Arizona republican., 1911-04-23
MAT MEN WILL CONTEST
FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP
MAN FROM KANSAS WILL MEET
JOHNSON AT THIRD AVENUE.
Wrestlers Well Matched and d Fast
Game Is Promised.

/ l. \. Johnson's game match with
/ Frank Gotch at the Third Avenue
ltheater last week was interesting as a
fancy exhibition of the wrestling game,
but when Chris Person, the Wichita
heavyweight goes on the mat with him
next Wednesday evening there will be
J one of the most even events of the sea-
/ son. for the two giants are well
matched. and every point made VIII be
won hard by either man. Through the
effort of George Kirkland, the Phoenix
representative Of Otto FlOtO, articles
have been signed up between the Swede
and the Wichita man guaranteeing an
appearance at the Third Avenue this
week, and local fans are more worked
up over the coming event than they
We're over the Gotch match, in which
there was little sporting chance of
Johnsons winning. 1t was walkaway
for the champion, but it left Johnson
admirers with a higher opinion of his
gameness and skill at the game than
they had before. for although ne knew
from the first how small his chance
was of giving the man from Humboldt
a fall. he went into the match as con-
fidently and with the same aggressive
ness he had displayed IN meeting men
of his own class.
The match next Wednesday will be
for the championship of Arizona. john
son has held the title for several
months. and those who have kept track
of his victories on the mat are willing
to admit that he earned it fairly and
Ii hatfar
comes along to show him the tricks
of the game 1t is Persons conviction
that he is that man. and both men
viii go i'm to win when time IS called
for the big match. There is no posi-
bility of the affair being called off, for
Kirkland has taken care TO smooth the
way before the two mat men, and he
has put forth every effort to make the
event certain. He considers that the
Johnson-P Person affair viii be the
greatest. from purely sporting stand
point. that has ever been presented in
Phoenix. and believes the local fans
viii 90 up i'm the air over the exhibit
ton that will be presented when john
son. weight 100, with years of expert
ence, and a reputation that IS better
known here than in any other city Of
the west. comes out to meet Person,
weight 1870. with equal experience. and
an equal reputation for being husky
and all around bad man on the mat.
There Will be no time fixed for the
three falls. as it was thought that a
more interesting night would result if
the men were sent in to so three falls
to the finish, the championship to go
To- the winner Of the best two out Of
three 1t will be straightaWay match. /
and those who go to see it are going to
see the fastest bout that could well be
arranged, for a better matched pair of
mat artists cannot be found anywhere
in the country.
Both men walked into The
Republican office yesterday after
noon and they seemed like a pair OF
gigantic twins, 50 identical are their
proportions and weight. Johnson
speaks with all the old confidence, be-
lieving that he is still the equal of any
man in the west, or in the country, for
that matter. who ranks in his class.
He believes with the. other wrestlers
Of the country that Gotch's superiority
does not extend to the other man in
the game and he is prepared to meet
all Corners. unmindful Of his defeat at
the champions hands. Although not
so well known in local circles, Person
brings high testimonials with him from
cities in which he has gone on the mat,
and his record includes tussles
with numbers Of the classiest wrestlers
in the game. and three with Gotch him
self. II will be intensely interesting to
see the two NreStlerS who have both
been disposed of by the supreme
champion" take the mat for a tussle to
the finish. which will determine the
right Of one of them to the title of
champion of Arizona"
Manager Kirkland has arranged with
Otto Floto to book a number of classy
sporting attractions at the Third Ave