The Detroit times., 1910-01-21
POLES OF DETROIT
SAVE ZBYSZkO'
EXHIBITION
Manner in Which They Trans
formed Wrestling Match Into
National Demonstration,
a Corker.
European Behemoth Makes Short
Work of stengel and Yankee
Rogers in Handicap Bout.
BY PAUL HALE sRusKE.

world Who Is conceded by experts TO
be- the possessor OF ability enough 10
contest With Frank Gotch. OF America,
Tor the championship OF the worl3,
scored a pronounced triumph last
evening Ia the Light quarry armory.
The triumph was not SO much IN
he easy manner in which he handled
Stensel and Rogers. the men selected
% oppose aim on the mat. but consisted
ar more prominently OF the ovation
which be was rendered by the local
Polish Americans. his countrymen by
birth and ancestry, who made up
tremendous majority OF the crowd.
The few hundred wrestling enthusi
ssts OF native birth who looked On
while the Detroit Poles yelled them
selves hnarse over ZbysZko's exploits
on the ma. and taen fairly mohbeG
their hero at the close. may have been
amused st the spectacle. Most of them
frankly smiled. But they failed 20
grasp the significance which the event
possessed for the men and women who
took part in the demonstration. To
the Poles the sight OF Zbyszko stirred
up feelings which can only be likened
to those that animate the breast OF
the man who. after years in a foreign
land. sees the flag OF his country n.y.
ing in the breeze from the peak OF a
big battleship. ZbysZko is the Polish
national hero. IL wasn't the fat, per
spring mountain OF man whom the
men and women fondled. Rugged,
kissed ana congratulated at the close.
II was Poland, as embodied in his per
son.
Poles Saved the Show.
But for the support OF the Detroit
Poles, Zbyszko's exhibition-it was
merely this and nothing more-would
Rave fallen fiat. II did rot appeal to
the average sportsman who was quick
10 see that Stengel and Rogers were
little more than hired men, out to do
their parts in the testimonial. But the
Poles were there merely TO see their
man ia action. They saw and were
satisfied
The show was not a long-drawn out
affair. Two prehminarIes. each a
lively 15-uinute bout with no decision
al the expiration of the time limit.
preceded the appearance OF the hig
boy
The applause began when he strobe
The throng To the old Metro
politan Athletic club ring, which was
pitched in a spot IN the hall that drew
forth memories of boxing days. by
and gone.
The Pole Is certainly a tremendous
man. Last night he weighed 233
pounds and the fat rippled across his
stomach with every move. Tremen-
iously light on MS feet, his feet 10
inches OF height seemed greatly fore-
shortened. His shoulders and body
we're as big as a barrel and his ire
mendous arms were as large as telc-
sraph poles.
Herr Wilhelm Stengel appeared in
he opposite corner and they went at
L. Zbyszko Immediately going behind
and working aggressively. The min
rte wasn't up before the Herr fell into
/ hold that was chiefly crotch and
push Jimmie Burns capered mally
about the contestants as Zbyszko
slowly forced the Herr's shoulders 20
he mat Just rs he patted Zbyszko
N the back. signifying that the fall
rad been achieved. Stengel wriggled
rec. Properly il was only a flying
all but what the ex-sheriff said went.
stengel Was PeeVed.
"Vass?" exclaimed the Herr in dis
gust Then he retired TO dress behind
, curtain back OF the stage whence
lis head occasionally peeped forth to
observe what was happening TO Yam
zee Rogers, who came next
The result lief; Zbyszko over 50 min !
ites in which TO dispose Of Rogers
md he took MS time The American.
Who stood of Hackenschmidt for
.OmCthing like 81 minutes. looked Ike
; lath beside the Pole. lie was easily
feet inches in height and could
rot have weighed more than 210
-ounds--a mere stripping. But he
Aas quick and wiry and Zbyszko gave
he crowd a run for its money. Rogers
never had a chance 20 throw his pp-
'onent though the fortunes OF war
sometimes found him back OF Zbyszko.
The Pole used little in the way OF pun.
shing9 holds but kept after Rogers IN
a main strength sort OF a way. which
was apparently what the crowd liked.
After them prauce5 the genial OK.
sheriff. sweating as proiusely as the
wrestlers themselves Twice Zbyszko
would have had his man but for The
fact that the hold would have thrown
his opponent into the crowd once
Capt, Baker. OF the police department.
interfered, demonstrating thereby
that Detrcit's alert custodians OF quo
Tic safety was present AMI vigilant
Several times Rogers finish seemed
Imminent but the Pole was mercltpl
and V was not until 80 minutes were
up that, in substantially the Same
manner In which he had wrecked
Stengel's ambitions, he put his or.
ponent down and held him there
No Fenby Match.
Among the interested ohservars
were r. Reakes OF Lansing Mich
and f. Fenby OF Shepard. Mich CON
voyed by b Klock. their local renra
sentative Fenby was introduced nv
the leather-lunged and imported an.
nouncer. at the close Of the bout a.
challenging winner
After tie bout a conference vas
held at which the Zbyszko folks
agreed TO wTestle Fenby I'm a straight
match here early in March. Thev
refused TO post forfeit until the date
could be definitely set. however. and
this reused the suspicious OF Reakes