Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
Posts about 20th Century wrestlers, wrestling matches, and wrestling films.
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.
Frank Gotch took the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from Tom Jenkins in December 1903. Gotch intended on following up this triumph with a match for World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from George Hackenschmidt. Gotch wanted to meet “Hack” in St. Louis during the 1904 World’s Fair. Unfortunately for Gotch and St. Louis, the match would not occur until 1908 in Chicago,
For my birthday this year, I purchased one of my favorite books, The Way to Live in Health and Strength (affiliate link) by Georg Hackenschmidt. Georg Hackenschmidt set many weightlifitng world records before focusing on professional wrestling. Hackenschmidt would win the World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship in 1901. Hackenschmidt would reign as undefeated World Champion for 7 years until losing his
The May 9, 1905 edition of the St. Louis Republic’s sport section contained a story about an upcoming match between local wrestler George Baptiste and the touring World Wrestling Champion, George Hackenschmidt. The paper did not give Baptiste a chance against Hackenschmidt, who just beat Tom Jenkins for the World Championship. If the editor knew “Hack’s” condition at the time, he may have
Stanislaus Zbyszko was born Stanislaw Jan Cyganiewicz on April 1, 1879 in Jodlow, Poland, which was part of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. According to Wikipedia, he chose the ring name Stanislaus Zbyszko because it was the name of a fictional Polish knight. An article in the Walla Walla, Washington newspaper, The Evening Statesman’s Tuesday, February 8, 1910 edition, publicized Zbyszko’s university and
George Hackenschmidt (1877-1968) was a world record holding weightlifter and World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion before wrestling was prearranged and lifters were using steroids. Hackenschmidt achieved a level of greatness due to several factors. He achieved a high level of physical fitness. His physical condition allowed him to be the most successful wrestler of his era. A few wrestlers may have been