Title History
Career Highlights
- Tom Jenkins was a steel worker who lost one of his eyes in a fireworks accident and was very strong..
- President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him as the boxing & wrestling trainer at West Point Military Academy (for 37 years)..November 7, 1901 – Tom Jenkins wins the American Heavyweight Championship by defeating Dan McLead.
December 26, 1902 – Dan McLead beats Tom Jenkins in Worcester, MA, to regain the American Heavyweight Championship. Jenkins took the first fall at 59:00. He lost the second fall, and forfeited the match and the title in the third fall due to a leg injury, which was later revealed to be blood poisoning.
February 22, 1903 – Tom Jenkins defeats Frank Gotch in Cleveland, OH (Jenkins’ hometown).
April 3, 1903 – Tom Jenkins defeats Dan McLead in Buffalo, NY, in two straight fals to regain the American Heavyweight Championship.
January 27, 1904 – Frank Gotch defeats Tom Jenkins in Bellingham, WA, to win the American Heavyweight Championship for the first time. Gotch took the first fall, and Jenkins got disqualified in the second fall for fouling Gotch.
February 2, 1905 – Tom Jenkins is very heavily criticized by his hometown press for “running out of gas” late in his unsuccessful title challenge against Frank Gotch. Jenkins took the first fall, but Gotch swept the final two.
March 15, 1905 – Tom Jenkins defeats Frank Gotch at Madison Square Garden to regain the American Heavyweight Championship. It was Jenkins’ record third time winning the Championship.
May 5, 1905 – George Hackenschmidt thoroughly dominates Tom Jenkins in two straight falls at Madison Square Garden in a match to crown the first ever World Catch-as-Catch-Can Heavyweight Champion. This match is the origin of the World Heavyweight Title in the United States.
May 19, 1905 – In the crowning moment of his career, Tom Jenkins comes back two weeks after getting destroyed by Hackenschmidt, and defeats Frank Gotch for the American Heavyweight Championship.. Jenkins took the first fall, lost the second, and came back and won the third fall. Frank Gotch had to be carried from the ring because of being so exhausted.
May 23, 1906 – Frank Gotch defeats Tom Jenkins to regain the American Heavyweight Championship.
- 1957: Tom Jenkins passed away..
- July 15, 2006: Tom Jenkins was inducted into the International Wrestling Museum Hall of Fame in Newton, Iowa..
- 2008: Tom Jenkins inducted into The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2008.