• Home
    • Podcast Home
    • Newsletter Home
    • Front Page
  • Newsletter Search
  • Podcast Search
  • The Board
  • Home
    • Podcast Home
    • Newsletter Home
    • Front Page
  • Newsletter Search
  • Podcast Search
  • The Board
  • Home
    • Podcast Home
    • Newsletter Home
    • Front Page
  • Newsletter Search
  • Podcast Search
  • The Board
  • Home
    • Podcast Home
    • Newsletter Home
    • Front Page
  • Newsletter Search
  • Podcast Search
  • The Board
Home Dragon King

DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The true story behind the 1870 Detroit International tournament

Karl Stern by Karl Stern
May 22, 2024
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

I have recently spent many hours digging through hundreds of pages of 1870 newspapers from Detroit, Chicago, Ontario, and beyond chronicling the real story of the biggest tournament in history of American pro wrestling in the pioneer era: the Detroit International tournament.

On this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, I reveal what I found.

The tournament awarded an ornate championship belt to its winner (Col. James H. McLaughlin), but McLaughlin did not become the American champion, at least not yet, but I give you that story, too.

Also, McLaughlin may have killed Barney Smith, but it probably did not happen here either. I also clear up a number of other myths and errors that history books have recorded about this milestone in pro wrestling history. This is hour 46 of my 1000 Hours series focusing on the pioneer era of wrestling.

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

https://media001.f4wonline.com/dmdocuments/052124ks.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:39 — 32.7MB)

thetagger
Tags: Col. James H. McLaughlinDetroit international tournamentDragon Kingpioneer erapodcasts
Karl Stern

Karl Stern

Next Post
Wrestling Observer Live: Dynamite, Double or Nothing, NXT TV, King of the Ring success

Wrestling Observer Live: Dynamite, Double or Nothing, NXT TV, King of the Ring success

Recommended.

B&V&C&G: Retro WCW Invasion Smackdown May 10, 2001, plus Granny!

B&V&C&G: Retro WCW Invasion Smackdown May 10, 2001, plus Granny!

September 8, 2023
July 9 Figure Four Daily with Todd Martin: UFC weekend, BJ retirement, Ambrose, WWE notes, more

July 9 Figure Four Daily with Todd Martin: UFC weekend, BJ retirement, Ambrose, WWE notes, more

July 10, 2014

Trending.

WOR: Weekend news recap, reviews of WWE, AEW, NXT, TNA & more

WOR: Weekend news recap, reviews of WWE, AEW, NXT, TNA & more

September 29, 2025
B&V: 20 YEARS AGO ON TNA IMPACT, plus Granny!

B&V: 20 YEARS AGO ON TNA IMPACT, plus Granny!

September 30, 2025
B&V: Dynamite fallout show, NXT breaks Bryan

B&V: Dynamite fallout show, NXT breaks Bryan

September 25, 2025
WOR: Seth Rollins, Ridge Holland, NJPW, RAW, TNA PPV, more!

WOR: Seth Rollins, Ridge Holland, NJPW, RAW, TNA PPV, more!

October 14, 2025
WOR: Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame discussion kickoff, lessons from last Saturday

WOR: Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame discussion kickoff, lessons from last Saturday

September 26, 2025
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Customer Service

© 2023 Figure Four Weekly, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

  • Home
    • Podcast Home
    • Newsletter Home
    • Front Page
  • Newsletter Search
  • Podcast Search
  • The Board