# Abraham Lincoln vs John Wilkes Booth **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 24, 2016, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789 "2016-08-24T06:07:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/1 "2016-08-24T06:07:11Z")
So lets imagine for a second. John Wilkes Booth enters the president’s booth intent on assassination. However his pistol fails to fire and Lincoln nocks it out of his hand. The two square off and Lincoln calls off his guard and tells them to leave Booth to him. The two get down to the stage and begin to fight hand to hand. Who wins? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/2 "2016-08-24T06:28:20Z")
Booth wins. At this point, Lincoln was old and quite possibly ill. The war and its worries had sapped his strength, and his family tragedies had also taken a toll. But Booth would not walk away unmarked! ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/3 "2016-08-24T06:43:28Z")
56-year old Lincoln vs. 26-year old Booth, and you ask who’d win? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/4 "2016-08-24T06:48:13Z")
Lincoln was a freakishly strong man with formidable reach, extensive wrestling experience and a frontier upbringing. Booth was a fucking _actor_. My money’s on Abe. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/5 "2016-08-24T07:24:45Z")
I bet on Abraham Lincoln as played by Rex Hamilton. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/6 "2016-08-24T07:34:59Z")
56 is not that old for a former talented wrestler with a fair amount of height (and plausibly weight) advantage to take over a pansy actor whose only skills are stage fighting. Unless he was feeling fairly sickly, no contest. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/7 "2016-08-24T11:30:07Z")
Lincoln takes him easily, eviscerating Booth with the shiv he habitually carried up his sleeve. Mary encourages Abe, cackling wildly. I think most historians would agree. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/8 "2016-08-24T12:57:44Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > 56-year old Lincoln vs. 26-year old Booth, and you ask who’d win? OK. 56 year old Lincoln versus 72 year old Buzz Aldrin when he punched a conspiracy theorist? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/9 "2016-08-24T13:02:32Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Lincoln was a freakishly strong man with formidable reach, extensive wrestling experience and a frontier upbringing. Booth was a fucking _actor_. > > My money’s on Abe. This x1000 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/10 "2016-08-24T13:40:49Z")
[ST:TOS “The Savage Curtain”](http://www.chakoteya.net/StarTrek/77.htm) > [@](#): > > LINCOLN: I fear my clothing is somewhat damaged, but how delightful to discover at my age that I can still wrestle. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/11 "2016-08-24T13:44:30Z")
Lincoln was older and possibly ill but -------- us old farts have some experience and nothing much to lose. I know personally that I’ve taken guys much younger and healthier/stronger. I say its a toss-up with a slight edge to Abe. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/12 "2016-08-24T14:13:07Z")
I give it to Abe. He fought tougher men in his youth. Booth was agile to be sure, but his fighting experience was much more limited. Lincoln had superior reach and even at his age would have Booth crying for his mommy. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/13 "2016-08-24T14:15:27Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > So lets imagine for a second. John Wilkes Booth enters the president’s booth intent on assassination. However his pistol fails to fire and Lincoln nocks it out of his hand. The two square off and Lincoln calls off his guard and tells them to leave Booth to him. The two get down to the stage and begin to fight hand to hand. > > Who wins? Historical Lincoln or vampire slayer Lincoln? ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/14 "2016-08-24T15:34:47Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Historical Lincoln or vampire slayer Lincoln? …or the less well known [zombie killing Lincoln.](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2246549/) Even normal Lincoln I give the edge to based on his demonstrated experience and reach. Booth’s fitness, thanks to youth and avoiding the stress of being President during a civil war, at best keeps him competitive. Booth might score an upset but the odds are on Lincoln. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/15 "2016-08-24T16:29:36Z")
If they tied after regulation, would they go to a shootout? ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/16 "2016-08-24T17:07:03Z")
Okay, so how about Lincoln vs Andrew Jackson? You know, the president who went after an attempted assassin with his walking stick and had to be pulled off the guy. The president who rattled when he walked because of all the dueling bullets in him? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/17 "2016-08-24T17:21:01Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Okay, so how about Lincoln vs Andrew Jackson? You know, the president who went after an attempted assassin with his walking stick and had to be pulled off the guy. The president who rattled when he walked because of all the dueling bullets in him? Andy could take Lincoln, Booth, and 10 five year olds simultaneously leaving an unrecognizable pile of gore. He wouldn’t even muss his flowing mane. I think most historians would agree. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/18 "2016-08-24T17:22:35Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > If they tied after regulation, would they go to a shootout? a sudden death shootout ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/19 "2016-08-24T17:53:04Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Okay, so how about Lincoln vs Andrew Jackson? You know, the president who went after an attempted assassin with his walking stick and had to be pulled off the guy. The president who rattled when he walked because of all the dueling bullets in him? It would be like Batman and the Joker. You’d think that in unarmed combat, the expert in hand-to-hand combat would win easily- but Jackson is just too insane to go down. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789/20 "2016-08-24T17:58:35Z")
If the movies have taught us anything, it’s that Lincoln would have the purity of heart to win. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abraham-lincoln-vs-john-wilkes-booth/763789.md?page=2)