The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-19
WRESTLING
Complex Question Of Deciding Champion.
ships In Different Glasses Discussed.

Lately there has been constant demand
for d tournament 70 decide the championships
10 the various wrestling classes ut catcha as
catc' can and Grpoo- Roman style. So many
grapplers claim to be at the head OF the differ
ent divisions that the question is becoming Il
complex one and difficult OF decision. In
the last five years a,number of Greco- Roman
experts have arrived In this country from
abroad. contendng that they are the premiers
OF certain countries In Europe. on the
strength OF such assertions they have no
trouble In securing matches. with the result
that the mat has more worlds champions at
both styles than the public can keep track of.
AZ soon az an American grappler. or at least
a wrestler who makes his homo in the United
States, defeats one OF these athletes. he tacks
20 bis name the much sought for title, and
keeps on defending It, even after he has been
defeated
John Plening, the Butcher Boy In all
his matches with foreign wrestlers. announces
that the contests are for the worlds honors
at Greco-Roman style. asserting that he
Is the rightful leader under these rules PIE
ming. however forgets that the glory In TINS
direction belongs 10 George Hackenschmidt,
who defeated him In less than q minute when
Piening was touring Europe years ago. II
anything. Bech Olsen Of Sweden Is the real
Grmco- Roman heavyweight champion OF
America, nANlng thrown Ernest AOtDtT lot
the title at Madison Square Garden before
Roeber had any idea OF retiring. Later on
Roeber was defeated by Harvey Parker at
Boston, and since then Hackenschmidt has
taken olsen's measure.
Tho honors at catch as catch can seem
to be in dispute Just now. and 1t Is hard ask
10 define who are the heads OF the various
classes, because very few of the matches
decided are held at correct weights. Az
in boxing there are SIX divisions in wrestling
This. OF course. applies TO the professionals
Among tho amateurs there Is slight differ
ence because special classes are lhlroduced
when opponents come between two divisions
aud are unable to make the proper weight.
Nowadays there are very Few bantam
or eatherNei eight vrestlers, because the game
has no charms for the little men. The light
weight class IL fairly well filed, as is the vel
terwoisht, ,middleweIght and heavyweight,
the best among the i22-pounders: Until
his defeat by Eugene Trembhy at Montreal
George BothnneT was regarded as the leader Der
can Harvey Parker for long time held
the fort az the best catch as catch can vel
terweight, until he was vanqulshed by Alex
swanson Of Sweden, who by the way. Is a
former pupil OF Bothner Ed Atherton OF
buffalo came IN for praise az the best mid
be ln and Frank Gotch OF the same
CITY Is ackno wledged as the best heavy
weight at this style by virtue Of his victories
In England there are any amount OF ex-
ceiicpt cate as -cHtCh-can Iuef.. namely
Peter Bannon. who was In New York few
years ago and Tho ia a I.iedleweight Joe
Carroll heavyweight. Toki Yam. the Jap.
a lightweight and Joe Miller, featherweight:
Tom Cannon, although an old man. has proved
Ma worth az q Graco- Roman beavywegh
He can wrestle at the other style but prefers
Ia grapple under the rules that do not per-
NIT holds below the belt. In America
Charles Leonhardt OF Newark Is considered
tho best middleweight at Gr@co- Roma n.
There are few other wrestlers 4 this style
oil rtb n IT
either style In Turkey catch as Ca oh can
Ia in more favor than Grace Roman. although
the matches decided there are mostly under
the latter rules. The Turks are mostly big
fellows and depend more on strength than
science To beat their antagonists. The late
Youssuf did not know much about cat has
catch-can when he came TO America, but he
soon acquired fair idea OF the rules and
wrestled several times IN this manner, Noural-
lah. who came after YQussuf. and who Is
Just as big proportionately as foussuf. knew
a lot about CATCH rs catch can and defeated
Tom Jenkins under this code.
IL Ia proposed that when vrestlers are
engaged in q tussle for a championship, at
either style. they shall be compelled to
come 70 the weight that the limit OF the class
requires This, however, is rarely done
Consequently the followers Of the sport have
no idea who Ia who at the different weights.
George Bothner injured rib has evidently
healed for the local man has been matched
10 meet George Fisher OF this city In limited
time bout at the Fremont A. c., nth street
and park avenue New York. on March ,
Tremblay again and that II the latter viii
come to New York he viii arrange a match
on any suitable conditions agreeable 10 the
Canadian.