Hot Wrestling

The Buffalo Commercial – January 23, 1902

Jim Parr, the English wrestler, took a whirl with John Piening, the Graeco-Roman expert, after the show in the all-comers’ series at the Court Street Theatre last night, a hot bout resulted.  Parr had asked for a catch-as-catch-can bout, but the strong boy insisted on Graeco-Roman, the style at which he claims the championship.  Parr did well at the style, for he stuck the 15 minutes without a fall.  Perhaps had he tried he might have made it more interesting for his opponent, but he declared he went on more to get a line on Piening in the event of a finish match in the future than anything else.  It was hot while it lasted.

Steinagle Made A Fierce Fight

The Buffalo Courier – January 24, 1902

Buffalo Strong Man Kept “Butcher Boy” Busy For Nearly Eight Minutes – Fleming Tonight.

Louis Steinagle, the champion strong man, put up a desperate struggle with John Piening, the “Butcher Boy” wrestler, in the Court Street Theater last night lasting seven and a half minutes.

At Graeco-Roman Louis had more of an opportunity to display his ponderous strength, and he had no crotch holds or leg locks to watch out for.

Nachad, the Turk, Defeated

The Indianapolis Journal – January 3, 1902

NEW YORK, Jan. 2. – John Piening won the wrestling match with Nachad, the Turk, at the Grand Central Palace to-night. The betting favored the Turk. Piening won the first fall in ten minutes and thirty-seven seconds. Nachad then refused to come up again.

Wrestlers

The Spokane Press – November 21, 1902

Gotham Favors Mat Contests – Piening-Bothner Contest.

NEW YORK, Nov. 21.- Since boxing was put under the ban in Now York the sport of wrestling has probably attracted more attention In the metropolis than anywhere else in the country.

A series of notable contests on the mat has been arranged for the winter season, the first being a match between John Piening, the Graeco-Roman wrestling champion of America, and George Bothner, the American catch-as-catch-can champion. This contest is to be decided tonight at the Grand Central Palace.

Wrestlers Ready for Hard Struggle

The New York Times – April 24, 1906

Two unusual wrestling attractions are scheduled for to-night at the Grand Central Palace, Forty-third Street and Lexington Avenue.  John Piening, the “Butcher Boy,” who is conceded to be the cleverest Graeco-Roman wrestler in America, and Fred Beell, the best light heavyweight in the West, will meet in a match at mixed styles and the struggle is to be to a finish.  Beell is an aggressive wrestler, and while Piening is the favorite he will undoubtedly be compelled to use every trick at his command to win.  The other encounter will bring together Harvey Parker, the “Little Demon,” and George Bothner, who many good judges believe will defeat the lightweight champion.

Science Of Wrestling

Physical Culture – February 1903

Some Effective Tricks Illustrated by the Famous Wrestler, John Piening

Beginning with this issue we intend to give our readers a few lessons in the muscle building sport of wrestling.  The “holds” shown here are illustrated by John Piening, the famous Graeco-Roman heavyweight wrestler, with the assistance of Prof. Anthony Barker.  In the next issue we will give a lesson illustrated by Thos. Jenkins, champion wrestler of the world.

John Piening, A Local Luminary In The Sporting Firmament, Who Has Issued Challenges Galore To Ernest Roeber But Without Much Success, Nothing Having Come Of Them

The Sunday Telegraph – July 29, 1900

Piening Illustrating in the Graeco-Roman the Half-Nelson Body Hold, the Double Nelson Standing Up and in Catch-as-Catch-Can, the Crotch and Arm Hold, the Back Hammer and Crotch and the Direful Strangle Hold – Jack Quinn, His Partner, and Piening, Showing the Latter’s Powerful Frame.

Untitled

The San Francisco Call – February 1, 1903

NEW YORK, Jan. 31.—The wrestling bout at Madison Square Garden to-night between Tom Jenkins, the world’s champion catch-as-catch-can wrestler, and John Piening, the “Butcher Boy,” ended in a draw.  The men were on the mat without a fall practically from 9:50 until midnight, when the police declared the bout at an end.

Big Wrestlers Are Matched

The New York Times – April 17, 1906

John Piening, the Graeco-Roman wrestling champion of America, will meet Fred Beell of Wisconsin at the Grand Central Palace on April 24.  The men will wrestle mixed style until a fall is secured.  George Bothner, the lightweight champion, and Harvey Parker will also meet on the same night.  The pair will wrestle on hour, unless a fall is secured before that time, and a decision will be rendered on points.  The winner of the Piening-Beell match will be matched with “Tom” Jenkins for the championship of America.

Tom Sharkey Wins A Wrestling Match

Los Angeles Herald – February 3, 1904

John Piening Fails To Throw Sailor Three Times

BOSTON, Feb. 2. – Tom Sharkey won in the wrestling bout with John Piening before the Criterion Athletic club tonight.  The match was for a percentage of the receipts and a side bet of $1000.  Piening contracted to throw Sharkey three times within an hour.  Piening got the first fall in 16 minutes, and the second in 34 minutes, but failed to get the third.