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The first Squared Circle?

Just watching the Hackenschmidt bout on mats and I was surprised they weren't in a roped ring.

This sets me to wondering: when did the first ring appear for wrestling? In UK and elsewhere.

Maybe there had been wrestling rings before the Hackenschmidt bout we see.

It's not as if it was a mind-blowing innovation, merely copying boxing. But some of the simplest discoveries have been based on common sense, like Isaac Newton's.

5 comments

5 Comments

Anglo Italian

Nov 05

Thanks Ron, great logic. 1910 sounds good (for now.)

Of course, the question may be nearly answerable by establishing the earliest photo of British wrestling in a ring.

Anglo Italian

Nov 04

Ok. A few random observations, thank you.

So we can see the Oxford match. Presumably they rolled up their mats and rolled them out again in halls nationwide.

Let me narrow my question to a UK context, then.

When did wrestling start to take place in a boxing ring in Britian?

RON HISTORYO....Time Cop,

Nov 05

Replying to

Hi Anglo , I can find mixed boxing and wrestling at Brighton Dome in 1910 with a report of wrestlers falling through the ropes and off the platform. This was the same year as the last Alhambra competition.

I am only speculating , but my basic understanding is , that at the end of the Victorian age people with money and interested in sport paid to get the Wigan and Manchester area wrestlers such as Bolton , down to London. It was made worthwhile for them and we know that the Alhambra just had mats as it was Stage wrestling in a Music Hall. I think Hengler's circus would not have had a ring either.

Wrestlers such as the Carrolls did America and would have used rings.

And in the evolution after 1910 some northern wrestlers got to thinking that they could promote their own shows with a bit more showmanship than what had gone on in the fields of Wigan. They could make a lot more money this way than going to London. What was needed was turnstiles and we saw football and athletic venues being hired such as Central Park Wigan and Atherton Athletic and Ince Athletic Grounds. It's not clear even then if a ring was used but it's a maybe , This idea , along with anyone else who wanted to put on Boxing and Wrestling , I suspect , saw the advent of the Ropes.

You ask WHEN , so I will stick my neck out and speculate circa 1910.

I bow though to Ruslan , if he can add or correct me.

Edited

ruslan-pashayev

Nov 04

good one, always been an actual ring a circle when it comes to the English wrestling traditions. village green and a 30 yard circle and the chains too to separate raslers from the crowds often time the fans weren't happy with how the things were refereed, you know what I mean. on the Continent the matches were held in the circus arena. but in America esp during the music hall era it was on the stage. the actual 24ft roped square-ring is the old National Polcie Gazette of NYC, NY requirement...I think so. They were running all kinds of pro events and had established rules for the most sports wrestling among others.

RON HISTORYO....Time Cop,

Nov 04

I think USA must have been ahead of us as when Hack fought Gotch it was in a ring.

Certainly as far as boxing was concerned , the John l Sullivan days circa 1892 were roped off.

Edited