The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-02

No sport in recent years has received
 a more sudden revival than that of professional wrestling. Just at the time when the game appeared to have run its last course, and to be under an inerradicable stain, 1t came to life and is now attracting more attention than at any time in the past fifteen or twen- ty years.
 The greater part of the credit for derful stories sent out from London about Hack kensch midt. The Russian Lion," who was described by the en- thusiastic reporters as the most won derful specimen of physical manhood and prowess alive. At once the Ques- tion arose: If this Russian Is such a marvellous being, is there no American who can beat him?"
 The attempts to answer that ques- tion in the positive resulted in the present activities on the mat. At that time Tom Jenkins was the acknowl- edged American heavyweight champion and he met Hackenschmidt at Madison Square Garden on May {, 1905. In this his first American engagement, Hack enschmidt more than fulfilled expecta- tions. Although some twenty or thir- ty pounds lighter than Jenkins he handled the American with the utmost S0Sts anu uclcdtcu nun III SuCH sloEt order that there was none of the usual talk of a return match.
 Subsequently Frank Gotch. the Amer ican farmer from Humboldt, Ia, who was born April 27, 1878, is five feet eleven and half inches in height and weighs 210 pounds defeated Jenkins and won the American championship. Gotch's victory was exceedingly popu- lar not only because of his own pleas dxrk l. xt.. sIAAI nx.I his failure to demand extortionate prices for his services. but because the sporting element felt that man of his marked ability, and in the height of his career, was just the wrestler to bring back the laurels carried away by Hackenschmidt.
 These hopes were justified when Hackenschfnidt returned to the Uni ted States, and after a short tour lost to Gotch at Chicago on April 4. 1908. There was no fall, but Hackenschmidt deliberately resigned after more than an hour of rough work while both were on their feet. He- claimed that the
 farmer boy" had used unfair tactics and had gouged his opponents eyes with his fingers, but this excuse was not accepted. Gotch recently returned from London. where he went to ar range another match, but Hacken- schmidt and his English advisers de- manded such unusual conditions that the American returned In disgust
 Now the woods are full of wrest- lers.- Almost every big city has it's own local favorites. besides importing men from other places. One strange exception In Philadelphia. The Quak- CT City has not taken kindly to the "grapplers." as wrestlers are fre- quently called. for many years. Phila- ha1 nh tu I fessionals, but give more or less sup port to amateurs. The game just now is strongest in the Midle West Near ly all the big matches~in the past few months have been held at the Chicago Athletic Association. This club has become the Mecca for Yussif Ma.hmout, the Bulgarian: Rauo1~ de Rouen. the Frenchmanj Seigfried, "The German Oak" and a small army of other grap- piers from various countries who are bound for the New World.
 It would surprise many to know of the large number of wrestling enthu- siasts In Kansas City. which place is bidding for the match between Gotten and Mahmout for the worlds champ. ionship by offering a purse of $10.00o Toledo. Columbus. Indianapolis. Cleva- land and many smaller cities have nu merous devotees of the game. Buff. falo Is another stronghold of the game. Across the Canadian border Montreal Is famous for supporting wrestling. Annual tournaments last ing several days are held there.
 Crookedness was responsible for the long eclipse of wrestling. and seems destined to again cause 1t to decline in popular favor There is no sport, unless 1t be foot racing. in which 1t is easier to deceive an expert. Even the most practiced eye cannot tell with certainty whether a man by his science or strength broke a dangerous hold, or whether the other man deliberately allowed him to escape. The "grafters" in the game became so well aware of this that few honest matches, were made among them. The public was so often deceived that patronage fell away to nothing. and many of the wrestlers had to do real work with pick and shovel.
 This crookedness is as old as wrest- ling itself. A familiar instance, but one seldom considered in that light, was the match between Jacob and the e9. They wrestled til night, and lon the level" we infer. As man to man saey struggled. But, when the first streak of dawn touched the East and 1t was necessary for the angel to be on his way. he brought into play his su- pernatural power as opposed to Jacobs mere human ability. He touched the hollow of Jacobs thigh. and the thigh went out of joint. Then Jacob made record for gameness that will last forever With his thigh out of joint. he refused to quit. and finally made the angel tell him what he wanted to know. Had Hackenschmidt's courage been as great as Jacobs. he might still have been the world champion.
 A curious historical record of wrestling match that may have been contemporary with Jacobs doughty contest with the angel. was connected with a large stone which formerly stood on the site of the present City of Singapore, Malay Peninsula. The stone was inscribed in characters so archaic that students had little idea what they meant, but tradition said 1t marked the spot where two famous champions wrestled to the death for the chieftainship of the surrounding territory. The ancient monument was of intense interest to archaeoioglsts and philologists, but young English engineer finding 1t in the way of some improvements he was making. blasted
 An ancient device among crooked wrestlers, which Is still sometimes used by the naked thieves of the Far East, was to cover themselves with oil. This makes it almost impossible to get a hold, and it is strictly for bidden by modern rules. Yet pro hibition does not always prohibit. By industriously and vigorously rubbing himself with oil or a similar compound just before going into the struggle,