Martin Burns (February 15, 1861 – January 8, 1937) was an American world wrestling champion "catch-as-catch-can" wrestler as well as wrestling coach and teacher. Born in Cedar County, Iowa he started wrestling as a teenager and made money traveling around the Midwest wrestling in carnivals and fairs. As a professional he claimed the American Heavyweight Championship by defeating Evan "Strangler" Lewis in 1895 and held the title for two years. Martin Burns himself claimed to have wrestled in more than 6,000 matches and is said to have lost only seven. After the end of his active wrestling career he started a successful wrestling school in Omaha and later coached Cedar Rapids\' Washington high school to the very first Iowa high school state wrestling tournament title. He died in Council Bluffs in 1937. In 2001 Martin "Farmer" Burns was inducted into the International Wrestling Institute and Museum Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2002. The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame inducted Martin Burns in 2003.\n', '

Martin Burns was born on February 15, 1861, in a log cabin on a farm in Cedar County, Iowa. Growing up amidst the Civil War, Burns was exposed at an early age to the sport of wrestling, which was a preferred activity among the soldiers while stationed in camp. Consequently, the sport’s popularity further increased during the 1860s, and many historians also speculate that the added interest may be due to the fact that President Abraham Lincoln had himself been a champion wrestler in his younger years (it is documented that Lincoln once beat the Louisiana State Champion in New Salem, LA in 1831).[citation needed]\n', '

Burns wrestled impromptu matches as a child; and at age 8, he tossed an older rival to claim a fifteen cent prize. His father died when he was 11, leaving him to support his mother, brother, and five sisters. To earn money, Burns worked at a nearby farm for $12 per month; and while he received little schooling, it was this physical labor that enabled Burns to develop his tremendous physical strength. He also spent time working in grading camps, where he competed in regular competitions against rugged strongmen. However, while these men focused on brute strength, Burns spent much time meticulously perfecting the strategies and techniques of catch wrestling, which is a grappling style where various holds and tactics are used with the intent to either submit or pin both opponent’s shoulders to the ground at once. Therefore, the combination of Burns’ superior conditioning, intellect, and advanced skill made him a nearly unbeatable wrestling opponent.\n', '

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