The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-02-07
NAT TOURNAMENT
To FIX TITLES
Wants GraecO-ROman Cham
pionship Decided.
PARKER THREW R0EBER
Joe Grants Next Opponent Downed
Man Who Held Title-Herrick
Challenges Middleweights.

Wrestling Is attracting more attention
now than it has for a number OF years
The catch-as-eate Il-ean style has a
legitimate champion in Frank Gotch,
the Iowan, who has fought his way to
the front and has won his title by twice
beating Tom Jenkins, who was the ac~
kncwiedged holder Of the hcnors, In
the Graceo-Roman style there is more
doubt about the champion at present.
In this connection it is remembered
that Harry Parker, who is to meet Joe
Grant at the Washington Light tnfan-
try Armory on FEBRUARY 10. IS one OF
the claimants for the American heavy
weight Graeco-Roraan championship, al
though he has always chained TO De
wefteFweight. Parker has remarkable
strength for d man of his size, and de-
spite the fact that he Is now a middle
weight IL would not have been thought
that ne could defeat such redoubtab bic
wrestler as Ernest RoebeF, VINO was me
champion at that style, but he did turn
the trick, and claims that he Is as good
now as he was then
Wants Tournament.
Charlie Leonhardt of Newark. who
is well known as a Graeco-Roman ex-
pert, is out with a proposition to hold a
tournament TO settle the Graeco-Roman
and catch-as-catch-can championship of
America. Since Billy Muldoon retired
several years ago there have been many
claimants for the Graeco-Ronan title.
Ernest Roeber took the honors. and NO
one disputed the fact for several years
until some of the big Turks made their
appearance in this country After a good
deal Of persuasion Roeber was induced
TO enter into match Strange TO say,
not one of the contests III winch lie
figured ended satisfactorily The AFFAIRS
would be either stopped by Roeber 1all-
ing from the stage and inJuring himself
in some mysterious manner or by the
police interfering just when Roebef was
in imminent danger of losing his 1anreIs-
Eventually. Roeber got into a match
with a real wrestler named Been Olsen.
of Sweden Olsen made RoepeFt quit
after one fail
at Boston Olsen IS practically the
American champion "a this style, ana
George Hackenschn7idt the world
cha nlpion.
Helrick Challenges.
Frank HeTrick. assistant wrestling in
strI ctor at the New York A. c, has just
received word that an uncle OF his has
died in Boston leaving him S1o,000. How
ever it will be at least two years be
fore Herrick will receive the money, as
there is some litigation over his late
unt.le.s estate which is now pending IN
the courts. Herrlck intends 10 stick 70
wrestling and announces his intention OF
meeting any niddieWeight- at catch-aS-
eatcf1-can rules for d side pet ana a
purse. Eerrick thinks that this methQd
IS the best way 10 prove to the pubnc
that the matches he engages in are
When George Haekenschmidt, the
Russian Lion. comes TO America IN
April he intends TO introduce a novelty
in the way of arranging matches Here
fofore WreStIeFs were never required to
post any foFfeits for appearance or as a
guarantee that they will wrestle IN &C
cordance with the rules, etc Wherever
the Russian has appeared IN the past
he has always attracted d large crowd
His opponents know this and are glad
Of the chance to meet him, for besides
being assured of = good advertisement
they know that they will get literally
paid for their services. Many have
abused this by laying down after going
few minutes, turning what looked IKE q
good match into q farce. Consequently
and in some quarters he was accused Of
fooiing his friends and admirers In
recent interview in Australia Hacken-
schmidt had this 10 say relative TO the
practice:
Must Be en- Level.
Il have always looked upon some
wrestIers as being square, but lately my
experiences have taught me otherwise.
: 1t took me many years to attain the
position / now hold as q wrestler, and
I am not going to lose it just TO satisfy
the WiliTnS of any particular man. When
] go TO America, which [ hope will be
fin the spring. / viii compel every one
OF my adVersarieS to post a sum OF
money 10 prove that they wish to
TreStle in q manner befitting their abil-
ity and strength. The public must be
protect ed, and / am not going to let
any man do as he likes in this respect
OF course, don't blame any person
for quitting when ne is oYermatched. To
encourage honest wrestling there must
8 be some kind ola penalty. and a forfeit