Mike Discusses Earl Caddock on No Holds Barred

Sunday, February 19th, 2012 | Books, Radio, Wrestling | No Comments

Mike was interviewed last Thursday on the podcast No Holds Barred, with host Eddie Goldman. You can listen to the interview below:

The interview focused on Earl Caddock, his place in wrestling history, Mike’s new book, and what was going on in pro wrestling at the time he competed. The discussion continue into the long heritage of wrestling, the Caddock-Stecher match of 1920, the importance of real wrestlers like Frank Gotch, and how the era of real matches faded quickly after Caddock lost his title. Also examined is the current revival of catch-as-catch-can wrestling and what it would take to bring back a form of real pro wrestling.

Goldman also links, on his site, to a youtube video of the match in which Caddock lost his title to Joe Stecher, on January 30, 1920 at Madison Square Garden in New York:

Tags: Earl Caddock, Eddie Goldman, Joe Stecher, No Holds Barred

Mike Chapman Speaks on His new Book Earl Caddock: Walnut’s Wrestling Wonder

Saturday, February 11th, 2012 | Books, Radio, Wrestling | No Comments

Mike was on Takedown Radio with Scott Casber on January 17, talking about his new book Earl Caddock: Walnut’s Wrestling Wonder. Click the arrow below to listen to the interview:

[audio:http://www.mike-chapman.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Mike-Chapman-Caddock.mp3|titles=Mike Chapman Caddock]

or Right click to save file.

Earl Caddock emerged from an Iowa farm to become a great amateur wrestler and then heavyweight champion of the entire world of professional wrestling.

In 1919 and 1920, Caddock was one of the nation’s most popular athletes, standing alongside such legendary figures as Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey and Jim Thorpe.

At the peak of his sports career, Caddock enlisted as a doughboy and served gallantly during World War I, then returned to make his home in Walnut, Iowa.

Earl Caddock was world champion for nearly three years then retired from the ring. He was a devoted husband, father, Christian, and highly successful businessman. His story is both heroic and inspirational.

Tags: Earl Caddock, Scott Casber, Takedown Radio

Earl Caddock is Subject of Mike’s Latest Book

Saturday, January 14th, 2012 | Books, Wrestling | No Comments

A new book tells the story of the life and athletic career of Earl Caddock, one of the greatest wrestlers in American history who lived most of his life in Iowa and is buried in his adopted hometown of Walnut. Frank Gotch also plays a large role in the book.

CADDOCK: Walnut’s Wrestling Wonder, was written by Mike Chapman, noted wrestling author and historian, and published by Culture House Books of Newton, in cooperation with the city of Walnut.

Earl Caddock came off an Iowa farm to become a great amateur wrestler and then won the world heavyweight championship of professional wrestling, back when the sports was a true athletic contest. He was an AAU national champion, in 1914 and 1915, but the cancellation of the 1916 Olympics ended his amateur career.

With Frank Gotch of Humboldt, Iowa, acknowledged as the top athlete in America at the time, Caddock decided to follow Gotch into professional wrestling. On April 9, 1917, he took a perfect record of 79-0 (53-0 as an amateur and 26-0 as a pro) into the ring in Omaha to take on the world champion, Joe Stecher. After more than two hours of grueling wrestling, Earl Caddock emerged as the heavyweight champion of the world.

Continue reading the press release…

Tags: Earl Caddock, Frank Gotch, Walnut IA

Street Named For Frank Gotch

Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 | Wrestling | No Comments

A new sign for a street in Humboldt, Iowa, has been erected in honor of the great world heavyweight wrestling champion at the turn of the last century. Gotch was born and raised on a farm just south of Humboldt and claimed the town in north central Iowa as his home his entire life. The renaming of the street came at the request of the Frank Gotch Statue Committee, which is raising funds to build a statue to Gotch in Bicknell Park. Gotch Avenue runs in front of the park area. Gotch died in his Humboldt home on December 16, 1917, and is buried in Union Cemetery northwest of town. He is the most famous citizen ever produced by the town and the committee worked with the city council to get the street named in his honor.

Tags: Frank Gotch, Humboldt