The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-03-03

Champion Prize Wrestler Shows His
Skill to Mitchell People Thurs.
day, March 10.
Frank A. Gotch, the worlds cham
pion wrestler, will be seer in Mitchell
in a contest, March 10 at the Gale
theatre.
In winning the worlds wrestling
championship from George Hacken-
schmidt, the Russian lion. in the bout
decided in Chicago on April 8, 1908,
and defeating Yaussin Mahmout, the
big Bulgarian. at Chicago April Ia.
1909, Frank A. Gotch. the young
American grappler. attained the high
est pinnacle Of fame in this branch of
professional sport, and, hard as his
tasks have been in the rough battle
to the top. 1t is quite likely that, he
will find even a more difficult time
of it, after the first blush of triumph
has passed, and title matches will sue
coed the earlier emoluments of a
championship.
But Gotch should be we'll qualified
to undertake the work which will
confront him. He is young, strong,
ambitious. has fought his way to
popularity, has come to the front in
the face of disasters which would
have nipped in the bud the areer Of
"a less determined fellow. Good judges
among the veteran students of the
sport of wrestling declare Gotch the
best man who ever stood at the head
of me American mat.
Much Of his present ability Gotch
acquired during his association with
Farmer Burns and today he is as
proud to say SO as Burns is to have
him state the fact. Then followed the
trip to the Klondike and a series Of
victories in the gold country. the
greatest being the one-fall match for
a side bet Of $4,000. which Gotch
won in 8, quarter Of an hour. dethron-
ing the Swedish champion Of Dawson
City and breaking the hackers OF the
foreigner.
Before his departure to Alaska
Gotch had a try with jenkins in
Cleveland, and although holding the
then American champion on his feet
for more than two hours he finally
lost the match. On his return to the
Pacific coast from the frozen North.
Gotch again tilted with Jenkins and
won from him in Whatcom. Wash. A
few months later he repeated the de-
feat in jenkins home town Cleve-
land. and few believed the Forest
City rolling mill man had any chance
to regain his laurels lost to the lusty
youngster from the west.
Hackenschmidt was then on his
way from Australia to make his first
visit to America and a match with the
champion of this country was in pros
pect. New York was clamoring for a
sight of its new wrestling champion,
the challenger of Jenries for the prize
ring crown and Gotch consented to
still another match with jenkins in
the Metropolis. Gotch had always said
that they beat me and made M like
it in the old days, but the more
beat them now the less they seem to
like it, and ask for more."
In the Chicago match with George
Hackenschmidt, Gotch was magnif-
Gently trained and seconded by those
two great veterans, Farmer Burns.
who was responsible for his early de-
velopment and Jack Carkeek, who
toured England as a champion at the
whose intimate knowledge of the
methods and character of the big fell
low made him an invaluable ally.
With these two men Gotch planned
a victory which was admirably exc
cuted. He had often said: eff I meet
Hackenschmidt it may last a minute,
It may last an hour, but, defeat OF
victory, short or long, it will be a
contest" And it was a contest, OF
more than two hours; a contest which
spelled victory for the American every
minute after the first fifteen had wit
messed the burly champions strength
Slapped futile attack. Hackenschmidt
was stopped, threatened, completely
routed. and incidentally. it took some
man to still the lion. The victory was
the GROWING trump to a remarkable
athletic career.
Gotch, a man of intelligence as well
as strength, has amassed considerable
wealth as a result Of his physical ex-
ertions. He is land rich in Iowa, his
native state, has plenty Of ready