February 24, 2024, the Elimination Chamber takes place in Perth, Australia. It marks a significant moment in the history of wrestling in Australia. Though this is far from the first time a “World Champion” has wrestled in the Antipodes. Let’s go back over a century:

President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “If I weren’t President, I’d want to be George Hackenschmidt.”

For those of you unfamiliar, George Hackenschmidt was a wrestler in the turn of the nineteenth century. He was born in Estonia, then a part of Russia. Hackenschmidt would go on to be the first man with a legitimate claim to being the World Heavyweight Champion. Well, the claim was as legitimate as anything can be in pro wrestling. In addition to the numerous accolades inside the squared circle, Hackenschmidt was an innovator in the world of personal fitness. He is credited with the invitation of the bench press and bringing the Hack Squat to widespread use.

In 1904, George Hackenschmidt, The Russian Lion was recognized the world over as the Heavyweight Champion, except for possibly in the stubborn United States. He had just defeated Tom Jenkins, the former American Catch-as-catch-can champion. Though the match took place in Hackenschmidt’s preferred style of Greco Roman. From some perspectives he was at the height of his popularity and power.

However, in 1904 George Hackenschmidt was also embroiled in controversy. Just prior to his anticipated Greco Roman match with Tom Jenkins, rival Russian, George Lurich, circulated a pamphlet. In it he accused Hackenschmidt of fixing matches, including the Jenkins bout. Lurich also stated that the champ was intentionally dunking a match against himself. Worst of all he signs the document “Champion Wrestler of the World.” Lurich has always been a thorn in the champ’s side. Two of Hackenschmidt’s earliest matches were against Lurich. The first was an hour-long draw. The second was a loss that Hackenschmidt always protested. 

Hackenschmidt had no time for more drama with Lurich. He had a rematch with Jenkins in a Catch-as-catch-can bout in the new world in March of 1905 to look forward to. It was expected to draw an enormous gate. He had conquered Europe and the Greco Roman style. He had new challenges to face. 

Was he going to Australia to heal up and wrestle as many Catch-as-catch-can wrestlers in preparation as possible for his trip to the United States of America? Or was he hightailing it to Australia with his entourage aiming to “rehab” some injuries and build up his name for another match with Jenkins? Was he ignoring the Lurich controversy in Britain?

Whatever his motivations and plans, the champion was booked for a sixteen week tour of Australia by Harry Rickard. Rickard at this time was one of the most successful and well known vaudeville promoters in the world. He was bringing the world champion to Australia for the hefty sum of £1,000 a week. 

At the end of September, 1904, Hackenschmidt set sail for Sydney, Australia. He boarded the SS Barbarossa out of Germany. He was joined on his voyage by members of his troupe: Gunner Moir, Axa, and Herbert Woods.

Gunner Moir was born James Moir, but was better known as just Gunner. While his accolades couldn’t match up to Hackenschmidt he was far from a scrub. He would go on to be the Heavyweight British Boxing champion for three years. He would also appear in several films throughout the 1930s, including Bela Lugosi’s Phantom Ship. Hermann Schlinter was a German born wrestler known as Charles Axa or more simply Axa. He was known as “The Largest Athlete in Europe.” He stood at over six feet tall and more than 266 pounds. Herbert Woods or Bert Woods was “The British Navy Champion.” He served the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Caesar. Woods’ Australian journey would end with him breaking from Hackenschimdt and permanently emigrating to the country. 

Moir and Woods sailed under the pseudonyms Charles Thomas and George Donald to Adelaide and continued to Sydney overland. The pair traveled in secrecy as to not let the public in on the setup of Moir and Woods being a part of Hackenschmidt’s entourage. Hackenschmidt feared that if the Australian public knew of his association with these wrestlers, there would be much less interest in his matches. 

Hackenschmidt had agreed to pay Woods £4 a week once they arrived in Australia. By the time Woods and Moir arrived in Sydney the World Champion was already laid up in a hospital bed. George was suffering from “Housemaid’s knee” and “Miner’s elbow.” These are colorful names for bursitis or inflammation in the knee and elbow. 

This hospital stay would keep Hackenschmidt out of action for 5 weeks. During this time he agreed to pay Woods 30 shillings a week. After having his knee and elbow drained and plenty of rehab, Hackenschmidt was ready to return to the ring. 

His first match was against Herbert Woods surprisingly enough. This bout took place at the famed Tivoli Theater, in front of a packed house. The Russian Lion defeated Woods in less than nine minutes. After his debut, The Sydney Sunday times referred to him as “The best developed athlete Sydney has seen head to heel.” Of Hackenschmidt’s dozen or so tilts in December of 1904 the majority were against Woods or Moir, at least twice both in the same evening. 

In January Hackenschmidt began wrestling in catch-as-catch-can matches. He had been only wrestling Greco Roman style matches up to this point to rest his need. January would mark an increase in the difficulty of his matches and the difficulty in his personal relationships.

One of his toughest tests in this style was on January 22nd against Clarence Webber. Webber was a “Champion All Around Athlete” in Hackenschmidt’s words. 

Before this bout, on January 17th, in the dressing room of the Melbourne Opera House, Hackenschmidt had a discussion with Herbert Woods about the upcoming match against Webber. Tensions rose between Woods and Hackenschmidt over the strategy for the upcoming bout.

The champion wanted Woods to lose to Webber to build anticipation for the upcoming match. Woods refused, feeling he is a better athlete and wrestler than Webber. This is a technique to hype upcoming matches Hackenschmidt had learned, from American wrestler Jack Carkeek. The argument intensified. Woods continually refused the champion’s demands. Hackenschmidt finally exclaimed “you should do what you’re told like Carkeek’s men.” The relationship was very strained at this point, to say the least. 

Their next conversation took place the night of the Webber match. A negative article had come about about George titled “The Hindoos and Hackenschmidt.” Hackenschmidt was sure the source for the hit piece was Woods. Woods denied any knowledge of the article. According to Webber the champ struck him in the face and the body. Pushed him out of the room and demanded to never see him again. Hackenschmidt for his part does not deny the violence, but does downplay its significance. They saw each other once more the following Tuesday. Woods requested his contracted payment. Hackenschmidt telling him nothing was owed and Woods walking away vowing to sue the champion. 

As for Webber, the Australian champion was pinned in only 10 minutes. If the hometown audience weren’t impressed by that, Hackenschmidt bested Webber in under 5 in the return match. All told, George Hackenschmidt was not pinned, was not even thrown throughout his entire Australian tour. 

His only defeat during the tour, one of the rare ones suffered at any point in his life, was in the courtroom. True to his word Woods sued Hackenschmidt. The lawsuit was nasty on both sides. Hackenschmidt publicly accused Woods of being an alcoholic. He also described him as a much lesser man and wrestler than Webber. Woods’ case, in addition to accusing the champ of fraud and assault called into question the legitimacy of pro wrestling as a whole. The judge in the case sided with Woods. Though Woods only won judgment in the amount of £12-15 shillings. Woods would stay in Australia, going into business with promoter Jack Graham and wrestling for several more years, before passing away in 1968.

George Hackenschmidt left Australia on March 3, 1905 onboard the RMS Sonoma. He had a brief stop in Samoa(I can only assume paying tribute to the future head of the table.) His next match would be in New York where he would defeat Tom Jenkins in two straight falls and become the undisputed World Heavyweight Champion. 

George Hackenschmidt’s legacy in Australia wasn’t merely defined by the matches he won or the controversies he weathered. It left an indelible mark on the wrestling landscape. Will the Elimination Chamber in Perth leave a similar mark? Probably not.

---

I couldn’t have completed this story without lots of help. Including but not limited to Jonathan Snowden, Patrick W. Reed and these sources:

“Hackenschmidt .” The Age, 27 Dec. 1904. 

“Hackenschmidt in Australia .” The Singleton Argus, 5 Nov. 1904. 

Hackenschmidt, George. The Way to Live in Health and Physical Fitness. O’Faolain Patriot LLC, 2011. 

Poblete, Joaquin. “Hackenschmidt Timeline and Ring Record.” Wrestling Classics, 4 Oct. 2023, http://wrestlingclassics.com. Accessed 13 Jan. 2024. 

“Russian Lions Dual Win.” The Referee, 15 Feb. 1905. 

Snowden, Jonathan. Shooters: The Toughest Men in Professional Wrestling. ECW Press, 2012. 

“Woods v Hackenschmidt .” The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 Feb. 1905.