{"product_id":"the-kings-of-wrestling-anecdotes-and-stories-of-wrestling-from-the-distant-past-to-our-times-9781476694078","title":"The Kings of Wrestling: Anecdotes and Stories of Wrestling from the Distant Past to Our Times","description":"\u003cp\u003e Wrestling dates back to ancient times, but it was not until Edmond Desbonnet (1867-1953) produced his groundbreaking work \u003ci\u003eThe Kings of Wrestling\u003c\/i\u003e in 1910 that its history was set down in book-length form. His work consists of nearly 150 biographies and accompanying photos of the men who pioneered professional wrestling, particularly in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He explains how Greco-Roman wrestling emerged in France around 1845 and then evolved into a big business during its golden age of 1890 to 1910. The sport drew men from all over Europe as well as Africans, Turks, East Indians, Russians, Americans, and others. Wrestling became the first truly international sport the world had ever known.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Desbonnet wrote his history in French, and it is translated here for the first time. This richly illustrated edition has an introduction and extensive annotations, along with many contemporary newspaper articles, book excerpts and magazine pieces from French, Italian and German sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDavid L. Chapman\u003c\/b\u003e, a Seattle-based independent scholar, has written many books and articles on physique photography, sport history, gender studies, film and popular culture. He worked on the translation of Edmond Desbonnet's massive French history for more than three decades.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"McFarland \u0026 Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50542718845202,"sku":"9781476694078","price":54.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_9e4fcbb7-38c0-4c6c-bf44-4c43abb7f6bc.jpg?v=1731495097","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-kings-of-wrestling-anecdotes-and-stories-of-wrestling-from-the-distant-past-to-our-times-9781476694078","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}