The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-09-04
Both Men Issue Usual Statements
Declaring They Will Win and
Given Reasons for Conclusions
Drawn and Their Strength.
BETTING FAVORS G0IcH
While alfalfa Farmer Was in
Iowa Odds Were but 6 to 8 on Him
bat Now His Stock Is Up to 2 to J
Many Sportsmen Present.

Chicago, Sept 3.---Frank A.
Cotch, the Iowa farmer, and George
IIacbenschmidt. the cultured Rus
sian student, tomorrow will deter
mine who is the mightiest wrestler
in the world.
For tomorrow, at 3 o'clock, in the
American league baseball park here
these two premier grapplers will
meet to settle the supremacy.
Gotch won the former match in
Chicago, April 8, 1908, but he did
not pin the shoulders of the Russian
lion to the mat For that reason he
has never been given universal
credit for his victory.
Tomorrow, however, both contes-
tants declare the match will not end
until one man has obtained two
falls. 1t may be necessary to finish
the contest under the glare of the
giant arc lights that adorn the roof
of the grand stand but regardless of
this the wrestlers are determined to
settle their disputes beyond all pos
sible doubt before they leave the
park.
With the contest less than twen-
ty-four hours away there is great in-
terest tonight in the match From all
parts of the country followers of the
sport are coming in. All the hotels
in the loop district are crowded.
- Throughout today the downtown
ticket Office was busy disposing, Of
coupons. The total sales up to to-
night amounted to approximately
$4,000. 1t is expected that at
least 25, 900 persons win attend the
contest and that the gross receipts
will be in the neighborhood of
100000.
Although the turn stiles at the
park will not begin to revolve until
IL O'Clock tomorrow, late tonight
ardent deyotees of the sport had be-
gun to gather outside the grounds
to seek vantage points for an early
: entrance to the field.
Stories of Gotch's wonderful con-
dition which have been circulated
since he arrived here Thursday have
forced the betting sodds on him up
to 2 to /. While he was still train
ing in Humboldt, Ia, he was but a
to favorite; but his work here
has caused his stock to rise rapidly
Gotch's partsans contend that he
will win because he is the cleverer
catch-as-can wrestler, a quick, think
er and perhaps as strong as his oppo-
nent
Followers of Hackenschmidt say
he is the strongest wrestler that has
ever lived and in this contest, which
it is generally conceded will be one
requiring great endurance, and that
he will outlast his opponents.
Hackenschmidt has devoted the
greater part of his training for this
contest towards making himself
fast.
C. r Miller, himself scientific
wrestler and an old running mate
Of Gotch, has been the Russians s
chief trainer
Americus. another speedy Crap
pier, has also been in the camp. =
Most men say they are ft To all
outward appearances they are, but
when this phase Of the match is un-
der discussion, old timers who have
been at the match side or ring side
OF every important event in the last
decade again refer to the Jeffries-
Johnson contest, pointing out that
the greatest experts thought the
alfalfa Farmer" was in shape.
Somehow the sporting element can
not forset that Reno battle.
Statement of wrestlers:
81 certainly expect to win, for I
am basing> my plans for victory on
my condition, which is better than
ever before in my long wrestling
career ] also believe that Will be
able to meet Hack 6 for 6 and out
last him If the match becomes an
endurance contest, such as was our
former match.
Just how II will try to defeat
Hack cannot say. My tactics will
depend somewhat upon his. am
prepared to wrestle all night II
necessary. Hacks great strength
makes him a hard man to defeat. II
will be match In which general.
ship as we'll as strength will count
My greater experience should brinp