The Washington herald., 1908-04-06
speed and Elusive Tactics OF Iowa
Farmer, Combined with Jabbing
and Gougins, Proved Too Much
for worlds Famous GFappIer and
Strong Man in Bout at Chicago.

acted at times as though he was absolute
~ afraid of Gotch. His great strength
which has been the terror Of other op-
ponents in the past appeared 10 be use.
less against the agile and elusive Gotch
and at times the contest appeared almost
ludicrous. During the early part of the
bout the principal features of the con-
test were sprinting and lodging on the
part Of Gotch, until it resembled a school
boys game Of tag" When Hacken-
schmidt began TO weary under the pro-
longed chasing the contest took on a
brutal aspect which has probably never
been surpassed in this country,
Badly Beaten Up.
When the Russian signifed that he was
no longer able to continue. he presented a
sight which would have done credit to the
most vicious ring battle between heavy
weights While Gotch was still compare
lively fresh sad active. his opponent. with
pulled and bleeding lips. haif-blinded eyes,
and the skin peeled from many parts Of
his body, appeared anything but the
worlds famous wrestling champion who
had thrown hundreds OF gigantic oppo-
nents during his career. Hackenschmidt
offered as his excuse after the bout the
fact that he was physically unfit for such
struggle. and had entered the ring
against the instructions Of his medical
adviser He gave as his reason for the
action the fact that he had a big forfeit
up, and that the advance sale Of seats
was Sc great as 70 preclude any idea Of
postponing the bout.
Although a great ovation was given
Gotch when Referee Edward Smith an
nOunced that Hackenschmidt.h had quit and
forfeited the title 90 the American. there
was still a strong uudcrcurrent Of dissat-
isfaetion az the manner in which the con-
test had terminated. The great majority
of the spectators wanted-to see Gotch
win the worlds championship, but they
wanted 20 see him gain the title in
spoTtsmanlike manner. Ii cannot be said.
however. that Gctch came by his new
laurels In any such way. Throughout the
entire battle he used tactics which, while
possibly within the limit OF wrestling
rules. We're so unsportsmanlike and despic-
able that a fair-minded referee would
have felt called upon TO order him TO
desist.
At the end of the first sixty minutes
neither wrestler had achieved any par
ticular advantage except that Hacken-
schmidt was worried In both mind and
body. He was beginning 20 snow the
strain Of the long continued pressure of
wrestling with so fast and elusive a COM
petitor as Gotch proved 10 be Further
more he had appealed 20 the referee
against the jabbing and scratching tactics
which G0tch used every time that his
opponent came within reaching distance
of him but without receiving any salts
faction
As Hackenschmidt began TO slow down
G0tch opened up his offensive work. He
slipped in and out Of HackenschmIdt's
hands and arms. trying for body holds
which he soon discovered were useless
against Haokenschmidt's great strength
Then he shifted his attack and started 10
work with the idea Of securing his deadly
toe hold. AT this point the Russian ap-
peared to lose his nerve. He seemed to
be in great fear Of his opponents pet
grip and devoted his entire time TO keep
ing his feet as far away from the Ameri-
can wrestler as he possibly could.
Crowd Demands Action.
Goteh was quick TO see his advantage
and increased his attack. feinting repeat
eddy for the feet and using both hands on
Hackenschmidts face Ike a fighter when
the latter stopped over in a crouching
position. For another half hour the
scramble. for it was nothing else con-
tinued. Goteh made no attempt to stand
up and match his strength against the
Russian and Hackensehmidt could not
clasp the speedy American in one of his
holds The crowd of 10000
spectators had long since grown tired Of
the spectacle and Kissed and hooted at
the wrestleTs. demanding that they get
together and do something" Hacken-
schmidt was willing. but his opponent had
his own ideas of a wrestling campaign
and proceeded TO follow them out.
Worn out by the struggle, Hacken-
schmidt finally stood still in the middle
of the mat and waited for Gotch to come
to him. The latter. after several light
ning-like shifts, accepted the challenge,
and, rushing in, grabbed the Russian by
the knees and threw him 10 the mat.
Haekenschmidt was on his feet again
like a fash, only to be thrown again for
a second time within a moment or so. AS
he fell, Gotch dived frantically for his feet.
but Hackenschmidt drew his pedal ex-
tremities under him and lay in a COM
pact heap on the mat, with Gotch on
top.
Even at this period Of the match Goteh
was no opponent physically for the Rus
sian, who tossed him aside, and rose, tot
tering to his feet, and Gotch renewed the
attack Running across the ring, he
hurled himself bodily, like a catapult.
into the groggy Russian, who fell against
the ropes and then slid to the canvas. al
most helpless froma exhaustion.
During the final moments Of the strug-
gle the crowd, which. through excitement,
had become uncomfortable. now reached a
point which threatened a riot. AS Gotch
leaped upon his fallen opponent again,
those nearest the scene of the struggle at
tempted to climb into the ring. While
the police and others in charge Of the
bout were endeavoring 20 drive them
back, the wrestlers continued their deadly
struggle surrounded by a shrieking and
bowling crowd of blood-mad spectators,
few or whom could see the principals and
their battle
Suddenly and Unexpectedly the end
came. Despite his weakness the Russian
rose from under GOtch, and, fiinging him
aside, turned and reeled toward the ref
cree. signifying with a wave of his hand
his defeat While the latter held Gotch.
back Hackenschmidt crawled painfully to
the ropes and tottered to his chair. amid
silence. Then the Uproar was
and sweeping into the ring. the
crowd grabbed Gotch and bore him away,
the champion wrestler Of the world
In his dressing-rOom the Russian said
that Gotch's last grip had hurt him Sc
yerely and that he could not continue the
bout An examination by a physician
ater showed Hackenschnidt's injuries to