The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-07-02
.ALLDRfDGE is VICTOR
Defeats Frank Gotch, Champion of
Iowa and Western States, in a
Match in Leon Friday Night.


Werdens opera house Friday night
Gotch had, through the Des Moines
Register and Leader offered to make
match with Alldredge for a good side
bet and the gate receipts, agreeing to
throw him three straight falls, or for
felt the match and money. This he
failed to do, as Alldredge easily won the
second fall.
The hall was crowded, standing room
being sold, there being between five and
SIX hundred people in the house, about
80 ladies witnessing the match. Man
ager Van Werden says there was more
money in the house than at a single en-
tertainment ever held in tho city, be-
ing something over $500.
The curtain was raised a few minutes
before 10 o'clock and referee w. c.
Stempel who has refereed all the
matches held in Leon with entire salts
! faction, announced the terms of the
MATCH $500 a side, the winner to re-
ceive rs and the loser 25 per cent of the
gate receipts, Gotch agreeing to. throw
Alldredge three straight falls, and if
Alldredge secured. a single fall he won
the match. He also announced that
MIR. Gotch claimed the title OF western
champion and would wager $1,000 that
he could throw any man in America.
He said Mr.. Alldredge needed no intro
duction to the audience, and when he
introduced Gotch he was greeted with
loud applause. G. M. Axes and E.
Housh We're selected at timekeepers.
| Gotch looked to be in the pink of
condition, while it was we'll known
fact that Alldredge had been sick and
under the care of a doctor, having con-
| In a,.to NJ h,,u
Il week before and remaining in the
water too long. Gotch said he weighed
1876 pounds, but he looked to be quite
bit heaxier. Alldredege weighed right
around 1870 pounds.
The big fellows stepped to the center
Of the mat when time was called and
shook hands, and then they wore at it,
Gotch confident of defeating Alldredge,
while Alldredge was on the defensive,
very cautious and trying to find out the
tactics OF his opponent, getting away
| from number of good holds secured by
Gotch, and winning great applause by
his cleyerness, especially when Gotch
had him high in the air and endeavor-
ed to throw him to the mat on his
| shoulders, but Alldredge turned like
cat and alighted on his hands and knees.
GOtch worked hard and fast and finally
secured back arm and half Nelson and
after working for several minutes finally
forced Alldredge's shoulders to the mat
and secured the first fall, time 19
minutes and 20 seconds.
| The men were to have ten minutes
between falls, but on account of the
mat, being ripped in couple of places,
it was necessary to sew it up and this
took an extra five minutes, and then
they were at it again. This time it was
different with Alldredge. He went at
Gotch very fast and kept the big fellow
going all over the mat, breaking his
holds with ease and trying to secure
fall. Alldredge forced the work all
through the bout, and finally secured
hold to his liking which started in a fast
dive and ended with an English cross
| lock with bar Nelson, and then he had
his 1nan. Inch by inch, with the vast
audience in breathless suspense he
forced down Gotch's bridge, slowly but
surely, and when referee Stempel finally
said down" the vast audience went
wild Men climbed on the stage and
put Alldredge on the shoulders and
carried him around the stage, while
everybody in the hall was yelling them
selves hOarse.
| IlHuclHOiliuu IclSllcu lOE ScNcfdl
minutes, and was only quieted when
Gotch wanted to speak. When the
to the front of the stage and said the
match had been won by good man, a
great deal better man than he had an
! ticipatcd finding. That he was a most
promising young athlete from whom
great things could be expected, and
that he would be better still as he met
more good wrestlers. He ended by
saying he was willing to again make a
match with Alldredge for two in three
or three in five falls for $3.50 side.
| Then Alldredgc was called out, and
after thanking the audience for their
kindly feelings said he would accept
Gotchs challenge for some time in the
future, but he would have to wait until
after his coming match with Farmer"
| Burns, which was to have been held at
Des Moines July 1st, but had to be
postponed on account of the sickness of
Burns, who is sick with malarial fever
and pneumonia.
1t was great match and everybody
J got their moneys worth. Gotch is a
splendid specimen of an athlete, and
very quick for man of his size, by long
odds the best man Alldredge has yet
gone against. In match with Tom
Jenkins, the worlds champion, at Cleve-
land, Ohio, Gotch was thrown after they
had wrestled two hours and eighteen
minutes. 1t talking before the match
Gotch confidently said that in case
Alleredge should be fortunate enough
to win fall he would guarantee the
time would not be less than one hour,
and would wager any amount that no
man could throw him in less than an
hour. The ease with which Alldredge
threw him in a little over nine minutes
was great surprise to Gotch as we'll
as to the local admirers of Mr.. All
dredge, for it has been fully denonstrat-
cd he is one of the best wrestlers that
ever stepped upon the mat, and we do
not think there is man living who can
defeat him. AT the end OF the first fall
Gotch was badly winded and everyone
noticed how much haitian wind A H.