William Press

William Press studied at the Borough Polytechnic (now the London South Bank University) and was a versatile all-round sportsman at the turn of the 20th Century. He was a diver, athlete, boxer, swimmer, water polo player and top-class wrestler.

As an athlete, Press competed in cross-country races and road walking for Cambridge Harriers, and as a diver, took part in the National Graceful Diving Championship between 1905-09. Press also swam, and played water polo, for the Borough Polytechnic team for at least eight years. Between 1907-14 he competed in the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) Championships on various occasions. It was as a wrestler, however, that he was better known.

Press took up wrestling in 1899 and within his first year had won the Northampton Institute open championship. He was runner-up in the bantamweight division at the prestigious German Wrestling Association’s annual championship three years in succession, and was the Swiss Open champion during that period. In 1905 Press was beaten by Emil Zeck in the final of the inaugural British Bantamweight Championship, when he refused to continue to fight after more than an hour in the ring. Press won the title in 1906, however, and in Olympic year, reached the semi-final. Selected for the 1908 London Games, he reached the bantamweight final, losing to George Mehnert of the USA. After the bout, the American victor offered his hand to Press, who refused to shake it, and walked away disgruntled.