Buttan Singh (born 1863; occasionally reported as 'Buttin Singh') was a professional wrestler in Australia, with a catch-as-catch-can style, and billed as one of the 'champion Hindu wrestlers of Australia', and 'champion of the world' by others. Singh was given to be 'a model for the young wrestlers of his day'.
Singh was one of several Australian wrestlers of Indian heritage, from the early 1900s, including Massa Singh (born 1860), and Gunga Brahm (circa 1872–February 1916). At one time he was part of Wirth Brothers Circus' stable of athletes.
Early life
Singh was born in the Punjab region of the British Raj (now India) in 1863.
He arrived in Australia from the Punjab in 1900. While newspapers and documents referred to him and others as 'Hindoo', he was recognised as being of the Sikh religion. It was suggested he was the greatest wrestler India had ever known. Trying to grow the branch of the sport in eastern Australia, he later moved to Western Australia and worked with another Sikh in a hawking business, while continuing to do catch-as-catch-can wrestling.
Wrestling career
Throughout his career, Singh was generally regarded as a polite, quietly-spoken gentleman, especially when compared to the more boastful Brahm. Singh was described as tall and wiry, a commanding figure, deeply-bronzed and very clear skin, white teeth, trimmed moustache, penetrating dark eyes, does not bore with anecdotes, and 'had beaten all the great wrestlers [of the world] except the giant, George Hackenschmidt, and was even prepared to back his comparatively diminutive frame against the colossal strength of Sandow'.
It was reported that Singh did club swinging, weighing up to , which aided his substantial grip. Singh also wore a small silver charm around his neck, from when he was a boy, that he called 'Buttan's Luck'. At one point, Singh was managed by W. H. 'Billy' Williams (–19 July 1929).
1900
On Saturday 9 June 1900 at the Victoria Hall in Melbourne, the best-of-three contest took part between Singh 'of India' and William Pagel (1878–1948) of Germany, stated to be a revival in wrestling. It was reported Singh, lithe and sinewy, weighing , had 'held the belt' against all-comers for many years, winning 82 of 85 matches. Pagal on the other hand was and the 'Champion strong man of Germany'. Two shoulders on the floor at one time constituted a fall. The catch-as-catch-can or Lancashire wrestling rules included for the match were: