William Muldoon William A . Muldoon ( May 25 , 1852 – June 3 , 1933 ) was the Greco - Roman Wrestling Champion , physical culturist and the first chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission . He once wrestled a match that lasted over seven hours . Nicknamed " The Solid Man , " Muldoon established himself as champion in Greco - Roman wrestling in the 1880s and over the years gained a remarkable measure of public influence that would continue through his days as a health farm proprietor in Westchester County and his service on NYSAC . Muldoon was a mainstay in New York sports for over 50 years . Early life . Born in Allegany County , New York , Muldoon was the son of Irish immigrants . His father was a farmer . Showing a knack for strength athletics at a young age , Muldoon gained a local reputation as a standout in caber - tossing , powerlifting , sprinting and amateur wrestling . His youth was otherwise characterized by a brutish , flash temper , and his desire to be treated with the respect of an adult despite being a child . In April 1864 , Muldoon joined the Sixth Cavalry , Company I and served in the Civil War as a drummer boy . He was at the Battle of Opequon , when Union General Russell was killed as Confederate General Early ' s forces were being pushed back . Muldoon would recall years later the impromptu wrestling bouts held by fellow soldiers as being among his fondest memories . He was dubbed by his comrades " The Colonel " for his audaciousness in spite of his youth . After the war he journeyed west with the Sixth and fought in the Indian Wars of the Great Plains , opening up Yellowstone National Park . Muldoon journeyed to Paris to serve as a volunteer in the French Army in the Franco - Prussian War of 1870 - 71 , where he met publisher James Gordon Bennett , Jr . , who told Muldoon he had the potential to be the best Greco - Roman wrestler in the world if he concentrated on it . By 1876 , Muldoon was living in New York City , where he accepted appointment to the New York Police Department at the behest of Senator John Morrissey , former bare - knuckle boxing champion . At the time of his resignation in 1881 Muldoon was a detective . The Solid Man . In 1880 , Muldoon gained recognition as World ' s Greco - Roman Champion with a win over title claimant Thiebaud Bauer . His rise to prominence brought challengers from across the globe , including Edwin Bibby and Tom Cannon of England , Donald Dinnie of Scotland , “ Mat ” Sorakichi of Japan , Carl Abs of Germany , William Miller of Australia , and John McMahon and Clarence Whistler , the latter being Muldoon ' s opponent in a titanic seven - hour match in 1881 , where neither could gain a single fall . Following the celebrated match with Whistler , Muldoon assembled an athletic combination and toured the country promoting athletic events and defending his title against all comers . Muldoon became involved in theater around this time , stemming from his fame in athletics . In 1883 he shared the bill with Maurice Barrymore in Madame Modjeska ' s production of Shakespeare ' s " As You Like It . " In 1887 , he appeared on Broadway as " The Fighting Gaul " in " Spartacus . " Muldoon was one of a party of gentlemen entertained by Robert Emmet Odlum , brother of women ' s rights activist Charlotte Odlum Smith , on the morning of May 19 , 1885 , the day he jumped from the Brooklyn Bridge and was killed . Muldoon assisted in unsuccessful resuscitation efforts and summoned an ambulance , which was too late to save Odlum . In 1889 Muldoon trained John L . Sullivan for his famous 75 - round fight against Jake Kilrain for the world heavyweight bare - knuckle boxing championship . He had done so on a friendly wager and offered to absorb expenses if Sullivan lost . Sullivan won and Muldoon gained national notice for restoring the boxing champion to fighting form after Sullivan was dismissed by the press and sporting public as a hopelessly dissipated wreck . Muldoon ' s methods at accomplishing Sullivan ' s rejuvenation gained much public interest . Muldoon was never defeated for his Greco - Roman Championship . He wrestled in his final championship match in 1890 , defeating Evan Lewis in Philadelphia . Despite being implored by promoters and challengers to come out of retirement , Muldoon never wrestled another finish match or claimed any active championship . He symbolically passed his World ' s Greco - Roman Championship to protégé Ernest Roeber ( whom Lewis later defeated ) . Muldoon would make his final public appearance as a wrestler in a charity exhibition match against Roeber at Madison Square Garden in 1894 . That same year Muldoon moved his health farm from Belfast , New York to White Plains . As he tapered off direct involvement in professional athletics he devoted more time to devising his system on restoring one ' s health . Muldoon continued to train boxers and wrestlers until boxing was banned in New York at the turn of the century . Later years . In 1900 , Muldoon opened what would become the work of his life , the well - known health institute " The Olympia , " at Purchase , New York . In subsequent years through the success of the Olympia Muldoon would again gain national notice as he treated such notables there as U . S . Ambassador to Great Britain Joseph Hodges Choate , publisher Ralph Pulitzer , Senator Chauncey Depew , Major General J . Franklin Bell , essayist Elbert Hubbard novelist Theodore Dreiser and Secretary of State Elihu Root , who was sent to Muldoon by President Roosevelt . In 1907 there was talk that Muldoon would be appointed to the president ' s cabinet to oversee physical health . For his uncompromised methods at his health farm Muldoon was dubbed the " Professor . " Journalist Nellie Bly was the first woman to complete Muldoon ' s system . In the spring of 1909 Muldoon made a final return to the stage in a theatrical tour organized in benefit of The Lambs . Muldoon dedicated a Civil War monument to the town of Belfast , New York , listing the names of local veterans in 1915 , including that of his older brother John . In 1921 Muldoon was personally tapped by Governor Nathan Lewis Miller as the inaugural Chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission , when professional boxing ' s status was legally restored in New York . While on NYSAC , Muldoon ' s czarish decrees characterized his inflexible sense of integrity to the press and sporting public . He was dubbed in the papers the " Iron Duke . " In 1927 Muldoon was profiled by “ The New Yorker ” magazine and in 1929 by “ The Saturday Evening Post ” . A biography was published in 1928 , with a foreword by Jack Dempsey . William Muldoon died at age 81 in Weschester County , New York , and was interred in a grandiose private mausoleum at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla , New York . In 1996 , Muldoon was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame . In 2004 , he was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum under the " Pioneer Era " category . Personal . Muldoon claimed to be a lifelong bachelor . However , he was married twice ; the first marriage ended in divorce , the other in separation . His housekeeper of 30 years Leonie Lutringer left her entire estate to Muldoon in 1922 . It was revealed later in his life that he had adopted his longtime secretary Margaret Farrell – she received his entire estate at his death . Muldoon was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1931 , though his doctors did not reveal the nature of his illness to him . Muldoon died two years later . Retired boxing champion Gene Tunney , a disciple of Muldoon , remarked to the " Times " at the time of Muldoon ' s death , “ All I know about training I learned from him … . His patience , intellectual courage and wisdom were inspirational . ” William Muldoon was interred at Kensico Cemetery , Valhalla , NY . Muldoon was a strong advocate of compulsory military service , equestrianism , physical culture and the Boy Scouts of America , citing the latter as the only organization left devoted to leadership - building for young men .