Posts and podcasts about professional wrestling in the 19th Century
In this episode, I discuss the murder of a professional wrestler in the 1860s, who gamblers thought worked a match to bilk them out of gambling money. Update I knew J.H. McLaughlin wrestled professionally in the late 1860s. I finally found a match between McLaughlin and Homer Lane. Homer Lane won the match. Divided Championship is now available on Amazon […]
» Read more
In this episode, I discuss why promoters liked to schedule big cards for holidays. Update The reach of the podcast continues to amaze me. Besides the United States, listeners have downloaded episodes in the Netherlands, Seychelles, Turkey, Canada, Germany, Finland, United Kingdom, Japan, Austria, Estonia, France, Ireland, and Poland. I will try to release more episodes going forward. Main Content […]
» Read more
Bernarr MacFadden, born Bernard Adolphus McFadden in Mill Spring, Missouri, on August 16, 1868, founded a publishing company in 1899 that still operates today. MacFadden, an early proponent of physical culture, authored books and published magazine about physical culture, early bodybuilding training. MacFadden moved into pulp magazines like True Detective in the 1920s. Before MacFadden made his fortune as a publisher […]
» Read more
In this episode, I will be talking a wrestler who need “liquid courage” to climb in the ring with Evan “The Strangler” Lewis. Update Tragic Storms on Friday, March 14, 2025 Main Content Evan Lewis Defeats a Drunken Wrestler In 1887, Evan “The Strangler” Lewis signed to wrestled Englishman Jack Wannock, the Cornish Wrestling Champion, Chicago Mayor Roche issued a […]
» Read more
In this episode, I discuss William Muldoon wrestling a contest that was not much of a contest. Between falls, Muldoon demonstrated his system of physical training. WWE put on their first disappointing card of the Paul Levesque era with Elimination Chamber 2025. The last ride of the Over the Hill Gang ruined an underwhelming card. In the history segment, I […]
» Read more
In this episode, we discuss Bernarr MacFadden’s professional wrestling career in St. Louis, Missouri. Update I discuss a recent email and provide an update on the Divided Championship project. Main Content For years, I could not find any account of Bernarr MacFadden’s exploits as a professional wrestler in St. Louis. While research the beginnings of what would become Tom Packs’ […]
» Read more
In this episode, I discuss why the Divided Championship Era lasted for three years from 1925 to 1928. I also review the original Survivor Series 1987. Update Dan recently moved to a new facility but will return to the show soon. I review one of the AEW buy-in matches from Full Gear 2024. Main Content After the world title was […]
» Read more
Henry Moses Dufur held the World Heavyweight Collar-and-Elbow Wrestling Champion during the 1870s. By 1855, Dufur retired from professional wrestling to pursue his full-time profession of clothing tailor. Even during his wrestling career, Dufur worked as a tailor. Dufur told the correspondent from The Boston Globe that he was born in Richford, Vermont on June 5, 1943. This date of […]
» Read more
Publishing giant Bernarr MacFadden was plain old Barney McFadden, when McFadden wrestled professionally in St. Louis during the late 1880s and early 1890s. McFadden specialized in Greco-Roman wrestling but did occasionally wrestle other styles. In November and December 1891, McFadden wrestled both styles in professional matches. On Saturday, October 31, 1891, McFadden wrestled Chicago wrestler Henry E. Pearson in a […]
» Read more
In this episode, I discuss the professional wrestling and refereeing career of St. Louis’ first professional wrestler, George Baptiste. Update With this episode, we will now be a weekly podcast. We may do review episodes occasionally. Dan will also be returning to the show in two weeks. Shooter in a Worked World: John Pesek and the 1920s Promotional Wars is […]
» Read more