Frank Gotch
Frank Alvin Gotch was the first American professional wrestler to win the world heavyweight freestyle championship, and credited for popularizing professional wrestling in the United States. He competed back when the contests were largely legit , and his reign as World Heavyweight Champion is one of the ten longest in the history of wrestling. He became one of the most popular athletes in America from the 1900s to the 1910s.
The son of Frederick Rudolph and Amelia Gotch, and of German ancestry, he was born and raised on a small farm three miles south of Humboldt, Iowa. He took up wrestling in his teens, earning a reputation by beating locals. He adopted the toe hold as his signature finishing move.
Source: Wikipedia