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Calle
Westergren became the first cherished wrestler of class
in Sweden. He brought home three Olympic gold medals
in 1920, 1924, and 1932 and might even have won 1928
in Amsterdam if he had not given up in pure anger when
he lost to Onni Pellinen from Finland.
Calle was
very intelligent and, as a tactician, nobody surpassed
him. He was a real rogue and there are countless histories
of his pranks. Westergren's
ability to concentrate was unique and he was always
on his guard against his opponent's grip. He very
seldom got into any situations and the spectators
that have seen him in a danger position can probably
be counted on the fingers of one hand. His favorite
grip in the standing position was the forward waistlock
and in parterr he really took advantage of his strength. Calle mastered
the art of making his opponents nervous. He used to
wait at the mat corner during the presentation, voluptuously
massaging his arms. Then, he would put his thumbs
under the singlet, stretch his torso and say: "Considering
how strong I feel today, nobody can beat me!" Calle Westergren
was the great name of his time, but he could never
accept the fact that the sport of wrestling developed.
When he, after his career, was asked about hiw view
regarding the new generation of wrestlers, he gave
the classical answer" "They are just taking
showers nowadays!" Calle bred
pigeons and was a haulage contractor and a sulky driver
after his career. But, he was also engaged as a paid
artist in a musical comedy at a university carnival. Ingenuity
and positive thinking were Calle's mark of nobility,
both on and off the wrestling mat. |
