The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-19
GOTCH TALKS Of
HACKENSCHM|O1
Champion Tells How He Beat
Lion for Worlds Cham
plonShip.
BY FRANK GOTcH.

When man wins a world champion.
ship in any branch of sport the publi,
Immediately becomes interested in hin
ana desires TO learn how he worked
himself up to the championship. how ht
began the game in which he became 81
proficient, what are his habits and !,
tact' every bit of history connected
with him.
This. especially, is the case when ar
athlete, say a boxer or wrestler
gathers in the worlds championship. ]
nave been wrestling professionally
about nine years and have been cham
pioh OF. America at the catch-as-catch-
can style nearly five years. but I gained
more honors and added more to nv re-
putatiOn in the two hours of my recent
match with George Hackenschmidt
t1an In the nine years Of my wrestling
career.
My victory over the supposedly in
vincible Russian Lion" startled the
English-speaking world. as Hacks re-
putation and his ability as a wrestler
were known the world over. He had
been the pride of Europe for years and
had beaten so many high-class
wrestlers. his match with me was con-
sldered huge joke. not only on the
other side Of the Atlantic. but in New
York City.
The sporting writer's in New York
never could see me as a wrestler be
cause, ! presume. | am Westerner
However, they belittle the match. in
ferred ] entered into IT for the short
end OF the purse. and that Hack would
beat me so quickly the spectators
would kick for not receiving a run for
their money Undoubtedly the sporting
scribes in other parts Of the country
of mir hsrf
the good sense not TO tout the LIN
too strongly.
Hack" Has Big Reputation.
have no doubt that nine out If
every ten men who went TO see the
match hoped l would win. but could not
see me against so formidable and 50
highly reputed a wrestler and strong
man as Hack. The American public.
however, had a wrong idea of the
match and of our respective wrestling
qualities. IL had either seen or heard
of me throwing the best men in this
country. never had seen Hack perform.
and accepted the reports of his wonder
Iut strength and wrestling powers as
gospel truth. The talk Of the ferocious
manner in which he gTappIed his op-
ponents, picked them up bodily and
slammed them on the mat, almost kill
ing them, had been handed around like
a sure tip on big race.
No one was at hand 10 tout me. be-
cause | was not bred i'm the purple. 80
10 speak. There was no talk Of me
being a dark horse with an outside
chance. Only one Of nv trainers. lack
Carkeek, had seen Hack to the races
and knew he could not go the route.
He is only quarter horse and if you
stick to him you will break his heart "
Jack would tell me. He also posted me
in the manner in which Hack wrestled.
me his strong and weak points
All HackensChmidt knew about my
game was the toe hold, and | presume
he thought that joke. He. however.
did not know what effect IT had on 4
man. and judging from the way he
fought against my getting il when [
was behind him. he did not care to feel
its effects. He had nothing on me in
wrestling strength, but I guess he
could beat me in a weight lifting con-
test.
Russian Slow Thinker.
Regarding the fine points Of the game
he has much TO learn. He is a SLOW
does not know how to feint A
man, and every move he makes is
meant. He does not know enough to
fiddle for a hold nor to throw a man
of his guard by bIuf1ng to grasp his
opponents body when ne wants TO
catch him by the legs. Furthermore.
he does not utilize his strength proper
~. He knows nothing of leverage
With him il is brute strength. Mine is
mind over matter, brain over Drawn,
science over brute strength.
While Hackenschmidt was working
himself into a state of exhaustion I
vas using my brains and outstanding
ny strength, and that is why I had It
n me after pulling hauling and tug
sing for nearly two hours. to pick him
Ip bodily and throw him with such
Orce on the mat That evidently sur
'rised him and took the heart out of
lin. I'll admit I was tired, but he
thew I was much the stronger and In
he better condition, and that, sooner
II later, I would pin him down.