Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-15
ANCIENT PAST|ME
MAKES STARS RICH
Has Not Changed Materially
in 5000 Years, 0Id-Time
Carvings Prove.

w WRESTLING, 5000 years
M old, is today the biggest
Y money maker in profess
sional sports.
1t is bigger money maker than
the boxing game, because there
are less "fiops" and a more even
gate at all times.
1t is q bigger money maker than
base ball because it involves much less
expense and does not depend on the
weather.
Gus Sonnenberg and Jim LondoS and
other of the big men Of the sport are
said to be close to the millionaire class
today.
But they had to work for it, night
after night, and in training So weeks
of the year.
Now and then q heavyweight fight
dollars In enc night.
If they're just fairly good the wres-
tiers are sure Of good income. The
game runs along evenly and everybody
gets q share of the gate receipts.
The return Of wrestling to the center
Of the stage Is due, says Ed (Stran-
gler) Lewis, to the fact that the gam
blers were thrown out, restoring conf
dence.
others who have made q careful
study of the game and delved deep In
the history Of the game say 1t IS moth
ing more than the. natural trend-that
life and all things In it travel in cycles.
That is true Of styles in dress, furni-
ture and architecture, so maybe it is
true in wrestling.
THREE thousand years ago they
l. wrestled in Asia and Egypt. The
game then was established In Greece.
The Greeks get the credit and have
since that time furnished many OF the
best wrestlers.
There have been changes, but not
as many changes in wrestling in 5000
wears as there have been changes In
American foet ball In the last Is years.
Think Of thatl
on the walls Of the temple tombS Of
Benz Hasan, near the Nile. are carvings
depicting hundreds Of wrestling scenes.
Those who have zen them say they
we're iHnpresses Z fh the similarity OF
the holds " IN those days to the
general ST. che game today. 1t was
highly = Sed that far back.
WI LIMO was the principal
w soort In the early Greek OlympicS.
II then was a part Of the pentath-
lon No holds were barred. They could
even strangle. kick or butt an opponent.
But the wrestler Of that day was not
crude He was schooled to be graceful
the esthetic idea Of the times.
So are the wrestlers OF today, for that
matter. They put on q good show and
each one Is . stylist In his particular
form.
sonnenberg assembled to fame by his
flying tackle. Lewis. who now Is Q
champion for the fourth time, long ago
earned the nickname Of STRANGER"
The most notable wrestler Of those
ancient days was Milo Of Croton. 500
years BIC, and who scored 80 notable
triumphs In international championship
affairs.
Perhaps the greatest wrestler of
modern days was Frank Gotch, the
Iowa farmer, who held the champion
ship many years when the game was
a big money maker in the Middle West.
TIM LONDOS, the Greek, who became
naturalized American, Is likened to
Milo Of Croton by wrestling writer's
who wax poetic. Not as great in his
achievements, but graceful and perfect
Of figure.
Sonnenberg is much unlike the an
ClCIllss Out 1lc SIdI WACobAll6 Ol4 O1L
a new era Of prosperity and popularized
the game in the big Eastern cities.
After a notable career in foot ball,
Gus tried the wrestling game and by
his flying tackle style quickly made
q. hit.
Sonnenberg threw Lewis and after
long reign, during which he wrestled
three or four times q week, Gus was In
turn thrown by another eX-colle9lan,
Don George. and just recently George
was beaten BY the old champion, Lewis.
I All of which is included III the so-called
western wheel Of the wrestling game.
The other crowd grew jealous and
formed the Eastern wheel and DICK
Shikat was made champion by grace OF
the Pennsylvania Boxing Commissions
decree. And Shikat later was thrown
by Londos, who has since cashed In
heavily.
No doubt much Of it Is mppodromed,
but the fans don't mind. They pay
their money and see good exhibition
Of strength and skfll, face-mahng, ETC..
and listen to the groans and grunts OF
the big men.