Abe Lincoln wrestling artwork

[iwrite 117]

For those of you who read the first Lincoln wrestling post, I thought you might want to see this beautiful artwork done by noted illustrator Jack Bender some 20 years ago. It shows Abe wrestling Jack Armstrong in New Salem, Illinois, in 1831. the event is an amazing story and was told Friday by author/historian Mike Chapman on the national radio show called Our American Stories, which has an audience estimated at close to 3 million. You can find it by going to the show's web site and searching in the archives.

[TheOhioState 486]

Abe is facing off against Chuck Connors in the picture.

[Plasmodium 1,699]

That looks suspiciously similar to a teenaged Paul Bunyan.  I recognize that tree.  It is on the outskirts of Brainerd. 

[MedicineMan 436]

17 hours ago, TheOhioState said:

Abe is facing off against Chuck Connors in the picture.

That is deifinitely Lucas McCain....and Gary Kessel refereeing 

[KCMO2 626]

Sure it wasn't in Iowa, the fans in the background are calling for stalling.

[MadMardigain 1,363]

1 hour ago, KCMO2 said:

Sure it wasn't in Iowa, the fans in the background are calling for stalling.

Gables great great grandpa is clearly in the Right side of background 

[Sheerstress 117]

A little background:

https://vault.si.com/vault/1995/02/06/the-civil-warrior-on-the-us-frontier-young-abe-lincoln-was-a-great-wrestler-and-sportsman

[ionel 1,484]

On 5/30/2020 at 1:48 PM, iwrite said:

 artwork done by noted illustrator Jack Bender some 20 years ago.

Did Jack B do this by memory, cause can't find video of the event?  ;)

[PinFallRecruit 69]

Fun Fact - I grew up in Petersburg, IL, which is a right next to New Salem where we would take our school field trip EVERY year... We took our team wrestling poster picture there one year reenacting this photo.

[ionel 1,484]

11 hours ago, MadMardigain said:

Gables great great grandpa is clearly in the Right side of background 

Yep pretty sure that is Great-Great GranDaddy Mack Gable

[MadMardigain 1,363]

14 hours ago, PinFallRecruit said:

Fun Fact - I grew up in Petersburg, IL, which is a right next to New Salem where we would take our school field trip EVERY year... We took our team wrestling poster picture there one year reenacting this photo.

As a pretty big U.S. History/Lincoln/Civil War buff I had my family take the grand tour of Springfield a couple years back.  Unfortunately, due to an area tornado that came through the prior night we were too exhausted from lack of sleep (FYI the round Wyndham hotel Gets pretty creeky in windstorms) to visit New Salam before heading home.  Hopefully  next time we go through the area.  

[iwrite 117]

MadMardigain -- Hopefully you can visit New Salem soon. It is a fascinating place for any history buff. When you walk through the main gate you feel like you are back in the 1830s. The village has been recreated to look just like it did when 22-year-old Abe Lincoln strolled down the same path in 1831. And you can stand on the very spot between the Offutt and Clary stores where Abe tangled with Jack Armstrong. Two years ago, I was there with one of my best friends, Mark Johnson (former head coach at Illinois, 1980 Olympian, ass't to Gable at Iowa and 2-time NCAA All-American at Michigan) and Mark said it was a moving experience. I go to New Salem every other year just to feel the history. To listen to an account of the Lincoln-Armstrong match, you can go to "Our American Stories" web site archives and pull up the radio segment that I recorded last week. Also, my booklet "The Sport of Lincoln" describes the encounter, the events leading up to it, and also has numerous photos and artwork about the match. -- Mike Chapman

 

 

[MadMardigain 1,363]

12 hours ago, iwrite said:

MadMardigain -- Hopefully you can visit New Salem soon. It is a fascinating place for any history buff. When you walk through the main gate you feel like you are back in the 1830s. The village has been recreated to look just like it did when 22-year-old Abe Lincoln strolled down the same path in 1831. And you can stand on the very spot between the Offutt and Clary stores where Abe tangled with Jack Armstrong. Two years ago, I was there with one of my best friends, Mark Johnson (former head coach at Illinois, 1980 Olympian, ass't to Gable at Iowa and 2-time NCAA All-American at Michigan) and Mark said it was a moving experience. I go to New Salem every other year just to feel the history. To listen to an account of the Lincoln-Armstrong match, you can go to "Our American Stories" web site archives and pull up the radio segment that I recorded last week. Also, my booklet "The Sport of Lincoln" describes the encounter, the events leading up to it, and also has numerous photos and artwork about the match. -- Mike Chapman

 

 

Thanks Mike.  I check out the items you shared.  And New Salem is definitely on my to do list, as I’ve visited almost every other Lincoln site around the county other than that.