Wrestling With the Past: Cageside Features Guest Columnist, John S. Nash brings us a series of articles in which he chronicles professional wrestling's origins and legends.
"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." - John Ford
"Professional wrestling... has no history, only a past." - The Phantom of the Ring
In this edition, posted right here on Cageside Seats, on September 4, 2012, we learn what happened precisely 101 years ago today, when the most important match in professional wrestling history took place. No contest in the intervening century can match the impact that the meeting between Frank Gotch and George Hackenschmidt, on September 4th, 1911, had on the sport of professional wrestling. It was an event that signaled wrestling's ascension to the top of the sporting hierarchy, ahead of boxing, baseball and bicycle racing, and, coincidentally was the catalyst which transformed wrestling from sport into "sports entertainment". And now, without further ado, "Wrestling with the Past" takes us back...
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This article presented by our guest columnist John S. Nash. In addition to delving into wrestling's past for Cageside Seats, John Nash has regularly chronicled the forgotten history of mixed martial arts at our fellow SBNation Blog: BloodyElbow.com. Cageside Seats is proud to present a cross-posting of his article archives in this exclusive guest column and storystream for your enjoyment. To read more fascinating articles from Mr. Nash, simply bookmark this link and remember to check back frequently for new content.
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