Episode 20 – Sorakichi Matsada

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In this episode, I discuss the career of Sorakichi Matsada, a 19th Century Japanese pro wrestler.

Update

I discuss the new podcast schedule. Hopefully, Caleb will be back with me for the next episode. I will release an episode on the second Monday of every month. If scheduling allows, a second episode will be released on the fourth Monday of every month.

I also discuss tapping out on modern pro wrestling.

Main Content

I discuss the 7 and half year career of Sorakichi Matsada. Matsada travelled to the United States in 1883 to learn professional wrestling. Matsada intended to return to Japan and establish a professional wrestling circuit.

In his short career, Matsada wrestled World Champion William Muldoon, multiple American Heavyweight Wrestling Champions and was almost killed by Evan “The Strangler” Lewis.

Matsada also married an American heiress although the marriage was not a happy one. She left him after only a couple months of marriage charging cruel treatment.

Matsada never saw his dream fulfilled as he contracted tuberculosis, “consumption,” in 1891. Barely able to walk across the street to his social club, Matsada died in New York City in 1892.

Whether Matsada would have succeeded in starting a Japanese professional wrestling circuit or not, he proved himself a forward thinker and pioneer in the burgeoning sport.

Review

In the 1950s, broadcasters showed Chicago wrestling matches throughout the United States. Fred Koehler promoted the matches and his big star was Verne Gagne, a former NCAA Wrestling Champion.

In the mid-1950s, Gagne wrestled Dick the Bruiser at the Chicago International Amphitheater not the Marigold Arena as I said on the podcast. The link will take you to YouTube, where you can watch the match.

You can leave a comment or ask a question about this or any post on my Facebook page or Twitter profile.

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