Hüseyin Pehlivan from Tekirdag

 

Hüseyin Alkaya, known as Hüseyin Pehlivan from Tekirdağ, was born in 1908 in the village of Alkaya in Kırcaali. Hüseyin Pehlivan, who started wrestling at the age of 14, immigrated to Turkey with his family in 1927 and settled in Tekirdağ. He used the name of the village where he was born as his surname. Hüseyin Pehlivan, who defeated all his rivals in the wrestling organized by the Istanbul Community Center in 1935, became famous to the world by beating 4 wrestlers, whom the French did not know as rivals, in 15 minutes against 30 thousand Frenchmen in France in the same years. Hüseyin Pehlivan intimidated the British and French not only in his own country, but also abroad with his success. The foreign states, who were disturbed by his success in the competitions, even offered him a bribe in return for his defeat. At this point, Hüseyin Pehlivan challenged the French and the British with those unforgettable words by displaying his stance: "I don't understand that, friend, the loser drinks soda."

 

He was Kırkpınar chief wrestler for 8 years between 1935 and 1942. A statue was built in the name of Hüseyin Pehlivan, who passed away on February 10, 1982, in Tekirdağ/Süleymanpaşa Cumhuriyet Square, and a primary school was named after him.