Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
Posts about 19th Century professional wrestlers and matches.
When World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion William Muldoon retired in 1889, he hoped his protege Ernest Roeber would be recognized as the new champion. However, Muldoon won his title in Greco-Roman wrestling, which was the German-born Roeber’s expertise. Unfortunately, the exploits of Martin “Farmer” Burns and Evan “The Strangler” Lewis catapulted catch-as-catch-can wrestling into the dominant style. Roeber did have a
In the early 1880s, Sorakichi Matsuda, or Matsada in most American newspapers, traveled to the United States to wrestle professionally. Japan did not have a developed professional wrestling circuit, so Matsuda thought he would bring the sport back to Japan after an apprenticeship in the United States. After training for a while, Matsuda signed an agreement to wrestle the first
On Friday, November 27, 1891, former American Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Joe Acton wrestled future World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Bob Fitzsimmons in San Francisco, California. The men wrestled for a reported $1,000.00 purse. Acton usually gave up size to his opponent but Acton outweighed the 148-pound Fitzsimmons by seven pounds. The men wrestled a two-out-of-three falls match according to catch-as-catch-can wrestling
On May 5, 1898, Yusuf Ismail wrestled Tom Jenkins in Cleveland, Ohio. Ismail only toured the United States for six months in the early part of 1898. Ismail wrestled less than ten matches but left a path of destruction remembered to this day. Ismail made a powerful impression by easily defeating both Evan “Strangler” Lewis. Ismail also made a strong
On March 10, 1870, Colonel James Hiram McLaughlin competed on the last night of the International Wrestling Tournament in Detroit, Michigan. The tournament ran for almost two months before the finale on March 10th. Wrestling historians frequently credit J. H. McLaughlin as being the first professional wrestler to live only on his earnings as a professional wrestler. Most professional wrestlers
One of the oldest adages in combat sports is “a good big man always beats a good little man”. It is the reason that we have weight divisions in boxing, wrestling and mixed martial arts. On Tuesday, November 2, 1881, 160-pound Edwin Bibby proved there are exceptions to this rule. While small, Edwin Bibby was particularly strong for his size.
(This excerpt is from my newest book on the history of the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship.) Jenkins proved himself the top contender as soon as McLeod won the title. On Wednesday, November 17, 1897, Tom Jenkins wrestled former title holder Martin “Farmer” Burns in Indianapolis, Indiana. The men wrestled a best two-out-of-three-falls match according to catch-as-catch-can wrestling rules. Jenkins stood
On Tuesday, March 28, 1899, current American Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Dan S. McLeod wrestled Charles Wittmer in a two-out-of-three-falls mixed styles match. Since the champion only defended the title in catch-as-catch-can matches, McLeod wrestled Wittmer in a non-title match. Wittmer, a Greco-Roman wrestling specialist, demanded he and McLeod wrestle at least one fall under Greco-Roman rules. The St. Paul Athletic
Scottish wrestler Duncan C. Ross wrestled professionally but also took part in strength and athletic contests after arriving in the United States in the late 1870s. An all-around athlete, Ross wrestled skillfully in both catch-as-catch-can wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. On Monday, February 26, 1883, Ross wrestled former World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Theobaud Bauer. Bauer brought the World Championship from France
Dan McLeod defeated Martin “Farmer” Burns for the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship during October 1897. McLeod held the championship for four years until he met Frank Gotch’s toughest opponent, Tom Jenkins. In early 1899, McLeod made a couple title defenses in Minnesota. On February 24, 1899, McLeod wrestled St. Louis Middleweight Wrestling Champion George Baptiste at Conover Hall in front