William Muldoon
#PWHS #Bio #Biography #SolidMan #Muldoon #WilliamMuldoon #SAC #StateAthleticCommission #Boxing #Wrestling #ProWrestling #GrecoRoman #GraecoRoman
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Where to start with William Muldoon. There is just so much to say about the man, and more specifically the legend created by the man. So, for those who maybe new to him here are a few highlights from his résumé that actually occurred:
- Won the "World Graeco-Roman Champion."
- Trainer of both top-notch boxers and wrestlers.
- Commemorated on collector cards which came with tobacco.
- Owner of a successful and well-regarded health farm.
- First Chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission.
- Posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
- Posthumously inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum.
- Posthumously inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.
- Posthumously inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame.
It's virtually impossible to actually compare the drawing power, butts in seats, of wrestlers from different eras. There are however, a handful of names which clearly belong to a very exclusive club. While Muldoon did not have the international fame as those who came later than him, on a national level in America his star-power was comparable to those elite individuals: Jim Londos, Frank Gotch, Steve Austin, John Cena, The Rock Gorgeous George and Hulk Hogan. To put it another way; William Muldoon was the first pro-wrestler in the United States of America whom transcended the pseudo-sport to become a nationally recognized figure.
In 1928 Muldoon told his early story the following way:
"I was a farmer's son and from my birth on the 25th of May, 1845, until the Civil War, when I was enlisted in the Northern Army as a private, my life at my father's farm in Belfast, N.Y. was a healthy one. But my mind was not neglected. I attended school until I went away to war in '61 at the age of 16.
After the war I came to New York City, where I worked at a variety of of humble occupations. But during this time I continued to improve my mind by going to the Cooper Union night school.
It was about this time that I first became interested in professional athletics. In those days boxers and wrestlers were very poorly paid.
I used to pick up a few dollars after my day's work and my studies were done, in an old saloon on Houston st., over in the gas-house district. I met some tough ones there, all right.
There was fighting there at all hours and the boys were more than willing to mix. A fellow would come in and throw a $5 bill on the bar. The barkeep would pick out two fellows - he usually knew who were the hungriest - and the battle would be on. They would go four rounds, the winner to get $3 and the loser the other $2.
Lots of fellows who would be in the main events of today would split a $10 purse - $7 to the winner. They were called stars. Men came in there and ordered a fight just like they ordered a beer, and oftentimes there were days when one fight succeeded another for twenty-four hours. A good boy could get in several fights in one night.
I, myself, being a wrestler, had an advantage; for I could alternate my activities and last through a lot of milling and tugging. Things were decent enough down there in that saloon - the spectators didn't fight, but they did a lot of betting."
As with much of William Muldoon's story, the version as told by him, there are some major inaccuracies in the above interview excerpt. For example; Muldoon was most likely born on May 25, 1852. Prior to turning to professional his legitimate age was actually being used. In March 1878 he was reported as being twenty-five years of age. Also the St. Mary's Church (Phoenix, A.Z.) historian, Gary K. Weiand, wrote in his book about the life of John L. Sullivan that the "Muldoon family Bible" contained the the correct date of May 25, 1852. Whether he was actually born in Belfast, N.Y. or not is debated too. It's possible Belfast was used to make people immediately think of Ireland without actually saying he was born there, being that Belfast was rivaling Dublin for the largest city in Ireland at the time. The "Historical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling" lists Canaedea as his place of birth. Both towns are in the county of Allegany, so they're not too far apart. Sometimes Genessee County was listed for him too, but there is only one county between it and Allegany, so that too is not a million miles away in the western part of New York State.
The "Historical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling" also lists Muldoon as serving in the military, but the version they give is an amalgamation of Muldoon's version and another possible scenario. The truth is nobody actually knows whether he spent any time in the military in any way, shape or form. In the interview Muldoon said he "went to war" at the age of 16 in 1861, of course that's a lie, he was actually 9 years old in 1861. The H.D. of P.W. states he joined at the age of 11 in April 1864 as a volunteer drummer boy. It then goes on to say by September 1864, aged 12, he was at the Battle of Opequon in Virginia. The story then continues that it was during his time in the army he first discovered interest in wrestling by watching the soldiers during their off-time. When the war ended, the H.D. of P.W. goes on to say, following the war with his company he took part in "wars against the Indians in the Great Plains." That in itself contradicts Muldoon's version of events, but there are no records whatsoever of a William Muldoon ever being in the Sixth Cavalry, Company I. In fact, a John Muldoon of Company I, is the only Muldoon to have enlisted into any company in the Sixth Cavalry.
There is a theory William Muldoon used the story of his older brother, who supposedly passed away at a young age, to create a new biography for himself. There was only one Muldoon in the entire Sixth Cavalry. Another does not appear even on the list of those who enlisted, but saw no actual combat. According to the "History of the Sixth New York Cavalry (Second Ira Harris Guard), Second Brigade - First Division - Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, 1861-1865 - Compiled from Letters, Diaries, Recollections, and Official Records by the Committee on Regimental History" published in 1908, the only Muldoon was John Muldoon. The book has first hand accounts of him getting captured in 1861 at Culpeper, V.A., and the time he spent as a captive until 1862. Furthermore an incident during 1864 when he was shot through the thigh is recalled. Amazingly John still led his unit on to safety and to win the battle. None of which is part of any version of William's story. Plus John was 20 years old when he enlisted in September 1861. By the time John left the army he had reached the rank of Lieutenant.
What I find fairly condemning to the popular versions of Muldoon's story actually happened in September 1915. A Civil War monument was erected in Belfast, New York to commemorate those from the area who "defended the Union." The monument cost $4,300 to make with $1,500 of which being raised by the local townsmen and women. The remaining $2,800 was paid for by none other than William Muldoon. His name was not featured on the statues plaque, nor was it mentioned, his, so-called, brother John was on their as the top-ranked soldier from Belfast in the Sixth Cavalry. Slightly suspicious.
One version of his story has him traveling to France to fight in Foreign Legion. It's said that is where he learned to love Graeco-Roman wrestling. Never really seemed to likely, but there is no evidence to suggest it did or did not happen. However, the fact Muldoon himself never spoke of that says a lot. Sounds like an attribute he would have proudly claimed. Instead he spoke of working in humble occupations and attending college. The former is probably true; as for the latter I have my doubts. The "Gas-House District" which he spoke of was an area now occupied by Peter Cooper Village and part of the adjacent Stuyvesant Town in Manhattan. During the second half of the 19th century it was an unpleasant area rife with crime and gangs.
Truthfully what he did after the Civil War ended and by the time he joined the New York Police Force is pretty much like his time prior and during it: Unknown. It's all based on stories told by Muldoon or others and practically no contemporary documentation exists for Muldoon before the year of 1877. I went through 400+ results for the name "Muldoon" in the New York area between 1870 and 1876 and no results come up which definitively could be attributed to the wrestler. Only a a handful of them could even possibly be him. If we are to assume the possibles are William, then he joined the N.Y.P.D. in late 1874 or very early 1875 at the 8th Precinct, which at the time roughly covered, what is now, the Soho district. By June of 1877 he had moved to the 29th Precinct which was mainly made up of modern precincts 13 and 14; Midtown South Manhattan.
Given what you have just read it should be no surprise a match purported by historians to have taken place on February 6, 1877 is most likely total fiction. It's said it was in that match he first won the "American Graeco-Roman Championship." Just three years too early. During the first half of 1877 it was decided by the New York Police Department to open the New York Police Athletic Club. The decision was made with the intention of the club being a place where officers could go to train and make them physically healthier for their time on the streets. Another idea was the club could hold benefit shows to raise money for worthwhile local charities and also for the police force itself.
On June 25, 1877 a benefit was held at the Third Avenue Rink in aid of the Widows and Orphans of Fallen Police Officers. The head wrestling coach at the time was the famous English born-Australian all-around athlete, Professor William Miller. His specialty was the Graeco-Roman style of grappling. On the aforementioned night 5,000 people turned up raising a total of $6,000 for the cause. The main event of the evening saw Miler take on Officer William Muldoon, not to be confused with the New York Police Property Clerk, William H. Muldoon. Miller went over Muldoon two falls to one in a match that lasted around 10 minutes in total. At the beginning of 1878 the two took part in another benefit for the same cause. Muldoon walked a mile in 9 minutes and 9 and three quarter seconds. Meanwhile Miller walked half the distance in less than half of the time; 3 minutes, 43 and three quarter seconds.
Muldoon had been quickly gaining much notoriety within the N.Y.P.D. as a top-notch athlete. Miller was undoubtedly in the gymnasium with Muldoon showing him the tricks of the trade and the two men formed a bond together. One that was portrayed publicly as being based on a mutual respect for each other's ability and their natural competitive instincts to be the best. One suspects behind the scenes the publicity machine that was the mind of Miller was actually grooming for the world of professional wrestling.
In March 1878 Muldoon won a gold challenge medal offered by the Police Athletic Club for the winner of a Graeco-Roman wrestling match between Detective William Muldoon and Patrolman James Quigley. Muldoon won two straight falls in 11 minutes flat. Around the same time Muldoon with Officer Adams got into a street brawl against Miller and Patrolman Quigley. Now, as far as the public was concerned, Muldoon and Miller were mortal enemies. Both wrestlers, Muldoon and Miller, accused the other of requesting to fakie their prior match in 1877. A dispute with money was also involved.
In the end nothing came of this due to Miller leaving for Cuba. Muldoon would become some what of a hero in the Northeast during the next couple of years, both a superb athlete and a policeman proved to be a winning combination. His place as the number one wrestler in America was cemented on January 19, 1880 when he defeated Professor Thiebaud Bauer for the World/American Graeco-Roman Championship at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York in front of 4,000 fans.
Muldoon had announced he would only wrestle one more match following that one. He met Miller on March 23 and the pair went to a seven hour long draw. As a champion Muldoon proved to be a real man of the people. It was reported that a young Patrick Cavanagh had been injured in a tragic accident on Christmas Day 1880 Muldoon held a benefit for his family raising over $300 for them. On that night he wrestled in five different matches, winning them all.
An important part to add to this story is exactly how Muldoon worked as the champion. While in Northeastern states and California, as well as certain Midwestern and Central states Muldoon was normally a fan favorite. In New York specifically he was on the verge of being a bonafide hero to "his people." In the Southern states especially Muldoon was not so popular. In fact during his active career he was down right disliked for using stalling tactics, being pedantic over contract signing and appearing to dodge opponents deemed his better or equal by the fans. The fans were always given their money's worth when the match took place though. So, when he retired many years later and opened his health farm, the opinion of him across the nation turned to favorable and became the beloved star people still hear about today.
Anyway, a big match for him was January 26, 1881 when he the young upcoming Clarence Whistler in front of 2,000 people. He also started competing in mixed styles fairly regularly to compete against the biggest names in other styles of wrestling. At some point though he lost the Graeco-Roman championship and would not win it back until December 29, 1883 when he defeated Bauer in front of 3,000 people in San Francisco.
This time he never lose it. Muldoon remained undefeated in championship competition for the remainder of his career. Clearly he had no intention of actually retiring back in January 1880. He did lose some mixed style contests though, he never seemed to grasp the other styles anywhere near as proficiently as he did the Graeco-Roman.
Muldoon faced every big name of the time though and when it came to his preferred style none of them could come close to him. Some of the names who fell before him were; Edwin Bibby, Duncan C. Ross, Sorakichi Matsuda, Colonel James Hiram McLaughlin and Jack Carkeek.
Arguably it was not his wrestling or his police work that earned him his greatest fame in the sporting world. For weeks prior to Jake Kilrain the bare-knuckle boxing champion defending his title to John L. Sullivan on , Muldoon embarked on the task of training Sullivan in conditioning for the contest.
Sullivan was said to be horribly out of shape and it was thought an impossible task to get him in condition for a big fight. Undeterred Muldoon succeeded in his task and led Sullivan to a seventy-five round long victory in 1889. With this Muldoon not only had exposure from wrestling, but he was getting even more exposure for doing the unthinkable. His name was as much in the lights as Sullivan's.
For seven years Muldoon had reigned on top of the Graeco-Roman ruled the world it was 1889 also that saw the tide about to change though. On November 11, 1889 a young man by the name of Ernest Roeber managed to stay the fifteen minute time-limit with Muldoon and win himself $50 at a theatre show. Roeber was said to be just a citizen, the story is he had been persuaded to get up on the stage by a local gang known as the Gas House Gang.
Seeing the potential in the young lad from the Bowery Muldoon snapped up Roeber soon after on added him to his troupe as part of his national tour. After a year of tutelage directly under the wing of Muldoon, Roeber was ready in Muldoon's eyes. On February 3, 1891, Muldoon announced his retirement from in-ring competition. He took up the role of managing and also would present his championship to Roeber announcing him as the greatest Graeco-Roman wrestler in America.
During 1894 he left wrestling completely following a match with Roeber on February 24 for the World's Free Bread Fund Benefit. It was a time-limit draw. Shortly after he opened up his first health farm at White Planes. For six years he ran it, then in 1900 he moved it to Purchase, New York where he kept it open right up until his final years. At his time of death it was estimated he had accumulated more than a $1,000,000 and helped over 5,000 men.
In 1921 he was named the chairman of the new New York State Athletic Commission and would serve for several years on the board. From the New York Evening World on February 24, 1922:
"New Wrestling Rules Bar Former Hippodrome Holds
How Oldtimer Views Present Situation in Mat Sport Caused by Muldoon's New Code - Both Wrestlers and Fans Need Educating.
'WHAT is the trouble with the wrestling game to-day?' questioned a fan who is an ardent follower of the sport.
The question was directed to a gray-haired old veteran who had been just as ardent a devotee of the sport years ago when Gotch, Hackenschmidt and Tom Jenkins were displaying their strength and skill on the mat.
'Is it the revised rules of Chairman William Muldoon of the State Athletic Commission that are now in voque?" asked the young man.
'No,' quickly came from the veteran in the throes of meditation, 'It is not.'
'The rules are all right. Most of the fans do not understand them and consequently after seeing matches in which nothing but pin falls counted it is hard to get accustomed to the new rules enforced by the State board.'
'But that is not the chief cause of the present day unsatisfactory situation in the wrestling game,' continued the old timer. 'The chief trouble lies in the present day wrestlers.'
'The present-day rules prove conclusively that the American matmen do not know how to wrestle.'
This means Lewis, Caddock, Stecjer et al.
'You see, they have been wrestling under the pin fall rules for the last few years, with hippodrome holds strengthening their offensive but weakening their powers of defense.
'Take Lewis. What has he got? A headlock, yes. He has spent the best part of his years perfecting one hold. That's all he has.
'Look at Caddock. He is known as the man with a thousand holds, with very few of them really perfected to any degree.
'Then there's Joe Stecher. He has one hold - the scissors. That's all.
'Developing all these holds or specializing with one, they have failed to perfect the proper defensive which is essential when not clamping these grips.
'A good offense in boxing, they say, is the best defense, but that does not hold good in the mat game. Defense is necessary while a wrestler is trying to make an opponent do what he does not want to do.
'Under the old rules no defense was required, but under Muldoon's new code a wrestler who has no defense is thrown by a rolling or flying fall while he might be applying his speciality. That's how Stecher was thrown by the younger Zbyszko. Lewis met defeat at the hands of Stanislaus Zbyszko because he tried to apply his headlock. He just rolled over on his shoulder blades, assisted by his weak defense. He had just one thought in mind - the applying of his headlock.'
'No,' continued the old man ot the attentive young listern. 'The rules are all right.'
'Do you think Caddock, Lewis or Stecher could beat either Gotch, Hackenschmidt or Jenkins? I should say not. In those days there was no specializing hippodrome holds. The wrestlers build up their defensive weaknesses as as wtheir offensive shortcomings.
'Under the new rules, they are all right, it is only the revelation of the lack of defensive skill of the American wrestler that has brought about their present unpopularity.
'Educate the present day matmen in defense, and under the present rules they would not throw themselves so easily, thinking only of their offense, and the new rules would go big.
'Under the old rules nothing but hippodrome holds and offensive strength counted. To-day, with the rules revised, wrestling is back to where it was in the days of the Stadium and the Coliseum and where both offense and defense counted.
By Robert Boyd."
In the end it was cancer that claimed his life and he passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 3, 1933, leaving his entire estate to his secretary and adopted child, Margaret Farrell-Muldoon. It is extraordinarily hard to find bad words said about Muldoon in his later life. He had earned the respect of the entire sporting world. The more cynical of folk may suggest he infiltrated the N.Y.S.A.C. so the worked nature of both boxing (at the time) and wrestling could continue and have a legitimate governing body to protect it from being revealed.
The general consensus is that he genuinely wanted to try and make the game level though. All the papers rain compliments up on him as being an honest man and truly earning his nickname "The Solid Man." Muldoon was without a doubt the earliest wrestler to be an American sporting icon. The most recognizable Graeco-Roman champion and his work to help athletes and people in general with their health just has to be commended.
Where to start with William Muldoon. There is just so much to say about the man, and more specifically the legend created by the man. So, for those who maybe new to him here are a few highlights from his résumé that actually occurred:
- Won the "World Graeco-Roman Champion."
- Trainer of both top-notch boxers and wrestlers.
- Commemorated on collector cards which came with tobacco.
- Owner of a successful and well-regarded health farm.
- First Chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission.
- Posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
- Posthumously inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum.
- Posthumously inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.
- Posthumously inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame.
It's virtually impossible to actually compare the drawing power, butts in seats, of wrestlers from different eras. There are however, a handful of names which clearly belong to a very exclusive club. While Muldoon did not have the international fame as those who came later than him, on a national level in America his star-power was comparable to those elite individuals: Jim Londos, Frank Gotch, Steve Austin, John Cena, The Rock Gorgeous George and Hulk Hogan. To put it another way; William Muldoon was the first pro-wrestler in the United States of America whom transcended the pseudo-sport to become a nationally recognized figure.
In 1928 Muldoon told his early story the following way:
"I was a farmer's son and from my birth on the 25th of May, 1845, until the Civil War, when I was enlisted in the Northern Army as a private, my life at my father's farm in Belfast, N.Y. was a healthy one. But my mind was not neglected. I attended school until I went away to war in '61 at the age of 16.
After the war I came to New York City, where I worked at a variety of of humble occupations. But during this time I continued to improve my mind by going to the Cooper Union night school.
It was about this time that I first became interested in professional athletics. In those days boxers and wrestlers were very poorly paid.
I used to pick up a few dollars after my day's work and my studies were done, in an old saloon on Houston st., over in the gas-house district. I met some tough ones there, all right.
There was fighting there at all hours and the boys were more than willing to mix. A fellow would come in and throw a $5 bill on the bar. The barkeep would pick out two fellows - he usually knew who were the hungriest - and the battle would be on. They would go four rounds, the winner to get $3 and the loser the other $2.
Lots of fellows who would be in the main events of today would split a $10 purse - $7 to the winner. They were called stars. Men came in there and ordered a fight just like they ordered a beer, and oftentimes there were days when one fight succeeded another for twenty-four hours. A good boy could get in several fights in one night.
I, myself, being a wrestler, had an advantage; for I could alternate my activities and last through a lot of milling and tugging. Things were decent enough down there in that saloon - the spectators didn't fight, but they did a lot of betting."
As with much of William Muldoon's story, the version as told by him, there are some major inaccuracies in the above interview excerpt. For example; Muldoon was most likely born on May 25, 1852. Prior to turning to professional his legitimate age was actually being used. In March 1878 he was reported as being twenty-five years of age. Also the St. Mary's Church (Phoenix, A.Z.) historian, Gary K. Weiand, wrote in his book about the life of John L. Sullivan that the "Muldoon family Bible" contained the the correct date of May 25, 1852. Whether he was actually born in Belfast, N.Y. or not is debated too. It's possible Belfast was used to make people immediately think of Ireland without actually saying he was born there, being that Belfast was rivaling Dublin for the largest city in Ireland at the time. The "Historical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling" lists Canaedea as his place of birth. Both towns are in the county of Allegany, so they're not too far apart. Sometimes Genessee County was listed for him too, but there is only one county between it and Allegany, so that too is not a million miles away in the western part of New York State.
The "Historical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling" also lists Muldoon as serving in the military, but the version they give is an amalgamation of Muldoon's version and another possible scenario. The truth is nobody actually knows whether he spent any time in the military in any way, shape or form. In the interview Muldoon said he "went to war" at the age of 16 in 1861, of course that's a lie, he was actually 9 years old in 1861. The H.D. of P.W. states he joined at the age of 11 in April 1864 as a volunteer drummer boy. It then goes on to say by September 1864, aged 12, he was at the Battle of Opequon in Virginia. The story then continues that it was during his time in the army he first discovered interest in wrestling by watching the soldiers during their off-time. When the war ended, the H.D. of P.W. goes on to say, following the war with his company he took part in "wars against the Indians in the Great Plains." That in itself contradicts Muldoon's version of events, but there are no records whatsoever of a William Muldoon ever being in the Sixth Cavalry, Company I. In fact, a John Muldoon of Company I, is the only Muldoon to have enlisted into any company in the Sixth Cavalry.
There is a theory William Muldoon used the story of his older brother, who supposedly passed away at a young age, to create a new biography for himself. There was only one Muldoon in the entire Sixth Cavalry. Another does not appear even on the list of those who enlisted, but saw no actual combat. According to the "History of the Sixth New York Cavalry (Second Ira Harris Guard), Second Brigade - First Division - Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, 1861-1865 - Compiled from Letters, Diaries, Recollections, and Official Records by the Committee on Regimental History" published in 1908, the only Muldoon was John Muldoon. The book has first hand accounts of him getting captured in 1861 at Culpeper, V.A., and the time he spent as a captive until 1862. Furthermore an incident during 1864 when he was shot through the thigh is recalled. Amazingly John still led his unit on to safety and to win the battle. None of which is part of any version of William's story. Plus John was 20 years old when he enlisted in September 1861. By the time John left the army he had reached the rank of Lieutenant.
What I find fairly condemning to the popular versions of Muldoon's story actually happened in September 1915. A Civil War monument was erected in Belfast, New York to commemorate those from the area who "defended the Union." The monument cost $4,300 to make with $1,500 of which being raised by the local townsmen and women. The remaining $2,800 was paid for by none other than William Muldoon. His name was not featured on the statues plaque, nor was it mentioned, his, so-called, brother John was on their as the top-ranked soldier from Belfast in the Sixth Cavalry. Slightly suspicious.
One version of his story has him traveling to France to fight in Foreign Legion. It's said that is where he learned to love Graeco-Roman wrestling. Never really seemed to likely, but there is no evidence to suggest it did or did not happen. However, the fact Muldoon himself never spoke of that says a lot. Sounds like an attribute he would have proudly claimed. Instead he spoke of working in humble occupations and attending college. The former is probably true; as for the latter I have my doubts. The "Gas-House District" which he spoke of was an area now occupied by Peter Cooper Village and part of the adjacent Stuyvesant Town in Manhattan. During the second half of the 19th century it was an unpleasant area rife with crime and gangs.
Truthfully what he did after the Civil War ended and by the time he joined the New York Police Force is pretty much like his time prior and during it: Unknown. It's all based on stories told by Muldoon or others and practically no contemporary documentation exists for Muldoon before the year of 1877. I went through 400+ results for the name "Muldoon" in the New York area between 1870 and 1876 and no results come up which definitively could be attributed to the wrestler. Only a a handful of them could even possibly be him. If we are to assume the possibles are William, then he joined the N.Y.P.D. in late 1874 or very early 1875 at the 8th Precinct, which at the time roughly covered, what is now, the Soho district. By June of 1877 he had moved to the 29th Precinct which was mainly made up of modern precincts 13 and 14; Midtown South Manhattan.
Given what you have just read it should be no surprise a match purported by historians to have taken place on February 6, 1877 is most likely total fiction. It's said it was in that match he first won the "American Graeco-Roman Championship." Just three years too early. During the first half of 1877 it was decided by the New York Police Department to open the New York Police Athletic Club. The decision was made with the intention of the club being a place where officers could go to train and make them physically healthier for their time on the streets. Another idea was the club could hold benefit shows to raise money for worthwhile local charities and also for the police force itself.
On June 25, 1877 a benefit was held at the Third Avenue Rink in aid of the Widows and Orphans of Fallen Police Officers. The head wrestling coach at the time was the famous English born-Australian all-around athlete, Professor William Miller. His specialty was the Graeco-Roman style of grappling. On the aforementioned night 5,000 people turned up raising a total of $6,000 for the cause. The main event of the evening saw Miler take on Officer William Muldoon, not to be confused with the New York Police Property Clerk, William H. Muldoon. Miller went over Muldoon two falls to one in a match that lasted around 10 minutes in total. At the beginning of 1878 the two took part in another benefit for the same cause. Muldoon walked a mile in 9 minutes and 9 and three quarter seconds. Meanwhile Miller walked half the distance in less than half of the time; 3 minutes, 43 and three quarter seconds.
Muldoon had been quickly gaining much notoriety within the N.Y.P.D. as a top-notch athlete. Miller was undoubtedly in the gymnasium with Muldoon showing him the tricks of the trade and the two men formed a bond together. One that was portrayed publicly as being based on a mutual respect for each other's ability and their natural competitive instincts to be the best. One suspects behind the scenes the publicity machine that was the mind of Miller was actually grooming for the world of professional wrestling.
In March 1878 Muldoon won a gold challenge medal offered by the Police Athletic Club for the winner of a Graeco-Roman wrestling match between Detective William Muldoon and Patrolman James Quigley. Muldoon won two straight falls in 11 minutes flat. Around the same time Muldoon with Officer Adams got into a street brawl against Miller and Patrolman Quigley. Now, as far as the public was concerned, Muldoon and Miller were mortal enemies. Both wrestlers, Muldoon and Miller, accused the other of requesting to fakie their prior match in 1877. A dispute with money was also involved.
In the end nothing came of this due to Miller leaving for Cuba. Muldoon would become some what of a hero in the Northeast during the next couple of years, both a superb athlete and a policeman proved to be a winning combination. His place as the number one wrestler in America was cemented on January 19, 1880 when he defeated Professor Thiebaud Bauer for the World/American Graeco-Roman Championship at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York in front of 4,000 fans.
Muldoon had announced he would only wrestle one more match following that one. He met Miller on March 23 and the pair went to a seven hour long draw. As a champion Muldoon proved to be a real man of the people. It was reported that a young Patrick Cavanagh had been injured in a tragic accident on Christmas Day 1880 Muldoon held a benefit for his family raising over $300 for them. On that night he wrestled in five different matches, winning them all.
An important part to add to this story is exactly how Muldoon worked as the champion. While in Northeastern states and California, as well as certain Midwestern and Central states Muldoon was normally a fan favorite. In New York specifically he was on the verge of being a bonafide hero to "his people." In the Southern states especially Muldoon was not so popular. In fact during his active career he was down right disliked for using stalling tactics, being pedantic over contract signing and appearing to dodge opponents deemed his better or equal by the fans. The fans were always given their money's worth when the match took place though. So, when he retired many years later and opened his health farm, the opinion of him across the nation turned to favorable and became the beloved star people still hear about today.
Anyway, a big match for him was January 26, 1881 when he the young upcoming Clarence Whistler in front of 2,000 people. He also started competing in mixed styles fairly regularly to compete against the biggest names in other styles of wrestling. At some point though he lost the Graeco-Roman championship and would not win it back until December 29, 1883 when he defeated Bauer in front of 3,000 people in San Francisco.
This time he never lose it. Muldoon remained undefeated in championship competition for the remainder of his career. Clearly he had no intention of actually retiring back in January 1880. He did lose some mixed style contests though, he never seemed to grasp the other styles anywhere near as proficiently as he did the Graeco-Roman.
Muldoon faced every big name of the time though and when it came to his preferred style none of them could come close to him. Some of the names who fell before him were; Edwin Bibby, Duncan C. Ross, Sorakichi Matsuda, Colonel James Hiram McLaughlin and Jack Carkeek.
Arguably it was not his wrestling or his police work that earned him his greatest fame in the sporting world. For weeks prior to Jake Kilrain the bare-knuckle boxing champion defending his title to John L. Sullivan on , Muldoon embarked on the task of training Sullivan in conditioning for the contest.
Sullivan was said to be horribly out of shape and it was thought an impossible task to get him in condition for a big fight. Undeterred Muldoon succeeded in his task and led Sullivan to a seventy-five round long victory in 1889. With this Muldoon not only had exposure from wrestling, but he was getting even more exposure for doing the unthinkable. His name was as much in the lights as Sullivan's.
For seven years Muldoon had reigned on top of the Graeco-Roman ruled the world it was 1889 also that saw the tide about to change though. On November 11, 1889 a young man by the name of Ernest Roeber managed to stay the fifteen minute time-limit with Muldoon and win himself $50 at a theatre show. Roeber was said to be just a citizen, the story is he had been persuaded to get up on the stage by a local gang known as the Gas House Gang.
Seeing the potential in the young lad from the Bowery Muldoon snapped up Roeber soon after on added him to his troupe as part of his national tour. After a year of tutelage directly under the wing of Muldoon, Roeber was ready in Muldoon's eyes. On February 3, 1891, Muldoon announced his retirement from in-ring competition. He took up the role of managing and also would present his championship to Roeber announcing him as the greatest Graeco-Roman wrestler in America.
During 1894 he left wrestling completely following a match with Roeber on February 24 for the World's Free Bread Fund Benefit. It was a time-limit draw. Shortly after he opened up his first health farm at White Planes. For six years he ran it, then in 1900 he moved it to Purchase, New York where he kept it open right up until his final years. At his time of death it was estimated he had accumulated more than a $1,000,000 and helped over 5,000 men.
In 1921 he was named the chairman of the new New York State Athletic Commission and would serve for several years on the board. From the New York Evening World on February 24, 1922:
"New Wrestling Rules Bar Former Hippodrome Holds
How Oldtimer Views Present Situation in Mat Sport Caused by Muldoon's New Code - Both Wrestlers and Fans Need Educating.
'WHAT is the trouble with the wrestling game to-day?' questioned a fan who is an ardent follower of the sport.
The question was directed to a gray-haired old veteran who had been just as ardent a devotee of the sport years ago when Gotch, Hackenschmidt and Tom Jenkins were displaying their strength and skill on the mat.
'Is it the revised rules of Chairman William Muldoon of the State Athletic Commission that are now in voque?" asked the young man.
'No,' quickly came from the veteran in the throes of meditation, 'It is not.'
'The rules are all right. Most of the fans do not understand them and consequently after seeing matches in which nothing but pin falls counted it is hard to get accustomed to the new rules enforced by the State board.'
'But that is not the chief cause of the present day unsatisfactory situation in the wrestling game,' continued the old timer. 'The chief trouble lies in the present day wrestlers.'
'The present-day rules prove conclusively that the American matmen do not know how to wrestle.'
This means Lewis, Caddock, Stecjer et al.
'You see, they have been wrestling under the pin fall rules for the last few years, with hippodrome holds strengthening their offensive but weakening their powers of defense.
'Take Lewis. What has he got? A headlock, yes. He has spent the best part of his years perfecting one hold. That's all he has.
'Look at Caddock. He is known as the man with a thousand holds, with very few of them really perfected to any degree.
'Then there's Joe Stecher. He has one hold - the scissors. That's all.
'Developing all these holds or specializing with one, they have failed to perfect the proper defensive which is essential when not clamping these grips.
'A good offense in boxing, they say, is the best defense, but that does not hold good in the mat game. Defense is necessary while a wrestler is trying to make an opponent do what he does not want to do.
'Under the old rules no defense was required, but under Muldoon's new code a wrestler who has no defense is thrown by a rolling or flying fall while he might be applying his speciality. That's how Stecher was thrown by the younger Zbyszko. Lewis met defeat at the hands of Stanislaus Zbyszko because he tried to apply his headlock. He just rolled over on his shoulder blades, assisted by his weak defense. He had just one thought in mind - the applying of his headlock.'
'No,' continued the old man ot the attentive young listern. 'The rules are all right.'
'Do you think Caddock, Lewis or Stecher could beat either Gotch, Hackenschmidt or Jenkins? I should say not. In those days there was no specializing hippodrome holds. The wrestlers build up their defensive weaknesses as as wtheir offensive shortcomings.
'Under the new rules, they are all right, it is only the revelation of the lack of defensive skill of the American wrestler that has brought about their present unpopularity.
'Educate the present day matmen in defense, and under the present rules they would not throw themselves so easily, thinking only of their offense, and the new rules would go big.
'Under the old rules nothing but hippodrome holds and offensive strength counted. To-day, with the rules revised, wrestling is back to where it was in the days of the Stadium and the Coliseum and where both offense and defense counted.
By Robert Boyd."
In the end it was cancer that claimed his life and he passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 3, 1933, leaving his entire estate to his secretary and adopted child, Margaret Farrell-Muldoon. It is extraordinarily hard to find bad words said about Muldoon in his later life. He had earned the respect of the entire sporting world. The more cynical of folk may suggest he infiltrated the N.Y.S.A.C. so the worked nature of both boxing (at the time) and wrestling could continue and have a legitimate governing body to protect it from being revealed.
The general consensus is that he genuinely wanted to try and make the game level though. All the papers rain compliments up on him as being an honest man and truly earning his nickname "The Solid Man." Muldoon was without a doubt the earliest wrestler to be an American sporting icon. The most recognizable Graeco-Roman champion and his work to help athletes and people in general with their health just has to be commended.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Biography of William Muldoon.
Author: Jimmy Wheeler.
Published: July 2014.
Biography: #99.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Updated: August 5, 2019.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Biography of William Muldoon.
Author: Jimmy Wheeler.
Published: July 2014.
Biography: #99.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Updated: August 5, 2019.