Clarence Whistler
Encyclopedia
Clarence Whistler was a professional athlete and champion Greco-Roman
wrestler of the 1880s. As the main rival to William Muldoon
in wrestling of the early 80s, he was best remembered for his unusual strength, indifference to pain and tragic death. He wrestled three famous bouts with Muldoon, totaling over 14 hours.
, Indiana
, US
to C. C. Whistler and Leah Catharine Snyder and was the oldest of eight children. By 1878 he had moved to Iowa
where he worked as a foundry
man and was known for his strength.
with Christol, who taught Whistler the fundamentals of wrestling.
In 1881 Whistler's financial backers brought him into New York City
to challenge William Muldoon
, who had won his championship in graeco-roman wrestling from Theobaud Bauer the year before. The bout, which lasted seven hours and 15 minutes, ended in a draw without either wrestler getting a fall. Muldoon claimed that Whistler had worn ammonia
in his hair, which caused Muldoon's eyes to burn, and Whistler wore his fingernails long purposely to injure Muldoon.
Because of the public interest in the match, the two men formed an athletic combination and toured the country for a time, Muldoon billed as graeco-roman champion and Whistler billed as catch-as-catch-can champion. Personal differences and a fight over a woman bought an acrimonious end to their business agreement. Muldoon got the girl. Enmity was so great that Whistler swore he would beat Muldoon on the mat or in the street. He spent the rest of the year slandering Muldoon in the press in order to corner him into a rematch. But he would have to wait two years to get his chance.
After being injured against a ringer
in Cincinnati who later turned out to be English wrestler Tom Cannon
, Whistler stopped touring for a time and returned to Kansas City. There he met his future wife Minnie and toyed with the idea of entering the prizering to meet champion John L. Sullivan
at the behest of friend Col. Robert Ricketts. He continued to slight Muldoon in the newspapers.
Finally returning to the mat, Whistler linked up with Cannon, who saw great natural ability in Whistler. The two toured with limited success. Whistler's assault on Muldoon in the press continued. He issued a challenge to his old foe to wrestle him at MSG which went unheeded by Muldoon, who was already headed West on tour with Madame Modjeska. In the meantime, an old foe of Cannon who claimed the catch-as-catch-can championship of the world, Joseph Acton
, followed him to America and beat him. Whistler then put his own title claim up against Acton at MSG. The highly anticipated match went two hours to a draw but Whistler was roundly outclassed by the smaller man, losing his already-waning claim to that championship in the process, and a great deal of his public acclaim.
Whistler won a wrestling tournament in 1883 in St. Louis, graeco-roman style, and places second (to Edwin Bibby) in the catch-as-catch-can category. This quickly re-established his claim to the graeco-roman title, but it didn't translate into public interest. The tournament featured a number of noted wrestlers but was a financial disaster. Meanwhile, Muldoon was wrestling in San Francisco and creating a boom there. Cannon and Whistler acquiesced and lit to the Pacific Coast at the insistence of Muldoon.
Whistler's rematch with Muldoon finally took place in San Francisco toward the end of 1883. It was remembered as the most exciting of the three contests. In the term of the day, the two bitter rivals "wrestled for blood." The match began at 8:30p and lasted nearly four hours. Whistler's left collarbone
was broken when he was slammed harshly by Muldoon to the mat. He was visibly maimed. Whistler refused to quit the match, but the doctor disallowed him to continue, thus stopped it. Muldoon claimed the victory. The injury had a temporary healing effect on the friendship of the two.
After Whistler physically healed up he challenged Muldoon again straightaway. In their third and final match in March 1884, the two men wrestled to a defensive standstill and agreed to a draw after three hours and 10 minutes of wrestling. When the question of who initiated the draw of their third match arose, the two men bitterly split as business partners once again, this time for good. Muldoon left for the East as interest in the sport waned in California. Whistler stayed West and languished in bouts that generated limited public interest. In a bid to rejuvenate his career, he finally entered boxing and was soundly trounced. Headlining at the old Wigwam Theater in January 1885 in San Francisco, Whistler was knocked out by a local pro in the first round. Despite the disastrous results, Whistler indicated an interest in pursuing boxing further.
as an athlete and wrestler, and meet Miller at the end of the tour to settle the championship question between them. Whistler accepted. After a string of victories Down Under, Whistler defeated Miller in September 1885 at the Theatre Royal on Bourke Street
in Melbourne
, for the graeco-roman championship. At this time, Whistler's strength and courage made him a sensation and he became an idol to the local Australian population, starved for heroes. In celebration of his championship victory, he engaged in a reckless, month-long celebration and contracted pneumonia. By November 6, he was dead. Sources referring to the nature of his early death are conflicting. Some suggest that the illness was caused by excess alcohol consumption during celebration. Other sources purport that Whistler's condition was complicated by him either biting the tops off champagne bottles for sidebets or eating a champagne glass whole.
Whistler was buried in Melbourne General Cemetery
with Miller as one of his pallbearer
s. He was memorialized by fellow athletes, including Muldoon, and the sports world at large as the most courageous athlete of his time.
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
wrestler of the 1880s. As the main rival to William Muldoon
William Muldoon
William A. Muldoon was the Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion, physical culturist and the first chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission. He once wrestled a match that lasted over seven hours...
in wrestling of the early 80s, he was best remembered for his unusual strength, indifference to pain and tragic death. He wrestled three famous bouts with Muldoon, totaling over 14 hours.
Early life
Whistler was born in 1856 (possibly February 24, 1856) in DelphiDelphi, Indiana
Delphi is a city in and the county seat of Carroll County, Indiana, United States. Located twenty minutes northeast of Lafayette, it is part of the Lafayette, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to C. C. Whistler and Leah Catharine Snyder and was the oldest of eight children. By 1878 he had moved to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
where he worked as a foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
man and was known for his strength.
Career
While working at the foundry his friends, who had been impressed with his strength, such as carrying a 1300 lb (589.7 kg) iron bar for 30 ft (9.1 m), arranged a match in February 1879 (or January 1878) with Louis Marc (or Lucien Marc). The match, which lasted for an hour, was won by Whistler in two straight falls. Whistler went on to fight Andre Christol in a four hour match that ended in a draw. This was followed by a tour of the Western United StatesWestern United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
with Christol, who taught Whistler the fundamentals of wrestling.
In 1881 Whistler's financial backers brought him into New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to challenge William Muldoon
William Muldoon
William A. Muldoon was the Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion, physical culturist and the first chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission. He once wrestled a match that lasted over seven hours...
, who had won his championship in graeco-roman wrestling from Theobaud Bauer the year before. The bout, which lasted seven hours and 15 minutes, ended in a draw without either wrestler getting a fall. Muldoon claimed that Whistler had worn ammonia
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
in his hair, which caused Muldoon's eyes to burn, and Whistler wore his fingernails long purposely to injure Muldoon.
Because of the public interest in the match, the two men formed an athletic combination and toured the country for a time, Muldoon billed as graeco-roman champion and Whistler billed as catch-as-catch-can champion. Personal differences and a fight over a woman bought an acrimonious end to their business agreement. Muldoon got the girl. Enmity was so great that Whistler swore he would beat Muldoon on the mat or in the street. He spent the rest of the year slandering Muldoon in the press in order to corner him into a rematch. But he would have to wait two years to get his chance.
After being injured against a ringer
Ringer
Ringer may refer to:* Ringer, in sports idiom, an impostor, especially one whose pretense is intended to gain an advantage in a competition* Ringer , a Marvel Comics villain* Ringer , an EP by Four Tet...
in Cincinnati who later turned out to be English wrestler Tom Cannon
Tom Cannon
Tom Cannon is Professor of Strategic Development at the University of Liverpool Management School. He is considered to be an expert on Sports finance, economics and business notably professional sports like soccer, F1, cricket, rugby , tennis, horse-racing, American football and is often featured...
, Whistler stopped touring for a time and returned to Kansas City. There he met his future wife Minnie and toyed with the idea of entering the prizering to meet champion John L. Sullivan
John L. Sullivan
John Lawrence Sullivan , also known as the Boston Strong Boy, was recognized as the first heavyweight champion of gloved boxing from February 7, 1881 to 1892, and is generally recognized as the last heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing under the London Prize Ring rules...
at the behest of friend Col. Robert Ricketts. He continued to slight Muldoon in the newspapers.
Finally returning to the mat, Whistler linked up with Cannon, who saw great natural ability in Whistler. The two toured with limited success. Whistler's assault on Muldoon in the press continued. He issued a challenge to his old foe to wrestle him at MSG which went unheeded by Muldoon, who was already headed West on tour with Madame Modjeska. In the meantime, an old foe of Cannon who claimed the catch-as-catch-can championship of the world, Joseph Acton
Joseph Acton
Joseph Acton , known by his ringname "Little Joe" or "Limey Joe", was a British professional wrestler and world champion who competed in England and America during the late 19th century...
, followed him to America and beat him. Whistler then put his own title claim up against Acton at MSG. The highly anticipated match went two hours to a draw but Whistler was roundly outclassed by the smaller man, losing his already-waning claim to that championship in the process, and a great deal of his public acclaim.
Whistler won a wrestling tournament in 1883 in St. Louis, graeco-roman style, and places second (to Edwin Bibby) in the catch-as-catch-can category. This quickly re-established his claim to the graeco-roman title, but it didn't translate into public interest. The tournament featured a number of noted wrestlers but was a financial disaster. Meanwhile, Muldoon was wrestling in San Francisco and creating a boom there. Cannon and Whistler acquiesced and lit to the Pacific Coast at the insistence of Muldoon.
Whistler's rematch with Muldoon finally took place in San Francisco toward the end of 1883. It was remembered as the most exciting of the three contests. In the term of the day, the two bitter rivals "wrestled for blood." The match began at 8:30p and lasted nearly four hours. Whistler's left collarbone
Clavicle
In human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a long bone of short length that serves as a strut between the scapula and the sternum. It is the only long bone in body that lies horizontally...
was broken when he was slammed harshly by Muldoon to the mat. He was visibly maimed. Whistler refused to quit the match, but the doctor disallowed him to continue, thus stopped it. Muldoon claimed the victory. The injury had a temporary healing effect on the friendship of the two.
After Whistler physically healed up he challenged Muldoon again straightaway. In their third and final match in March 1884, the two men wrestled to a defensive standstill and agreed to a draw after three hours and 10 minutes of wrestling. When the question of who initiated the draw of their third match arose, the two men bitterly split as business partners once again, this time for good. Muldoon left for the East as interest in the sport waned in California. Whistler stayed West and languished in bouts that generated limited public interest. In a bid to rejuvenate his career, he finally entered boxing and was soundly trounced. Headlining at the old Wigwam Theater in January 1885 in San Francisco, Whistler was knocked out by a local pro in the first round. Despite the disastrous results, Whistler indicated an interest in pursuing boxing further.
Death
Shortly after the boxing fiasco, "all round athlete" and longtime claimant to the Greco-Roman wrestling championship "Professor" William Miller invited Whistler to tour AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
as an athlete and wrestler, and meet Miller at the end of the tour to settle the championship question between them. Whistler accepted. After a string of victories Down Under, Whistler defeated Miller in September 1885 at the Theatre Royal on Bourke Street
Bourke Street, Melbourne
Bourke Street is one of Melbourne's best known streets. Historically been regarded as Melbourne's "second street", with the main street being Collins Street and "busier than Bourke Street" is a popular catchphrase. Bourke Street has traditionally been Melbourne's entertainment hub...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, for the graeco-roman championship. At this time, Whistler's strength and courage made him a sensation and he became an idol to the local Australian population, starved for heroes. In celebration of his championship victory, he engaged in a reckless, month-long celebration and contracted pneumonia. By November 6, he was dead. Sources referring to the nature of his early death are conflicting. Some suggest that the illness was caused by excess alcohol consumption during celebration. Other sources purport that Whistler's condition was complicated by him either biting the tops off champagne bottles for sidebets or eating a champagne glass whole.
Whistler was buried in Melbourne General Cemetery
Melbourne General Cemetery
The Melbourne General Cemetery is a large necropolis located north of the city of Melbourne in the suburb of Carlton North.-History:...
with Miller as one of his pallbearer
Pallbearer
A pall-bearer is one of several funeral participants who helps carry the casket of a deceased person from a religious or memorial service or viewing either directly to a cemetery or mausoleum, or to and from the hearse which carries the coffin....
s. He was memorialized by fellow athletes, including Muldoon, and the sports world at large as the most courageous athlete of his time.
Notable opponents
- William MuldoonWilliam MuldoonWilliam A. Muldoon was the Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion, physical culturist and the first chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission. He once wrestled a match that lasted over seven hours...
- "Professor" William Miller
- Joseph ActonJoseph ActonJoseph Acton , known by his ringname "Little Joe" or "Limey Joe", was a British professional wrestler and world champion who competed in England and America during the late 19th century...
- Tom Cannon
- Donald DinnieDonald DinnieDonald Dinnie was a Scottish strongman, born at Balnacraig, Birse, near Aboyne, Aberdeenshire. He has been recognized as "The Nineteenth Century's Greatest Athlete"...
- Edwin Bibby
Championships and accomplishments
- St. Louis International Wrestling Tournament winner, graeco-roman
- Catch-as-catch-can Heavyweight Championship