Jim Armstrong (wrestler)

James Michael Armstrong (14 July 1917 – 8 July 1981) was a great Australian sport wrestler and rugby league player. In wrestling, he won a bronze medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics, a gold medal at the 1950 British Empire Games and a bronze medal at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. He represented South Sydney, New South Wales and Australia in a nine-year top-level rugby league career. Armstrong served as an officer in the New South Wales Police Force, retiring at the rank of inspector.

Jim Armstrong
Born	14 July 1917[1] Albury, New South Wales
Died	8 July 1981 (1981-07-09) (aged 63)[1]
Nationality	Australian
Other names	Big Jim
Sports career
Medal record Men's freestyle wrestling Representing  Australia Olympic Games 1948 London Heavyweight British Empire Games 1950 Auckland Heavyweight British Empire and Commonwealth Games 1962 Perth Light Heavyweight
Rugby league career
Playing information
Position	Prop
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1939–1947 South Sydney 83 28 4 0 92 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1946 Australia 1 0 0 0 0 1946 NSW 2 0 0 0 0
Source: Rugby League Project

Early life

He was born in Albury, New South Wales, and was educated in Junee and Wagga Wagga. He joined the New South Wales Police Force at the age of 20.^[2]

Rugby league career

Armstrong played for Waratahs in Wagga Wagga before moving to Sydney with the police force. In Sydney, Armstrong joined South Sydney, where he made his first grade debut in 1939.^[3][4]

Armstrong was selected to play for Australia against Great Britain as a front row forward in the third and deciding Ashes test in 1946, becoming Kangaroo No. 233.^[5]

Wrestling career

He won a bronze medal in freestyle wrestling, heavyweight class, at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.^[1][6]

At the 1950 British Empire Games Armstrong won the heavyweight wrestling gold medal.^[7]

At the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Armstrong won the light heavyweight wrestling bronze medal.