The Washington herald., 1908-01-05
HACK The FAYORITE
Picked to Defeat GOtch for
Wrestling Title.
LIVELY INTEREST IN SPORT
Stopping of Boxing in Nearly All
Leading Cities Has Acted as De-
eided BOost for wrestling, and
There Is More Real Interest in
Graphing at the Present.

Interest shown in the wrestling game
both in this country and in England, is
probably greater at present than at any
time in the last decade.
Two causes may have contributed 10
this-the stoppage of boxing in many Of
the big centers and the fact that both IN
/ England and America there is one man
who seems to hold his opponents safe,
and between whom an international bout
would prove Of the sensational order
No one has yet been developed IN this
country who has held his own with
Frank Gotch. In England George Hack
enschmidt has simply cut a swath
/ through the ranks of all those who
wished to oppose him. The question OF
superiority between these men and the
talk OF bringing them together in an in
ternatonal contest has aroused consid-
cradle interest in the game in general
Wrestling and boxing have never gone
hand in hand. so far as modern sport is
concerned. and 'here probably Is no city
| Ia the country in which the two games
/ 1ourished simultaneously, except in New
York Even there a good boxing show
would always throw nigh-class wrest-
/ ling match in the shade. Some cities.
/ like Cleveland for instance. take strong
/ ~ TO the wrestling game because boxing
has never been Of importance there. Oh
the same principle that city takes uD
harness races because 1t has never had
good track for the runners
No Interest In Frisco.
San Francisco, on the contrary, has al
ways been a center Of the running turf
and Of the boxing ring No contest on
the mat OF on the harness turf has been
held there which could be called Of par
ticular note. Tom Jenkins could always
draw a big house In Cleveland, even
against an opponent Of comparatively lit
tie importance. Kid Broad, even at the
stage when he promised 10 become one
Of the most formidable candidates IN ms
class and a strong rival OF Terry Nc
Govern, was never much Of an attraction
In the same city. his home town.
Ia London, while there has been no
stoppage, Of boxing at the recognized
tluNEt Tit AEAi "a Va aftt Fft ttNa+A ''fe-t@
given an impetus 10 the wrestling game.
And at present the English metropolis
is the objective point Of every European
mat performer who has as his ambition
the hope that he may be able TO throw
Hackenschmidt
Hackenschmidt in his way is perhaps
the most wonderfully built man in IN
world. A Russian by birth. he moved 10
England. where his merits were more
appreciated-in a pecuniary way espe-
claIIy Weighing when in wrestling
trim trlhe more than 80 pounds. he
differs from many Of that weight in be
ing practically sheer bone and muscle
not an ounce OF this weight IS super
iuous flesh. 1t has frequently been said
that many opponents have been unable
TO make him exert himself sufficiently
to get that desideratum of the wrestler
who expects hard contest-a light per
spiration. which makes him slippery for
his opponents holds.
This is an unusual condition for
wrestler Of his weight Hitachiyama.
the japanese wrestler. weighs close 10
300 pounds, but he seems SO palpably soft
and puffy that the American tendency is
to size him up as depending entirely on
his weight Many foreign wrestleTs who
came to these shores have depended on
this quality.
Yusuf Big Man.
Yusuf. the Turk, who was the sensa-
ton of the mat a decade ago, and who
was subsequently drowned when crossing
the Atlantic, due 10 the fact that when
in wreck and boat was about 20 pick
him up he was dragged down by belt
of gold he wore about him, looked out
Of condition when in action He always
had a tremendous paunch, was soft and
1abby, and perspired freely in the ring
Yet he was undoubtedly Of great
strength, and knew how TO use this to
the utmost advantage by throwing his
weight on opponents. Several other
Turkish wrestiers who came TO this COun-
try showed the same style and the same
methods
lie Marin, the Belgian. who is now in
England in the hope OF wrestling honors
from Hackenschmidt is said TO weigh
close TO go pounds, but TO be more on
the order Of Hackenschmidt's own build.
Rogers. the American whom Tom
O'ROurke now has across the water did
not show impressively on the mat. He,
however, has none Of the fiabbiness Of
men OF his weight Even so. followers
of the game are inclined to smile at the
thought that he can do anything against
the Russian lion"
Should Gotch be sent against Hacken-
the American would have an
immense disadvantage in weight. In his
best condition he probably weighs about
100 pounds This would make differ
ence of sixty pounds in the av0rdupois
Of the pair. Although GOtch is of the
hardened type of wrestler, having no
extra weight upon him, it is difficult to
see how he can overcome this disadvan-
tage At least so thing a majority OF
followers Of the game. Hackenschmidt
has shown such tremendous natural
strength in the matter of breaking for
holds by sheer force that moth |
ing in Gotch's record can De compared |
to it. Gotch claims to have the speed |
Of the two, and this may be So But I'M |
less he can end the contest quickly by |
fairly rushing his prospective opponent |
of his feet IT would seem that he will /
still be at a disadvantage
Regardless of estimates of the outcome, |
however such a bout probably would at |
tract the largest crowd which ever wit |
messed a wrestling so in modern times. |
md it would undoubtedly stamp the vic |
-or as being the most formidable wrest- /
ing machine produced since authentic /
records have been kept upon the game. |
Sporting Annual Issued.
T. S. Andrews, Of Milwaukee. Wis. |
sporting editor Of The Evening Wiscon-
sin, has published his 1903 Sporting An