The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-05-12
Winner Of Yokel-Miller Bout
Has Fine Chance at World Title

1" HE confusion of classes and cham
pionships which has charac-
terized both the wrestling and
j. boxing games for some time past
Is being Strengthened out as far
as the middleweight wrestling class Is
promoter is determined that a real
champion must be crowned and he has
set about to accomplish. this task
dleweight champion for many years and
there was not a man In the game who
had the slightest chance of defeating
weight until he tipped the scales as high
as 17b pounds. Then Henry Gehring OF
Cleveland stepped in and claimed the
m,idddleweight mi title; just Ike Abe At!ell
when Terry McGovern outgrew the class.
Like Attell, Gehring has always defended
ms crown and no ma man has eyer been able
an excellent chance until Gehring made
him do 15s pounds at matside. and then
Willoughby was SO weak that he had no
| chance.
Since then Gehring has defended his
title successfully. There have been but
two real contenders-Walter Miller of St
Paul and Mike Yokel Of Salt Lake.
Yokel at the Salt Lake theater over
year ago. The fans we'll remember how
the referee allowed the men to walk off
the mat and call the bout draw after
wrestling, In spite of the fact that they
had agreed 10 wrestlc to a finish, best
two in three falls.
Wrestling experts all agree now IL
Yokel was the stronger OF the two at the
finish and had excellent chance to
win.
Then Gehring went back east and wres-
too, seemed to be asleep, because time
was called before Miller could get his
sweater off, Gehring grabbed him while
he had his sweater over his head and
OF wrestling. They went at 1t egain, b
Gehrlng could do nothing with Miller
and the police stopped the bout at the
ghtne IN !hfSs like 0e couple Is'osa Of ers men were
A short time later Mike Yokel made
his famous invasion OF the east He met
Gehring in a bout at Cleveland which
was limited to three hours. Mike, thought
that he could remain on the defensive
for the first half of the contest and let
Gehring tire himself out and then win:
the one and one-half hours Gehring was
strong and Mike lost the decision on
points at the end OF three hours, neither
being able to get fall
and one-half hours AS Mike expressed
t. Miller was SO fast that II Was an
minutes before the time limit was
reached Yoke threw Miller out of the
ring The st. Paul man was so badly
stunned that Yokel WAS able TO get be-
hind him for the first time. but he could
not overcome the big lead in points
which Miller had piled up. and Miller
was declared the winner.
Now Yokel and Miller are going to meet
in finish bout. best two In three falls,
at the Saltair hippodrome on Monday.
May 81. There will have to be q winner
and loser In this bout as Heagren will
not stand for any draws, The winner
will be matched with Gehring for a finish
bout here about July J. and then the
question as to which OF the three is the
best man will be settled for some time
to come
Miller leaves ST. Paul for Salt Lake
today. and will arrive here about W-nnes-
day. Yokel will arrive at the same time
from his ranch In the Jackson's Hole
country. where he has been doing his
preliminary training. Yokel is In better
condition at the present time than he
has ever been In his entire life. He Is
going TO change his style and assume the
aggressive against Miller. Mike Is con-
fident that II he can beat Miller inside
OF two hours. he can also defeat Gehring |
and win the championship.
Heagren is making preparations to
Special cars will be set aside for the |
women who will journey to the lake TO
see the contest. and a special section