Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-04-15
COTCH> CHAMPION IN STRAIGHT FALL
Mahmout, the Big Bulgarian Thrown in Short Order
Norwich aftville Baseball Reserve List Announced
Rain Caused Postponement in Major League Open
ings-Other Sports.

Dexter Pavilion, Chicago, April IA
Frank Gotch of Humboldt, Iowa, to-
night retained the worlds wrestling
championship by defeating Yuss1f
Mahmout Of Bulgaria in straight falls
in fast and furious match. The Rul-
gdrian was a child in the hands OF the
American.
Gotch won both falls with crotch and
half nelson holds in eight minutes and
in nine minutes ten seconds. The VIC
tory of the champion is all the more
notable inasmach as he did not use
his famous toe hold in bringing about
the downfall of the powerful foreigner,
whose shoulders had never been put TO
the mat in America.
For the first three minutes of the
match, which began at IL o'clock, the
two men rolled about the ring without
either getting a hold. Finally, after
three minutes of wrestling, Gotch got
hold on Mahmout's left leg and threw
him to the mat The American cham
pion was after the foreigner like q
wildcat and the Bulgarian responded
with every ounce Of his strength, but
could not break Gotch's hold. NAH
mout bridged and used every arttf1ce,
but Gotch gradually forced his oppo-
nents shoulders to the mat. 1t was a
magnificent test of strength between
two great opponents of wrestling, but
mirers, finally secured a crotch and
half nelson hold and Referee Smith
gave him the fall in eight minutes.
Mahmout's shoulders were pinned to
the mat for the first time since he has
been in this country. The crowd
cheered and yelled for several minutes
after the fall.
Goteh and Mahmout started the Sec
ond fall at 11.29. After a minute of
fiddling III the middle of the ring the
men mixed and Mahmout put Gotch
down on the mat. After some sharp
work Gotch wriggled out of the Turk
hold and assumed the aggressive.
Gotch tried repeatedly for the deadly
toe hold, but Mahmout fought harder
than before. Gotch obtained a bar
lock on Mahmout, but the uen wrig-
gled off the mat. Referee Smith call
ed them to the center of the ring.
Mahmout allowed Gotch his old hold.
Gotch soon got a crotch and half nell
son, but Mahmout wriggled out. The
struggle waxed fast and furious, with
Idahmout on the defensive all the time.
Gotch then got the same hold that
won the first fall for him, a crotch and
half nelson. Mahmout, realizing the
danger fought like wildcat to break
the hold, but it was of no avail. De-
spite the Turks immense strength and
ability he was pinned to the floor in
the nnal fall IN nine minutes ana ten
seconds.
The crowd, which numbered some
1900 in the seats and hundreds stand
ing or clinging to rafters, exceeded the
attendance at the Gotch and Hacken-
schmidt worlds championship match
last April by several thousand.
Eugene Tremblay of Canada defeat
ed Ted Tonneman of Chicago in
straight falls in the first preliminary
match.
The second preliminary, between
Henry Gehring of Cleveland and
Charles Postl Of Buffalo, was declared
a draw by Referee Dick Fleming.
The semi-windup, between Fred ~aeli
of Wiloonsin and Henry Ordeman of
MINI eapolis, followed.
1t was announced that after con-
ference lasting most Of the day over
Mahmouts determination to enter the
ring in his bare feet, as has been his