A Hand-Book of Wrestling

In 1897, Hugh Leonard published this Magnum Opus of Catch as Catch Can manuals. A wrestling prodigy, Leonard became the protege the great “Billy” Muldoon and by 16 he was a pro, wrestling all comers for $100 to any who could throw him. In 1893, Leonard became wrestling instructor at the Buffalo Athletic Club. A year after, the instructor for the Manhattan Athletic Club and shortly thereafter, the instructor at the New York Athletic Club, where he remained until his 1914 death. His wrestling career included bouts against such wrestlers as Plen Shoemaker and Evan “The Strangler” Lewis. Predating the introduction of Jui Jitsu to the West, Leonard’s book details hundreds of grappling and throwing technique, including rare chokes and joint locks. With over 200 photographs, digitally retouched, this is one of the most rare and valuable wrestling manuals, weighting in at well past 250 pages, it is an essential part of every Catch wrestler or western martial arts historian’s toolbox.