Newsreels

British Pathe "Fat And Lean Wrestling Match" 1901 FILM ID 1694.1 More work of art than pro wrestling match, 1901's "Fat and Lean Wrestling Match" newsreel shows just that there was probably never a time when professional wrestling was truly Serious Business, no matter what our rose-colored nostalgia might sometimes tell us. This glorious two-minute video is a strong argument that it's best that way, packing multiple unexpected twists and turns into a laugh-out-loud performance that's far better sports entertainment than anything WWE has ever produced. It's not often wrestling ventures into avant-garde, but the enduring entertainment value of this clip…

HBO Archives "Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling" 1903 Film H33648 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIGCTyUchaY Against the backdrop of a mural painted to look like real spectators, two young boys perform a catch-as-catch-can demonstration.

American Mutoscope & Biograph Company "Wrestling at the N.Y.A.C." November 7, 1905 "Wrestling at the N.Y.A.C." includes three minutes of newsreel footage of grappling at the New York State Athletic Club. Look closely and you'll see semi-famous catch wrestling instructor Hugh F. Leonard, author of A Hand Book Of Wrestling.

British Pathe Released 1932 (Filmed 1905) "1932 Aka Women Wrestlers" FILM ID 1702.18 "Twenty Seven years ago, a couple of fairy-like ladies burst upon an astonished world and shocked feminine susceptibilities by wrestling!" exclaimed the original text of the newsreel that contains the oldest known footage of women's pro wrestling. The newsreel was released in 1932, but referred to an exhibition match from 1905 between two unknown women. Just over a minute of footage is shown. Women's Wrestling Exhibition (Discuss)

British Pathe "Wrestling Act" 1905 FILM ID 1798.13 This newsreel clip, which runs just over a minute, features a 1905 exhibition match between two unknown wrestlers. Men's Wrestling Exhibition (Discuss)

Footage Farm 220503 Josef Steinbach vs Bruno Hackenschmidt September 17, 1911 Vienna, Austria Josef Steinbach vs Bruno Hackenschmidt (September 17, 1911; Vienna, Austria) (Discuss)

British Pathe 1914-1918 "British Champion V Canadian Champion" FILM ID: 1912.15 http://www.britishpathe.com/video/british-champion-v-canadian-champion-c-s-m-jim Jimmy Esson vs Pete Brannon (1914-1918) (Discuss)

Gaumont Pathe "Wrestling Match at the Anzac Day Celebrations" April 25, 1919

Moving Image Research Collection MTVN 2166 "Ad Santel Entertains Midgets" September 1, 1920 San Francisco, CA

British Pathe FILM ID: 438.15 December 17, 1925 "A New Samson"

Moving Image Research Collection "Woman wrestler" February 9, 1927 Fox News Story B7193...B7195 https://mirc.sc.edu/islandora/object/usc:40250 Virginia Mercereau vs Male Wrestler (February 9, 1927) (Discuss)

MyFootage.com "1928 Ed 'Strangler' Lewis and Gus Sonnenberg Wrestling Championship" 1929 Film 013546 World Heavyweight Title: Ed Strangler Lewis (c) vs Gus Sonnenberg (January 4, 1929; Boston, MA) (Discuss)

Moving Image Research Collection Fox Movietone News Story 1-891 "Gus Sonnenberg versus Howard Cantonwine" February 3, 1929 https://mirc.sc.edu/islandora/object/usc:19660

Moving Image Research Collection Fox Movietone News Story 2-181 "Sonnenberg versus Malcewicz" March 15, 1929 https://mirc.sc.edu/islandora/object/usc:19666

Associated Press "Wrestling Champion" May 28, 1929

Moving Image Research Collection Fox Movietone News Story 3-86 "Training for championship bout" June 27, 1929 https://mirc.sc.edu/islandora/object/usc%3A19673

Moving Image Research Collection Fox Movietone News Story 3-489 "Dick Shikat" August 27, 1929 https://mirc.sc.edu/islandora/object/usc:28626

http://mirc.sc.edu/islandora/object/usc%3A28626 Awesome clip here with Shikat being presented the world title due to Sonnenberg ducking him and then doing some sparring with a young guy and then an older guy (Toots Mondt?) in front of some beautiful greenery. Highlight for me was what looked to be a kimura attempt from Shikat.

Associated Press "Heavyweight Wrestling Champion" November 25, 1929

Moving Image Research Collection Fox Movietone News Story 4-339 "Wrestling" November 25, 1929 https://mirc.sc.edu/islandora/object/usc:31369

Moving Image Research Collection Fox Movietone News Story 3-954 "Wrestling title match" 1929 New York, NY https://mirc.sc.edu/islandora/object/usc%3A39989

British Pathe 1930 "Boxer V Wrestler" Boxer vs Wrestler: Nat Pendleton vs ?? (1930) Nat Pendleton vs ?? (1930)