When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture (DragonKingKarl) – Details, episodes & analysis

Today's show is packed with very important events in the history of the pioneer era of pro wrestling. The first event we will talk about may have even changed the course of history. When Clarence 'The Kansas Demon' Whistler died while on tour of Australia he was considered by many newspapers to be the real and true World champion of pro wrestling. His death is full myth and misinformation, and we will cut through the fog of time to get to the truth. Also on this show, Evan Lewis earns his nickname as The Strangler and in the same instance become the first real heel that wrestling had ever seen.

The extended Patreon edition is here.

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 119. This is hour 89.

1986 is one of my favorite years in pro wrestling and that is why I am really excited about my latest booking coming out this March covering 1986 and 1987 in pro wrestling history. WWF launches two great TV shows: Superstars and Challenge. Jim Crockett Promotions and the NWA are red hot with Dusty Rhodes chasing NWA World champion Ric Flair and the rise (and tragic fall) of Magnum TA. The AWA is still hanging in there with new World Champion Stan Hansen. On this episode I take a look at the first newsletter of the year, the January 13, 1986, issue of Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

1000 Hours is my series on the pioneer era of pro wrestling history and is taken from my latest book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus available from Amazon. On this episode, hour 79, we take a look back at the very successful exhibition tour put on by World Greco-Roman champion William Muldoon along with his troupe of wrestlers including Clarence Whistler. Clarence, however, kept beating up poor Andre Christol and finally William Muldoon had to step in which led to a public brawl between the two.

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 100

On this edition of the 1000 Hours Podcast, the podcast all about the pioneer era of pro wrestling, author and historian Karl Stern takes a look back at 1881 in pro wrestling history including the evolution of William Muldoon from New York City Police officer to touring pro wrestling champion. Also, a physical description is given for an early championship belt, plus the death of former American champion James Owens at the age of 30.

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 100.

The 1000 Hours podcast this week answers a sponsor's question: Why should we study the pioneer era of pro wrestling? What relevance does it have to the modern era? Well, I am glad you asked. The mythology of the pioneer era and men like William Muldoon, Evan Strangler Lewis, Farmer Burns and others is often misunderstood as the origin of mixed martial arts, Catch wrestling, and belongs to that world. While there are elements which do belong in that world, make no mistake, ninety percent of what happened back then influenced and began what we now recognize as worked American entertainment style pro wrestling. Please also check out my book on the pioneer era of wrestling: DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus.

The expanded Patreon edition is available here.

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 98

This is hour 76 our podcast series looking back at the pioneer era of pro wrestling. We pick up in 1880. H.M. Dufur has recently defeated James Owens as American heavyweight champion and on this episode, we cover most of his first reign as champion. The collar and elbow scene was changing and William Muldoon is still rising in the Greco-Roman world but is seriously being held back by the New York City Police Department. Pro wrestling is really ramping up in this era and I am excited for us to learn about it. This episode is taken from my latest book: DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus available from Amazon here - https://amzn.to/44SMdSf

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 96.

The 1000 Hours podcast series focus exclusively on the pioneer era of pro wrestling or the era before Frank Gotch. This episode of the show is sponsored by Andy C. with information taken from my latest book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus available at Amazon. We finish up the 1870s on this episode as we see pro wrestling riding a wave of popularity. H.M. Dufur wins the American title from James Owens, plus William Muldoon is rising to the top in the Greco-Roman world, plus tons more from this action-packed era!

The extended Patreon version is here - https://www.patreon.com/posts/133516652

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 94.

This is hour 74 of the 1000 Hours podcast series looking back at the pre-Frank Gotch era of pro wrestling in the United States. This podcast is taken from the pages of my latest book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling Omnibus available from Amazon. This episode is packed with big happenings. The late 1870s saw the peak of the first Greco-Roman era of wrestling while Collar and Elbow was struggling. John McMahon and Col. James H. McLaughlin, the two biggest names of the time, have their three-match series. William Muldoon is on the rise and the wild story of the fake Andre Christol!

The extended Patreon version is here - https://www.patreon.com/posts/132041763

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 93.

1000 Hour is my continuing podcast series about the pioneer era of pro wrestling. The pioneer era is the time before Frank Gotch, roughly 1850 to 1900. It was an era of wild showmen and tough real wrestlers. This episode continues our chronological journey through the pioneer era of wrestling via my book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus. This week we are in the 1870s and the wrestling bears are still causing trouble, every newspaper has a different idea who the American champion is, and the two biggest stars of the time: John McMahon and Col. James H. McLaughlin have the first two of their trio of matches... and then somebody drags out a sword.

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 93.

Hour 72 of 1000 Hours podcast is here and today I discuss the invasion of bears into 1870s pro wrestling. Yes, you read that right... bears. Many may think that wrestling bears was a curiosity of the 1940s through the 1980s, yet the height of bear wrestling was actually in the 1800s. One, or possibly two, French circus troops toured America with wrestling bears. Two of those bears became famous, or infamous, for mauling and killing people. Not only did one bite off Lucien Marc's finger, but they also wrestled from coast to coast injuring several including Prof. Thiebaud Bauer. Join me for some really incredible stories from the origin and evolution of pro wrestling.

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 Hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 93.