Earl Caddock Earl Caddock ( February 27 , 1888 – August 25 , 1950 ) was an American professional wrestler and World Heavyweight Champion who was active in the early portion of the twentieth century . As the first man to bill himself as " The Man of 1 , 000 Holds " ( a nickname used many times since ) , Caddock was one of professional wrestling ' s biggest stars between the years of 1915 and 1922 . Early life . Earl Caddock was born February 27 , 1888 in Huron , South Dakota to parents of Welsh heritage . His Father John was born in Wrexham Wales His Mother Sarah was born in Liverpool England the correct spelling as far back as 1740 is Caddock . As a child he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and the family moved to Chicago where he could be treated . Swimming was recommended as part of this treatment and he was given a membership in the local YMCA to facilitate this . During his time at the YMCA young Earl Caddock was exposed to wrestling . After his father was killed in a bizarre accident in which he fell down a manhole , Earl Caddock moved to his uncle ' s farm in Anita , Iowa . He continued to wrestle , and won many local championships . Amateur career . In 1907 Earl Caddock returned to Chicago to enter college . There he received further training from Benny Reubin and joined the Chicago Athletic Association . It was around this time that he met Charlie Cutler and Ernest Kartje , two professional wrestlers . From 1914 to 1915 , Earl Caddock won the AAU Lightheavyweight Championship twice , and the AAU Heavyweight Championship once . Professional career . Through Cutler and Kartje , Caddock was introduced to Frank Gotch and Martin ' Farmer ' Burns who began to train him for Professional wrestling . On June 8 , 1915 Earl Caddock made his professional debut in a match against Jesse Westergaard . His popularity grew and on April 19 , 1917 he defeated Joe Stecher for the World Heavyweight Championship in Omaha , Nebraska . In December 1917 a tournament was held with the winner to be declared World Heavyweight Champion . Caddock walked out of this tournament over promoter Jack Curley ' s refusal to bill him as World Heavyweight Champion . Wladek Zbyszko won the tournament and was declared the new World Heavyweight Champion . The appetite for a match between Caddock and Zbyszko was fierce and on February 8 , 1918 it happened . The result was predictable with Caddock once again becoming World Heavyweight Champion . In August of that year his wrestling career was temporarily put on hold for his service in the World War I . Caddock was discharged from the Army on June 1 , 1919 and he returned to his career in wrestling . The World Heavyweight Championship had changed hands a few times while he was at war and was once again held by Joe Stecher . A match between the two was immediately set . On January 30 , 1920 fans packed Madison Square Garden to see Stecher defeat Caddock . This match was filmed by pioneer cinematographer Freeman Harrison Owens , and is currently the oldest surviving filming of a professional wrestling match . Caddock ' s career continued successfully for the next few years but he wouldn ' t be in another World Title match until 1921 . In January of that year Caddock faced Ed " Strangler " Lewis for the championship . Caddock ' s loss to Lewis in this match resulted in a near riot . Another title match in November against Stanislaus Zbyszko resulted in another failure to recapture the World Heavyweight Championship . Earl Caddock ' s final match took place on June 7 , 1922 . He lost his last bid to regain the World Heavyweight Title to Ed Lewis . Retirement from pro wrestling . After he retired from wrestling Earl Caddock would continue to run his own business which he started while still wrestling . He ran a Ford agency selling cars , tractors and heavy machinery to farmers in Walnut , Iowa . He would also go on to become President of the United Petroleum Corporation . Earl Caddock died in 1950 after major surgery for a heart attack .