The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-11-01
In Il Fair, Square Match He
Is Down and Out.
GORDON PINS THE "GRIPMAN''
Evidently Chicago Man Wanted to
Play Same Old Game. But Ref
cree Would Not Permit 1t.

Minneapolis. Oct. 30.-In what was
rnquestionably the squarest and best
wrestling matches this city has seen
since the DAYS of the old Casino, John
Gordon, champion heavyweight OF the
Twin Cities, last night defeated John
Rooney. police champion, at Normanna
hall in two falls out of three. With
the victory Gordon won the disputed
right to the police championship belt
held for years by Rooney, and the
local man is now ready to meet any
and all mat artists of the class.
From first to last the match was Il
tIlssle between two strong men and all
of the three bouts were entirely free
from all that spectacular work which
characterizes hippodrome affairs. Meth
er man seemed willing to take any
chances and the result was that they
were on the mat but very little of the
time Each man gained d fall and
when they came to the mat for the
final bout it was evident that Gordon
was the stronger, although Rooney's
superior knowledge of the game made
him an even choice with the local
man.
Up to Old Tricks.
In the first two bouts Rooney
evinced desire TO rough it and i'll
the third he went after His man
fiercely being continually warned by
the referee. After about thirty min
utes of wrestling Rooney threw Cor
don off the stage. but the local man
went gamely back to work in spite of
a slight injury to his arm.
When they had wrestled forty five
minutes both men We're very weak
and We're standing up all the way.
Neither could get the other to the
mat and Rooney finally made the
referee ii proposition TO quit, as a
fall did not seem probable. Gordon at
first also thought he had enough, but
the yells from the crowd stirred up
the Norwegian in him and they went
at it again. The men were told by
the referee that they must 90 to Il
fall and after one hour and thirty five
minutes of wrestling Gordon got his
man and the match with hammer
lock and scissors.
\ The first fall. went to- Rooney in
seventeen and one-half minutes. the
Chicago man getting Gordon on a
further arm hold. In this bout Rooney
showed by far the greater speed, al
though Gordons great strength was
evident. Rooney thought he could play
with Gordon i'll the second and the
local champion nailed his opponent in
thirteen minutes with an arm and leo
hold.
Not the Old Game.
Naturally part of the audience
thought that it was to be the same
old game of two falls, foul and a
return match. but the referee would
not stand for any such work when
the third bout was on. He kept the
wrestlers at work and in spite of an
evident desire of Rooney to foul, would
not allow the match to 90 that way.
The men were derided by the crowd
when they stopped wrestling once
or twice in the final bout, especially
when they tried to convince the referee
that fall was not possible, and Cor
don was given great sendoff when
he at last won the match. To Cor
don's credit it can be said that he
wanted to finish the match after the
first parley and he was the favor
tie after an hour had passed. Rooney
grew weaker rapidly as the time pass
ed and Gordon had little trouble in
forcing his opponents shoulders to the
mat. once the hold had been secured.
Burt Shores. whose wrestling name
is Young Hackenschmidt. refereed the
main bout and gave satisfaction. After
the first fall he challenged the win
ner and stated that he would back
himself for 5000 AGAINST eft her man