Walnut IA

Earl Caddock is Subject of Mike’s Latest Book

Saturday, January 14th, 2012 | Books, Wrestling | No Comments

A new book tells the story of the life and athletic career of Earl Caddock, one of the greatest wrestlers in American history who lived most of his life in Iowa and is buried in his adopted hometown of Walnut. Frank Gotch also plays a large role in the 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.

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.

Continue reading the press release…

Tags: , ,

Receive Updates by RSS

or by email:

Upcoming Speeches and Appearances

  • May 16, 2024 – "Voices of Inspiration" Speech - Newton, IA
  • June 12, 2024 – Jasper County Museum "Brown Bag Lunch" Speech - Newton, IA
  • June 22, 2024 – Martin "Farmer" Burns Memorial Plaque Ceremony - Big Rock, IA

Wrestling Tough, 2nd Edition – Now Available!

The 2nd edition to the popular Wrestling Tough, this new book is loaded with stories of many current stars and many behind-the-scene stories of legendary figures from the sport of Wrestling. As Dan Gable wrote, “Wrestling Tough is much more than learning about being successful on the mat. It’s for all who would like to dominate or develop a passion for any sport. Incredible reading! Get energized and be entertained at the same time!”

Order today by calling Culture House at 641-791-3072 or online through Paypal by clicking the button below




 

Journey: Reflections on 50 Years of Writing, Wrestling, Weightlifting, and Heroes – Order Today!

Order today by calling Culture House at 641-791-3072 or online through Paypal by clicking the button below

Super Book of Wrestling Trivia – Order today!

Order today by calling Culture House at 641-791-3072 or online through Paypal by clicking the button below





Blog Categories