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In February, 1829, a Wrestling Match between OLVER and SAUNDERS, both Cornishmen, at the Eagle Tavern, in the City Road, which excited considerable interest amongst the supporters of the above Old English Sport. Olver and Saunders entered the ring, to contend for the first two fair back falls out of three, for thirty sovereigns. It […]
Early in March, 1829, the second Wrestling Match for the season took place at the Eagle Tavern in the City Road. The match was betwixt James Copp, a Devonian, and Francis Olver, of Cornwall. Fifteen sovereigns a-side was the sum to be contended for, the two first backfalls of three, and to be played in […]
At the Eagle Tavern, City Road, in April, 1829, a match took place for £20, between PHILIP PYLE and William ARCHER. In appearance Archer exhibited no superiority over his veteran antagonist, except his youth; but when they grappled his strength was evidently superior. Pyle, who has always been considered a heavy kicker, commenced with some […]
On Good Friday, in 1829, the annual Wrestling and Leaping Matches for ten distinct prizes, raised by Subscription, and only allowed to be played for by natives of Cumberland and Westmoreland, took place at the Eyre Arms Tavern, St. John’s Wood, in the presence of an immense assemblage of spectators. The prizes consisted of a […]
In the middle of July, 1829, the Eagle Tavern, in the City Road, was again the scene of Sporting events for five days in succession. Benjamin Sambell, a Cornishman, and Samuel Steers, a Devonshire man, both of first-rate science, were called on to oppose each other; and from that moment the games became lively, and […]
Joseph Strutt’s encyclopaedic survey of English sporting customs, published in 1801, contains an extended account of cudgelling, single-stick, and back-sword play as practised across England, with specific references to West Country practice. Strutt was a principal secondary authority for all subsequent sporting historians writing about these disciplines; the Badminton Library volumes and later manuals cite […]
Robert James Fitzsimmons was born in Helston, Cornwall, in 1863, the son of a policeman who had settled in Cornwall. He became the first boxer in history to hold world championship titles in three weight divisions — middleweight, heavyweight, and light heavyweight. His self-defence manual, published in 1901 at the height of his international fame, […]
In Devonshire, early in June, 1828, the Wrestling Match in St. Thomas’s, adjoining Exeter, commenced; at which, Woolaway, Wreford, Simon Webber, Huxtable, Jackman, and Flower, from the North; the Underdowns, Freys, &c. from the east, were particularly noticed. The champion, attended by his brother James, Roach, &c., was on the ground, but not playable—he was […]
In June, 1828, a match took place at the Eagle Tavern, in the City-road, for £20, between the celebrated JAMES CANN, of Devonshire, and a young Cornishman of good repute, of the name of OLVER. After shaking hands, they grappled each other. In a few minutes it was evident that Olver was not only the […]
In the above month, a Wrestling Match took place at the Wellington Ground, Chelsea, between PHILIP GAFFNEY and GEORGE SAUNDERS, a Cornish man, for forty sovereigns. On entering the ring, it was at once seen that Gaffney was not only taller, but also considerably heavier than his antagonist. Betting, 2 to 1 on Gaffney. Saunders […]
GREAT WRESTLING MATCH, AT HYDE PARK CRICKET GROUND. ON MONDAY next and Two following Days, a GREAT WRESTLING MATCH will take place between the Men of Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Cumberland, and the surrounding Counties, and a number of picked Wrestlers from London, Devonshire, Cornwall, and Ireland. On commencing, the Men are first to […]
WRESTLING – In the account given last week of the wrestling which took place at Hyde Park, the best trial of skill, between Finney, an Irishman, and King, a native of Devon, and servant to a respectable spirit merchant in the town, was by accident omitted. Finney, who may be termed a professional, is six […]
WRESTLING. Yesterday a most interesting wrestling match took place in the new ground of the Eagle Tavern, In the City Road. The match was for 20l. aside, between James Copp, a Devonshire man, well known in the wrestling ring, and considered to be the best wrestler from Devonshire resident in London, and Laurence Hanlon, an […]
TO THE EDITOR OF BELL’S LIFE IN LONDON. Joseph Butler presents his respectful compliments to the Editor of Bell’s Life in London, and begs to correct an error into which he seems to have fallen in his Paper of this week, wherein he (J. B.) is designated as Bull Calf. The person known by that […]
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 […]
Hen Pearce, born in Bristol in 1777, rose to become the undisputed Champion of England from 1804 until his retirement through ill health in 1807. Before his rise to national prominence, Pearce had defeated a series of opponents across the West Country fight scene. Pierce Egan’s Boxiana (1812) records his matches in detail, establishing Pearce […]
GRAND WRESTLING MATCH AT LEEDS. On Monday last, the whole of the Wrestlers who arrived from London, nineteen in number, appeared on the Race Ground, and excited considerable attention from the commonalty there assembled. On Tuesday the sports commenced, & after three days’ excellent play, the Prizes were thus awarded:—A. Cann 1st, 30l.; James Stone […]
WRESTLING. WRESTLING IN THE KENT ROAD.—On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, a wrestling match for thirty sovereigns took place on the bowling-green of the Green Man Tavern, in the Kent-road. During the play on Tuesday, when Gaffney and Copp were contending for the fall, a Mr. Vicary, landlord of the Rose and Crown in London-lane, Bermondsey, […]
WRESTLING. The wrestling match between Cann the celebrated Devonshire wrestler, and Gaffney, called the champion of Ireland, took place on Monday at the Golden Eagle, in the Mile-end-road. The match was for 60 guineas on the part of Cann to 50 on that of Gaffney, the first three fair back falls to decide it. The […]
Wrestling. The Devon Wrestlers came back on Monday from the grand Matches at London and Leeds. They have been every where successful and floored every opponent. Cann, though greatly weakened from the effects of the attack of Gout, could not look tamely on, and risked his well-earned Laurels, while in that state at the London […]
WRESTLING. The following are the arrangements agreed upon during the past week for the great wrestling match, at Haigh Park, near Leeds, on Easter Tuesday and two following days. The wrestling games to commence the day after the Races, and to be continued for three days. The play to be hand to collar, fair back […]
TO THE EDITOR OF THE LEEDS INTELLIGENCER. SIR,—As far as the prizes and offer to pay the expenses of the wrestlers go, I cannot sufficiently admire the liberality of the promoters of the approaching wrestling at Leeds; but there is a condition of play, which will I think destroy all chance of deciding in a […]
Devon and Cornwall.—The match at Tavistock, in a most decisive way, settled the question as to superiority in this manly exercise, in favor of the former county. Two gentlemen, as a last effort, have made a purse of 50 sovereigns, for which Cann and Stone are ready to play any two Cornishmen that may appear […]