Superathlete: William Muldoon

This is a special treat, and article about William Muldoon written by Dan Kanagie. Enjoy!

William Muldoon

“The Solid Man”

By: Dan Kanagie

      William Muldoon, widely known as the first World Champion Wrestler, and a pioneer of the early Physical Culture movement in 19^th century America, was born in Alleghany County, New York on May 25, 1852. The son of Irish immigrant farmers, young William was drawn to athletics at an early age. He excelled at sports such as running, wrestling and caber-tossing.
      Demanding to be treated as an adult and with respect, it’s not surprising that he ran off to join the Union Army during the Civil War at only 12 years of age. Serving as a Drummer Boy with the 6^th Cavalry, he saw action at the Battle of Opequan. Then after the war, he ventured out west with the 6^th to join in the Indian Wars, then later to France as a volunteer in the Franco-Prussian war.
      It was during this time in Europe where he met, James Gordon Bennett, Jr., who inspired William to pursue a Professional career as a Greco-Roman Wrestler.
      By the mid-1870’s, Muldoon was back in the United States, living in New York City. Former gangster, Bare Knuckle Boxing Champion and member of the infamous Tammany Hall, John Morrissey, was a New York City Senator who appointed Muldoon to the New York City Police Department.
      In 1880, Muldoon retired from the Police Force when he won the title of Greco-Roman Wrestling World Champion, when he defeated Thiebaud Bauer. Over the next year he defended his title over 8 times, including some notable matches against Tom Cannon of England, “Mat” Sorakichi of Japan, and Clarence Whistler. The match against Whistler, in 1881, lasted a total of 7 hours and 15 min., being called a draw as neither man could score a single fall.
      Due to the public’s response to the fight, Muldoon and Whistler joined together forming an Athletic Combination, and toured the U.S. as the Greco-Roman/Catch-As-Catch-Can Champions, respectively. After some time the partnership dissolved over a fight about a woman. For the next two years, Whistler would slander Muldoon in the press, trying to force a rematch.
      In 1883, Muldoon was in San Francisco, wrestling for Madame Modjeska. It was here that the two men met for their rematch. This fight lasted nearly 4 hours, leaving Whistler’s left Collar bone broken.
      Badly beaten, Whistler refused to give-up, forcing the doctor to stop the match. Muldoon quickly claimed the victory and re-friended Whistler.
      Immediately upon healing, Whistler challenged Muldoon again to finally settle the question of who was the Champion. The third and final match between them took place in 1884 and lasted 3 hours and 10 minutes, with the outcome being another draw.
      When reporters asked which man initiated the draw, the feud drew the two men apart for good. They dissolved their partnership and parted ways.
      For the next few years, Muldoon would appear in numerous Broadway shows. Some of these included, Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”, and in 1887 as the Fighting Gaul in “Spartacus”.
      In 1889, Muldoon took on the daunting task of training John L. Sullivan for the final Bare Knuckle Boxing Championship. This was thought to be an impossible feat, as Sullivan was severely out of shape, overweight, and was walking with the aid of a cane. His drinking was so bad that Muldoon would chain John L. in the barn where he lived and trained.
      It was during this time that Muldoon created some of the most important inventions in the world of Physical Culture. He refined the Medicine Ball to aid in Sullivan’s rehabilitation. He also designed and built an early weight machine to allow Sullivan to build the specific muscles in his core and arms that are used in throwing a punch.
      After the Sullivan fight, Muldoon wrestled his last professional match against Evan “The Strangler” Lewis in Philadelphia, 1890. After winning, Muldoon retired undefeated, passing his crown to his protégé, Ernest Roeber. Muldoon successfully defended his title for 10 years.
      In 1894, Muldoon moved his health farm from Belfast, New York to White Plains. He continued to train boxers and wrestlers, but devoted most of his time to refining his personal system of health maintenance and physical culture.
      In 1900, with the ban on Boxing in New York, he opened “The Olympia”, the culmination of years of study in health and physical improvement. This would be his life’s work.
      Nicknamed “The Professor” for his uncompromising attitude, there was talk that President Teddy Roosevelt wanted to appoint William to his Cabinet to oversee the nation’s physical health. This because of his work with such notable people such as Ralph Pulitzer, J. Franklin Bell Maj. Gen., Secretary of State Elihu Root, and female journalist Nellie Bly, who was the first woman to complete his system.
      In 1921, Governor Nathan Miller, appointed Muldoon to be the first NY State Athletic Commission Chairman. He was invaluable to Boxing regaining its legal status, and was renowned for his integrity and dictatorship of NY State athletics. This caused the press to dub him the “Iron Duke”.
      William Muldoon died on June 3, 1933 from terminal Cancer. He left many innovations in the world of health and physical culture.  After his death, Boxing Champion Gene Tunney said, “All I know about training I learned from him…”
      Today, the old barn in Belfast, New York, where he trained John L. Sullivan still stands. It is currently the International Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame, and stands as a memorial to all the great things this one man has done. Inside the barn you can still see the tools of his trade, some originals owned and used by Muldoon. There are the numerous Indian Clubs and Dumb Bells, as well as the Medicine Ball and Chest Press. There is a replica of the Weight Machine designed by Muldoon for Sullivan, while the original is stored away waiting needed repairs.
      Upstairs was his wrestling room. The mat was nothing more than canvas cloth stretched over hay and tacked to the floor. The ceiling is barely over 6 feet, not allowing for much in the way of overhead space. Believe me; it is humbling to walk where these truly great men and champions once trained. Today we have 10,000 sq. foot gyms with wall to wall mats and every conceivable machine and gadget out on the market. Yet we don’t produce any athlete who is stronger or better than them.
      I encourage everyone reading this to visit the barn in Belfast, New York. See where and how these champions of both the ring and the body trained. It will make you think twice the next time you step into your gym. 

About Dan Kanagie:

Dan is the owner Wolfhound MA&FC in Philadelphia, PA and a leading authority on the subject of bareknuckle boxing, a striking style that we will be seeing much more of in Mixed Martial Arts due to its compatibility with grappling. You can find out more at the following links...
www.wolfhoundmafc.weebly.com
Head Coach International Bareknuckle Boxing Assoc.
IBKBA.weebly.com