Feel The Bang
Missing Accolades
#PWHS #Article #FeelTheBang #DDP #Bothner
George Bothner was quite the popular guy back in Frank Gotch's day. He'd made a name for himself starting in the late 1880s as an amateur wrestling and won some tournaments. He'd eventually land a job at one of the most famous athletic clubs in the world, the New York Athletic Club working as the assistant to Hugh Leonard.
Leonard had been a pupil of William Muldoon's and was quickly earning himself the reputation in the eyes of many as the best trainer for wrestling in all of the country. Under the learning tree of Leonard, Bothner just kept on getting better.
By the end of the century he had turned professional. He laid claim to the American Lightweight Championship, a title he'd eventually win. In 1903 he was generally recognized as the World Lightweight Champion in most of North America. He was invited to the White House by Theodore Roosevelt around 1905 to wrestle a mixed style match with a Japanese jiu-jitsu expert. The Pres. was a fan of Bothner's.
Along the way Bothner acquired his own gym located above an automat on 42nd Street, between 8th Avenue and Broadway.
Side Note:
For those wondering an automat was a kind of "diner" where people could buy simple food and rink and sit down to consume it. The desired items were ordered from a vending machine after inserting coins covering the cost.
Thanks to his performance at the White House, a few years later Bothner received a position at the West Point Military Academy teaching recruits Catch-as-Catch-Can as part of their hand-to-hand training.
He retired from regular in-ring performances during 1914 at the age of 37, give or take a year. Continued training at his gym until he was in his 50s. Although he did still like to roll around on a mat with a young, budding wrestler. He even helped put on performances at military bases during World War II.
With all of the above, plus stints he had with other athletic clubs such as the Pastime and Knickerbocker; the fact he is one of the very few pro-wrestlers I've never seen/heard a negative comment about; with him dropping out of school at a young age to get a job in a butchers shop keeping the flies off of meat hanging out, and grafting his butt off when given the opportunity to become a wrestler and make something of himself:
What else could there possibly be to add to an already astounding resume?
Well, it turns out the son of a piano maker, helped in the early days of intercollegiate wrestling tournaments.
During 1904 the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association was founded with Columbia, Yale, Pennsylvania and Princeton Universities being the founding four involved. In April of the following year they held their first championships. To the best of my knowledge that makes the EIWA the oldest wrestling conference in the NCAA.
Even though the winners of the first tournament are listed on the websites of each university, two of them do not include information on the coaches for it or a couple of the subsequent seasons either. In fact, one of them says the coaches are unknown.
For the 1904-1905 season Bothner found himself as the head coach for the University of Columbia. His team did not do so well with wins in only two weight classes:
Joe Howell won the 145lb class.
Ward Tolbert won the unlimited.
Howell actually went on to have success the following year too. Bothner was no longer his coach though. He had moved on to Princeton University and stayed there for the 1905-1906 and 1906-1907 seasons. Bothner found no real success there either. He only had one winner in each year:
Don Herring in the the unlimited class in 1906.
Mike Passarella came out on top of the 115lb class in 1907.
Bothner retired from training for Universities at that point. Even though his attempts fell short in the tournaments, it says so much for Bothner. Frank Gotch, the American Heavyweight Champion, actually wrote a letter requesting to help the Cornell coach in early 1906 for that years tournament. Bothner did not have to ask, he was asked.
Now, for the main event. It's time to FEEL THE BANG!
Anyone interested in wrestling history knows that Martin "Farmer" Burns, during this same time frame as, well, he started a bit before Bothner, but he had his own training regiment and home-schooling course. Some people know Bothner released a book on Physical Culture and Scientific Wrestling, but they do not know he also had his own mail-order course on top of his actual classes in his gym.
While putting this together I read through some of the material I have on Bothner and I could not help but think of Diamond Dallas Page. The header for one of his pamphlets states:
"I Guarantee You Strength."
Throughout his advertising there is stuff like:
"Working out is so easy if you know the RIGHT METHOD."
And after promising low prices of only $1 a week:
"Don't think this is some cut-rate bodybuilding program either. You will be getting the FULL
GEORGE BOTHNER SYSTEM."
"It is the championship training system that lifts you to the peak of physical condition,
gives you that fighting edge, puts dynamite into your punch
and smashing power into your muscles."
He informs the reader how he can help them with all of their physical health needs. Whether it be lose weight, increase their conditioning, add muscle mass, and improve ones day-to-day quality of life whether it be in person or via mail order.
A whole host of wrestlers, athletes, radio broadcasters, and other people are listed as satisfied customers. They have their feedback and their pictures printed in some of the advertisements:
With all of the above, plus stints he had with other athletic clubs such as the Pastime and Knickerbocker; the fact he is one of the very few pro-wrestlers I've never seen/heard a negative comment about; with him dropping out of school at a young age to get a job in a butchers shop keeping the flies off of meat hanging out, and grafting his butt off when given the opportunity to become a wrestler and make something of himself:
What else could there possibly be to add to an already astounding resume?
Well, it turns out the son of a piano maker, helped in the early days of intercollegiate wrestling tournaments.
During 1904 the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association was founded with Columbia, Yale, Pennsylvania and Princeton Universities being the founding four involved. In April of the following year they held their first championships. To the best of my knowledge that makes the EIWA the oldest wrestling conference in the NCAA.
Even though the winners of the first tournament are listed on the websites of each university, two of them do not include information on the coaches for it or a couple of the subsequent seasons either. In fact, one of them says the coaches are unknown.
For the 1904-1905 season Bothner found himself as the head coach for the University of Columbia. His team did not do so well with wins in only two weight classes:
Joe Howell won the 145lb class.
Ward Tolbert won the unlimited.
Howell actually went on to have success the following year too. Bothner was no longer his coach though. He had moved on to Princeton University and stayed there for the 1905-1906 and 1906-1907 seasons. Bothner found no real success there either. He only had one winner in each year:
Don Herring in the the unlimited class in 1906.
Mike Passarella came out on top of the 115lb class in 1907.
Bothner retired from training for Universities at that point. Even though his attempts fell short in the tournaments, it says so much for Bothner. Frank Gotch, the American Heavyweight Champion, actually wrote a letter requesting to help the Cornell coach in early 1906 for that years tournament. Bothner did not have to ask, he was asked.
Now, for the main event. It's time to FEEL THE BANG!
Anyone interested in wrestling history knows that Martin "Farmer" Burns, during this same time frame as, well, he started a bit before Bothner, but he had his own training regiment and home-schooling course. Some people know Bothner released a book on Physical Culture and Scientific Wrestling, but they do not know he also had his own mail-order course on top of his actual classes in his gym.
While putting this together I read through some of the material I have on Bothner and I could not help but think of Diamond Dallas Page. The header for one of his pamphlets states:
"I Guarantee You Strength."
Throughout his advertising there is stuff like:
"Working out is so easy if you know the RIGHT METHOD."
And after promising low prices of only $1 a week:
"Don't think this is some cut-rate bodybuilding program either. You will be getting the FULL
GEORGE BOTHNER SYSTEM."
"It is the championship training system that lifts you to the peak of physical condition,
gives you that fighting edge, puts dynamite into your punch
and smashing power into your muscles."
He informs the reader how he can help them with all of their physical health needs. Whether it be lose weight, increase their conditioning, add muscle mass, and improve ones day-to-day quality of life whether it be in person or via mail order.
A whole host of wrestlers, athletes, radio broadcasters, and other people are listed as satisfied customers. They have their feedback and their pictures printed in some of the advertisements:
Jim Londos - "I give to you credit for making me stronger and quicker than
I ever thought I could be, and what you did for me I know
you can do for others."
Charles J. Mason - "I took other courses, but got nothing from them.
I am very grateful for you giving me a strong body and the vitality
which a man needs in order to succeed in life."
Jack Sherry - "Your course gave me what I always longed for -
18 in biceps and a 44-inch chest."
John Peterson - "I owe all my strength and development to you."
Hans Kampfer - "I think this is pretty good for four months, when you consider that I have taken off 35 pounds. I can't praise your course
too highly for what it did for me."
Harry Glick - "Your Course is the ace of them all. For health, strength and development it can't miss. What it has done for me it can do
for any person, young or old."
At the time of the pamphlet Jim Londos was arguably the biggest wrestling star in North America and some other parts of the world too. One of his best qualities was his "Golden Greek" physique that went so well with his handsome face. Women adored him and men hated him. He had held the World Heavyweight Championship on three occasions too. So, for Bothner to be able to say that Londos endorsed his product was a huge deal.
Also included in the (incomplete) list of satisfied customers were Frank Wolf, Nathan Belleflair, Hackenschmidt, Joe Stecher, Jim Browning, Frank De Armour, Daniel C. Josselyn, Benjamin Kerrigan, William Denn, William D. Wareing, Richard, Weber, Gus Timmerman, Fred C. Sully, Walter Zigelman, Stanislaus Zbyszko and Jack Dempsey.
Some of the people mentioned he did help with their wrestling training too like Browning and Stecher, other were purely just users of the "George Bothner System." The Hackenschmidt he mentions could have been Charles (John Berg) Hackenschmidt or he could be referring to when Georges Hackenschmidt spent some time in his gym prior to Hack's match with Frank Gotch.
More than anything it was the marketing of his brand, specifically how good Bothner was at it that really made me think of DDP Yoga. DDP, Bothner and Burns were not all just show though. They really could go. Their techniques for a healthier life worked when they first came out and still to do now. Unlike so many people who could unleash a whirlwind of catchy spiel to hook the impulse buyer, the gullible and/or the too rich to care as well as the serious customer; and then follow through with their promises as long as their instructions were followed.
Rarely, if ever, will a harsh word be found about any of the three men from their peers. Bothner especially with his US Military work, his relationship with a US President, his charity work and his general nature possibly put him on an even higher level of respect than the vast majority of pro-wrestlers. It's to the point where people often know more about Bothner's time as a trainer and that single day at the White House than they do about his actual wrestling career where he initially found fame.
Today that has just become even more true as when George Bothner's name comes up there are three new credentials to add to his already impressive resume:
1 - The first head coach for Columbia University's wrestling team for the first EIWA Tournament.
2 - The second head coach for Princeton University's wrestling team for the second
and third EIWA Tournaments.
3 - A pioneer in the field of marketing and selling a workout plan with pro-wrestling fans as the target buyers.
"And that's not a bad thing...it's a good thing."
I ever thought I could be, and what you did for me I know
you can do for others."
Charles J. Mason - "I took other courses, but got nothing from them.
I am very grateful for you giving me a strong body and the vitality
which a man needs in order to succeed in life."
Jack Sherry - "Your course gave me what I always longed for -
18 in biceps and a 44-inch chest."
John Peterson - "I owe all my strength and development to you."
Hans Kampfer - "I think this is pretty good for four months, when you consider that I have taken off 35 pounds. I can't praise your course
too highly for what it did for me."
Harry Glick - "Your Course is the ace of them all. For health, strength and development it can't miss. What it has done for me it can do
for any person, young or old."
At the time of the pamphlet Jim Londos was arguably the biggest wrestling star in North America and some other parts of the world too. One of his best qualities was his "Golden Greek" physique that went so well with his handsome face. Women adored him and men hated him. He had held the World Heavyweight Championship on three occasions too. So, for Bothner to be able to say that Londos endorsed his product was a huge deal.
Also included in the (incomplete) list of satisfied customers were Frank Wolf, Nathan Belleflair, Hackenschmidt, Joe Stecher, Jim Browning, Frank De Armour, Daniel C. Josselyn, Benjamin Kerrigan, William Denn, William D. Wareing, Richard, Weber, Gus Timmerman, Fred C. Sully, Walter Zigelman, Stanislaus Zbyszko and Jack Dempsey.
Some of the people mentioned he did help with their wrestling training too like Browning and Stecher, other were purely just users of the "George Bothner System." The Hackenschmidt he mentions could have been Charles (John Berg) Hackenschmidt or he could be referring to when Georges Hackenschmidt spent some time in his gym prior to Hack's match with Frank Gotch.
More than anything it was the marketing of his brand, specifically how good Bothner was at it that really made me think of DDP Yoga. DDP, Bothner and Burns were not all just show though. They really could go. Their techniques for a healthier life worked when they first came out and still to do now. Unlike so many people who could unleash a whirlwind of catchy spiel to hook the impulse buyer, the gullible and/or the too rich to care as well as the serious customer; and then follow through with their promises as long as their instructions were followed.
Rarely, if ever, will a harsh word be found about any of the three men from their peers. Bothner especially with his US Military work, his relationship with a US President, his charity work and his general nature possibly put him on an even higher level of respect than the vast majority of pro-wrestlers. It's to the point where people often know more about Bothner's time as a trainer and that single day at the White House than they do about his actual wrestling career where he initially found fame.
Today that has just become even more true as when George Bothner's name comes up there are three new credentials to add to his already impressive resume:
1 - The first head coach for Columbia University's wrestling team for the first EIWA Tournament.
2 - The second head coach for Princeton University's wrestling team for the second
and third EIWA Tournaments.
3 - A pioneer in the field of marketing and selling a workout plan with pro-wrestling fans as the target buyers.
"And that's not a bad thing...it's a good thing."
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Feel The Bang.
Author: Jimmy Wheeler.
Published: March 28, 2017.
Article: #167.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Feel The Bang.
Author: Jimmy Wheeler.
Published: March 28, 2017.
Article: #167.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Information Sources
1 - Mainly various newspaper research.
2 - Scientific Wrestling.
3 - EIWA.
4 - Columbia University.
5 - Princeton University.
Picture Sources
1 - The Ottley R. Coulter Collection & DDP Yoga.
2 - From Milo to Londos.
3 - The Ottley R. Coulter Collection.
1 - Mainly various newspaper research.
2 - Scientific Wrestling.
3 - EIWA.
4 - Columbia University.
5 - Princeton University.
Picture Sources
1 - The Ottley R. Coulter Collection & DDP Yoga.
2 - From Milo to Londos.
3 - The Ottley R. Coulter Collection.
Other articles by Jimmy can be Read Here.