Gotch Wanted Hack in St. Louis

frank-gotch-in-his-prime

Frank Gotch took the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from Tom Jenkins in December 1903.  Gotch intended on following up this triumph with a match for World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from George Hackenschmidt. Gotch wanted to meet “Hack” in St. Louis during the 1904 World’s Fair.  Unfortunately for Gotch and St. Louis, the match would not occur until 1908 in Chicago, […]

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A Tale of Two Turnvereine Halls

north-side-turner-hall-in-2002

The fate of much of St. Louis’ historic buildings prove the old real estate adage. It’s all about location, location, location. If the building is in the South St. Louis, it has a better chance of being saved than a building on the North Side. The same could be said for buildings located in the center of the city except […]

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Zbyszko and the Last Shoot Match

Stanislaus Zbyszko was born Stanislaw Jan Cyganiewicz on April 1, 1880 in Jodlow, Poland, which was part of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. Zbyszko chose the ring name Stanislaus Zbyszko because it was the name of a fictional Polish knight.  An article in the Walla Walla, Washington newspaper, The Evening Statesman’s on Tuesday, February 8, 1910, publicized Zbyszko’s university and intellectual accomplishments. […]

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