Chicago American

The Wrestling World Before Londis One of the most valuable sources of understanding this period is Ed W. Smith's Professional Wrestling published in 1912.

Smith was the sporting editor of the Chicago American and had refereed major international championship matches involving Frank Gotch.

His book captures an earlier generation of wrestling when the sport was closely associated with contests of strength, endurance, technique and national prestige.

Another useful source is the 1926 Sandow Lewis Wrestling Manual produced in association with Billy Sandow and Ed Strangler Lewis.