Who has a decent introduction to the "Iowa Cornstalk" for the uninitiated... :)
I know that he was one of the best wrestlers in the world. Long, Lanky, and would go into depression towns and make a killing. He used the figure 4 body scissors and would tie his opponents into knots. Ed Lewis once said that he barely escaped grubmier by the skin of his teeth. Grubmier also used to follow the carnival around and beat the wrestlers. A true shooter, and one of the greatest wrestlers you've never heard of.
Lou Thesz guessed Fred "Grubby" Grubmier to be 6'6" and 180 lbs. but Marcus Griffin who knew Grubby fairly well said that he was actually a more reasonable 6'3" and 200 lbs. He just appeared taller and thinner due to his long, lean build and his sharp, homely features.
The Grubmier story starts in his hometown of Harlan Iowa when a carnival featuring wrestler Marian Plestina came to town. Up until that time Grubby had just "wrestled around on the farm" according to him. He was however so good at it that a well to do neighbor and friend Pete Fromm placed $2,000 on Grubby to beat the talented and well respected PLestina.
Grubby hooked Plestina in short order and the two Harlan Iowa men decided to try it again. They quickly found another carny featuring Karl Pojello and again Grubmier won with ease.
It's not totally clear who came up with the idea for their new career but I've heard it was probably the businessman Fromm who raised and raced harness horses. They would search "Billboard Theatre Magizine" and track the routes of various carnivals. Then Grubby would arrived in town well ahead of the carnival and quickly install himself as the village idiot.
When Lou Thesz first saw him in his "work" clothes he actually thought Grubby to be retarded. Grubby would work the town for awhile until the locals were comfortable that he was a complete fool. Then the carnival would come to town!
When the carny wrestler offered to take on all-comers up would step this poor goofy idiot who was already the new town laughing-stock. With Fromm, who had just rolled into town or at least into view, working the crowd for side bets Grubby would work his magic on the mat.
He was so good that he could often-times make his first victory seem purely an accident! At which time Fromm could usually double the bets! Then after collecting their money they were quickly off in the old Model T they traveled in :)
They were evenually victims of their own success as Grubby became too well known to continue the gig. He then did some worked pro wrestling.
One famous story from this part of Grubby's life involved Wladek Zbyszko the younger brother of the great Stan Zbyszko. Seems the promoter wanted Wladek to wrestle a 30 minute draw with Grubby. Upon seeing Grubby, tobacco juice running down his chin and all, Wladek decided it would be demeaning to draw with this guy and told some of the other wrestlers that he intended to crush Grubby ;) oops....
The bell rang and Grubby quickly took Wladek (who would later grapple a 15 minute draw with Helio Gracie!) to the canvas face first which is where he stayed for 30 minutes, getting his faced rubbed into the mat! Grubby got a smile out of it, Wladek got an education and the promoter got his draw :)
Later Wladek trying to be a bit of a gentleman about it entered the dressing room with his chest stuck out and announced something to the effect of "Mr. Grubmier you are one hell of a wrestler!" Grubby, who was relaxing with a nice big "chaw" drew back with something to the effect of " Naw, ain't neither, but then neither are you."
