Pen Name: Mike Chapman
Comments from the author about writing:
Writing is still the best way to communicate thoughts and experiences across any borders, including generational borders. There are two primary keys to being a published author -- passion for your subject, and the discipline to get the job done. I have been blessed to have been born with the former and have had to acquire the second.
Literary awards received and date received:
(1) National Wrestling Writer of the Year – Amateur Wrestling News (AWN), 1976
- (2) National Wrestling Writer of the Year – Wrestling USA, 1985
- (3) National Wrestling Writer of the Year – Wrestling Masters magazine, 1986
- (4) National Wrestling Writer of the Year – AWN, 1993
- (5) National Wrestling Writer of the Year – WIN Magazine, 2006
- (6) Jim Melby Award as Pro Wrestling Writer of the Year – 2007
- (7) Inductee, East Waterloo High School (Iowa) Hall of Fame – 1994
- (8) Inductee, AAU National Wrestling Hall of Fame – 2005
- (9) Inductee, National Sombo Hall of Fame – 2006
- (10) Inductee, Glen Brand Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame – 2008
- (11) Inductee, Hall of Heroes, Excel Wrestling - 2009
- (12) Inductee, Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame (Cresco) - 2010
- (13) Order of Merit, National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum – 2007
- (14) President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement, Iowa Coaches Ass’n – 2007
- (15) Art Abrams Lifetime Achievement Award, Cauliflower Alley Club - 2002
- (16) Lifetime Achievement Award, Missouri Wrestling Revue – 2011
- Plus numerous awards for newspaper work over a 35-year career
Book Types: Fiction, Nonfiction
Audience Types: All Ages
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Are you willing to do programs for schools, libraries, or other groups? Yes
If you are willing to do programs, will you charge a fee?
Yes, I charge to come and present a program, just like a teacher does not work for free. Generally, it takes about 6-8 hours to drive somewhere, set up a display table, give the speech, answer questions and drive back home. I am very reasonable with my fees and make adjustments based on the size of the group, how far I have to travel, and the type of organization I am speaking to. The average fee for an hour presentation within a two-hour drive from Newton is $400, but I do go lower on occasion.
E-mail Address: museum@pcpartner.net
Author's Web site: http://www.mike-chapman.com
Publisher Information:
County: Jasper
Books By This Author
- 1. Two Guys Named Dan, Medalist Industries, Inc., Milwaukee, WI, 1976 (the story of wrestling icons Dan Gable and Dan Hodge. Hard bound.
- 2. From Gotch to Gable, the University of Iowa, Iowa City, 1981, a history of wrestling in the state of Iowa and the entire United States. Hardbound and soft cover.
- 3. Evy and the Hawks: The Glory Years, Leisure Press, New York, NY, 1983, the story of football coach Forest Evashevski. Soft cover.
- 4. The Toughest Men in Sports, Leisure Press, New York, NY, 1983, the stories of 11 great one-on-one athletes, including Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee. Rocky Marciano, Jack Dempsey, Dan Gable, etc. Soft cover.
- 5. The New Breed: Living Iowa Wrestling, 1985, Leisure Press, New York, NY, co-authored with 1984 Olympic champion Lou Banach. Soft cover.
- 6. Iowans of Impact, Enterprise Publishing Co., Waterloo, Iowa, 1985. The stories of 25 Iowans who excelled — including President Herbert Hoover, John Wayne, Donna Reed, Frank Gotch and Dan Gable. Hardbound and soft cover.
- 7. Fighting Back, Bob Steenlage Publications, Galesville, WI,1988. The story of one man’s journey from athletic stardom to the Vietnam War, and back from the edge of death. Bob was the first four-time state wrestling champion in Iowa history.
- 8. GOTCH: World’s Greatest Wrestler, Hein Publications, Buffalo, NY, 1988, the story of wrestling legend Frank Gotch. Hard bound.
- 9. The Encyclopedia of American Wrestling, Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL, 1990, a 586-page book full of statistics about wrestling. Soft bound.
- 10. Nick and the Cyclones, Leisure Press (Human Kinetics, 1988, Champaign, IL, the story of the Iowa State University wrestling program. Hard bound.
- 11. Gotch: An American Hero, Culture House Books, Newton, IA, 1999, a novel about the young man who came off an Iowa farm in the early 1900s to become the greatest professional wrestler of all time. Soft cover.
- 12. Please Don’t Call Me Tarzan, Culture House Books, Newton, IA, 2001, a biography of movie actor Herman Brix (aka Bruce Bennett). Hard bound.
- 13. The Gold and The Glory, Culture House Books, 2002, Newton, IA The story of Glenn Morris, 1936 Olympic champion and movie Tarzan. Soft cover.
- 14. The Sport of Lincoln, Culture House Books, Newton, IA, 2003, the story of Abe Lincoln’s historic wrestling match with Jack Armstrong in New Salem, Illinois, in 1831. Soft cover.
- 15. Lowell Park, McMillen Publishing Co., Ames, IA, 2003, a historical novel about a young woman’s journey back in time to meet Abe Lincoln in 1832 and Ronald Reagan in 1932, in a place called Lowell Park. Movie rights to the book have been optioned by a Hollywood film company. Soft cover.
- 16. ACHILLES: Son of Peleus, Scourge of Troy,Culture House Books, Newton, IA, 2004, historical novel about the greatest hero of the Trojan War. Soft cover.
- 17. Wrestling Tough, Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL, 2005, the mental side of sports. The book delves into the mental aspects of athletic competition, featuring great wrestlers like John Smith, Tom Brands and Dan Gable but also using legends from other sports – such as Muhammad Ali, Walter Payton, Arnold Schwarzenegger and others. Soft cover.
- 18. Legends of the Mat, Culture House Books, Newton, IA, 2007, he biographies of 34 American amateur wrestling champions. Soft cover.
- 19. Frank Gotch: His Life and Legacy, Paladin Press, Boulder, CO, 2008. An in-depth look at the career of the man many consider the greatest professional wrestler of all time. Soft cover.
- 20. Oklahoma Shooter: The Dan Hodge Story, Culture House Books, Newton, IA, 2010. The biography of legendary wrestler Dan Hodge. Soft cover.
- 21. Triumph and Tragedy: The Inspiring Stories of Four Football Legends, Culture House Books, Newton, IA, 2010. The stories of Fred Becker, Jack Trice, Nile Kinnick and Johnny Bright, four of the greatest athletic heroes in Iowa history. Hardbound.
- 22. Siddens! Win with Humility, Lose with Dignity….But Don’t Lose! DWH Publishing, Waterloo, IA, 2013. Co-written with Don Huff. Bob Siddens led West Waterloo High School to eleven state team titles and eight runnerup spots in his 27-year coaching career. Soft cover.
- 23. Caddock: Walnut’s Wrestling Wonder, Culture House Books, Newton, IA, 2011. The story of Earl Caddock, three-time AAU national wrestling champion who became world heavyweight professional champion in 1917. Caddock also served his country in World War I, fighting in France. Soft cover.
- 24. The Super Book of Wrestling Trivia and History, Culture House Books, Newton, IA, 2013. A book of wrestling history and trivia. Soft cover.
- 25. PENDLETON, The Amazing Story of Columbia’s Wrestling Olympian and Star of Hollywood, Culture House Books, Newton, IA, 2015, Soft cover.
- 26. Iowa’s Record-Setting Governor: the Terry Branstad Story, Business Publications Corporation, Des Moines, IA, 2015 Hard cover and soft cover.