Two Wrestling Legends

Thursday, January 8th, 2026 | Other, Wrestling | No Comments

When Dan Severn, legendary MMA legend and former amateur star, visited us in Newton recently, I invited him to sit in the rocker chair once owned by the great Frank Gotch, and “The Beast” was happy to oblige. I purchased this chair and a writing table in an auction on June 29, 1996, at the house Frank owned in his hometown of Humboldt, Iowa, when he was the heavyweight wrestling champion of the world. Frank died in 1917 at the age of 39 of Bright’s Disease, but his house remained in ownership of extended family members until 1996.

In addition, I have written numerous books and articles about Gotch and produced a video about him 20 years ago. I also own his derby hat, 5 autographs by him and led the charge to have a handsome statue of him erected in Bicknell Park in Humboldt, and I was the main speaker at the unveiling on July 4, 2012. Bicknell Park is where Frank did his training for the his epic rematch with The Russian Lion, George Hackenschmidt, in Chicago, in 1911.

Dan was a national high school and college star before entering the world of MMA. He was the first athlete to show the world that wrestling is a martial art and able to compete with all other combative disciplines. We have been friends for 25 years, and I even worked his corner once in one of his top battles.

Tags: Dan Severn, Frank Gotch, Humboldt

New Documentary on Frank Gotch Planned

Wednesday, November 20th, 2024 | Documentary, Wrestling | No Comments

Two documentary filmmakers, one from Los Angeles and the other from Iowa, came to Mike’s house on November 20 to film him for a project they are doing about the early days of professional wrestling, with a heavy emphasis on Frank Gotch. They spent the previous day in the Humboldt area to film various spots where the Gotch legend began, and at Bickell Park, where the fabulous statue of Gotch stands tall along the river’s edge. Mike played a key role in that statue’s development and was the guest speaker at the unveiling in 2014.

Tags: Bickell Park, Frank Gotch, Frank Gotch Documentary, Humboldt

Upcoming Events – May and June 2024

Monday, April 15th, 2024 | Speaking, Wrestling | No Comments

May 9 – Ben Peterson, two-time Olympic wrestling medalist (gold in 1972 and silver in 1976) and also a two-time NCAA champion for Iowa State, will be the featured speaker at the “Voices of Inspiration” program sponsored by the United Way of Jasper County. Ben is a terrific speaker with a powerful message about his Christian faith and lifestyle, and the value of sports in general. He will have his book “Road to Gold” on sale. Mike wrote the introduction for the book and will introduce Ben. The event will take place at the DMACC Auditorium in Newton, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free, and donations are welcome.

May 16 – Mike will be a speaker at the same event a week later and at the same place and time. He will talk about his book-writing career and offer stories about the many fascinating people he has met during his 40-year journalism career – including Ronald Reagan, Muhammad Ali, Robert Redford and many other stars of film and sports. Mike has appeared in nine documentaries, over 100 radio talk shows, and has been featured on ESPN, Fox Sports, the A&E Network, Iowa Public Television and the popular morning show, Fox and Friends. He has written 32 books and will have some of them for sale. Admission is free.

June 12 – The Jasper County Musuem in Newton holds a “Brown Bag Lunch” monthly to attract people to the beautiful facility and Mike will be the guest speaker there on June 12, beginning at 11:30 am. He will talk about his many experiences in journalism and have a few of his 32 books for sale. The event is open to the public and free of charge.

June 22 – Martin “Farmer” Burns is one of the most influential figures in the history of Iowa sports and on this date a memorial plaque in his honor will be unveiled in the tiny berg of Big Rock, Iowa, where he was born and raised, and Mike will be a featured speaker at the event. Farmer Burns was a world champion in professional wrestling in the early 1900s, and had over 6,000 matches, losing just six. He helped coach the first-ever high school state championship team in 1921, and also trained Humboldt’s Frank Gotch, the greatest wrestler in history. Mike has written extensively about Farmer Burns and was asked by Wes Fox, a longtime Burns fan, to help with the project. It will take place at 4 p.m. in Big Rock, about 50 miles east of Cedar Rapids, and is free to the public. Several Farmer Burns historic items will be on display.

Tags: Ben Petersen, Big Rock, Farmer Burns, Frank Gotch, Jasper County Museum

Talking about Frank Gotch

Thursday, February 2nd, 2023 | Wrestling | No Comments

Brian Solomon, a well-respected author and historian, has one of the top podcasts in professional wrestling (Shut Up and Wrestle) and recently had Mike on for a long interview, talking about the early days of Frank Gotch and other pioneers of the sport. You can listen to the podcast by clicking here:

Episode 52- Mike Chapman – Shut Up And Wrestle with Brian Solomonsuawpod.com

Tags: Frank Gotch, Shut Up and Wrestle