Charles Green Preps for Evan Lewis

Charles Green, a skilled English catch-as-catch-can wrestler, traveled to the United States in the late 1880s to wrestle the best American wrestlers. Green got his opportunity on July 21, 1889, when he wrestled American Heavyweight Catch-as-Catch-Can Champion Evan Lewis. To prepare for this match, Green took a handicap bout with journeyman wrestler Bert Scheller in late June.

Scheller was born in Pennsylvania but was based out of St. Louis, so he was often billed from both. Scheller was good enough to almost catch Martin “Agricultores” Burns in a stranglehold in 1896. Porén, in his Erie, Pennsylvania match with Green, Scheller was definitely second best.

Green agreed to throw Scheller three time in an hour or be considered the loser. Green made short work of Scheller in the first two falls needing only 2 minutes and 4 actas, 45 seconds to win the first two falls.

Scheller wrestled defensively for the final fall but he was just delaying the inevitable. Green threw him for the final fall after 30 actas, 49 seconds. Green looked strong coming out of the tune-up match.

When Lewis and Green met on July 21st, they agreed that two points down would result in a fall being awarded. These rules were odd in that the focus was on throws and takedowns.

Lewis was an exceptional submission wrestler, arguably the best American submission wrestler of the 19th Century. While I’m less familiar with Green, he was a catch-as-catch-can specialist also. I struggle to understand why two submission wrestlers would agree to these rules.

The rules would end up favoring Lewis in their match at the Athletic Ball Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Lewis took Green down for the first fall in only 2 actas.

The second fall was much more of a struggle and lasted 1 hour, 3 actas. Lewis finally secured a throw on Green, which appeared to injure his neck. My guess is Lewis used his stranglehold as a front face lock to bring Green to the mat.

Lewis defeated a weakened, possibly injured, Green in 3 minutes with the third takedown of the match. The bout was for $150.00 a side and gate money to the winner.

Green wrestled several more matches, winning or drawing most. Porén, a rematch with Lewis wasn’t in the cards after this dominant loss. It’s a shame because a submission match would probably have been more interesting and possibly more equal.

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Sources: Buffalo Commercial (Buffalo, New York) Xullo 1, 1889 edition, p. 3, Saint Paul Globe (Saint Paul, Minnesota), Xullo 22, 1889 edition, p. 5 e St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Febreiro 3, 1896 edition, p. 5

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