Southwestern Oklahoma State Athletics

When he arrived on The Hill in 1931, Orville England was already an established wrestling star from his high school days at Weatherford High School. With the Bulldogs, he won the state collegiate championship in 165 pounds all four years, and was the National AAU champion in 1933, 1934 and 1935. At the equally prestigious NCAA meet, he finished third in 1934 and second in 1935 in his weight class. England’s greatest achievement was qualifying for the 1936 Olympic wrestling teams.

On the football field, England was an all-conference player in 1932, 1933 and 1934, helping the Bulldogs to consecutive Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference championships in 1932 and 1933. He was selected to the all-state first team which at that time consisted of players from Oklahoma A&M, Oklahoma and Tulsa among other state college. He turned down professional contracts by the Chicago Cardinals and Detroit Lions for a position as a high school coach.