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3000 BCE
how it started
Egyptian slabs, dating back to perhaps 3000 BC, depict wrestlers using many of the same holds that wrestlers use today. In the Iliad, Homer wrote of a great wrestling match in which Odysseus defeated Ajax for the shield of the slain Achilles. https://school.eb.com/levels/middle -
Period: 3000 BCE to
wrestling
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708 BCE
how the game works
Two wrestlers face off. Each tries to get the other to the ground. The first to pin the other wins. Wrestlers must be fast and strong. They use moves to get their opponent down. They earn points for them. If no one is pinned, the wrestler with the most points wins. Modern wrestling matches can take six minutes. https://www.factcite.com/index.html -
wrestling coming to USA
In the United States, the first professional to win national recognition as catch-as-catch-can champion was a heavyweight, Tom Jenkins, of Cleveland, Ohio. He ruled as king of his division from the 1890s until 1908, when he lost to Frank Gotch of Iowa. https://school.eb.com/levels/middle -
first league
Amateur wrestling has had an honorable and dignified growth since its organization by the AAU in 1888. https://school.eb.com/levels/middle -
getting famous
Wrestling was in the ancient Olympic Games about 2,800 years ago. And it was part of the first modern Olympics in 1896. That year there was Greco-Roman wrestling. Greco-Roman wrestlers use their arms, shoulders, and upper body. Greco-Roman wrestlers cannot attack below the waist or use their legs for holds. Modern Greco-Roman wrestling is like the ancient wrestling practiced thousands of years ago. And it’s been in every Olympics since 1908. https://www.factcite.com/index.html -
getting big
Wrestling teams representing colleges began to arrange matches with one another in about 1900. https://school.eb.com/levels/middle -
team wrestling
The first formal competition between schools grew out of the Intercollegiate Wrestling Association, formed by Eastern colleges in 1903. https://school.eb.com/levels/middle -
How wrestling styles are different
Freestyle wrestling is a bit different. Like Greco-Roman wrestling, it takes place on a circular mat. Athletes must stay inside the area with a blue center. But freestyle wrestlers can use their entire body. Men’s freestyle wrestling joined the Olympics in 1904. It has been in every Olympic Games since 1920. Women’s freestyle wrestling joined in 2004. https://explore.proquest.com/sirsdiscoverer/home?accountid=3541 -
Era ends
After Gotch retired in 1913, professional wrestling began to lose favor with the public. Many bouts were faked, with the winner picked in advance. https://school.eb.com/levels/middle -
how its going
The 2024 Olympics has 18 wrestling events. There are six weight classes for men’s Greco-Roman. And there are six for both women’s and men’s freestyle wrestling. Heading into 2024, the United States is the leader in Olympic wrestling with 142 medals. And the U.S. team won the most medals (nine) at the 2020 Olympics. Japan is the top nation in women’s wrestling. It’s won 15 of the 24 Olympic gold medals. https://explore.proquest.com/sirsdiscoverer/home?accountid=3541