Tag: Catch-as-Catch-Can Wrestling

At the beginning of 1911, the wrestling public considered three men to be the greatest challenge to reigning World Champion Frank Gotch.  Former champion George Hackenschmidt, Stanislaus Zbyszko and “The Terrible Turk” Yussif Mahmout wanted the chance to beat Gotch. Gotch, who was nobody’s fool, decided to take some of the starch out of his challengers by matching them up […]

On Monday, June 25, 1934, current World Champion Jim Browning defended his world title against Jim Londos. Browning dropped the title to Londos in a match to end the promotional war which led to the double-crosses of the early 1930s. 20,000 fans crowded into Madison Square Garden to see the match leading to a $40,000 gate. Jack Curley enjoyed a […]

Charles Green, a skilled English catch-as-catch-can wrestler, traveled to the United States in the late 1880s to wrestle the best American wrestlers. Green got his opportunity on July 21, 1889, when he wrestled American Heavyweight Catch-as-Catch-Can Champion Evan Lewis. To prepare for this match, Green took a handicap bout with journeyman wrestler Bert Scheller in late June. Scheller was born […]

On December 23, 1903, Frank Gotch traveled to Bellingham, Washington to take on a 6’05”, 215 pound Native American wrestler from Montana.  Wrestling fans in the area considered Chief Two Feathers to be unbeatable.  Frank Gotch was not impressed with his reputation but he gave Gotch the most uncomfortable 15 minutes of his young career. Chief Two Feathers entered the […]

Stanislaus Zbyszko toured the United States in 1910 in preparation for a title match with World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Frank Gotch later in the year.  His tour brought him to St. Louis on May 28, 1910.  Zbyszko was scheduled to meet highly regarded light heavyweight grappler Charley Olson. Olson was a skilled wrestler, who trained with St. Louis wrestler George […]

I recently finished Evan “The Strangler” Lewis: The Most Feared Wrestler of the 19th Century.  Evan Lewis was a skilled submission expert during the legitimate professional wrestling era although he did take part in a couple prearranged matches. In January 1886, Evan Lewis used his dreaded stranglehold on Sorakichi Matsada. According to several newspapers, Lewis attempted to “strangle Sorakichi to […]

On Monday, December 13, 1920, Ed “Strangler” Lewis won the first of six World Heavyweight Wrestling Championships from Joe Stecher.  The fact he won the title from his biggest rival and business enemy must have been particularly satisfying. A year before this match, Stecher and Lewis met in a match lasting over three hours.  Lewis made a mental error in […]

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’s Army service during World War […]

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, […]