By Ruslan C. Pashayev
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The Evolution Of The Species
About fifteen years ago when I was very actively researching the subject of Lancashire wrestling I was lucky to find an interesting historical document in the issue of New York Clipper, dated September 19, 1857. It was a formal wrestling agreement between two renowned Lancashire wrestlers, Peter Lord and Thomas Ashton, who in 1857 resided in the United States.
Not only was it a unique document from the point of it being related to probably one of the earliest catch wrestling matches in the history of American pro wrestling but it also was very important because it presented to the reader the original rules of Lancashire catch as catch can wrestling as it was first brought at the American soil from the Old Country.
“WRESTLING IN AMERICA. MATCH IN THE LANCASHIRE FASHION.
Sports are multiplying rapidly in America. We are now about to have introduced to our notice a wrestling match, in the true Lancashire fashion, and by a couple of wrestlers who understand the business thoroughly. The following is a copy of the articles by which the match is to be governed. Ashton, some time since, defeated Robinson, in a match in this city, but Lord has only very recently arrived in this country:
NEW YORK, Sept. 7th, 1857. ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT between Peter Lord and Thomas Ashton for a wrestling match, for $100 a side, to come of on Sept. 22, 1857, Lancashire fashion, catch as catch can, the first two fair back fails out of three, nothing but a back fall to be fair; $50 a side has now been staked; the next $25 to be staked at the house of Mr. Danl. Sweeney, 225 Ninth avenue, on Friday, the 18th, and the final deposit to be made at the house of Mr. James Farrish, the Pacific, 489 Washington street, on Sept. 21, making a total of $100 a side staked.
The wrestling match to take place at the Adelphia Rooms, Williamsburgh, corner of Grand and Eleventh street; the men to be stripped ready to wrestle between the hours of two and three o’clock; either man weighing over 160 lbs on the day of wrestling to forfeit the money down; the weighing to take place at 2 o’clock on the day of wrestling. Mr. James Farrish has now staked in his hands $50 a site, and he is to be final stakeholder.
All deposits to be made between the hours of 8 and 10 P. M.; either man failing to make good his deposit to forfeit the money down. Two umpires to be chosen on the ground, and the umpires are to choose a referee. In case of the umpires not agreeing, the decision of the referee to be final. Both men have agreed to wrestle without shoes, and neither man to use either grease or rosin, or any other deleterious substance. THOMAS ASHTON, PETER (X) LORD.”
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