10 Things You Didn't Know About Jack Swagger
9. He's Friends With Danny Hodge
Old school wrestling fans surely know the name Danny Hodge. The Perry, Oklahoma native first broke into the business in 1959 and became a huge draw for booker Leroy McGuirk. With his technical ability and strength, he was a believable champion, and he went on to hold the NWA Junior Heavyweight Championship a record seven times.
Perhaps even more impressive, though, were Hodge's accomplishments in the field of amateur wrestling. Hodge was a three-time NCAA champion in the 177-pound weight class, and he was so dominant that the Dan Hodge Trophy - awarded to the best collegiate wrestler in the United States each year - was named after him. Following his academic career, Hodge competed in the Olympics in 1952 and 1956, winning silver the second time.
Years later, Hodge's grandson competed on the same high school wrestling team as Jack Swagger. Swagger and the elder Hodge, meanwhile, developed a friendship that lasts to this day, as they only lived two blocks away from each other.