Category: Early Professional Wrestling History

On December 14, 1915, the International Wrestling Tournament was coming to a close.  A featured match revealed promoter Samuel Rachmann was manipulating outcomes to keep interest in his tournament. After the wrestling public lost complete interest in the tournament during its opening few months in the spring, Rachmann introduced one of the most successful gimmicks in professional wrestling history.  Rachmann

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

Thiebaud or Theobald Bauer was a French wrestler, who specialized in Greco-Roman wrestling.  Bauer arrived in America during 1875 with a dubious claim to the World Greco-Roman Heavyweight Wrestling Championship.  He would defend his title for 5 years until defeated by William Muldoon in 1880.  If wrestling fans are familiar with Bauer at all, it is normally as the opponent

Georg Lurich made his reputation as a professional wrestler competing in European Greco-Roman wrestling tournaments.  When Lurich travelled to the United States to ply his trade, he made the transition to catch-as-catch-can wrestling, the dominant style outside of Europe. Lurich adapted well to this style and earned a shot at the World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, Frank Gotch, in Gotch’s last

As the wrestler jumped off the mat, he grabbed the referee by the lapel with his good arm.  “Why didn’t you stop it?”  As Referee Siler tried to pull free, Duncan Ross’ seconds grabbed him and pulled him away.  The men told Ross, “He can’t stop it.  You have to submit.” Ross screamed, “I’m out of here.”  As Ross walked

On May 21, 1915, the International Wrestling Tournament began in New York.  Samuel Rachman promoted the event as a way to showcase European Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion Alek Aberg.  Rachman believed Aberg was the natural successor to World Wrestling Champion Frank Gotch, who retired in 1913. On the first day of the tournament, nationalistic feelings about World War I popped up

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 April 12, 1887 edition of the St. Paul Daily Globe carried a story about the bout between feared professional wrestlers, Evan “Strangler” Lewis and “Little Demon” Joe Acton.  Other wrestlers feared Lewis’ ability as a submission expert particularly his abilities with the stranglehold.  Joe Acton, while undersized at 150 pounds, was a ferocious wrestler. The bout should have been

Ernest Roeber was an accomplished Greco-Roman wrestler.  William Muldoon, the World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion from 1880 to 1889, wanted Roeber to take over from him as World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion.  However, the world title would continue to be disputed until George Hackenschmidt won several Greco-Roman Tournaments in Europe during 1901. Yusuf Ismail, the Terrible Turk, was considered one of the