University of Minnesota Athletics
Norman Borlaug Pays the Golden Gophers a Visit
5/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
A native of Cresco, Iowa, Borlaug came to the University of Minnesota in 1933 to wrestle and study forestry. His impact went far beyond the confines of the University. With encouragement from his coach, Dave Bartelma, Borlaug became an advocate for high school wrestling around the state of Minnesota. His time and effort is credited in part for the first-ever state wrestling tournament being held in 1938.
Following his time at the University of Minnesota, Borlaug began a remarkable life's mission to help feed the world's poor. He found himself in Mexico, not only teaching farmers new ways to grow crops, but also lobbying politicians on behalf of the country's farmers.
Over 30 years of service were rewarded in 1970 when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his research which produced a high-yield, disease-resistant wheat plant. His work also included organizing other scientists to use similar methods to combat hunger in their own homelands.
Borlaug, who turned 90 in March, currently lives in Dallas, Texas, and still spends nearly three-fourths of the year on the road conducting lectures against hunger and the bureaucracies that fail to adequately address the problem. The University of Minnesota wrestling team was recently paid a visit by one of its greatest alums. Nobel Peace Prize recipient and former Golden Gopher grappler Norman Borlaug dropped by the wrestling room to visit with the coaches and the athletes.
A native of Cresco, Iowa, Borlaug came to the University of Minnesota in 1933 to wrestle and study forestry. His impact went far beyond the confines of the University. With encouragement from his coach, Dave Bartelma, Borlaug became an advocate for high school wrestling around the state of Minnesota. His time and effort is credited in part for the first-ever state wrestling tournament being held in 1938.
Following his time at the University of Minnesota, Borlaug began a remarkable life's mission to help feed the world's poor. He found himself in Mexico, not only teaching farmers new ways to grow crops, but also lobbying politicians on behalf of the country's farmers.
Over 30 years of service were rewarded in 1970 when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his research which produced a high-yield, disease-resistant wheat plant. His work also included organizing other scientists to use similar methods to combat hunger in their own homelands.
Borlaug, who turned 90 in March, currently lives in Dallas, Texas, and still spends nearly three-fourths of the year on the road conducting lectures against hunger and the bureaucracies that fail to adequately address the problem.
