DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Europeans who popularized wrestling in the 1800s
On today’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, I am back with my 1000 Hours subseries that focuses on the history, origin, and evolution of pro wrestling in America.
A listener recently asked about Germany, France, and Europe in the pioneer era of wrestling. France, in particular, was hugely important in the sport’s popularity in the United States with Prof. Thiebaud Bauer bringing his French style of Greco-Roman and turning it into a true entertainment spectacle.
Wilhelm Vandervecken and Wilhelm Heygster of Germany and many other Europeans impacted the formation and popularity of wrestling in the U.S.
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Karl Stern is a pro wrestling historian specializing in the 1980s and pioneer era (pre-1900) of pro wrestling. He is an author who has written several books on wrestling and independently runs the When It Was Cool retro pop culture website.