Leland Merrill

Leland Gilbert Merrill, Jr. (October 4, 1920 – July 28, 2009) was an American wrestler who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics, for the United States.

Leland Merrill

Personal information
Born	October 4, 1920 Danville, Illinois, U.S.
Died	July 28, 2009(2009-07-28) (aged 88) Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.
Home town	Parkersburg, West Virginia, U.S.
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Wrestling
Event(s)	Freestyle and Folkstyle
College team	Michigan State
Club	New York Athletic Club
Team	USA
Medal record Men's freestyle wrestling Representing the  United States Olympic Games 1948 London 73 kg

He was born in Danville, Illinois and grew up in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Leland wrestled collegiately at Michigan State University, where his senior year he was team captain and finished third at the NCAA Wrestling championships. In 1948, he won the bronze medal in the freestyle welterweight competition.^[1]

Merrill was West Virginia's first Olympic medal winner and the state's first Olympian.^[2]