Gotch Easily Beats Raicevich

giovanni-raicevich

Giovanni Raicevich stood only 5’07” tall but weighed a muscular 220 pounds.  Raicevich carried pro bodybuilder type muscle 50 years before the steroid era.  However, when it came to wrestling, Raicevich’s skill set was not quite as developed as his physique.  Raicevich was one of many foreign wrestlers, who traveled to America to take on Frank Gotch after he defeated

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Christmas Night Wrestling Fiasco

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On Christmas Night 1911, Stanislaus Zbyszko met Giovanni Raicievich in a much-anticipated heavyweight wrestling bout.  Zbyszko, who was campaigning for a rematch with World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Frank Gotch, agreed to throw Raicevich 3 times in 90 minutes or be declared the loser. As the men entered the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City, Zbyszko was clearly the

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Jem Mace Establishes World Title Again

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On May 10, 1870, 39-year-old prizefighter Jem Mace met 30-year-old prizefighter Tom Allen in Kennerville, Louisiana for the World Heavyweight Prizefighting Championship.  Claims to the championship were very murky at the time.  Thuggery and dirty tricks often obscured who was actually American Champion.  Jem Mace, who was considered World Champion twice while fighting in England, was signed to meet Tom

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“Strangler” Headlocks Caddock for Win

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Ed “Strangler” Lewis is one of the greatest professional wrestlers and world champions of all time. Lewis’ signature move was the stranglehold, which Lewis started using as promoters and wrestlers transitioned professional wrestling to a prearranged or “worked” exhibition. Lewis originally used the front face lock or guillotine choke. Lewis’ namesake Evan “Strangler” Lewis made the front face lock or

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Matsuda Wins First Match

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Sorakichi Matsuda originally trained in sumo wrestling.  When Matsuda decided to become a catch-as-catch-can wrestler, he was forced to travel to the United States.  Professional wrestling would not become popular in Japan until the middle of the Twentieth Century. Upon arriving in the United States in 1883, it took Matsuda a few months to secure a match.  He finally secured

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Choque, Vol. 2

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With Choque, Vol. 2 (Amazon affiliate link), Roberto Pedreira picks up the story of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in what he considers its heyday in Brazil, 1950 – 1960.  Besides Carlos and Helio Gracie, several other academies, such as Oswaldo Fadda’s, were also thriving.  Judo was gaining in popularity but had not overcome Jiu-Jitsu in popularity. Vale Tudo matches were at the height

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Aberg Tempts Gotch

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Actually, Samuel Rachman, who promoted both the 1915 International Wrestling Tournament and Greco-Roman World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Aleksander “Alex” Aberg, tried to lure retired World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Frank Gotch into the tournament.  Rachman hoped to bolster Aberg’s claim as the successor to Gotch. Rachman offered Gotch $20,000 to wrestle Aberg in May 1915.  Rachman’s tournament was to start Wednesday

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Farmer Burns Wears Out Jack King

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Martin “Farmer” Burns reportedly trained over 1,000 wrestlers in his career as America’s foremost wrestling trainer.   However, Burns was a great wrestler in his own right.  Before he retired to train wrestlers full-time, Burns won the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from Evan “The Strangler” Lewis in 1895.  Burns held the title for two years. In 1893, Burns was still

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