John Cosper traces professional wrestling’s long run in Louisville, from 1870s opera-house matches featuring William Muldoon to the sport’s modern era. Ed “Strangler” Lewis picked up his ring name here, and the Allen Athletic Club later gave 1940s fans Lou Thesz, Mildred Burke, and Gorgeous George.
Jerry Jarrett and Jerry Lawler rebuilt the local scene in the 1970s, and Ohio Valley Wrestling later trained future WWE stars including John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and Randy Orton. This expanded 10th-anniversary edition, part of Cosper’s Kentucky Wrestling Legends series, spans roughly 145 years of local wrestling history.
Published 2022
328 pages
$19.99