Sporting Intelligencer, Hyde Park wrestling: Stone, Jordan and Gaffney (1828)

WRESTLING, AT HYDE PARK. On Wednesday, a chosen party of wrestlers, who have been for some days past in this town on their return to London from Leeds, gave a display of the ancient game of Wrestling, in the Hyde Park Cricket Ground. About four o’clock, two Devonshire men (Pook and Pell) handed their hats into the ring, and after about six minutes contest, the latter was thrown; upon which a Devonshire man, named James Stone, commonly called “The Little Elephant,” threw his hat into the ring to oppose Pook, whom he threw in less than a minute. This display of his prowess deterred any other person from opposing him. Gaffney, an Irishman, commonly called “the Irish Champion,” and Clark, a Devonshire man, were then called upon to decide a wager of £10. Gaffney, however, at length succeeded in throwing him a second fair back fall, and much money was won and lost upon the occasion. James Stone, the Little Elephant, and Giant Jordan, two Devonians, next entered the ring, and the contrast between them caused much merriment amongst the spectators.