Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-04-03
GOTCH TO MEET
HACKENSCHM|OT

CHICAGO, April 3.-Tonigth in
the big ampatheatre at the stock |
yards, known as Dexter's pavilion,
George Hackenschmidt, the world /
renowned Geaeco-Roman champion,
will contest for the worlds title in
the catch-as-c catch class with
Frank Gotch, the American cham
pion. The bout has attracted at
| tention on both sides of the Atlantic
and should prove the choicest It'd
bit that has been offered to the fol-
lowers of the wrestling game in
years.
| In view of the fact that conflict
| ing statements have been made re-
garding the conditions under which
! the men are to wrestle it may be
! stated that Graeco-R Roman rules are
not to govern, as has been reported
| but that the bout will be the
straight catch-as-catch-can style,
with the strangle hold barred. The
conditions call for a twenty-four
foot ring, elevated four feet. Two
judges will officiate besides the ref
cree. The purse offered is $4,000,
sixty per cent of which will go to
the winner and forty per cent to
the loser
Both men are reported to be in
the very best condition. Gotch re-
Gently put in a month of hard work
at his Iowa farm, and since then he
has been in daily training to keep
in condition. Hackenschmidt is al
athlete who needs little training,
being temperate in his habits land
always in condition to appear on
the mat at an hours notice.
4 While Hackenschmidt is strong
!, favorite, it is doubtful whether he
will find Gotch so easy to pin to
| the mat as many think. 1t is true
; that his victory over Tom Jenkins.
on the occasion of his visit to the
/ United States several years ago,
? would lead to the belief that he will
be the winner in tonight's contest,
: but it should be bourne in mind
e that in the last year or two Gotch
t has been, steadily improving. Hack
enschmidt has kept himself in good
e condition during the same period,
; but it is possible that more or less
!, continuous engagements in the Lon
! don music halls and tours through
the British provinces may not have
increased his speed and stamina to
the extent of making him altogether
inviIcible.
! 1t is the phenomenal speed, per-
haps, more than anything else that
t makes the Russian wrestler so great
t an attraction. Often he appears to
a take great chances by getting to
: work at once, whether there is an
q obvious opening or whether there is
: not. But those who have seen
4 Gotch at work recently assert that
t his competitor will not lead him to
d any appreciate extent in the mat.
ter of quickness. Altogether there
e is every reason to believe that while
Q the foreigner may retain his title
r as champion, he may not do so with.
Q out struggle which he will remem.
n Der for ling time after the match
! Should the American wrestler SUI.
g coed in defeating his opponent, HI
will certainly have much of which
to be proud. for UNDERESTIMATE has
s engaged in something like three
e hundred and forty matches of con
siderable Importance, often agains
y men considerably bigger than him
Iself, without having a single fal
recorded against him. Whenever hi
opponents have endeavored to wea
!, him out by sheer dead application
u of avoirdupois, the Russians marvel
@ GUS agility has more than offse
their weight.
In nearly every respect, but par
ticularly in the matter of long ex
perience at the game, the Russian
appears on paper to have some ad
vantage over his American competi
tor. Nevertheless, the sport lovin
public of the entire continent hopes
rather than expects. to see Gotct
the Iowa farmer, tear the half leg
dorv yo}1 friv,o .,,,~lA,,