Clarence Whistler

Clarence Whistler (February 24, 1856 - November 6, 1885) was a professional athlete and champion Greco-Roman wrestler of the 1880s. As the main rival to William Muldoon in wrestling of the early 1880s, he was best remembered for his unusual strength, indifference to pain and early death. He wrestled three famous bouts with Muldoon, totaling over 14 hours.

Early life Whistler was born in 1856 (possibly February 24, 1856 ) in Delphi, Indiana, US, to C. C. Whistler and Leah Catharine Snyder and was the oldest of eight children. By 1878 he had moved to Iowa where he worked as a foundryman and was known for his strength. ) with Louis Marc (or Lucien Marc In the term of the day, the two bitter rivals "wrestled for blood". The match began at 8:30 pm and lasted nearly four hours. Whistler's left collarbone was broken when he was slammed harshly by Muldoon to the mat. He was visibly maimed. Whistler refused to quit the match, but the doctor disallowed him to continue, thus stopped it. "Professor" William Miller invited Whistler to tour Australia as an athlete and wrestler, and meet Miller at the end of the tour to settle the championship question between them. Whistler accepted. After a string of victories Down Under, Whistler defeated Miller in September 1885 at the Theatre Royal on Bourke Street in Melbourne, for the Graeco-Roman championship. In celebration of his championship victory, he engaged in a reckless, month-long celebration and contracted pneumonia. By November 6, he was dead. Sources referring to the nature of his early death are conflicting. Some suggest that the illness was caused by excess alcohol consumption during celebration. Other sources purport that Whistler's condition was complicated by him either biting the tops off champagne bottles for side bets or eating a whole champagne glass.

Whistler was buried in Melbourne General Cemetery with Miller as one of his pallbearers. He was memorialized by fellow athletes, including Muldoon, and the sports world at large as the most courageous athlete of his time. Australian Heavyweight Championship St. Louis International Wrestling Tournament winner, Graeco-Roman Catch-as-catch-can Heavyweight Championship World Heavyweight Championship