Wrestling Heritage

And not only Hurst applied this infamous hold, the double-ears had its adepts all over the Duchy of Red Rose!

It is probably because of that at some point the noble hold was included or better say excluded (lol) from the official rules of wrestling:

“Lancashire Catch-as-catch-can Rules and in all matches the wrestlers should wear either socks or stockings, or else barefooted, and they will not be permitted to scratch or suffocate, pull each others ears or commit any other unfair act toward each other. Neither will they be allowed to he rubbed with grease, or resin on their hands, of any pernicious drug on any part of their bodies.”

“Bell’s Life in London and Sporting Chronicle -Sunday, 16 April 1848

Joseph Smith of Poynton and Thomas Bayley of Atherlow met in the paddock at Bellevue, Manchester, on Monday last, to try for the first three falle, Lancashire fashion, for 5 a side. Odds of 5 to 4 were freely taken upon Hayley. To give a full account of this disgraceful affair would abock our readers. Sumith’s game was catching Lis opponent by the cars, and shaking him like a dog, and by this means he won the twe first throws; the third was undecided. Bayley showed distress, and was evidently in pain, his ears, “literally speaking,” being elongated almost like the ass. Such another sorne, we hope, will not be tolerated. WRESTLING-LANCASHIRE, Joseph Smith (alias Sounder, of Poynton) and Thomas Bailey (otherwise Blue-un, of Hathet low); 5 sovs a side. The conditions were, that the man who could get the three first back-falls should be the winner. We must preface by stating that the sooner such a brutal way of wrestling is abandoned the better, and we record il, so that the manly wrestlers may see this unmanly style. It came off in a paddock on the Hyde rost on Monday last. The odds were laid at 5 to 4 on Bailey. The system of this so-called wrestling is “catch as catch can,” an appropriate tille for such a libel on wrestling. Smith seized Bailey by both ears, literally tearing them from the sockets, timith got the first brutal event amidst the cheers of the brutes assembled. The odds veered to 2 to i on Smith, who is a strong uncouth collier. Smith, brate-like, again got hold of Bailey’s ears, Bailey kicking Smith’s arms to make him tovse his hold. At length Bailey was again thrown, amid the screams of the brass A third time they met another disgraceful serne end-ing in Bailey being a third time thrown, though his party swore it was not & fair throw. But Bailey would have no more-s ented this debasing exhibition. This mis-called sport wants extinguishing. Give us the manly Cumberland and Westmon land-cone of this approximation to up-and-down fighting”.