Tag: Col. James H. McLaughlin

DragonKingKarl: William Muldoon vs. Col. James H. McLaughlin

Posted on by Karl Stern

On this 1000 Hours subseries episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show focusing on the pioneer era, we finally get not one but TWO matches between the two biggest stars of that era of pro wrestling.

William Muldoon had not previously wrestled Col. James H. McLaughlin mainly because Muldoon was not a fan of collar and elbow wrestling nor did McLaughlin consider Greco Roman his style. But at this time, Muldoon had now been largely disgraced on the West Coast and crowds aren’t what they used to be.

So, the two finally had two matches…which were flops. Karl discusses it all on today’s DKK.

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The historical importance of 1886

Posted on by Karl Stern

My pioneer era focus on the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show returns this week with a look back at 1886 — a year of change in professional wrestling.

Clarence Whistler had been one of the top stars of the last few years, but died while on tour of Australia in late-1885. Col. James H. McLaughlin had returned after multiple retirements, and a young and dangerous wrestler named Evan Lewis (seen above) was earning his nickname of “The Strangler” — poised to become a major star.

If you like this topic, be sure to pick up my new 700-page monster research project on the pioneer era of United States wrestling: the DragonKingKarl Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus: The Bible of the Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling.

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: McMahon vs. McLaughlin

Posted on by Karl Stern

I am back with what is essentially a part two of last week’s 1000 Hours podcast focused on the pioneer era as I look more at the original first family of wrestling: John McMahon, James Owens, Peter Owens, and Ed Cox.

Plus, the trilogy of Col. James H. McLaughlin vs. McMahon concludes. What was real and what wasn’t between the two biggest stars of the 1870s? Lucian Marc meets the real Andre Christol, and he isn’t happy…or so the story goes.

More works, scams, fakes, and bears as we continue our look into the pioneer era of American pro wrestling.

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The man who finally derailed the Colonel

Posted on by Karl Stern

On the latest DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, I return with another installment of my 1000 Hours subseries which focuses exclusively on the pioneer era of pro wrestling or the era before Frank Gotch.

I am looking back today at 1875 and 1876 which was dominated by the American heavyweight champion Col. James H. McLaughlin, pro wrestling’s first major star.

McLaughlin won pro wrestling’s first big championship tournament in 1870 in Detroit and had dominated until, out of nowhere, a relative unknown Michigan wrestler named Jacob H. Martin showed up and took McLaughlin to a draw not once but twice! One of those bouts lasted almost eight hours.

Is there more to the story? I discuss it on this episode.

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The true story behind the 1870 Detroit International tournament

Posted on by Karl Stern

I have recently spent many hours digging through hundreds of pages of 1870 newspapers from Detroit, Chicago, Ontario, and beyond chronicling the real story of the biggest tournament in history of American pro wrestling in the pioneer era: the Detroit International tournament.

On this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, I reveal what I found.

The tournament awarded an ornate championship belt to its winner (Col. James H. McLaughlin), but McLaughlin did not become the American champion, at least not yet, but I give you that story, too.

Also, McLaughlin may have killed Barney Smith, but it probably did not happen here either. I also clear up a number of other myths and errors that history books have recorded about this milestone in pro wrestling history. This is hour 46 of my 1000 Hours series focusing on the pioneer era of wrestling.

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The pioneer era in the Great Lakes region

Posted on by Karl Stern

The pioneer era (pre-1900) of pro wrestling flourished in the Great Lakes area of the United States.

While initially the Northeast, and especially New York and Vermont were early hotspots, cities like Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, and the entire Great Lakes region became very important in pro wrestling by 1870.

The 1870 Detroit International tournament was a real ignition point for the popularity of wrestling nationwide and the Detroit Opera House became a shrine for the genesis of American pro wrestling. 

Join me on my 43rd hour of discussing the pioneer era in pro wrestling with a stop in the Great Lakes.

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: WON Hall of Fame review

Posted on by Karl Stern

On this episode, host Karl Stern looks at the four inductees into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame for 2016 — Sting, Daniel Bryan, Gene Okerlund, and Col. James H. McLaughlin.

Not a lot of time is spent on McLaughlin since we have covered him so in-depth on the last seven shows, so time is spent with Bryan, Sting, and Okerlund, as well as those who didn’t make it this time around.

Among the topics dicsussed on today’s episode:

  • Daniel Bryan’s place in history as a draw and a performer, and why he’s so different from every other candidate.
  • The problem of John Cena.
  • Gene Okerlund as one of the greatest interviews in wrestling history, his chemistry with Hulk Hogan, and his place in history.
  • The controversial choice of Sting for the Hall of Fame. What is Sting’s real legacy? And the night it all fell apart at WCW Starrcade.
  • How to find out more about Col. James H. McLaughlin.
  • Discussion about those who didn’t make it in including Cien Caras, Huracan Ramirez, Sgt. Slaughter, Curt Hennig, Big Daddy (yes Big Daddy), Junkyard Dog, Bearcat Wright, Kerry Von Erich, and goodbye Volk Han.

Right click save