Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
Posts about 20th Century wrestlers, wrestling matches, and wrestling films.
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
John Berg was a good enough wrestler to beat Martin “Farmer” Burns twice but was mostly thought of as a good lighter wrestler. Berg held the World Light Heavyweight Wrestling Championship in the late 1910s and competed for the Middleweight Title, which was contested at 158 pounds. Berg missed weight by four pounds but won the match. Berg wrestled in
On December 1, 1938 at 5:15 pm, former professional wrestler and all-around athlete George Baptiste passed away at 74 years of age. While enjoying robust strength his whole life, Baptiste’s doctor discovered he had stomach cancer in June 1938. The doctor operated on Baptiste but was unable to remove all the cancer. Baptiste had been living at his country home
Ad Santel gained his reputation as a dangerous catch wrestler from his frequent bouts with judoka from Japan during the 1910s and a story from the second George Hackenschmidt training camp for the Frank Gotch rematch. According to legend, Frank Gotch paid Santel, a skilled submission wrestler, $5,000.00 to injure Hackenschmidt’s knee in training. While this story may or may
“Don’t break my leg!” As the two muscular men struggled in the center of the ring, the man on top continued to work on the downed man’s legs. Again, the man on bottom yelled, “Please don’t break my leg!” Frank Gotch looked over at his rival George Hackenschmidt, who was writhing in obvious pain. Despite a severe knee injury, Hackenschmidt
During February 1901, St. Louis professional wrestler and local businessman George Baptiste reluctantly filed for divorce from his wife, Nellie May Baptiste, alleging desertion. It was actually the second time, Baptiste filed for divorce from Mrs. Baptiste. During the summer of 1896, Baptiste was vacationing in Millford, Connecticut. The 31-year-old was a powerful swimmer and all-around athlete in addition to
At the beginning of 1911, the wrestling public considered three men to be the greatest challenge to reigning World Champion Frank Gotch. Former champion George Hackenschmidt, Stanislaus Zbyszko and “The Terrible Turk” Yussif Mahmout wanted the chance to beat Gotch. Gotch, who was nobody’s fool, decided to take some of the starch out of his challengers by matching them up
On December 23, 1903, Frank Gotch traveled to Bellingham, Washington to take on a 6’05”, 215 pound Native American wrestler from Montana. Wrestling fans in the area considered Chief Two Feathers to be unbeatable. Frank Gotch was not impressed with his reputation but he gave Gotch the most uncomfortable 15 minutes of his young career. Chief Two Feathers entered the
On Monday, December 13, 1920, Ed “Strangler” Lewis won the first of six World Heavyweight Wrestling Championships from Joe Stecher. The fact he won the title from his biggest rival and business enemy must have been particularly satisfying. A year before this match, Stecher and Lewis met in a match lasting over three hours. Lewis made a mental error in
George Baptiste spent about twenty years serving as St. Louis’ resident all-around athlete before taking over the company, Baptiste Tent and Awning, founded by his father Alexander Baptiste. Besides plying his trade as an occasional but accomplished professional wrestler, Baptise was a powerful swimmer. On August 11, 1900, Baptiste used his swimming skills to save another St. Louisan from drowning.