The Pittsburg Press – September 8, 1910
Two thousand men and boys tried to stop a wrestling match at the Academy of Music last night between Cora Livingston, champion woman wrestler of the world, and May Nelson, of the South Side. Kicking and gouging in the match enraged the spectators and their shouts could be heard for a square. Eight policemen under Captain John Dean, were called to prevent a riot.
Soon after the match began Cora Livingston began kicking her adversary and groups in the audience shouted to Referee Archie Parker to stop the contest. When Miss Nelson was prostrate on the mat the champion struck her several hard blows. Excitement in the audience reached fever heat. While hundreds of men yelled themselves hoarse, the women fought viciously. Hair pulling was included with other rough tactics. Those in the front row attempted to climb onto the stage, but were pulled back. When the match had been on 13 minutes the theater management ordered the wrestlers off the stage and tried to pacify the mob. This did not suffice, for Miss Livingston had offered to throw any woman wrestler in the city. Frank Serry, a referee taken to the theater by Miss Nelson, was substituted for Parker and the match went on.
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Dammit. Who won the match? What the hell kind of reporting is that? And Livingston really knew how to bring the heat. Wow.
Essentially they called off the match.
Livingston was a legit draw in those days and it’s very rare to ever see her lose. I don’t think there were too many ladies with her caliber of wrestling skills. These are chief among the many reasons I have added so many articles about Ms. Livingston to this site, even if some are very basic and give very little information about her.
Got this off the Wrestling Classics board: Pittsburgh PA: September 5, 1910
(Academy of Music) … (Ladies, Handicap) Cora Livingston beat Hazel Kennard
Pittsburgh PA: September 6, 1910
(Academy of Music) … (Ladies, Handicap) Cora Livingston vs Jeannie Lewis
Pittsburgh PA: September 7, 1910 (Wednesday)
(Academy of Music, att. 2,000) … (Ladies, Handicap) Cora Livingston FTT May Nelson (15:00) … Referees: Archer Parker, Frank Serry … NOTE: The purse was hiked to $50 for this feature … The bout was interrupted by a police intervention, designed to forestall a potential riot, as the crowd angrily protested the rough treatment accorded Nelson by Livingston through the first 13 minutes of the fray … Those in the front rows attempted to climb onto the stage, but were pulled back … The kicking and gouging finally abated, with the two destined for a repeat two nights hence.
Pittsburgh PA: September 9, 1910
(Academy of Music) … (Ladies) May Nelson beat Cora Livingston (11:30) … NOTE: Said to be the first time Livingston ever has been pinned.
CORA LIVINGSTON WAS THROWN BY MAY NELSON
(Pittsburgh PA Press, Saturday, September 10, 1910)
May Nelson, of Pittsburgh, threw Cora Livingston, the champion wrestler of the world, in 11 ½ minutes at the Academy of Music last night, in a special match arranged after Miss Livingston had failed to drop the local girl in the time allotted her for that purpose last Wednesday night. Last night’s affair, it was announced, was for a special purse of $100.
According to the dope, this is actually the first time the champion has had her shoulders placed on the mat. Prior to her appearance last night she had wrestled over 300 matches, winning them all, having defeated the ex-American champion, the French champion and the English champion.
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Pittsburgh PA: September 11, 1910
(Academy of Music, att. 2,000) … Cora Livingston* vs May Nelson … Referee: Archie Parker … (stopped by near riot)
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Cora Livingston was definitely legit!