Famous Fighters Trivia Quiz

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

When Lincoln settled in New Salem, Illinois, he promptly found himself in a wrestling match with one Jack Armstrong, the ringleader of a local group called the Clary's Grove Boys. Accounts of the contest differ; some say he beat Armstrong handily, others say the match was called a draw, though Armstrong acknowledged that Lincoln was "the better man" and backed the Great Emancipator for militia captain in 1832. According to biographer David H. Donald, Lincoln later invoked his physical prowess in the Black Hawk War when a group of his soldiers wanted to hang an Indian bearing a "certificate of good character".

The young captain offered to fight any man in the company in the Indian's defense. As Lincoln stood a head taller than most men of his time and carried his martial reputation into the service, his soldiers wisely deferred.

Answer: Teddy Roosevelt

Teddy Roosevelt had more than a passing interest in judo. He trained three days a week while president, and became the first American to earn a brown belt in the Japanese martial art. He would even go so far as to demonstrate judo during state funtions, as an ambassador from Switzerland once found out in a harsh physical way! Roosevelt didn't just pick on diplomats, though - he once sparred with boxing champion John L. Sullivan in the White House gym.

Answer: Ernest Hemingway

Though usually one to gently educate other writers about boxing, Hemingway's most storied sparring match came in 1929 when he got rougher than usual with Canadian writer Morley Callahan. Though Hemingway was much bigger than the unassuming, pudgily-built Callahan, the Canadian was a well-schooled fighter, and ended up hurting the Nobel Prize-winning Hemingway badly when Hemingway got a bit out of hand.

Hemingway friend and boxing novice F. Scott Fitzgerald was timekeeper of the bout, and let the first round go an extra minute that saw Hemingway taste the canvas. According to some sources, Hemingway never forgave Fitzgerald.

Answer: Elvis Presley

Elvis earned his black belt at Fort Campbell, KY in 1960, and would work with many of the most respected karate figures in the United States, including Kempo pioneer Ed Parker. He was granted an eighth-degree black belt by Memphis karate instructor Kang Rhee in 1974, and would often incorporate karate into his live shows.

Answer: Elvis Stojko

Stojko began studying karate at age 10, earning his black belt by 16. The 1993 film "Dragon" about Kung Fu legend Bruce Lee inspired Stojko to use his martial arts background in his skating, and his silver medal performance in the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics made good use of the "Dragon" score.

Answer: Miles Davis

In his 1989 autobiography "Miles" (with Quincy Troupe), Davis recounted how McQuillen at first rejected him, saying that drug use had made Miles "pitiful". This inspired Davis to get off dope. As a boxer, Davis would also spend a great deal of time with legendary fighter Sugar Ray Robinson, who became something of a behavioral role model for Miles.

The musician would come to regret this; even though Robinson's cold, cocky, disciplined demeanor may have been a key to his success, its emulation served to drive Miles away from many of the most important people in his life.

Answer: James Brown

James Brown fought from 1953 to 1955, but gave it up after suffering a leg injury playing semipro baseball; thankfully for music fans, his more prominent career was just beginning to take off. Even after he quit the ring, the Godfather of Soul's association with the sweet science did not completely end.

His band gave a great performance at the festival celebrating the 1974 Ali-Foreman fight in Zaire, and Brown's appearance in 1985's "Rocky IV" (featuring the hit "Living in America") reinvigorated his career.

Answer: Vladimir Putin

Without exaggeration, Putin is an acknowledged master of judo. He authored a book on the martial art in 2004, and has given seminars in judo at the Kodokan Institute, widely regarded as the center of the judo world. Putin's best known technique is his "harai goshi", a sweeping hip throw.

Answer: George Washington

Apparently, Washington's enthusiasm for wrestling did not diminish through his adulthood. While Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, Washington is said to have thrown seven Massachusetts volunteers successively during a lull in the more lethal fighting. Of course, it is entirely possible that the brave men of Massachusetts were reluctant to show up Washington, who by all accounts--even those of his British contemporaries--was an exceptionally benevolent commander.

Answer: Lenny Bruce

Pryor was a paid sparring partner in the early 1960s; in his own words, he usually got the fighters whose wives had just left them. In the mid-1970s, Pryor fought an exhibition against Muhammad Ali, whose trash talking during the referee's instructions left Pryor deathly afraid that the great fighter was having a "Joe Frazier flashback". In the 1920s, Bob Hope fought in the midwest under the name Packy East with mixed results; he would later ham up his fighting experience onstage with heavyweight great Jack Dempsey. Buddy Hackett boxed in his teens under the name "Butch Hacker" while working the "Borscht Belt" as an apprentice comedian. As he recalled one of his sparring sessions: "They paid me three dollars so a guy could try to kill me for three rounds. He woulda killed me, too, if I didn't have that piece of pipe in my glove." Lenny Bruce didn't box; his most memorable fights came inside the courtroom during his censorship trials of the 1960s.

As always, I'd love to hear any comments or corrections you might have, especially those that will make this a better quiz. Thanks for playing.