Great history, stories, information and illustrated techniques from the rough and tumble days of professional wrestling. Back in the days when professional wrestlers really knew how to wrestle- and more. This was the time of the shooters and hookers- when you could win with a pin as well as a hook that made your opponent submit. It was the original American NHB ( no holds barred ) fighting championships with no rules and anything goes. There are even sections on Mixed Martial Arts- a chapter on 'Mixed Bouts' and another chapter on jiu-jitsu. This is 1931, remember. The section on Early American Wrestling is unbelievable- William Muldoon, Evan 'The Strangler' Lewis (back when strangulation was an accepted technique- none of that Hulk Hogan finger wagging as someone pretends to 'choke' you. I remember hearing a story of Lewis fighting a fourth or fifth dan judo champ and choking him out), Clarence Whistler, Farmer Burns (Martin Burns), Dan McLeod, Tom Jenkins, Eugene Sandow (Friederich Sand), George Hackenschmidt (the Russian Lion), Frank Gotch (the author knew Gotch well, engaging him for matches and exhibitions as well as working out with him on the mat. He tells some great stories that I had not heard before about Gotch- incluing a 'defeat not in the record books.' The author was present at the famous (infamous?) Gotch - Hackenschmidt match and had some strong words about it too!), Jimmy Londos, and more. The last part of the book is a collection of wrestling holds, positions, and what many people today would call joint locks. These are demonstrated by Joe Sanderson and Jack Kadish (ranking light-heavy weights) and Champion Jimmy Londos and Bill Nelson (heavy weights). Now for the bad news: Three pictures are missing from the book. So there are a few small sections missing on those pages. Also, the pictures and quality of the text reproduction is not so great in places. However, all of the text is readable and all of the pictures are good enough so that you can clearly tell what the wrestlers are doing. Contents: I Admonition II History of Wrestling III Olympia IV Wrestling as an Undefinable Force V Early American Wrestling VI Go-as-You-Please Wrestling VII Era of Athletic Renaissance VIII Women at Wrestling Contests IX Commissions X Pay of Wrestlers and Referees XI Cynics XII Fakes XIII 'Ringers' XIV Athleticism versus Prohibition XV Jiu-Jitsu XVI Mixed Bouts XVII Various Styles XVIII Fundamental Wrestling Essentials XIX For Beginners XX Wrestling Rules XXI Training Physiology XXII Reminiscences, Comments XXIII Applied Wrestling: Modern Wrestling Science- Holds, Instructions, and Positions Illustrated XXIV Appendix: Wrestling Titles and Classification- Prominent Wrestlers Now Before the Public Bibliography