Wrestling Matches

The Buffalo Commercial – December 7, 1903

Jim Parr to Meet Five Men in Olympic Clubhouse Tonight.

Sports who prefer a merry-making burlesque of the art of wrestling to a scientific match are recommended to the entertainment to take place in the Olympic house tonight.  Jim Parr has agreed to throw five men, twice each, within an hour, and he is so confident of doing the trick that his friends are giving odds to that effect.  Not one of the five picked to meet Parr has shown even second-class ability, excepting possibly Billy Daw’s Unknown, and his alleged prowess consists principally of hearsay.

Sporting Miscellany

The Buffalo Commercial – December 10, 1902

McInerney has posted a forfeit in Cleveland to wrestle Parr.

Alois Gonthier, the Canadian heavyweight wrestling champion, has been engaged by the 65^th Regiment A. A. to appear in the main preliminary to the Jenkins-Parr championship on the night of December 19^th.  Gonthier is to meet Buffalo’s two famous strong men, George Winzenried and Louis Steinagle, agreeing to throw them twice each within thirty minutes.

Lively Bouts At The Lafayette

Buffalo Courier – April 10, 1902

Parr Downed Whistler After A Fierce Struggle – Three Bouts Tonight.

Lew Whistler, the sturdy Chicago heavyweight, who is doing the posing act in Denny Gallagher’s combination, gave Jim Parr a hard fight at the Lafayette last night.  He went on to earn the $50 offered by Parr to any wrestler staying fifteen minutes.  It was a fierce struggle from beginning to end, both men working like demons.

Whistler got out of many dangerous positions, but finally succumbed to a half-Nelson and crotch hold.

Jenkins Is The World’s Champion

Buffalo Courier – February 15, 1902

Clevelander, the American Champion, Wins From Jim Parr, English Champion, in Two Straight Falls.

Parr Puts Up A Hard, Gamey Battle.

Englishman Puts Jenkins to the Mat but Duration of Time Shoulders Are Down Is Not Long Enough to Satisfy the Referee – Fastest Wrestling Ever Seen in Buffalo.

Tom Jenkins won the world’s championship at catch-as-catch-can wrestling in Convention Hall last night by defeating Jim Parr, champion of England.  Jenkins won the match in two straight falls, taking the first in 53:35 and the second in 15:10.

The contest was the greatest ever seen in this part of America.  It was spectacular from start to finish, and abounded in spectacular movements.  Both men did wonderfully skillful work.  Parr’s science was a revelation.  He used locks and blocks such as had never been seen by Buffalonians.  He also displayed surprising strength and agility, and at times he had Jenkins in dangerous predicaments.

‘Twas Easy For Parr

The Buffalo Times – March 4, 1903

Jim Parr made short work of Frank Miller, the Flying Dutchman at Fenton’s Theater last night.  The English champion caught his man with a crotch and half nelson and had placed both shoulders on the mat in two minutes.  Tonight Parr will meet Louis Steinagle, the strong man.

They’ll Keep Parr Busy

The Buffalo Times – December 4, 1903

“I can throw a dozen second and third raters in an evening,” said Jim Parr, the English wrestler, yesterday, “and when I meet those five fellows at the Olympic Club next Monday night, I’ll not only throw ‘em quick but I’ll throw ‘em hard.”  The five men that will confront Parr include George Winzenreid, champion strong man and nail-bender; Louis Steinagle, the strong man; Larry Huber, well-known local wrestler; Count Alexander, the French champion from Nugent’s baths, and Billy Daw’s unknown.

Parr agrees to throw each one of those men twice in an hour or forfeit the match.  It certainly doesn’t look easy.  The “big five” promise to keep him mighty busy.

Parr’s Tough Undertaking

The Buffalo Times – December 5, 1903

Jim Parr has begun to realize that to throw twice each in an hour five men of the caliber of Winzenreid, Huber and Louis Steinagle, to say nothing of Daw’s Unknown and Count Alexander, will be no easy task and he is awaiting next Monday night’s affair at the Olympic with more or less anxiety.  He declares that he will turn the trick, but there are many who believe that he will fail.  Parr is training every day and promises to be in good condition for the task he has cut out for himself.

The big five are reported to be ready for next Monday night’s contest.  They have all been training fully as hard as Parr and lively times may be expected on North Division Street next Monday night.

Wrestling At Tonawanda

The Buffalo Commercial – November 24, 1903

The wrestling contest to be given by the Tonawanda Athletic Club tonight at the Old Armory in Tonawanda promises to furnish some exciting sport as the bouts arranged for are all of in whirlwind order.  There are two championship bouts, both of which have created almost as much interest as the main bout.  The first will be between Dick Chase, of the Central A. C. and Bob Tiedeman, for the 135-pound championship of the Tonawandas.  The next bout which will be the main preliminary, will be between Kid Filier of Niagara Falls and Alex. Kennedy of the Buffalo Y. M. C. A., at 125 pounds, for the championship of the state.  The main bout is between Jim Parr and five heavyweights, as followed: George Winzebried, Larry Huber, Louis Steinagle, Ralph Craig and Billy Daw’s “Unknown.”  Daw has bet George Walters 4 to 5 that Parr loses the match.  Parr agrees to throw the five men two falls each in an hour.  Frenardo brothers, famous comedy acrobats, will give their act between the bouts.  The Buffalo delegation will leave at 7:30.

Real Feature Of The Circus

The Buffalo Times – January 3, 1904

IT WILL BE THE MEETING OF COUNT ALEXANDER AND GEORGE WINZENREID TOMORROW NIGHT.

“Yankee” Rogers, or McMilten, performed an unusual feat yesterday at the Highland Park A. C. Gymnasium, while training for his bout with Jim Parr at the Olympic A. C. tomorrow night.  To show his bridging strength, he allowed Louis Steinagle, Manager Daw and another man to stand on his breast while bridged.  The feat seemed easy for him.

The preliminary between George Winzenreid and Count Alexander tomorrow night promises to be the real feature of the circus.

Echoes From The Roped Arena

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle – April 19, 1902

“Dan” McLeod, the Scotch wrestler, failed to fulfill his contract to throw Jim Parr, the English champion, three falls within an hour at catch-as-catch-can style, before the Industrial A.. C., at Chicago, last night.  The Englishman proved a harder man than McLeod had evidently thought him to be and the Scot was unable to gain even one fall.  There was no brilliancy about the match and many thought that McLeod was not wrestling his best.  At least the vicious attack was wonderful skill which he has always shown in his matches were entirely absent.  The terms were that McLeod was to throw Parr three times within an hour or lose the match.  A bet of $1,000 was made on the result and a similar amount that Parr would not get a fall.  Over six thousand persons were present.  Tom Jenkins was introduced and announced that he would give either man a match at any time and bet any amount on himself.  In the preliminary, a mixed style contest between Louis Steinagle of Buffalo and Tom Riley of England, each man gained a fall.  The deciding fall was not gained within the twenty minute time limit and no decision was given.  E. H. McBride refereed the contest.