Missouri Wrestling Revival

Mike Chapman (holding sign at left), author of the book Caddock: Walnut’s Wrestling Wonder, and Walnut Mayor Gene Larsen (far right) stand with members of the Earl Caddock family during a dedication ceremony held June 17 in Walnut, Iowa.

On June 17, the small town of Walnut, Iowa, honored former world champion Earl Caddock by naming a street after him. Earl Caddock Memorial Drive runs for several blocks in the southern part of the town, right past a brick building that Caddock owned in the 1920s and sold cars from. As an amateur, Caddock was a three-time AAU national wrestling champion and was undefeated in  53 matches. He was discovered by Frank Gotch and Farmer Burns. When the 1916 Olympics were cancelled by World War I, Caddock turned professional.

Caddock won the world heavyweight championship from Joe Stecher in Omaha on April 9, 1917,  and was champion for three years. He was known as a master catch wrestler and was called “The man of a thousand holds”.  Caddock fought in France during World War I and suffered lung damage from a gas attack. He returned to wrestle for two more years, then became a prosperous businessman. He died of cancer in 1950 at the age of 62 and is buried in Walnut, a town of 800 people.

Many old-time wrestling experts consider Caddock one of the finest wrestlers of all time. “He was an inspiration to the youth of America,” wrote Nat Fleixher, the top wrestling writer of the 1930s and ’40s. “During his entire career, he exemplified the best in American sports tradition. And when the history of wrestling is written, I shall see that Earl Caddock’s name goes up near the top for his wrestling ability, and on top as the man who has done most for the uplift of wrestling in this country.”

The City of Walnut worked with author Mike Chapman to publish the book “Caddock” Walnut’s Wrestling Wonder” and nearly a dozen Caddock family members returned to Walnut on June 17 for the street dedication. Chapman gave a speech about Caddock’s legacy in the world of wrestling and across the state of Iowa. Now  there is talk of erecting a statue of Earl Caddock in Walnut, as Humboldt did recently for Frank Gotch.