McLaughlin Wrestles Dufur
On Thursday, October 7, 1884, Colonel James Hiram McLaughlin wrestled Henry Moses Dufur for what both men claimed would be the last time. The 40-year-olds specialized in collar-and-elbow wrestling.
The men wrestled in Detroit, Michigan, the home territory of McLaughlin. The match took place at the Detroit Opera House in front of a small crowd. Professional wrestling had not developed into a popular spectator sport yet, so a small crowd in the hundreds is not surprising. The men wrestled for $250 a side.
Artist rendering of James Hiram McLaughlin (Public Domain)
Dufur wrestled out of Marlboro, Massachusetts but returned to Vermont after retiring from professional wrestling. Dufur owned a tailor shop, his primary business, which Dufur supplemented by wrestling occasionally.
Fans recognized Dufur as the American Collar-and-Elbow Wrestling Champion in the 1870s even though the title did not really exist. John McMahon later defeated Dufur for the honorary title.
Promoters billed the match between McLaughlin and Dufur as for the World Mixed Styles Championship, a title that was neither real nor honorary. The imaginary title served as a promotional gimmick.
William Muldoon travelled to Detroit for the purpose of challenging the winner but was pushed into service as a referee. Muldoon reluctantly agreed to referee the bout.
Fans cheered Dufur more warmly than the hometown hero, McLaughlin. Muldoon announced McLaughlin and Dufur would wrestle the first fall according to collar-and-elbow wrestling. To win the match, the wrestler needed to force both shoulders and a hip to the ground. The men wore jackets like judo or sambo players.
McLaughlin and Dufur tied up in a stalemate for a few minutes. Dufur applied an outside grape vine forcing McLaughlin down to the mat on his face. McLaughlin escaped the grape vine and applied an inside lock on Dufur.
Dufur escaped before McLaughlin secured an inside grave vine. McLaughlin switched to a hip lock and threw Dufur to the mat for the first fall in nine minutes. After a short break, the men wrestled the second fall in catch-as-catch-can wrestling.
Dufur again employed an inside grape vine forcing both Dufur and McLaughlin to the mat. Dufur tried to stretch out, but McLaughlin forced Dufur onto his back for the second fall in three minutes, thirty seconds.
McLaughlin and Dufur wrestled the third fall according to collar-and-elbow rules. McLaughlin almost pulled Dufur’s jacket over Dufur’s head eliciting a smart aleck in the crowd to yell, “Put on your shirt.” Dufur applied another inside grave vine, switched to an overlock, and pinned McLaughlin in four minutes, thirty seconds. The fans loudly applauded Dufur’s fall.
McLaughlin was still up two falls to one as McLaughlin and Dufur wrestled the fourth fall under catch-as-catch-can rules. Dufur started the fall using a single-leg takedown to drop McLaughlin to the mat. Dufur could not turn McLaughlin to the mat.
McLaughlin stood back to his feet, inside grape vined Dufur, and took Dufur to the mat. McLaughlin almost turned Dufur to his back when Dufur spun to his stomach breaking up the pin attempt.
Dufur secured another inside grape vine taking both men back to the ground. McLaughlin reversed Dufur’s advantage grabbing an armlock. McLaughlin used the armlock to pin Dufur for the fourth fall and match at six minutes of the fourth fall.
Organizers handed McLaughlin the title belts made up for the occasion. With the small crowd and disappointing gate, the cost of the title belts added to the financial drubbing inflicted on the backers.
Few backers and organizers made money from the professional wrestling matches of the era. Financial backers were normally wealthy fans, who wanted to see two wrestlers compete against each other and did not mind absorbing the financial loss.
Muldoon challenged McLaughlin to wrestle for between $250 to $500 a side. Muldoon agreed to defend his World Championship if McLaughlin agreed to wrestle the match under Greco-Roman wrestling.
You can leave a comment or ask a question about this or any post on my Facebook page or Twitter profile.
Source: Detroit Free Press (Detroit Michigan), October 8, 1884, p. 8
Pin It
