Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-04-09
COTCH is WINNER
THE IOWA FARMER Is NOW CHAM.
PIoN WRESTLER OF THE
WORLD.
GOT DECISION At CHICAGO
Neither Party Could Secure q Fall and
After More Than Two Hours
Of UnavalllnO Effort the
Russian Gave Up.


Dexter Pavilion, Chicago, Apr. A.
Seldom has sporting event Of similar
character aroused so much interest In
Chicago and the surrounding cities as
did the big wrestling match between
George Hackenschmidt and Frank
Gotch. All day visitors were arriving
from outside points. More than score
came from Gotch's home town, Hum
boldt, Ia, almost 200 came from Kan
sas City, and big delegation from
Milwaukee, while st. Paul, Minnea-
polls, indianapolis, Detroit, st. Louis,
Cincinnati and scores Of smaller towns
were represented. Added to these
were thousands Of Chicagoans.
The building was admirably adapted
for the event. Seats had been pro
vided for 10000 spectators and in ad-
dition there was general admission
room for 1000 more. The structure is
200 feet wide and $40 feet long, the
arena, in the center of which the ring
was pitched, being 240 feet long and
100 feet wide. Back Of this and run
ming around the buildings were tiers
Of seats, which extended back in the
big building. A battery Of IL arc
lights and so vapor lambs Illuminated
the stage.
w. w. Wietig, who promoted the
bout and brought Hackenschmidt from
Europe, had made arrangements for
entertaining the crowd before the
match began. A band Of so pieces
played popular songs and marches and
kept the waiting thousands in good
humor.
After more than two hours Of un-
availlng tugging and desperate scram'
bling the Russian said to Gotch: I'll
give you the match"
Referee Ed. Smith az once declared
Gotch the winner.
The end came SO Unexpectedly that
the great crowd Of 5000 which wit
messed the contest could scarcely com.
prehend what had happened. Not un.
til 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
his rescue and drove the crowd back
through the ropes. The match was in
some respects sensational but 1t
served mainly to show that Gotch
has q defensive system which no one
can break down.
For an hour and forty-five minutes
he eluded every attempt Of the Rus
sian Lion to fasten a grip on him.
Gotch' side stepped, roughed his mans
+ features which Is with knuckles, butted
him and generally worried Hacken-
schmidt until the foreigner was total
" at loss how to proceed.
When, in the clinch that finally
came, Gotch slammed his opponent to
the mat and came within an ace Of Sc.
curing firm toe-hold, following this
up by lifting Hackenschmidt clear Of
the mat and slamming him on his
shoulders with terrific force, the Euro
pean exponent was heart broken. The
lines slowly deepened on his face, the
boots and gibes Of the crowd hurt HIS
feelings, and after considering the mat
ter for a few seconds, he decided that
Il was time to quit.
Few Of the spectators but were Will
ing to give ootch the palm. The Iowa
farmer was in the better condition,
was quicker and trickier and showed
q far better knowledge Of the game.
~ 49,. tlffI a. a. 49,.