Teaching Iowa History, Results in Special Song Teaching Iowa history, results in special song

Friday, March 2nd, 2012 | Columns, Iowa History Journal | No Comments

Publisher’s Perspective – Volume 4, Issue 2 of Iowa History Journal

Not long ago, I received a letter from Mrs. Carol Alvis, who teaches social studies at Van Buren Middle School in Keosauqua. For those not familiar with Keosauqua, it is a city of 1,100 located in very southeastern Iowa, on the Missouri border. It is home to the oldest courthouse in continuous use in the state, dating back to 1840.

Mrs. Alvis began her letter thusly: “I am writing in response to the article you wrote in the May/June issue of the Iowa History Journal magazine entitled ‘Iowa schools are flunking in history’. In that article you stated that a few years ago the Des Moines Register reported that Iowa history was being ignored in Iowa schools.

“I just want to let you know that in the Van Buren Middle School 7th grade classes, Iowa history is alive and well.”

Continue reading…

Iowa History Journal Volume 4, Issue 2 Now Available

Thursday, March 1st, 2012 | Iowa History Journal | No Comments

In 1917, Earl Caddock of Walnut, Iowa, defeated Joe Stecher of Dodge, Nebraska, to win the world heavyweight wrestling championship. The victory catapulted Caddock into the national spotlight and made him one of the most popular athletes in the entire nation. Shortly after, he signed up to fight in World War I and eventually suffered lung damage from a mustard gas attack in France. After the war, Earl came home to Iowa and became a successful businessman, family man, and devout Christian. His story, written by wrestling historian Mike Chapman, is both heroic and inspirational.

Readers will also be treated to feature stories on Fort Dodge’s legendary marching band composer Karl L. King, older Iowans known as “Graybeards” who served in the Civil War, WHO Radio’s Jack Shelley and the Bogenrief glass cutting studio in Spencer.

Also included in this issue:

• Lillian Blanche Fearing blazed a trail for blind women over a century ago
• How the city of Oelwein got its name and the importance of the railroad to that Fayette County community
• A book review of the photographic career of Iowa newspaper professional Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret
• Waterloo names its newest school for Fred Becker, Iowa’s first All-America football player
• The Iowa History Quiz
• Columns by our regulars – Arvid Huisman, John McNeer and Mike Chapman

…and much more!

Read more to see what’s inside this issue…

Tags: Bogenrief, Earl Caddock, Fred Becker, Graybeards, Jack Shelley, Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret, Karl L. King, Lillian Blanche Fearing, Oelwein

Mike Discusses Earl Caddock on No Holds Barred

Sunday, February 19th, 2012 | Books, Radio, Wrestling | No Comments

Mike was interviewed last Thursday on the podcast No Holds Barred, with host Eddie Goldman. You can listen to the interview below:

The interview focused on Earl Caddock, his place in wrestling history, Mike’s new book, and what was going on in pro wrestling at the time he competed. The discussion continue into the long heritage of wrestling, the Caddock-Stecher match of 1920, the importance of real wrestlers like Frank Gotch, and how the era of real matches faded quickly after Caddock lost his title. Also examined is the current revival of catch-as-catch-can wrestling and what it would take to bring back a form of real pro wrestling.

Goldman also links, on his site, to a youtube video of the match in which Caddock lost his title to Joe Stecher, on January 30, 1920 at Madison Square Garden in New York:

Tags: Earl Caddock, Eddie Goldman, Joe Stecher, No Holds Barred

Mike Chapman Speaks on His new Book Earl Caddock: Walnut’s Wrestling Wonder

Saturday, February 11th, 2012 | Books, Radio, Wrestling | No Comments

Mike was on Takedown Radio with Scott Casber on January 17, talking about his new book Earl Caddock: Walnut’s Wrestling Wonder. Click the arrow below to listen to the interview:

[audio:http://www.mike-chapman.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Mike-Chapman-Caddock.mp3|titles=Mike Chapman Caddock]

or Right click to save file.

Earl Caddock emerged from an Iowa farm to become a great amateur wrestler and then heavyweight champion of the entire world of professional wrestling.

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 as a doughboy and served gallantly during World War I, then returned to make his home in Walnut, Iowa.

Earl Caddock was world champion for nearly three years then retired from the ring. He was a devoted husband, father, Christian, and highly successful businessman. His story is both heroic and inspirational.

Tags: Earl Caddock, Scott Casber, Takedown Radio