George Baptiste’s Heartbreak

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During February 1901, St. Louis professional wrestler and local businessman George Baptiste reluctantly filed for divorce from his wife, Nellie May Baptiste, alleging desertion. It was actually the second time, Baptiste filed for divorce from Mrs. Baptiste. During the summer of 1896, Baptiste was vacationing in Millford, Connecticut. The 31-year-old was a powerful swimmer and all-around athlete in addition to

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Hannah McLaughlin Desmond (1879 – 1904)

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På Januari 7, 1903, St. Louis Chief of Detectives William Desmond married 24-year-old Hannah McLaughlin in a ceremony he hoped to keep secret. The 46-year-old Desmond always said he would never marry due to the dangers of his job. Emellertid, he was clearly smitten with Hannah McLaughlin. In March 1897, St. Louis Post-Dispatch printed the first rumors of an

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Would Be Assassin’s St. Louis Roots

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På September 21, 1897, Joseph Bloomfield Jackson attempted to sneak into the White House armed with a loaded revolver. Jackson had boasted of plans to attack a high government official for days. Jackson was arrested before he could carry out his plans to attack President McKinley. Police quickly realized Jackson was mentally disturbed. They sent him to a Washington asylum

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Wrestler Saves Drowning Priest

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George Baptiste spent about twenty years serving as St. Louis’ resident all-around athlete before taking over the company, Baptiste Tent and Awning, founded by his father Alexander Baptiste. Besides plying his trade as an occasional but accomplished professional wrestler, Baptise was a powerful swimmer. På Augusti 11, 1900, Baptiste used his swimming skills to save another St. Louisan from drowning.

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Gotch Wanted Hack in St. Louis

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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” i St. Louis during the 1904 Världsutställningen. Unfortunately for Gotch and St. Louis, the match would not occur until 1908 in Chicago,

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