Gotch unveiling makes an ‘unforgettable’ event

Tuesday, July 17th, 2012 | Speaking, Wrestling | No Comments

According to Mac Davis, author of the 1954 book 100 Greatest Sports Heroes, when Frank Gotch died in 1917, “thousands of weeping mourners, gathered from many parts of the land, trudged the icy path to the little rural cemetery on a cold December day to bid a final farewell to the farm boy who had been the greatest wrestling champion in history.”

Some 95 years later, on July 4, some 400 fans endured brutally hot temperatures to see a magnificent statue of Gotch unveiled in his hometown of Humboldt, Iowa. The eight-foot tall bronze statue shows Gotch in black tights and top, with hands on hips, gazing out over the land. It stands on a three-foot pedestal in Bicknell Park, the very spot where Gotch trained for his epic match with George Hackenschmidt, The Russian Lion, in 1911.

The statue is surrounded by a brick walkway, with four thick benches at each of the corners. Behind the area, the Des Moines River flows peacefully, just thirty yards away and down a steep bluff – offering a very picturesque setting.

“It was a day that anyone who was there will never forget,” said Scott Casber, owner/founder of Takedown Wrestling Radio. “July 4, 2012, was a great moment in the history of wrestling.”

Continue reading…

Tags: Frank Gotch, Humboldt

Iowa History Journal Volume 4, Issue 4 Now Available

Tuesday, July 17th, 2012 | Iowa History Journal | No Comments

The state of Iowa has a long and proud history of involvement in the Olympic Games, dating all the way back to 1904. In a fascinating article written by Don Doxsie, long time sports editor of the Quad City Times and a winner of many writing awards, that Olympic history is discussed in detail. Doxsie has done considerable research and also compiled two graphs – one of which shows which sports Iowans have won medals in, and the other which has a year-by-year breakdown of Iowa medal winners since 1904.

Readers will also be treated to feature stories on many other fascinating persons and moments in Iowa history – ranging from the piano talents of the legendary Roger Williams to the pilot who dropped the atomic bomb on Japan in 1945……to the meteorite that struck what is present day Manson almost 74 million years ago.

Also included in this issue:

• The Honey War between Iowa and Missouri that almost resulted in a real-life battle between the bordering states.
• The story of the Iowa-born attorney and judge who brought down Al Capone, one of the most notorious gangsters in American history.
• How the Wolfe Eye Clinic started from humble origins and developed into one of the top eye health care facilities in the nation.
• A book review on Little Heathens which is a delightful journey back into rural Iowa in the 1930s.
• Columns by our regulars – Arvid Huisman, John McNeer and Mike Chapman

…and much more!

Contents
3 – Publisher’s Perspective: Olympic legend Mathias recalled by Mike Chapman
4 – Olympic dreams blossom in Iowa over the decades by Don Doxsie
7 – Corydon still honors hero from 1932: by Mike Chapman
19 – Bill Smith is UNI’s only Olympic champion
11 – Pilot who dropped atomic bomb had roots in Iowa by Jeff Stein
13 – Country Roads: By whatever name, cricks are beautiful by Arvid Huisman
14 – Meteorite was a big hit ….74 million years ago by John Skipper
17 – Piano talents were Rogers Williams’ path to the top by Robert Weast
20 – The Iowans who brought down infamous Capone by Al Nelson
24 – The Way We Were: Ice cream was a very special treat by John McNeer
25 – Wolfe Eye Clinics started in 1919 in Marshalltown by Pete Hussmann
27 – Iowa almost fought Missouri in ‘Honey War’ by Kyle Martin
29 – Book Review: Little Heathens tells of Iowa life many years ago by Mike Chapman
31 – Iowa History Quiz
36 – Letters to the Editor

Visit IowaHistoryJournal.com to subscribe!

Tags: Bob Mathias, Iowa Olympians, Little Heathens, Manson Meteorite, Roger Williams, Wolfe Eye Clinic

More Speeches and Events for 2012

Sunday, June 24th, 2012 | Book Signing, Iowa History Journal, Speaking, Wrestling | No Comments

Mike has added a few new events to his schedule for the next few months.

June 17 – Walnut will named a street Earl Caddock Memorial Drive during its big Antique City weekend. Members of the Caddock family came from Maryland and Texas to help celebrate the event. Earl Caddock was world heavyweight wrestling champion from 1917 to 1920 and lived in Walnut. Mike is the author of the book CADDOCK: Walnut’s Wrestling Wonder, and gave a speech at the 9 a.m. ceremony, and then held a book signing.

July 4 – The Frank Gotch Statue unveiling will take place in Bicknell Park in Humboldt, at 1 p.m. The eight-foot bronze statue is the project of a special committee in Humboldt, the hometown of the legendary professional world heavyweight champion (1908-1916). Mike is on the statue committee and will make a speech about Frank’s legacy. Among the special guests are Bill Smith, 1952 Olympic champion (UNI), and Brad Rheingans, a two-time Olympian who also wrestled professionally for 14 years.

July 6 – The Iowa Cubs have declared this date as Iowa History Journal Day and Mike and Bev will set up a booth in the entryway, with Iowa History Journal items for display and for sale. The first 100 fans to stop by the booth will receive a free copy of Iowa History Journal, some with Bob Feller on the cover. The gates open at 5:45 p.m. and the game starts at 7:30 p.m.

July 15 – Mike will be one of the Iowa authors featured at the Linn Creek Arts Festival in Marshalltown. Over 60 artists, 12 authors and a wide variety of children’s entertainment will highlight the 4th annual festival, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance, at the Fisher Community Center, 709 S. Center Street in Marshalltown. Over 2,000 attended last year and admission is free. Other attractions are the world champion Yo-Yo stars, kite flyers, kite memorabilia, as well as numerous food, wine and beer vendors. For more detail, see: www.linncreekartsfestival.com.

August 9-19– For the third straight year, Iowa History Journal will have a booth at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. The booth will be on the second floor of the Ag Building, above the Butter Cow exhibit. Back issues of Iowa History Journal and over a dozen of the books Mike has written will be for sale.

Tags: bill smith, brad rheingans, Earl Caddock, Frank Gotch, Humboldt, iowa cubs, Iowa History Journal, Iowa State Fair, linn creek arts festival, walnut

Mike at Dedication of Earl Caddock Memorial Drive in Walnut

Monday, May 28th, 2012 | Books, Wrestling | No Comments

The city of Walnut has announced the dedication of Pearl Street in Walnut to be designated the Earl Caddock Memorial Drive in honor of the town’s most famous citizen. Author Mike Chapman will be a part of the ceremony on Sunday morning, June 17, giving a short address and signing copies of his book on Earl.

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.

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 in the U.S. Army to fight in World War I and served gallantly in France as a doughboy, suffering lung damage from gas attacks. He returned to make his home in Walnut, Iowa. After three more years of wrestling, Caddock retired from the ring and began a successful career as a businessman in both Walnut and in Omaha. Caddock is buried in the Layton Cemetery just east of Walnut on Pearl St.

A new 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. Mike will be on hand for the dedication and available for book signing after the event. Members of the Caddock family will also attend.

The dedication is June 17, at 9 AM, in conjunction with the Walnut Antique Show. The dedication ceremony will be held in front of the Village Blacksmith Shop antique store located one block east of Antique City Drive on Pearl Street. Earl Caddock built this building as one of his businesses during the early part of the 20th century.

For more information about Walnut or the Walnut Antique Show, go to:
www.WalnutIowa.org or www.WalnutAntiqueShow.com

Tags: Earl Caddock, Walnut Iowa