Huggins' preferred medium was painting on white millboard from pencil outlines. Painted on millboard, "The Wrestlers" was probably executed over the course of three evenings. He usually painted on millboard, re-using the reverse for fresh paintings. Outerbridge incorporated the Agasote Millboard Company in 1909 to produce a high-density fiberboard. By 1897, they were producing asbestos paper and millboard for electrical insulation and welding shields.