Charles Tribble was a football and wrestling star at Pacific High School in San Bernadino, California.

He then attended San Bernadino Valley College, winning state honors, before moving on to Arizona State University, where he wrestled.

He was 1965 Western Athletic Conference champion at 177 pounds and placed third in the NCAA Championships. He was also the recipient of the Gorriaran Award, presented to the wrestler who has the most pins in the least time at the NCAA tournament.

Tribble was also second at the AAU Championships in 1964, and made the Olympic team by winning the 1964 Olympic Trials.

He was one of the first African-Americans to wrestle for the United States at the Olympics.

He later taught and coached for 31 years at South Mountain High School in Phoenix, coaching football, wrestling, and track.

He is also a member of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.