The Story of Farmer Barney

Farmer Barney (right) in the ring.

Farmer Barney was born Bohuslav Votypka on the lower east side of Manhattan, New York City.  (The name Bohuslav means “Glory to God” or “Beloved One” in Czech.) His family was originally from Prague, Czech Republic, and moved to Hicksville, Long Island when he was young.

Mild mannered Bohuslav worked as a farmer by day and wrestled as “Farmer Barney” at night. He was Hicksville Athletic Club’s heavyweight champion for many years, and wrestled other champions from all over the world.

Farmer Barney  was a real fighter who practiced wrestling and grappling that is more akin to the mixed martial arts of today, although at times it could be even more brutal.

September 6th, 2012 | Category: about | Comments are closed

Interview with Farmer Barney, 1976

Here is an audio interview with Farmer Barney, conducted by a couple of ladies from the Hicksville historical Society in 1976 as part of the bicentennial celebration.

June 29th, 2026 | Category: news | Comments are closed

Farmer Barney’s new smile

January 25, 1929

Farmer Barney nowadays wears a smile that just won’t come off. No, he did not win from Strangler Lewis. A third son was born Tuesday morning. Alfred Martin is the name of the new wrestler.

January 25th, 1929 | Category: news | Comments are closed

Farmer Barney defeats DeGlane

September 28, 1928

Farmer Barney Votypka wrestled at Montreal Monday evening last, before a crowded house and met and defeated DeGlane, the French heavy weight. The time was 1 hour and 20 minutes. Since joining the big tent shows, the farmer champion has wrestled some of the best on the circuit and during the winter months expects to get into top notch form and will take all the “ big boys” as they come. From all reports the house went “mad” when the local wrestler dumped the Frenchman, who had been winning match after match inMontrealfor the past year, Barney is rematched for a finish bout at the same place Monday.

September 28th, 1928 | Category: news | Comments are closed

Farmer Barney Wins Again

September 14, 1928

An article appearing in the Brooklyn Times Tuesday has this to any of Farmer Barney when he met Abe Coleman in the bouts at Ridgewood Grove Monday evening:

Farmer Barney, who halls from Hicksville, brought with him a delegation from the Island and did not disappoint his following, pinning the shoulders of Abe Coleman, of Brooklyn, to the floor in 20 minutes, Coleman writhed and made a supreme effort to extricate himself from the powerful grasp of Farmer Barney. All the efforts of Coleman were futile, however, and he finally surrendered to the grasp. Farmer Barney tipped the scale at 195, 19 pounds more than Coleman.

September 14th, 1928 | Category: news | Comments are closed
 
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