Hatta served as an assistant coach for the US Women's Olympic team and was the head coach of the US Women's team at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Hatta has spent time coaching at multiple youth club teams and high schools, among them St. Edward and St. Ignatius, where he still serves as an assistant rugby coach.
"Hatta has spent a great amount of time with youth all the way to elite athletes," Smith said. "Every time he got his hands on people, they developed. Great coach… great man… and great wrestler."
He graduated from Oklahoma State with a bachelor's of fine arts and still paints whenever he has time. Some of his works are featured at the Wrestling Hall of Fame and has a drawing as one of the permanent collections in the OSU Art Museum. In 1982, he wrote a book titled, "The Wrestling Techniques Handbook."
Gallagher Award Recipients
1986 – Rex Peery
1987 – Frank Lewis
1988 – Myron Roderick
1989 – Tommy Chesbro
1990 – Joe McDaniel
1991 – John W. Divine
1996 - Ray Murphy
1997 - John Smith
1998 - Grady Peninger
1999 - Kenny Monday
2000 - Pat Smith
2001 - Kendall Cross
2002 - Mike Sheets
2003 - Doug Blubaugh
2004 - Grover Rains
2005 - Bobby Douglas
2006 - Charles Hetrick
2007 - Fred Davis
2008 - Lee Roy Smith
2009 - Bobby Stites
2010 - Bill Harlow
2011 - Eddie Griffin
2013 - Jim Shields
2014 - Mike Jones
2015 - Jay Arneson
2016 - Hardell Moore
2017 - Stanley Henson
2018 – Nick Williams
2019 – Tadaaki Hatta
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