George Hackenschmidt
Wrestler from Tartu, European champion in Greco-Roman wrestling in 1898 and from 1905 the first recognized heavyweight world champion in professional wrestling.
Quick Facts
United KingdomBiography
George Hackenschmidt was a wrestler and author of a book on physical fitness. He was born on August 1, 1877, in Tartu, in present-day Estonia, then part of the Russian Empire. He trained under Dr. Vladislav Krajevsky, founder of the St. Petersburg athletic club.
In 1898 he won the title of European champion in Greco-Roman wrestling. In 1905 he defeated Tom Jenkins and became the first recognized heavyweight world champion in professional wrestling. Over his career he wrestled around three thousand matches and lost only twice.
He lost to Frank Gotch on April 3, 1908, after a two-hour match and lost the world title. He lost to him a second time on September 4, 1911, this time within twenty minutes; the circumstances of a knee injury before this match remained disputed.
He is credited with inventing the hack squat exercise, named after his surname. In 1941 he published the book The Way to Live in Health and Physical Fitness, and in 1948 he was a judge at the Mr. Universe contest. In 1939 he took French citizenship, and in 1946 he became a British subject. He died on February 19, 1968, in London at the age of ninety. In 2002 Dave Meltzer ranked him 35th on a list of the hundred best wrestlers, and he is inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Associated Martial Arts
A family of styles of takedowns, throws and control of the opponent on the ground without strikes. The Olympic Greco-Roman (since 1896) and freestyle (since 1904) are governed by the UWW.
Catch WrestlingNotable figure→British catch-as-catch-can wrestling from Lancashire traditions, won by pin (fall) or submission. Through Wigan and Karl Gotch it influenced Japanese shoot wrestling.
Achievements and honours
- World Heavyweight Wrestling ChampionshipProfessional title · 1905
- Professional Wrestling Hall of FameHall of Fame