About the Book

"People have been wrestling since ancient times, but it was not until Edmond Desbonnet (1867-1953) produced his groundbreaking work The Kings of Wrestling in 1910 that its history was set down in book-length form. His work consists of nearly 150 biographies and accompanying photos of the men who pioneered professional wrestling. Although he begins in the murky, mythological past, the principal focus of the book is wrestling in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He explains how Greco-Roman wrestling emerged in France around 1845 and then evolved into a big business during its golden age of 1890 to 1910. During that time, men were drawn to the squared circle from all over Europe, and the sport also attracted fighters from the far corners of the world: Africans, Turks, East Indians, Russians, Americans, and others. This makes wrestling the first truly international sport the world had ever known. Desbonnet originally wrote his history in French, and it is translated here for the first time. This richly illustrated edition has an introduction and extensive annotations, along with many contemporary newspaper articles, book excerpts and magazine pieces from French, Italian and German sources. This presents the most complete and accurate history of European wrestling that has yet been published."

Book Synopsis

Wrestling dates back to ancient times, but it was not until Edmond Desbonnet (1867-1953) produced his groundbreaking work The Kings of Wrestling in 1910 that its history was set down in book-length form. His work consists of nearly 150 biographies and accompanying photos of the men who pioneered professional wrestling, particularly in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He explains how Greco-Roman wrestling emerged in France around 1845 and then evolved into a big business during its golden age of 1890 to 1910. The sport drew men from all over Europe as well as Africans, Turks, East Indians, Russians, Americans, and others. Wrestling became the first truly international sport the world had ever known.

Desbonnet wrote his history in French, and it is translated here for the first time. This richly illustrated edition has an introduction and extensive annotations, along with many contemporary newspaper articles, book excerpts and magazine pieces from French, Italian and German sources.

Review Quotes

"Detailed...insightful...interesting...well written...unique...incredibly detailed... Chapman has done a great service for the wrestling community. His book represents a welcome addition to a small body of publications.... The Kings of Wrestling is a valuable addition to the English language canon of wrestling history and opens up the promise of expanding knowledge of the sport beyond the narrow perspectives that are offered through only studying Anglo-American texts... It will find itself in frequent transit between my desk and bookshelf."--Slam

"This one even taught me something about pro wrestling"--Review Fix

About the Author

David L. Chapman, a Seattle-based independent scholar, has written many books and articles on physique photography, sport history, gender studies, film and popular culture. He worked on the translation of Edmond Desbonnet's massive French history for more than three decades.