Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
Johnny Reagan was an important fighter in the St. Louis boxing scene during the first decade of the 20th Century. Originally from Brooklyn, Reagan moved to St. Louis to train under Jack McKenna. McKenna based his operation out of St. Louis, where his fighter primarily fought at St. Louis’ West End Club. Reagan was a rising bantamweight at the time
When “The Russian Lion” George Hackenschmidt toured America in 1905, he left the country unimpressed by the state of American wrestling. The current World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, known as “Hack” to much of the wrestling public, toured several cities in an attempt to arrange a match with American Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Tom Jenkins. Hackenschmidt won the world title in Greco-Roman
On a chilly night, January 9, 1915, Sgt. Michael Gibbons stepped off the westbound Delmar owl streetcar about 3:00 a.m. Sgt. Gibbons walked towards the Wabash Railroad’s Delmar Station, which was in complete darkness. Gibbons kneeled and wrapped his nightstick on the platform to signal any nearby beat officers to report to him. Patrolman Arthur J. Saxy heard the night
“For the good of the department”. With those 6 words, the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners removed St. Louis Chief of Detectives William Desmond from the position he held for 17 years. They replaced him with Desmond’s ex-assistant James Smith, who was dismissed by the previous board. How did one of the greatest, if not the greatest, detectives in
The powerful William Muldoon was considered invincible as Greco-Roman World Wrestling Champion. Only one man seriously challenged Muldoon during his dominant reign. The 165-pound Clarence Whistler consistently gave Muldoon his toughest challenges. Muldoon and Whistler met on Thursday, November 1, 1883 in San Francisco, California in one of their several matches. William Muldoon was almost a head taller and weighed
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (1940) starring Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan is my favorite Charlie Chan film. Charlie Chan is searching for a murderer in a wax museum. The wax museum is a front for a plastic surgeon, who changes the appearance of wanted criminals for a price. The surgeon Dr. Cream, played by C. Henry Gordon, also
Fred Beell developed a reputation in the early 20th Century as a powerful and dangerous wrestler. His reputation was not built by his 1903 campaign. Beell suffered as many high-profile defeats as victories. Beell started well in April 1903, when he defeated St. Paul AAU Wrestling Champion James McAuley. McAuley won the first fall in 22 minutes. Beell won the
Joe Acton was one of England’s best wrestlers during the 19th Century. 151-pound Acton went through England’s middleweight ranks before plowing through the heavyweights. After beating the best England had to offer including Tom Cannon, Acton decided to test his abilities in the United States. Joe Acton settled in Philadelphia at Arthur Chamber’s Champions Rest during the summer months of
Cornelius O’Keefe earned a reputation as a tough police officer during his career with the St. Louis Police Department. He would need all that toughness on the morning of January 6, 1911, when a burglar entered the boarding house, where O’Keefe lived and tried to steal several items including O’Keefe’s pants. O’Keefe had just woken up and was getting ready
Frank Gotch holds the title of America’s greatest legitimate professional wrestler. Gotch competed in mostly legitimate contests with a few pre-arranged or “worked” matches thrown in the mix. By 1904 or 1905, no one could really beat Gotch unless he allowed it. In the early years of his career, Gotch was not so dominant. He dropped matches to his mentor,