Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-03-24
THE NEW YORK WEN

buI INI" tONN VSLV
What an Eastern Scribe Has to Say
Of the Worlds, Greatest Wrestler;
Review Humboldt Mans
Proves.
Frank A. Gotch, formerly a farmer
lad of Humboldt, Iowa. now the worlds
greatest wrestler, goes the palm for
popularity. Wherever the Iowan has
appeared he has been the magnet
that attracted friends Of the perpetual
variety, and surrounding the big fell
low Is clientele OF admirers that per-
haps no other athlete can boast of.
The popularity Of Frank A. Gotch and
how he acquired it is Che subject Of an
article penned by Gotham scribe,
and it's reproduction here will serve
as feast to the great number OF OF
tumWans, who seeing Gotch perform
here upon numerous occasions have
been impressed by him.
"Nc athlete in this country has a
greater personal following than Frank
Gotch, the champion heavyweight
wrestler Of the world" writes the New
Yorker. "The popularity Of the cham
pion grappler is due to his personality,
almost as much as his great mat abil-
ity. Like James ]. Corbett, the Iowa
wonder makes friends in every city in
which he appears.
May Be Last Season.
"The present season my be the last
Gotch will appear before the wrestling
fans of the country. The man from
Humboldt has stated that he is think
ing seriously of leaving the mat for
ever. If he carries out his threats in
this regard the mat will lose one of The
greatest characters that the wrestling
game has ever developed.
Here in America Gotch has ever
had large share of public adulaLion.
Since he met and defeated Tom Jen-
kins, who held the American cham
pionship, Gotch has year by wear ad-
ded to the list of people who hold him
as personal friend. When the Iowa
wonder defeated Hackenschmidt his
great personal following was doubled
and interest in the wrestling game in
this country was increased wonder
fully.
'The present season will tell wheth-
er Gotch is the greatest man that the
mat has ever developed Europe sent
Hackenschmidt over to Chicago with
supreme and almost careless conf
dence that he would easily defeat
Gotch. The result Of the memorable
match was a shock to the students OF
wrestling in the old world.
Can Zbysczko VIM
again has Europe sent another
representative to try conclusions with
the great American exponent of the
wrestling game. If Gotch defeats the
huge Polish champion, Zbyszko, a
man of wonderful proportions and al
most superhunan strength, it will ap-
pear as If there is little chance for any
man in the world to hope 20 defeat
Gotch while the Iowan Is in the zenith
of his power.
"Gotch has already met the Pole
and the match resulted In no verdict,
though by the terms of the handicap
imposed Gotch lost the decision. How
ever, handicap matches are not con-
tests that involve the worlds title.
Gotch will meet Zbyszko in a finish
match some time this spring and all
doubts Of the superior ability of the
two men will be removed.
''The success of Gotch can be at
trbuted to the fact that he possesses
brains Of a high order, wonderful
strength and speed and agility not
possessed by very many smaller men.
The mind Of the Iowan works like q
well regulated machine of the highest
type. His wonderful body works in
perfect harmony with his mind. When
his quick and alert mind flashes the
signal his muscles are quick to receive
and carry into execution the message
conveyed by the brain.
To very high degree Gotch en-
bodies the perfect type of man with
a we'll developed mind and body work.
ing in perfect accord.
Gotch Not Nervous.
"Of German parentage, Gotch is rot
exactly Of the nervous type of athlete.
Jim Corbett is one of the highest types
Of the nervous man who Is great ath-
lete. In the Hackenschmidt match
Gotch displayed a trif1ing nervousness.
in all his other matches he has been
as calm as man sitting peacefully
in the bosom of his2own family reading
a statistical review Of the growth OF
agricultural industry.
Scotch is the medium between the
and the nervous type. He
is somewhere between the Jim Corbett
type Of athlete and the type Of the
husky man possessing enormous
strength and no nerves. Frank IS diff
ferent from Jeffries mentally and he is
different mentally and physically from
the foreign wTastlers no has met. A
comparison Of Gotch and Zbyszko is in
teresting. zbyszko is perhaps stronger,
though 1t Is very doubtful II he thinks
as rapidly as Gotch. He is an educated
man, while Gotch is naturally shrewd
and brainy. There is very little about
the wrestling game that Gotch doesn't
know He knows well the value OF lev
erages and concentrated attack. He is
an adept at seeing and taking quick
Of any error on the part OF
his opponent.
"Mahmout was rated a wonderfully
strong man. Gotch dazed him by the