Armstrong was the toughest guy in town, the leader of his group, or, as John T. However, this seems to be an informal title. Although the details of this fight are hazy at best - some accounts claim that Lincoln won, others that Armstrong did, but only by cheating - this appears to be the match at the root of this rumor.Īrmstrong is referred to as the "champion" of his group of friends, the Clary's Grove Boys, in various accounts about this fight. One of the most famous stories about Lincoln's wrestling skills involves a match with a local tough named Jack Armstrong. This rumor appears to be based on a very loose translation of the word "champion." So where did this glamorous portrayal of the Illinois Railsplitter come from? This is a composite of at least two different images and features a championship belt that belonged to WWE star Randy Orton:ĭid Abraham Lincoln win an Illinois County wrestling championship in 1830? There are a lot of moving parts behind Lincoln's wrestling history, let's try to examine these claims one by one.įirst up, the absurd artwork of Lincoln with a championship belt:Īlthough the image may give the impression that Lincoln's wrestling matches were comparable to the glitzy modern-day stage productions from groups like World Wrestling Entertainment, Lincoln was a skilled wrestler - but he never hoisted a glamorous gold-encrusted belt, and he never strutted into a ring as fireworks went off behind him. Lincoln won decisively when, after losing his temper when Armstrong began fouling him, he slammed Armstrong to the ground and knocked him out. At this time, where working at a store in New Salem, Illinois, Lincoln had a famous bout with Jack Armstrong, also a county wrestling champion. If any of you want to try it, come on and whet your horns." Though he competed in about 300 matches, he was only defeated once.Īnother rumor is that Lincoln was a regional champion at 21:Ībraham Lincoln, as a 21 year old in 1830, was the wrestling champion of his county in Illinois. He also liked to talk smack and once said to an entire crowd, "I'm the big buck of this lick. As a young man, his long limbs and ability to rile up his opponents won him every match. Abraham Lincoln is honored in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
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