Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-27
WRESTLING GOTCH DEFEATED
 THE ENGLISHMAN The Big Westerner Showed His Ability as Mat Artist-Was
 Parr Afraid.

| The lovers Of wrestling were out in goodly numbers last evening to | take in the first big contest that has
 been pulled off in this city since the
 days of Professor Mike Dwyer It was estimated that between twelve
 and fifteen hundred people were pres
 ent in Eagles hall when the first pre- | iminary between Young Blondin of this city and Kid Smith of Meriden
 was called. Manager McMahon made the announcements and Philip Bone fant of New Britain, himself a wrestler, refereed the two preliminar- ies. Bloadin and Smith weighed in the neighborhood of 115 pounds. The Waterbury boy knew too much
 about the game for the Meriden lad and pinned the visitors shoulders to
 the mat in two straight falls in eleven
 and thirteen minutes respectively.
 The second preliminary brought on
 Jack Roach of this city and Jack
 Grinold of Meriden. The latter had
 the advantage in weight, which saved
 him from a fall several times. Roach
 had all the cleverness, but the
 strength of his opponent proved a
 handicap. Grinold was on top sev-
 eral times, but seemed to be lost and did not realize just how he should go at his opponent. Roach, on the other
 hand, worked hard to get his man in
 q corner, but he lacked the strength
 to turn him over. The bout went
 thirty minutes to draw.
 When Manager McMahon introduc-
 ed Frank Gotch, last night, the big
 Iowa wrestler, champion of the
 United States, and soon to meet George Hackenschmidt for the
 championship of the world, the spec
 tators saw a giant of a man, with
 the face of sixteen years old boy.
 While not in as perfect condition as he will be when he meets the Russian Lion, Gotch looked the marvel of physical manhood that all critics have pronounced him. He is built on won derful lines, and is the ideal as wrestler. Jim Parr, the champion of England was next introduced and bowed his acknowledgements to the applause. Jim has grown older since his last appearance here, naturally so, and the few locks of hair that he now possesses have begun to whiten. When both men stripped for action it was seen how differently they con trasted. Gotch weighed in the neighborhood of two hundred pounds, while Parr would scarcely go 1S0. They had been sparring but few minutes when Parr secured leg hold and took the top. but it was of short duration, for Gotch was soon the aggressor and kept at it almost continually. Once or twice Parr slip ped out of some close corners, but its was foreseen conclusion that Parr was no match for his big opponent. Several times Gotch would slip that hand of his dangerously near to the toe hold. when Parr would enter an objection, as that hold was barred. In nineteen minutes Gotch secured a bar hold and half Nelson, and Parr slowly sank to the mat for the first fall of the night. The next bout was shorter and Gotch did about as he pleased with his smaller adversary. In eleven minutes Parr went down for the second and last fall with a hammerlock and leg hold. At the conclusion of the contest Goteh gave an illustration of his famous toe hold, Philip Bonefant being the sub ject. It certainly is wonderful hold and the man who has 1t put on to him, will he powerless to resist defeat Many wrestlers were present from out | of town and all the local celebrities were on hand and if that toe hold | does not become part of their | wrestling vocabulary from now on, it | will be because they did not observe it closely.