Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1910-06-23
WRESTLING TRUST IS
MANAGING ALL BOUTS
st. Louis Writer Finds Good
Reasons for suspecting That
All Is Not Right.

Whether the wrestling game is above
suspicion is question that has arisen
In connection with the rapid rise Of
the sport. Frequently it has been
intimatcd that there was a "wrest-
ling trust" That the rumor is not UNI
founded is evidenced by the following
from the ST. Louis Post Dispatch:
Imagine wrestling trust!" One
hnds some difficulty trusting most
wrestlers. But there exists syndicate
that has reached out and, in one way
or another, obtained control of all the
wrestlers of consequence in the coun-
try. And of some not so fortunate.
Now this may be a good thing for
the wrestler-it insures him regular
employment at fixed salary and
enables him to earn living without
Ernest Roeberizing the whole sport or
giving it a most dissolute appearance
to the public.
But 1t is awfully rough on the sport
lovers, as st. Louis must be realizing
from the dearth of good shows of the
mat variety held in ST. Louis.
No Real Contest
The recent Zbyszk o. Olson contest
was the first in which out of town.
wrestlers of note have competed here
since the trust" introduced its own,
show. right under the noses of local
promoters. That was when Gotch and
COMPANY appeared with Jeffries and
his combination, last Christmas
Now nobody for moment thinks
that either the exhibitions given by
Gotch and his troupe or that by Olson
and Zbyszko had any of the SAVIOR of
q real contest. So we haven't really
been permitted to get match here
Hxyit sod colo s,, {< ,;,, IL
days when Charles Haughton was on
earth. Nor Is there much likelihood
that we will ever be able to see good
show unless the heads of the trust"
see fit to come into town and stage one
here on their own account.
ct Tu, Frank Goteh!
For today the syndicate of men
headed by George Kennedy and Joe
Corey, Of Chicago. has virtually con-
troll of the services of every American
WI SUI. and 1t has a pretty, good
If you think this is drawing it too
strong here is bona fde reply, in part,
written by Kennedy to ST. Louis man
who has since offered as high as s12,-
900 to bring certain match here:
Here are the men l can get for
.sour show, who are not hooked up
with other dates now: Eugene Trem-
bly,, Canada, 1876 pounds; Yussif NAH
mout, 200 pounds: Stanislaus Zbyszko,
235 pounds; Jim Essen, 225 pounds;
Raoul de Rouen, 230 pounds: Charles
Cutler, 220 pounds; Pat Connolly 1913
pounds: Con Kelley. PIP pounds =
l will put on Mahmout for so per
cent of the gross receipts, tranSporta-
ton and guarantee that the wrestler.s
themselves get not less than $3.50 for
| their share"
| Modest One.
| How could you take 1t for so little! And
| he'll do just as nicely for any of the other
wrestlers, won't you. Fifty per cent
guarantee and let the st. Louis man carry
the bag for all the expenses. Great!
Gotch is a little better-it's GO per cent II
you'd like him. Within the last year pro-
\ motors have several times tried to bring
prominent wrestlers here. But the wires
/ could not be pulled SO that the shows
could be made to break even.
Possibility for Evil.
| Darker practices than mere control OF
| the wrestler's time and dates are hintec
at by the enemies of the trust II the
| trust is nursing prospective big match
\ we are told, through wire pulling 1t pre-
| vents the affair reaching an ante-clima,
such as might happen by having the
| wrestling gentleman being groomed FOL
| the the championship occasion beaten be-
/
pointed" by the trust, for bouts witt
Gotch.
| When Mahmout came to this country
1t was over a tortuous route that ht
| worked his way up to Gotch. He me-
everything in sight before he finally wor
the privilege Of getting beaten-just a.
everyone knew would happen all along
But think of the box office receipts befor,
the Mahmout lemon was entirel,
squeezed
Next it was Zbyszko, who was importe,
and sent around the circuit. And does i
not look peculiar that Gotch could no
bulge this man in Buffalo long ago, bu
could throw him twice in half an hour a
| Chicago? The difference between a 81, 90
| house and a s35. 600 gate explains, perhaps
/ Smart Men, Those Trusty Ginks.
| There's nothing really illegal in what i
actually known of the trusts methods
But the combination stultifes the game
bit. 1t is perhaps not more to be censure,
than the theatrical trust
The man who deserves most blame get
away with least. He is Frank Gotch. III
lends his assistance to the plans of tn
promoters in their date" making. With
out Gotch the trust would fall of it
own weight
If Gotch really retires now is the time
we gentlemen of promoting instincts, VIII
have been ravng for chance to re-ope
the wrestling game in this and othe
Cites to step in and guess who is to b
next champion, and get him down on
contract
If you do you can get little pin none
for the winter hoard, too.
"Best Girl" at British Wedding.
From the st. Louis Republic