While most people are well aware that wrestling itself is an ancient sport, they may be surprised to learn that professional wrestling, while by no means ancient, is older than they would’ve believed. According to Bleacher Report, the earliest version of professional wrestling dates back to just after the American Civil War. At this time, wrestling was usually part of the carnival, and shows traveled from town to town. The roster of wrestlers was usually made up of college wrestlers who would’ve been more than happy to have a few bucks kicked their way for their services.
Wrestling took a while to become as popular as the other most popular sports of the early 20th century, boxing and baseball. In 1925, something happened that completely altered the trajectory of professional wrestling. It occurred during a match in Kansas City between Ed “Strangler” Lewis and Wayne “Big” Munn. Lewis was the reigning champion who was expected to make quick work of Munn, a former collegiate football player. According to Atlas Obscura, Lewis was so good that some thought his matches were starting to get boring.
This is why the crowd was so shocked when Lewis lost to Munn. The incredible upset garnered lots of attention, but what the fans didn’t know was that it was all fixed — or, to use wrestling jargon, a work. This went on to become the norm as professional wrestling shifted from a sport to an example of sports entertainment.
