“Little Demon” Unable to Beat Whistler

joe-acton

Joe Acton was one of England’s best wrestlers during the 19th Century.  151-pound Acton went through England’s middleweight ranks before plowing through the heavyweights.  After beating the best England had to offer including Tom Cannon, Acton decided to test his abilities in the United States. Joe Acton settled in Philadelphia at Arthur Chamber’s Champions Rest during the summer months of

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Tom Allen Wins, Kind Of

tom-allen-prizefighter

During the 19th century, both prizefighters and duelists took advantage of the sandbar islands in the Mississippi River, around St. Louis, Missouri, to hold prizefights or duels. Authorities have frowned on duels to the death in any location. However, both Illinois and Missouri also outlawed prizefighting. Bloody Island in the middle of the Mississippi River just north of Downtown St.

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St. Louis Wrestler Surprises Gotch

oscar-wassem

Frank Gotch holds the title of America’s greatest legitimate professional wrestler.  Gotch competed in mostly legitimate contests with a few pre-arranged or “worked” matches thrown in the mix.  By 1904 or 1905, no one could really beat Gotch unless he allowed it. In the early years of his career, Gotch was not so dominant.  He dropped matches to his mentor,

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Fred Beell Overcomes Old Champ

fred-beell-light-heavyweight

On October 20, 1906, Fred Beell proved dynamite comes in small packages.  Beell, light heavyweight wrestling champion, defeated former American heavyweight champion Dan McLeod.  Beell parlayed an active 1906 into defeats of former American Heavyweight Champion Dan McLeod and current American Heavyweight Champion Frank Gotch. Beell won the American Middleweight (Light Heavyweight) Championship but remained out of the spotlight until

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