Wrestlers from the United States have taken part in most of the major men's freestyle wrestling competitions over the years, in particular the Olympic Games and World Wrestling Championships. Men's freestyle wrestling competition at the Olympics was first held in 1904. FILA (now known as United World Wrestling) began holding World Championships in men's freestyle in 1951.
During Olympic years there is only six weight classes contested, with the World Championships featuring ten weight classes since 2018. The World Championships contest the six Olympic, along with four non-Olympic weight classes. The United States did not send wrestlers to the championships in 1951, 1957, 1959, 1980, and 2002. No official team standings are kept for the Olympics. Some team finishes are approximate.
Olympics and World Championships 1904 Year Team Finish 47.6 kg 52.2 kg 56.7 kg 61.2 kg 65.8 kg 71.7 kg 71.7+ kg 1904 1st Curry, Robert (1st) Mehnert, George (1st) Niflot, Isidor (1st) Bradshaw, Benjamin (1st) Roehm, Otto (1st) Ericksen, Charles (1st) Hansen, Bernhoff (1st) Hein, John (2nd) Bauer, Gustave (2nd) Wester, August (2nd) McLear, Theodore (2nd) Tesing, Rudolph (2nd) Beckmann, William (2nd) Kugler, Frank (2nd) Thiefenthaler, Gustav (3rd) Nelson, William (3rd) Strebler, Louis (3rd) Clapper, Charles (3rd) Zirkel, Albert (3rd) Jerry Winholtz (3rd) Warmbold, Fred (3rd) Holgate, Claude (4th) N/A Four Other Competitors Six Other Competitors Seven Other Competitors Seven Other Competitors Two Other Competitors
1908 Year Team Finish 54 kg 60.3 kg 66.6 kg 73 kg 73+ kg 1908 2nd Mehnert, George (1st) Dole, George (1st) Krug, John (5th) Craige, John (DNP) Talbott, Lee (DNP) N/A N/A N/A Narganes, Fred (DNP) N/A
1920 Year Team Finish 60 kg 67.5 kg 75 kg 82.5 kg 82.5+ kg 1920 2nd Ackerly, Charles (1st) Metropoulos, George (DNP) Johnson, Charley (3rd) Maurer, Walter (3rd) Pendleton, Nat (2nd) Gerson, Samuel (2nd) Shimmon, Joseph (DNP) Frantz, Angus (4th) Redman, John (4th) Meyer, Fred (3rd)
1924–1936 Year Team Finish 56 kg 61 kg 66 kg 72 kg 79 kg 87 kg 87+ kg 1924 1st Hines, Bryan (3rd) Reed, Robin (1st) Vis, Russell (1st) Lookabaugh, Guy (4th) Smith, Herschel (DNP) Spellman, John (1st) Steel, Harry (1st) MacWilliam, Milton (DNP) Newton, Chester (2nd) Martter, Perry (DNP) Johnson, William (5th) Wright, Walter (DNP) Strack, Charles (DNP) Flanders, Roger (DNP) 1928 4th Hewitt, Robert (5th) Morrison, Allie (1st) Berryman, Clarence (6th) Appleton, Lloyd (2nd) Hammonds, Ralph (4th) Edwards, Heywood (4th) George, Ed (4th) 1932 1st Pearce, Robert (1st) Nemir, Edgar (2nd) Clodfelter, Melvin (4th) van Bebber, Jack (1st) Hess, Robert (4th) Mehringer, Peter (1st) Riley, Jack (2nd) 1936 2nd Flood, Ross (2nd) Millard, Francis (2nd) Strong, Harley (5th) Lewis, Frank (1st) Voliva, Richard (2nd) Clemons, Ray (5th) Dunn, Roy (DNP)
1948–1968 Year Team Finish 52 kg 57 kg 62 kg (−1961), 63 kg (1962–1968) 67 kg (−1961), 70 kg (1962–1968) 73 kg (−1961), 78 kg (1962–1968) 79 kg (−1961), 87 kg (1962–1968) 87 kg (−1961), 97 kg (1962–1968) 87+ kg (−1961), 97+ kg (1962–1968) 1948 2nd Jernigan, William (7th) Leeman, Gerald (2nd) Moore, Hal (6th) Koll, Bill (5th) Merrill, Leland (3rd) Brand, Glen (1st) Wittenberg, Henry (1st) Hutton, Richard (7th) 1949 N/A Event Not Held 1950 N/A Event Not Held 1951 DNC Team Did not compete 1952 4th Peery, Robert (7th) Borders, Bill (DNP) Henson, Josiah (3rd) Evans, Jay (2nd) Smith, William (1st) Hodge, Dan (DNP) Wittenberg, Henry (2nd) Kerslake, William (5th) 1953 N/A Event Not Held 1954 8th Delgado, Richard (5th) Rose, James (5th) Rice, Alan (5th) No Recorded Competitor Holt, Jay (6th) Hubel, Wenzel (4th) Thomas, Dale (6th) No Recorded Competitor 1955 N/A Event Not Held 1956 6th Delgado, Richard (5th) Allen, Lee (DNP) Roderick, Myron (4th) Evans, Jay (5th) Fischer, Ernest (8th) Hodge, Dan (2nd) Blair, Peter (3rd) Kerslake, William (7th) 1957 DNC Team Did not compete 1958 N/A Event Not Held 1959 DNC Team Did not compete 1960 2nd Simons, Gray (5th) McCann, Terry (1st) Giani, Louis (DNP) Wilson, Shelby (1st) Blubaugh, Douglas (1st) DeWitt, Ed (4th) Brand, Daniel (5th) Kerslake, William (8th) 1961 6th Wilson, Richard (5th) Molino, Carmen (5th) Allen, Lee (6th) Rodriguez, Michael (5th) Perillo, Earl (6th) Camilleri, Russ (6th) Brand, Daniel (4th) Lewis, Dale (DNP) 1962 6th Wilson, Richard (DNP) Auble, Dave (4th) Finley, Ron (4th) Ruth, Gregory (5th) Ferguson, James (3rd) Farrell, Bill (DNP) Brand, Daniel (3rd) Solowin, Merrell (DNP) 1963 6th Fitch, Andrew (6th) Auble, Dave (DNP) Finley, Ron (4th) Ruth, Gregory (3rd) Lahr, Dean (4th) Camilleri, Russ (6th) Winer, Russell (DNP) Solowin, Merrell (DNP) 1964 8th Simons, Gray (7th) Auble, Dave (4th) Douglas, Bobby (4th) Ruth, Gregory (5th) Tribble, Charles (DNP) Brand, Daniel (3rd) Conine, Gerald (6th) Kristoff, Larry (7th) 1965 8th Sanders, Rick (DNP) No Recorded Competitor Douglas, Bobby (DNP) Burke, James (DNP) Camilleri, Russ (DNP) Baughman, Wayne (5th) Conine, Gerald (DNP) Kristoff, Larry (3rd) 1966 3rd Sanders, Rick (3rd) Powell, Fred (5th) Douglas, Bobby (2nd) Holzer, Werner (4th) Kauffman, Len (4th) Lahr, Dean (5th) Lewis, Jess (5th) Kristoff, Larry (2nd) 1967 4th Sanders, Rick (2nd) Sofman, Richard (DNP) Young, Michael (3rd) Holzer, Werner (DNP) Kelly, Patrick (DNP) Baughman, Wayne (6th) Houska, Harry (4th) Kristoff, Larry (3rd) 1968 6th Sanders, Rick (2nd) Behm, Don (2nd) Douglas, Bobby (DNP) Wells, Wayne (4th) Combs, Steve (7th) Peckham, Thomas (4th) Lewis, Jess (6th) Kristoff, Larry (5th)
1969–1996