Sweat, muscles, adorable booties, and for God's sake, spandex. In ancient Greece they even went without the spandex. Try as we may to watch The Ultimate Fighter on Fox — a show which puts a busload of muscle-bound young guys in close quarters with lots of chicken breasts and protein drinks — the suspension bridge of disbelief is sinking into the bay of the homoerotic.
Artists and photographers have long paid homage to the martial arts: Thomas Eakins, George Bellows, Bruce Weber, and a bunch of guys painting plates in ancient times all were riveted by the sight of naked or nearly naked young guys entwined in combat. Then the '80s blew wide open with professional wrestling taking on a cult status. It was showbiz in spandex and a fake tan. And then there is Turkish oil wrestling.
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Hercules and Diomedes in the Palazzo Vecchio: Let's just get this right out there, OK? If you were a mid-century homosexual, you probably had a plaster version of this in your bookcase along with Michelangelo's David. It was a short cut to letting guests in your home know certain things about you. Like that you were an art lover, for example.
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Artists and photographers have long paid homage to the martial arts: Thomas Eakins, George Bellows, Bruce Weber, and a bunch of guys painting plates in ancient times all were riveted by the sight of naked or nearly naked young guys entwined in combat. Then the '80s blew wide open with professional wrestling taking on a cult status. It was showbiz in spandex and a fake tan. And then there is Turkish oil wrestling.
Terra-cotta Painting From Greece: Really old. Please note smiles on faces of wrestling youths.
Groping for Meaning: Fast-forward to the early '80s. Most likely a magazine cover showing that a wrestling winner is not afraid to touch a wiener to win.
Strapped for a Bash: This 1890 image shows early jockstrap prototypes.
That One, That One, and Those Two There, Please: Navy wrestling team, 1930s.
Babes at Sea: Bored on the big boat? No women in sight?
Time for some rasslin'!
Pros, Wrestling: Mid-century photographer and entrepreneur Bob Mizer published wonderful wrestling photos of young men he picked up off the streets.
Lincoln Licks: Watch those big mitts, Abe. ![Reims Collegex633 0]()
Ice Dancers: College high jinks on the frozen pond in Reims.![Universityofoklahome 1936x633 0]()
Show Us What You Got, Boys: The University of Oklahoma Wrestling Team, 1936.
Take One for the Team: National Collegiate Tournament, 1937 ![Pat Paterson Pierre ClemontX633 0]()
It's Pat!: Recently out pro wrestler Pat Patterson (Pierre Clemont) in his salad days.
The Slippery Slope — Turkish Oil Wrestling: I mean, really. (Two athletes help another tie a knot in his leather wrestling shorts before competing in the Turkish oil wrestling event in the western German city of Kassel on June 28, 2009.) ![GettyImages 88827488X633 0]()
Sleight of Hand: Please note, the object is to jam your big paw into the leather shorts of your opponent. ![GettyImages 53148127X633 0]()
Oopsie-Daisy! Looks like someone scored. Once again, are there really any losers here?
Buddy System: I can't. You have to do this one yourself. I have to go lie down for a bit.
At Ease. Obviously a certain amount of camaraderie
is to be expected.
Ready to Rassle: Meet your opponent. Do you feel like winning or losing? (A Turkish oil wrestler poses June 22, 2014, during the 653rd annual Kirkpinar oil wrestling tournament in Sarayici, near Edirne, western Turkey.)
Dirty Boys: Then there is India, where the wrestling takes place in a pit of dirt, just to amp up the kink factor. (Indian wrestlers pose during a training session at Loknath Akhara [wrestling school) in Allahabad on April 19, 2010. Akhara is India's indigenous form of wrestling and was once a royal national sport.)
Oink: Wallowing has its advantages for these Indian wrestlers.
And so a fond farewell and a slight adjustment,
then on to the next match.