Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
On March 22, 1881, Greco-Roman World Wrestling Champion William Muldoon met Collar-and-Elbow World Champion John McMahon at the Terrace Garden in New York City. Muldoon and McMahon met in a best-two-out-of-three-falls match. The first fall was conducted by Greco-Roman rules. The second fall would be contested using collar-and-elbow rules. The last fall would be decided via what The New York
54-year-old William Henry Anderson plied his trade as a St. Louis Police Officer for 25 years. Assigned to a beat near Natural Bridge and Vandeventer Avenues, Officer Anderson was known as the “Friendly Copper” by the residents and businesses on his beat. Working the overnight shift on a cold February morning, Officer Anderson was walking on Vandeventer just south of
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942) is the second of the Universal film versions of the stories and the fourth movie starring Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. Lionell Atwill makes an appearance as Dr. Moriart This movie is set during the early years of World War II, when Holmes sneaks a scientist out of
In the 1910s, American professional wrestling permanently moved from legitimate wrestling contests to prearranged exhibitions. Fan interest, promoter control and less wear and tear on the wrestlers all played a role in this transition. Another less talked about pressure was outside of the sport itself. Prior to the 20th Century, professional boxing was illegal in the United States. Bare knuckle
On Thursday, February 26, 1903, Jack Johnson defended his World Colored Heavyweight Boxing Championship against the undefeated Sam McVey. McVey brought a 6-0 record with six knockouts into the championship match. Since boxing promoters refused to let Black fighters compete for the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship, the best boxers around the turn of the Century fought for the World Colored
Paul Pons was a French Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion. He was good enough to give George Hackenschmidt a run for his money in several tournaments. However, when he came to Chicago in 1900, he was “defeated” by a local wrestler. The circumstances of the loss leave a lot to be desired. Paul Pons traveled to the United States in 1900. One
Before he was promoted to Special Officer, St. Louis Police Officer Preston Anslyn responded to calls for service like any other patrolman. On the morning of February 28, 1916, Anslyn was patrolling the area of Franklin and Jefferson Avenues. A citizen notified Anslyn that 30-year-old Albert Kivet was celebrating after his birthday on February 27th. During his revelry, Kivet assaulted
On August 11, 1915, current World Colored Heavyweight Boxing Champion Sam McVey fought Sandy Ferguson in Boston, Massachusetts at the Atlas Athletic Association gym. McVey fought in an era where promoters froze out all the African American boxers, except the great Jack Johnson, from fighting for the world championship. McVey defeated most of the other great Black fighters of this
RKO Pictures brought the Dick Tracy comic strip character to the big screen on December 1, 1945. While the film is definitely a “B” film meant to be first on the double bill, it still would have been of interest to the many fans of the popular comic strip. Chester Gould created the strip in October 1931 for the Detroit
After averaging 9 fights a year over the past 7 years, World Middleweight Boxing Champion Stanley “The Michigan Assassin” Ketchel was exhausted. Ketchel took a vacation on the Missouri ranch of his friend Colonel R. P. Dickerson in an attempt to regain his strength and enthusiasm for fighting. Ketchel never returned from vacation as he was shot and killed at