Wrestling and Wrestlers: Biographical Sketches of Celebrated Athletes of the Northern Ring; to Which is Added Notes on Bull and Badger BaitingRobinson, Jacob
History
Wrestling and Wrestlers: Biographical Sketches of Celebrated Athletes of the Northern Ring; to Which is Added Notes on Bull and Badger Baiting
Robinson, Jacob
Wrestlers; Wrestling
After this--and during the discontinuance of the popular gathering on the
Swifts, for three years--we know nothing of Todd's career as a wrestler,
until the Carlisle Meeting of 1822, when he again made a gallant but
unsuccessful struggle to carry off the head prize. Being engaged as a
gamekeeper, in the service of the Earl of Carlisle, on the Naworth Castle
estates, he entered himself under the assumed name of "John Moses of
Alston." Todd displayed considerable science and activity in the course of
the day, and distinguished himself much and deservedly, by throwing
several dangerous hands, among whom may be especially mentioned, John
Fearon of Gilcrux, seventeen stone weight, John Liddle of Bothel, a
fourteen-and-a-half stone man, (winner of the head prize at Keswick, a few
weeks previously, where he finally disposed of William Cass of
Loweswater)--and Robert Watters of Carlisle, a light weight, but an
accomplished scientific wrestler. In the final fall, however, with Cass,
the cup of success was again dashed from his lips. This time the
weight--sixteen stones--and strength of the Loweswater champion, proving
too much for twelve-and-a-half stones.
Scarcely had the cheers died away which greeted the West Cumberland man's
victory, when Louis Nanny of Haltwhistle--an enthusiastic frequenter of
wrestling rings--offered to back the Knarsdale man in a match against Cass
for a hundred pounds. Todd thought this sum too much to risk even handed,
against such a powerful antagonist; but was willing to be backed, and
contend at all hazards, for half that amount. The two east countrymen,
however, had it all their own way, so far as the challenge was concerned.
At that time, Cass being new to the Carlisle ring, and almost unknown as a
wrestler, no one seemed bold enough to stand forward on his behalf; and,
moreover, like a quiet, inoffensive man, he was perfectly content to rest
upon the laurels he had just gained.
This year Weightman--"aw ower his oan daft nonsense"--was thrown by Fearon
of Gilcrux, in the first round, for the principal prize at Carlisle. Not
being eligible, on this account, for entry in the second day's competition,
Tom Todd stood on one side for him; when Weightman, in order to retrieve
lost ground, took pains, and threw his men as fast as he came to them.
"Talk aboot russlin'!" exclaimed an eye witness, "Wey, man, he just went
thro' them like th' wind!"
As time passed on, and Weightman came more prominently to the fore, Tom
Todd found himself absolutely nowhere in the giant's grasp; he therefore
thought it wiser and more prudent to retire from the ring, without making
any further efforts to carry off first honours.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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