New-York tribune., 1909-04-15
GOTCH HOLDS TITLE
Beats Mahmout IN Straight Falls
for UreStIing Cham WOnshiP.

Chicago. April l4-Frank Cotch, Of Humboldt
Iowa, the worlds champion heavyweight WreSI'er'
retained his title before monster crowd in Dexter
Pavilion tonight by defeating Yussilf Mahmout'
OF Bulgaria unbeaten up 10 this evening in this
country. in two straight falls.
Before going on the mat Mshmout agreed to for
felt $500 of his end of the purse If Gooh would CON
his wrestling in bare feet, and the foreigner
so insistent that the American champion finally
assented-
The men were wildly cheered when they stripped
for the fray Both looked and acted in perfect CON
dtion- For the first three minutes the two men
rolled about the without either getting hold
Finally. after three minutes of wrestling, Gotch
secured hold Mahmout's left leg The Ameri-
can champion after the foreigner like wild
cat. and the Bulgarian responded with every ounce
Of strength. but could not break the hold of Gotch.
Mahmout brtdgeG and used every artifce 10 fore
stall the fall that appeared to be approaching.
Gotch graduaIy forced his opponents shoulders to
the mat with a crotch and half-Neson in eight
minutes.
The crowd Cheered and yelled for several minutes
after the fall The sudden ending com
plete surprise to the spectators who expected the
foreigner to give the champion a harder struggle
Gotch and Mahmout started the second bout al
II %. After minute Of hddling in the middle of
the ring the came together and Mshmout put
GotCh down the mat After some sharp work
Gotch wriggled out Of the Turks hold and assumed
the aggressive. The American tried repeatedly for
the deadly toe hold, hut Mahmout fought harder
than before, and the American unable - grasp
the bare foot. Csotch obtained a barlock Nah
mout. but the wriggied of tho mat and the
referee called them 70 the centre OF the ring
Gotch got a crotch and half Nelson but
Mahmout wriggied out The struggle waxed fast
and furious with Mahmout the defensive all the
time. but Gotch would be denied. and he won
the second fan and the match with crotch and
half-Nelson ia = mintes 10 seconds.
The victory Of the champion was AL the more
notable inasmuch he did not his famous
T.r,r F.f
foreigner. whose shoulders had not hitherto been
put the mat in America
BY $50 o'clock the were filled by some
twelve thousand persons Hundreds were stand
ing or clinginE the girders. According the
promoters. the aggregate receipts amounted x35.-
ooo. The crowd exceeded the at the Gotch-
Hackenschmidt worlds championship match last
April by several thousand.
Early in the evening the crowd the main
trance broke away from police control. and the
doors were closed until more policemen could
rive Halsted street hundreds of feet from the
entrance packed solidly with men For
least three-quarters OF hour the doors remained
closed. and the crowd increased every minute
Hundreds held tickets, but powerIess To enter
the pavilion.
Eugene Tremblay. Of Canada. defeated Ted Ton
neuan. of Chicago, In straight falls in the first
preliminary match.
The second preliminary. between Henry Gehrtng,
of Cleveland. and Charles Post, Of Buffalo.
declared draw by Dick Fleming. the referee
Gehrng won the first fail half Nelson and
crotch in q minutes q seconds. the second fall
the two men wrestled for twenty-five minutes with
out either gaining decided advantage.