Norwich bulletin., 1911-09-04
Today's Great
Mat Contest
WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP OF
WORLD AT STAKE.
G0TCH FAVORED IN BETTING
Reports Are to the Effect thaat Amsri-
can is in Wonderful condition-FulIy
$4,000 Spectators to Witness Event.

Chicago, Sept. 3.-Frank Gotch, the
Iowa farmer. and George Hachen-
schmidt, the Russian Lion, tomorrow
afternoon will determine who is the
mightiest wrestler in. the world. To-
morrow at three o'clock, in the Amer
lean league baseball park here, these
two premier ~grapplers will meet to
settle the supremacy.
Two Falls to Decide 1t.
Gotch won their former match in
Chicago, April 3, 1908, but she did not
pin the shoulders of the Russian Lion
to the mat For that reason he has
never been given universal credit for
ants insist the match will not end until
one man has obtained two falls It
may be necessary to finish the contest
under the glare Of arc lights but re-
gardless of this the wrestlers are de-
termined to settle their dispute beyond
all possible doubt before they leave
the park.
Sports Pouring Into Chicago.
With the contest less than "a hours
away there is great interest tonight in
the matchh. From all parts of the
country followers of the sport are COM
ing in and all of the downtown hotels
are crowded.
25,o0o Spectators Expected.
Throughout today the downtown
ticket office was busy disposing of ad-
mission coupons. The total sales up
proximately $4,000 1t is expected
that at least $4,000 persons will at
tend the contest and that the gross re-
ceipts will be in the neighborhood Of
100000.
Crowd Already Gathering.
Although the turnstiles at the park
will not begin to revolve until eleven
o'clock tomorrow, early tonight ardent
devotees of the sport had begun to
gather outside the grounds and seek
vantage points for an early, entrance to
the field. Many of them were already
provided with tickets. but they did not
desire to be caught in the crush that
Will ensue a few hours before the con-
testants enter the arena.
Betting Odds Favor. Gotch.
Stories of Gotcf's wonderful condi-
ticn which have been circulated since
he arrived here last Friday have forced
the hettin godds on him down to 2
TO l. While he was still training in
ite. But his work here has caused his
stock to rise rapidly. Very little bet
ting is being done, however. AS an
explanation for this condition veteran
sports say that the element which US
ually plunges on big contests of all
Minus LAS ttoL IOiSOltSu tiAG HloiIlOIdp16
prize fight which took place in Reno
on July 4, 1910. The so-called talent
plunged and lost OF that occasion and
though this match in no way resem-
bles that one. big bettors, having been
bitten. are still timid.
Both Men Claim to Be Fit.
Both men claim they are fit. To all
outward appearances they are. But
when this phase of the match is un-
der discussion, old timers who have
been at the ring side or mat side of
every important match in the last dec
ade, again refer to the Jeffries- john
son contest. pointing out that the
greatest experts thought Jeffries was
in shape. Somehow the sporting ele-
ment cannot forget that Reno battle.
Gotch's Fellow Citizens on the Scene.
Humboldt, Gotoh's home, virtually
is a deserted village tonight. Scores
of it's citizens who have known Gotch
from boyhood swarmed in on him to-
day and were the champions guests at
the Chicago-St. Louis National league
baseball game.