The Washington times., 1905-02-26
THRICE GOTCH
CONQUERS GRANT
Champion Wrestler Proves
Wonderfully Fast.
HAD LEG HOLDS TO BURN
Washingtonian Showed Up Finely.
Work Took Only Half
Hour.

Frank Gotch. the champion wrestler
OF America, threw Joe Grant, the crack
Washington middieweight, three times
IL. less than half an hour at the Wash
ington Light Infantry Armory last
night, before a crowd of 1,2eo.
While the match was not long and the
local man lost, It was probably the best
exhibition Of the kind ever seen in this
city, and net with a highly enthusiastic
reception. The first fall was gained in
IL minutes 80 seconds, the second IN
Il minutes rs seconds, and the third in s
minutes.
Fastest Ever.
Gotch Is the fastest wrestler. Dig or
little, who has ever appeared in this
city. He weighed 1872 pounds. but moved
Ike a featherweight 'parior' boxer.
His attack IS remarkably direct and
swift, and when he has his man on the
mat his action when he wishes TO re-
verse his position Is remarkably speedy.
He turns around with a tee-totum mo-
ton. which is hard to follow, and when
his gyrations have ended he generally
has a dangerous hold on his opponent.
Grant has learned the knaef of weak
ening a man by bending his instep out
ward, and has used 1t with disastrous
results on most of his opponents. but
last night he met man who knew even
more about that than he did, and it was
the use of this little device which pi;f
him In bad before the match Ind gone
three minutes. Gotch began on the
toe and kept working until it seemed
that the Washington man must give W
at once. but he managed to wriggle
ont of Ioa grin ePJaTai times.
New Scissors.
Another speciality OF Grant has been
leg holds. but last night he was uT
against a bunch OF scissors new TO niTn
and which kept him guessing. Whenever
Gotch wanted TO become real sassy ne
would whirl around in the air couple
of times and wind uD with his knees
gripping his opponents neck with q
half nelson. These holds were beautiful
to see, and had there been any special
reason for ii Gotch could have made
several of them effective Gotch also
knew thing or two which Grant had
never struck before about the use OF the
knees and when these little specialttes
were brought into play by man-welgh-
ing 1872 pounds they counted for much
; But because Grant lost 1t should nol
bc said that he did not makea gooe
showing or do first-ctass work he was
beaten by the weight, combined witr
skill based on superior experience gained
by travelling around the country. His
defense was as good as any wrestlei
could have put up against the same
odds, ard he was warmly congratulated
! by his many friends.
Many Hammerloeks.
| The strength of the champion enabled
| him to stand Grant on his head, grip hi:
toes, bend the instep. and fish for arm
| holds that meant a fall. But he allowed
Grant to struggle out of several of these
and then tried hammerlocks. Joe coult
/ not avoid getting into trouble whei
/ these tactics were used. and there Is nj
doubt ttat Goteh could have broken hi
arm had 1t been necessary to do SO II
order TO win the match.
The first fall was gained by a hammer
| lock. On their second appearance Gotci
/ weTlt at once to leg holds and stoot
Grant upon his head until that youna
man saw stars. Twice Joe broke ham
meriocks and spun out of two tigh
places by clever work, but application o
the Toe treatment. combined with hal
nelson, gained the second fall.
Gave Grant Chance.
The third fall was a joke. Gotch de
cided to let Grant have a chance at tn
offensive work and the crowd enjoye
the sight. Grant is a clever wrestie
and has great strength but he c,sui
no more throw Gotch off his feet than h
could push over the Monument. tn
| champion simply hoped around on on
foot. and when he did finally so to tn
mat IL was done voluntarily. In fe'
seconds he shook Grant off like a chile
regained his feet, threw the Washing
tonian to the mat and with a scissor
or the neck and lialf-nelson downed hiT
in six minutes.
After the match Gotch highly conpl
mented Grant, saying that he was th
best man at his weight he ever saw, an
adding that many men who weighe
more and called themselves champfo
of this or that class had refused to mes
him, while Joe. weighing thirty pound
less than the champion of the countr.
had not hesitated 20 accept an engag'
ment Joe replied in a few words. sa,
| ing that he had done the best he coult
but had realized that he had bee
against a game too strong for q man {
his avoirdupois.
Gallagher Broke Arm.
In the preliminary between Jac
spauiding and Walter Gallagher. Gall:
CHER again came to grief. He WE
thrown heavily on his side while fisl1in
; for hold, and broke his arm. He ws
taken to the Emergency Hospital an
the arm was set. a collection was take
I'D for him by Manager Noah and Ji
Boxweif and 1t netted about $50
Cisye Beckett and Charles Niece
mick had it not and heavy. McCormic
gained the first fall in six minutes. al
lost the second in one minute tweIN
seconds. Mccormick then took a brat
!; and won the third fall in six minutes.
pIouc T0R0ccAN tn