Zbyszko “Wins” World Title in 1921

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Polish wrestler and strongman Stanislaus Zbyszko first came to the United States in 1909 to campaign for a shot at World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Frank Gotch.  He received and lost the match in a legitimate contest during 1910.  Zbyszko continued wrestling for a few more years and actually won the World Greco-Roman Heavyweight Wrestling Championship in 1914 from hated rival

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“Sailor” Art Thomas vs. Ray Zills

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When thinking about African American history month, I thought about the first great Black wrestler that I saw personally. When I started watching wrestling in St. Louis during 1979, “Sailor” Art Thomas wrestled regularly on Wrestling at the Chase, our local weekly wrestling show. Wrestling at the Chase aired every Sunday at 11 a.m. on KPLR Channel 11. Although Thomas

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Stecher Beats Cutler for American Title

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When Frank Gotch retired as World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion after beating Georg Lurich in his last match, promoters scrambled to find a successor.  Samuel Rachmann tried to put forth his own champion by hosting the 1915 International Wrestling Tournament in New York City.  Rachmann wanted his challenger Aberg to win the tournament and be recognized by the public as the

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Boxing’s Effect on Legitimate Wrestling

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In the 1910s, American professional wrestling permanently moved from legitimate wrestling contests to prearranged exhibitions.  Fan interest, promoter control and less wear and tear on the wrestlers all played a role in this transition.  Another less talked about pressure was outside of the sport itself. Prior to the 20th Century, professional boxing was illegal in the United States.  Bare knuckle

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Dick Tracy, Detective (1945)

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RKO Pictures brought the Dick Tracy comic strip character to the big screen on December 1, 1945. While the film is definitely a “B” film meant to be first on the double bill, it still would have been of interest to the many fans of the popular comic strip. Chester Gould created the strip in October 1931 for the Detroit

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Caddock and W. Zbyszko Wrestle to Draw

earl-caddock

Earl Caddock had a relatively short but storied professional wrestling career in the late 1910s and early 1920s.  Making his professional debut in 1915 after winning three AAU National titles in amateur wrestling, Caddock only wrestled professionally until 1922.  However, he would be recognized as world champion after defeating Joe Stecher in April 1917. Caddock would lose the title back

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Wrestling Champion Tries Boxing

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On Tuesday, January 19, 1909, Dr. Benjamin Roller, a Seattle physician and pro wrestler who was good enough to win the American Heavyweight Championship, inexplicably decided to try his hand at professional boxing.  His opponent was friend and sparring partner, “Denver” Ed Martin, who would win the Colored World Heavyweight Boxing Championship. Dr. Benjamin Franklin Roller was a unique athlete

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Ad Santel Brings The Pain

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Ad Santel gained his reputation as a dangerous catch wrestler from his frequent bouts with judoka from Japan during the 1910s and a story from the second George Hackenschmidt training camp for the Frank Gotch rematch.  According to legend, Frank Gotch paid Santel, a skilled submission wrestler, $5,000.00 to injure Hackenschmidt’s knee in training. While this story may or may

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