bushnstache: Wrestling

“Alright, let’s see a lift,” Roy said. “Ric—easy now.”

Ric braced. “Hh—yeah… got you—”

“Whoa—whoa—I need to come down!” Turk laughed.

They slipped into a tangle—safe, but not where intended. Roy didn’t hesitate—click.

Turk barked a laugh. “Perfect,” Roy grinned. “I couldn’t’ve planned that any better.”

1. Ric Dreslin aka Jean-Claude and Turk (not sure if this is labeled correctly or which is which??) (close and personal)

Wrestling shows up again and again in mid-century physique photography—studios, backyards, open fields, even mountaintops. It starts innocently enough: a classic, all-American sport with deep roots, a perfectly acceptable excuse for close contact between men.

2. Unknown Models photographed by Edmund Desbonnet (taking support)

3. Fred Degroot and Dan Lurie (not sure this is ID'd right, is this a Townsend photo??) (big dipper)

4. Unknown Models (I suspect photographer is either Frederick Kovert or Al Urban??)

But over time, that line begins to blur. The holds linger a little longer, the bodies press a little closer, and the camera leans in. What begins as competition starts to feel like something else entirely—something the audience clearly recognized and kept coming back for.

5. Andy Buck (dark hair) and Bob Delmonteque (blonde) (headlock)

6. Brian Lambrill (dark hair) and Tibor Urgay (curly blonde hair)

7. Al Abijian (dark hair) and Bob Poling (blonde)

There’s humor in it too. Play, roughhousing, a kind of male bonding that makes closeness feel allowed. For me, that’s always been part of the appeal—the way a headlock or a half nelson could stand in for something softer, without ever having to say it.

8. Bud Counts (below) and Pepper Gomez (above) (on the beach)