The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-01
A TALK WITH A WRESTLER.
Andre Christols Matches, Defeats and Vic
tories-A Struggle with Cuttlefish.

Among the side-show attractions at the fair
grounds was Andre Christol, VINO, few years
ago, introduced Greco-Roman wrestling into
this country, and who, for a time, created great
Juror. Last week he was one of galaxy of
muscular stars in Wlggins's show everybody
knows Virgins, who is credited with being as
fair fakir as ever drove "a tent-stake), and the
wonder was how the redOubtabe wrestler came
to get as low as ten cents admission. The
reporter was favored with introduction to
ChristOl, who is the genuine athlete, and talk
began The wrestler is not above five feet six
inches in height, very dark as to complexion,
with large musuache as black asstoye-poiish.
he is n Frenchman born in Marseilles, and his
speech has a strong French accent. 81 am
thirtyseven years old. said ChrIstol, land came
TO this country in 1873 1 am a baker by trade;
my father was farmer. My father was
strong man; mother was strong, too. 1 have
brother stronger than 1 am. All my family
were very strong. All the boys in Marselles
wrestle Gr8eo-Roman style, and when
L was fifteen years old there
could throw me. When I was seventeen I wres-
tied in Espagne and Italia. In 1867 | wrestled
at the Paris Exposition one of the masQued
wrestlers, and peat them all. so in Belgium. /
brought the art of Graco-Roman wrestling to
this country. My first match with William
Miller. That was at the Grand Opera-house in
and wrestled until o'clock in the m0rning.
That was for $500, and called a draw. 1
wonld have won, but the umpire was against
me- determined l should not win. l worked at
a bakery in Boston for while. and before
wrestled that match 1 was a winner at Long
Branch, and one dav swan f. Il miles I was
called the Mysterious Fren, Everybody
thought had drowned, as swan out so far and
was so long gone"
What are the points of GrRco-Roman wre5-
tling7'
"In Grace Roman one is not to catch below
the wais5, there is no tripping, no gouge, no
bite, and the two shoulders, 10 make fair fall,
must both touch the ground at the same time.
IN catch-as-catch-can everything goes, except
bite ana gouge."
"What is your weight"
Zone hundred and fifty pounds; around my
neck is seventeen and half inches, my chest is
iorty,three inches, my biceps muscle sixteen and
a half inches"
The reporter felt of his arm. 1t was hard as
hickory knot
81 next wrested with and defeated Theobald
Bauer, the Alsatian, in 1875; with Vim. Helix
ster, the Oak of the Rhine in 1876, at Mwau
kee, and defeated him in three straight falls.
wrestled with Pana, the Greek, i'll California
(nis weight is $50 pOunds), and beat him. His
leg was hurt in the match, and took the money,
$3.50 II side. was a miner in Montana in 1873.
| wrestled there with John Cody, the Colorado
wrestler, collar and elbow and catch-as-catch-
can, $3.50 side, and beat him two straight falls.
In $40 joined VIM. MuldOon, the New York
policeman, and travelled over the West, Civ
ing exhibitions of the Gr8co-Roman style. My
last match was in Lowell, Mass, in December,
1882, with Wehli. He is six feet two inches
high. We wrestled catch-as-catch-c can, and
boat him."
In wrestling. Christol is rs active as o cat. A
man OF twice his strength, If thereis such
samson, might wear himself out in attempt
to put him upon his back He be taken up
in ones arms and twisted about in every con-
ceivable way, and yet always alight upon his
feet.
az have never been beaten" said Christoi
"though have always wrestled with men who
were larger and much heavier than myself,
| some weighing much as a hundred pounds
more. Wrestling has passed a novelty, but
some day 1t may he revived again and be made
to pay. L forgot 10 tell you OF one wrestle had
once with little fellow who came very near
beating me. IL was when was Young man.
was a diver in the Mediterranean for sponge.
How long did stay under water2 One minute,
but this time l stay two minutes and half
That was when have my wrestle with that lit
tie fellow. 1t was not GTeco- Roman, but catch
as catch-can. had dived and was cutting
sponge off rock when felt something soft and
cold my leg. 1t was one of the arms of a cut
tie fish. tried to pull it off, buG it fastened all
the tighter, and failed to unlOOse its grip. 1t
was terrible, but made great effort and man
aged at last to pull it off and get away. Mon
Dieul it was a hard struggle And that little
fellow didn't weigh, think, more than twenty
pounds. But he was in his element, and had
never been trained for submarine wrestling"