The Oskaloosa herald., 1908-04-09
IOWA MAN is A
WORLD CHAMPION
FRANK eoTcH DEFEATS GEORGE
HAckENscHMIDT.
FIGHT LIKEDEMoNs FOR HOURS
Wrestling Contest in Chicago At
tracts immense Crowd - Decls-
ion Brings Great Honors
and Big Purse.

7
Chicago, April 4.-Frank Gotch. OF
Humboldt, Iowa, American champion
wrestler, became, shortly after mid
night this morning. champion OF the
world in addition to his former title.
After the most remarkable display OF
endurance and skill in history, ne
caught George Hackenscmidt, the Rus-
sian Lion. In what is known as
flying fall, and when the Russian
arose ne gave up the match.
In addition to the title, Gotch takes
down $4,000 and numerous side bets.
The match was witnessed by a record
crowd. 1t was acid at the Stock
Yards pavilion because Of the excep-
tional facilities and high prices were
paid for admission. For two hocrs
both men tried every trick for which
each was famous. Both displayed
the utmost respect for the prowess OF
the other and for eighty minutes the
contest was a series of futile crap
ping ducking and skillful dodgIng.
At the expiration of that time they
WcHL W tue mat III ttic HISt
real clinch of the bout.
Gotch Gets Toe Hold.
Gotch Immediately secured ms ia
nous toe hold, but Hackenschmidt
quickly broke it. Hack in turn tried
his equally famous head grapple, but
Gotch shook him off. Once Gotch
lifted his burly opponent clear off the
mat and rushing to the side of the
arena threw the Russian with great
force, but Hack quickly turned over,
avoiding fail. Hack was up quickly
and rushed Gotch around the ring,
but the Iowan turned and pursued the
Russian, finally getting the grip which
permitted the flying fall When the
ponderous Russian struck the mat,
squarely upon his back, he shook the
pavilion with the force of his fall He
was no longer the Russian Lion when
he rose, but meek and defeated
champion.
After more than two hours Of UNI
availing tugging and desperate scram-
bling the Russian said to Gotch:
"Pll give you the match.
Referee Ed Smith at once declared
| Gotch the winner.
End Comes ttHe*peee es4,,.-------
The end came so esz9er eddy that
the great crowd le4N. M. ich wit
| messed the contest tI.... .Sely com
prehend what had hapF 81 Not
until the referee had Announced that
Hackenschmidt had surrendered the
championship of the world to Frank
Gotch did the full significance of the
event strike home. Then the excited
men swarmed into the ring, surging
about Gotch until the police came to
through the ropes.
The match was in most respects
sensational, but it served mainly to
show that Gotch has a defensive sys-
TEN which no one can break down.
For an hour and forty-five minutes he
eluded every attempt of the Russian
Lion to fasten a grip on him. Gotch
side-stepped, roughed his mans fea-
lures with his knuckles, butted him
under the chin, and generally wor-
| ried him until the foreigner was to-
tally at a loss to proceed
Gotch Throws Him Down.
But when in the clinch that finally
came, Gotch slammed his opponent to
the mat and came within an ace OF
securing firm toe hold, following
this by lifting Hack clear off the mat
and slamming him on his shoulders
with terrific force, the European ex-
ponent was heartbroken. The lines
slowly deepened on his face, the
boots and gibes of the crowd hurt his
feelings, and after considering the
matter for few seconds he decided
that it was time to quit Few OF the
spectators but were willing to give
Gotch the palm. The Iowa farmer
was in the better condition. was
quicker and trickier and showed the
knowledge of the game.
Hackenschmidt kept his feet well
away from Gotch's fingers Hacken-
schmidt struggled free, but uoteh
caught him for flying fall which he
could not hold They were near the
edge of the mat, Gotch with firm
grip on Hackenschmidt leg and
tugging desperately at the Russian,
when he cried "Oh."
Then came the sensational end ue-
plcted above.
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