The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-19
SALT LAKE: BOUT
. INTERESTS CAR
Autocrat of All the Russias Will
Eagerly Await News of
Wrestling Match.
LEON TALKS AND RUSS
FRIENDS GIVE HIM FLAG
National Pride Aroused and
Subjects of Little Father"
Hope for Championship.

No less a person than the czar of
Russia will anxiously await the news
from the Gotch-Leon wrestling match
n Salt Lake March 81 The reason is
that national pride is involved. :
Wrestling in Russia is almost as
much of national sport as baseball
I is in this country and one can easily
understand how eagerly President Taft
would wait news If an American ball
team-or more especially an American
i golf team-was PLAYING in Russia for
the championship of the world.
Jack Leon. he Russian Bear Cat, if
he should happen 10 win from Gotch.
will be a great figure in Russia IT
means fame. fortune and attainment of
ambition to him. To Farmer Gotch the
winning of the match means a certain
uumber of dollars and one more bay
leaf added TO his already top heavy
wreath. Still, If Gotch loses he will
be known in sporting history as the
man who permitted the championship
10 90 from America TO gladden. the
heart of the ''Little Father. -
Leon Is Confident.
Belo is what Leon says, but what
he will do will not be known until the
match is on.
At banquet given in his honor by
4 the Ccrole Russian at Boston the other
night Leon said:
Ny chances of winning are, | think,
extremely good. ] am not, however,
swellheadcd enough TO think that
can 90 on the mat with the man who
lis regarded as tho best in the world
sud toss him around as / would bag
Of meal. On the contrary. l know what
a task j have before me. but J. feel
that have rs good a chance as any
body living and | am going to Salt
Lake prepared To do my best. And
You may be sure that nv best will be
ahead of anything that Gotch looks
Tor
You saw me with zbyszko. He came
sast 10 toss me in a minute. but
lhoupht he would give the crowd q
fun for their money. Well, you saw
VINO got the run for their money.
Preentations intended for him were
called of after his failure to win.
Now Gotch is human, lust as you
and me are. hence | see no reason to
rear him and he will find that it is not
ease of stage fright with me as it
nas been too often with other opponents
VAC have been beaten by Gotch Is rcpu-
ts.ioE as often as by his wrestling
spnlty' L am going on the mat feeling
,aa. my chance Of winning is n bit
os.Ief fhsn even. Naturally Gotch
may not agree with this view, but that
matter for the contest itself to
AZ the conclusion of the banquet
III pn IVA was presented with beautiful
A RUSSIAN flag. which he promised
sfh Gotch. 'o ''e IN"
Hands Must Be Strong.
n.tue dne average spectator at wrestling
ls.en does not fully realize the inn
as .snt part the hands plsy in the
es. " is. however. on these mem
n,,s. me- tnat the greatest strain comes and
Il ~ I'VE gripping power is developed
l,n5s I nignest the wrestler lacking good
h.;N h;as y doomed TO defeat. other fbiugy,
,,sR squai, Tho theory is that the
gs.e OF a chain is determined by
msakest link, and MANY men. 9th.
5E ,,E capable Of becoming formidahIe
s'n7ufs for the world : chamn;on.
q Al fs,s Iase oeen forced out of the game
>seond das, pack into the ranks Of the
II or;n S 'a'ers through lack OF power
,isn N a;a ms respect Jack Leon. the Rus.
II ~ s'ahnl, Us remarkable. The strength
ef;a rauos ns is such that once he gets
nkes ,,ns ~ any KIND on an opponent it
Thsi i 't.hehdous power to break if.
4 cc,s, rhe mue OF any hold that Leon
\ --S-s.S.aer u rs the toe hold or of