Carl Johnson

Karl Oskar Johansson went to the United States in 1903 changing his name to Carl Johnson. He worked as a laborer and bricklayer in New York. There, he joined the Swedish-American Athletic Club in Brooklyn and started competitive wrestling. At the 1912 Olympics, he still represented the colors of Sweden in the 67.5 kg division although he had already won the US Championship in the welterweight class. He was one of the Swedish-Americans who volunteered to represent Sweden following a respective call by Swedish officials. Going on his own expense, he was not included, however, in the official Swedish wrestling team and his hopes were already crushed after losing by fall in the first two rounds.

Johnson acquired US citizenship and married the American girl Lilian Slater in 1915. In 1929, the family moved west to California. He gave up his occupation and was hired by Walt Disney as a fitness coach, not only for Disney himself but also for a bunch of Hollywood stars. In 1949, he retired and died three years later.