The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-07-20
is CHEERFUL AT HOSPITAL
DR.. c. H. Gephart Makes Big Champion
Comfortable and Plans Are Made to
Remove Him to Chicago Today
Gotch Entertains the Nurses.

Frank Gotch, the famous Iowa farm
err, champion of all champions in the
wrestling game, went seventeen years
on the mat without an accident. Then
he came to Kenosha and with his visit
to this city came that ever expected
first time. - Late Tuesday afternoon
while wrestling with Bob Manogaff, a
Chicago trainer, Gotch got his left foot
caught between two gymnasium mats
and as he leaped forward TO get hip
hold on his opponent the leg was
twisted. The bone snapped just above
the ankle and Gotch is going to re-
member his visit to Kenosha for a
lot of months.
Tom Jones, his manager, announced
on Tuesday night that he would be
out of the game for the rest of the
show season and it is possible that it
will be a year before the injured leg is
sufficiently strong to permit him to re-
turn to the mat and defend his title.
The injury Of Gotch proved the SEN
sation of circus day in Kenosha and
his injury brought deep chagrin to the
Sells-Floto shows of which he was one
of the real featured performers.
Gotch remained at the Kenosha hos
pital over night and plans were made
this morning to take him to Chicago
during the day where he will be placed
under the charge of some of the most
notable surgeons of that city.
The injury of Gotch came just at the
close of the afternoon performance of
the circus. He had gone on the mat
with his trainer Manogaff in the
"corcert' and the two men had started
to mix things in pretty rough bout.
Manogaff had Gotch about the should
ers and the champion turned to get a
hip hold He had paid no attention
to the mats and his foot caught be-
tween them. AS he hurled himself on
Manogaff people in the audience heard
the bone snap and a second later the
champion fell to the mat writhing in
pain DR.. Curtis III. Gephart was in the
crowd watching the bout and he was
called to attend the injured champion
He secured an automobile and with the
assistance of Jess Willard, the world s
pugilistic champion, and Tom Jones, his
manager, Gotch was placed in the auto
mobile and taken to the Kenosha hos
pital where the fracture was reduced.
It was found that the fibula had been
broken and splintered just above the
ankle. Later in the afternoon an
X-Ray picture Of the injured leg was
made and it showed the fracture plain
ly. Gotch was decidedly cheerful at
the hospital and he laughed and talked
with Willard and Jones and poked fun
at the nurses while DR.. Gephart was
busy setting the broken bone.
have been on the mat for seven
teen years and this was the first time
that | ever had to call surgeon,o he
said when seen at the hospital. ct
suppose there has to be first time for
everything, but when fellow has lot
of other fellows camping on his trail
just wanting to hand him something it
looks little hard to be laid up in bed.
Bob and I have had a lot of mat
tussles and the one on the mat out at
the show was not rough. 1t was just
an accident. I caught my foot and
when turned to get my hold the twist
was too much for the leg
Jones, who is acting as manager for
both Gotch and Willard, declared after
the show on Tuesday night, that he did
not believe that Gotch would be able to
get back in the game again this season
and possibly not for six months
"It's the first time that the big fellow
ever had broken bone or even a sprain
and nobody knows how he viii take 10
the confinement of hospital life. DR.
Gephart has him fixed up in excellent
condition and we are going to take
him into Chicago and put him into the
hands of the best men in the bone
mending business right away =
| DR. Gephart, after he had taken care
of the champion, said: fGotch has a
bad break of the fibula just above the
ankle and it will be a good many weeks
before he is able to use the leg and
more before he will be able to return
! to the mat.
The champion wrestler lost no time
getting acquainted at the local hospi
tai. His smile was contagious and hi
soon learned to make himself perfectly
at home. "Now I'm all right he
! told his nurses Just after dinner Tues