Grappling on the Grain Belt: Wrestling in Manitoba to 1931 by Charles Nathan Hatton A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfilment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2011 © Charles Nathan Hatton 2011 Author‟s Declaration I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. ii Abstract ―Grappling on the Grain Belt: Wrestling in Manitoba to 1931,‖ explores the history of wrestling in the geographic region now demarcated as Manitoba, from the pre-Confederation period to the Great Depression, with particular emphasis on the period after 1896 when the Canadian West experienced its most remarkable demographic growth. Wrestling was a frequently controversial, often divisive, but ultimately dynamic, popular, and persistent cultural form that proved adaptable to changing social conditions. Far from being ‗merely‘ a sport, residents of Manitoba found greater meaning in its practice beyond the simple act of two people struggling for physical advantage on a mat, in a ring, or on a grassy field. This study examines wrestling as a social phenomenon that echoed larger, and fluid, debates over sport‘s ‗proper‘ purpose, expressions of masculinity, respectable public conduct, and views concerning the position of immigrant and minority communities in a predominantly Anglo-Protestant society. It likewise explores the meanings that various groups in the province, demarcated by such factors as ethnicity and occupation, attached to wrestling in the decades before the Great Depression. In doing so, it illuminates wrestling as a complex and socially-significant cultural activity which, to date, has been virtually unexplored by Canadian historians looking at the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. iii Acknowledgements This project would not have been possible without the efforts of many organizations and people who worked with me and on my behalf over the course of the researching and writing process. I would like to thank the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council as well as Sport Canada and Ontario Graduate Scholarship program for their generous funding, Considerable debt is owed to my supervisor, Bruce Muirhead, for his efforts in perusing multiple drafts of the dissertation and providing excellent feedback and suggestions for improvement based upon my work. I am further indebted to my Doctoral Committee: External Advisor Morris Mott, Committee Members Julia Roberts and Alan McDougall, Internal External Reviewer Bill McIlroy, and, early on in the process, Doug McCalla, for their excellent work on my behalf. Their consistently insightful comments helped considerably in formulating the final product. Donna Lang, University of Waterloo History Graduate Secretary was always there when I either needed a technical question answered or wished to have a good laugh. Thank you for your support and patience. I owe a large measure of gratitude to the staff of the Archives of Manitoba, where a considerable amount of my research was conducted. In particular, I would like to recognize the efforts of Chris Kotecki who, from this researcher‘s standpoint, is a model Archivist, exhibiting both an interest in a researcher‘s topic as well as knowledge and familiarity with the Archival holdings beyond what is recorded in the necessarily-limited print and electronic databases. A huge thanks to all of the staff at the Manitoba Legislative Library (which for many months was my home away from home), including Stuart Hay, Jason Woloski, Louise Ayotte-Zaretski, Meghan Hansen, Leesa Girouard, Tannis Gretzinger, and Janina Smithson. In particular, I wish to extend my thanks to Monica Ball who was incredibly supportive both professionally and personally throughout the entire researching, writing, and defense preparation process. Thank you so much, Monica. Gratitude is also due to Jacinthe Duval at the St. Boniface Archives, Stan Carbone at the Jewish Heritage Centre, Pierrette Boily at the St. Boniface Museum, Andrea Reichert at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, Sigrid Johnson at the University of Manitoba‘s Icelandic Collection, Evelyn West at the Winnipeg City Archives, Jack Templeman at the Winnipeg Police Museum, as well as the staff at Library and Archives Canada and the Canadian War Museum. A body of dedicated wrestling researchers, authors, and enthusiasts helped provide groundwork for this project, beginning with Mark Hewitt, Joe Svinth, and Don Luce, who have done a great deal to inform the public on early wrestling in North America. Physical fitness authority Bill Hinbern was also very helpful, and his advice at the beginning of my research was appreciated. I would like to thank J. Michael Kenyon for his insight into the professional wrestling business during the 1920s as well as the relationship between various wrestlers and promoters. Specifically within the context of this project, I wish to express my appreciation to Vance Nevada, whose pioneering, tireless, and selfless work on wrestling in the Canadian West helped provide a springboard for my own research into the subject. Vance has given much of his services free of charge and his compendium of early matches staged on the Prairies offered an excellent starting point for delving into wrestling‘s early history in Manitoba. Similarly, I wish to mention both Wayne Wilson and Yasutoshi Ishikawa who were generous in sharing, respectively, their research on the Klondike and rare book collections devoted to wrestling. Members of the wrestling community have added to both my technical and historical appreciation of the sport, particularly its catch-as-catch-can variety. Utah‘s Jake Shannon has toiled for years to renew iv widespread passion for the sport and present it in a positive light. He has been one of my most consistent supporters. I would also like to thank Billy Wicks, Frankie Cain, and Jon Strickland for adding to my knowledge in the field. My family has been enormously supportive during the last four years of doctoral work, and I would like to thank my parents, Dan and Kathleen Hatton, for their unbending faith in me. Also, thank you to my brother, Tim Hatton and my sister Rebecca Hatton, who provided practical advice and support. My cousin Kiera O‘Neil, as well as my uncle John O‘Neil assisted in the preparation for my defense, and in all matters, my aunt Kristine Robinson was a rock by my side, offering much needed critical commentary and personal advice. Historian Henry Trachtenberg was always willing to lend his extensive expertise whenever called upon to do so, and I owe him a large measure of gratitude for his feedback on technical as well as explicitly historical matters. Likewise, I wish to thank Tavis Harris, who freely offered direction on sources related to military recruitment, allowed me a place to stay during my defense, and helped me maintain a balanced life through our regular weight training sessions. Katie McGowan and Simon Palamar were generous in the extreme, allowing me to take up residence for extended periods during my research trips to Ottawa. I will always remember your friendship and generosity. Lakehead University‘s Michel Beaulieu has long been one of my most valued supporters, and no acknowledgement could be complete without reference to his inspiring commitment to scholarship and public outreach. Likewise, I wish to heartily thank Pat and Joe Kaufert, who were vital in helping me formulate my defense presentation. Their suggestions, questions and comments were universally excellent, and they gave of their time far beyond what I or anyone could expect.. Finally, I wish to thank my friends Ryan Duplassie, Andrew Shackleton, Glen Coombs, and Susan Bater for their regular support in so many realms during the course of the last four years. I will close with thanking my friend Craig Williamson, who, before his untimely passing, was the first to lend enthusiastic support to this project. v Dedication This work is dedicated to Randy Rostecki, one of the finest researchers, historians, and human beings I know. vi Table of Contents Author‘s Declaration ..................................................................................................................................... ii Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................ iii Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................... iv Dedication .................................................................................................................................................... vi Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................ vii Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter I: Wrestling in Manitoba Before 1896 .......................................................................................... 25 Chapter II: Professional Wrestling in Manitoba, 1896-1914 ..................................................................... 67 Chapter III: Wrestling and Ethnicity, 1901-1914 ....................................................................................