Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 112, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 May 1913 — BOTCH’S STORMY BOUT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BOTCH’S STORMY BOUT

Champion Has Hard Time With Canadian Wrestler. * 9 ' :.i. • ~ -X’ - . . ,» - \. ' . • - Pietro, One of the Roughest Men Seen in Game at Montreal, Continual* ly Complained to RefereeBout Ends in Row. French Canadians are fond of sports and for many years hate shown a keen interest in wrestling. When Gotch flashed npon the scene as a wrestler of world fame the Canadians were organizing a mat tournament. Grapplers from every country of Europe entered this tourney. Gotch entered also and taught the Canadians that he was the superior in the science of wrestling of the horde of for eign grapplers invading American shores for fame and money. _

Gotch’s last match in this tournament was with a giant named Plettd. It technically gave the championship to Gotch, but proved to be one of the strangest encounters of the world champion’s career. It was the boast qf Pietro that he had not lost a match for many years at Greco-Roman wrestling. This record was easily explained after Gotch’s match with the fiery Bayonese grappler. If protesting could keep him from being thrown then Pietro should have gone a life time without being pinned, for he was debating and complaining to the referee every few minutes. Pietro was known as one of the roughest wrestlers ever seen In Montreat He had shown no mercy to his weaker opponents. He had given an opponent a terrible mauling a week before Gotch appeared to measure strength with him. When the referee called time, Pietro rushed Gotch into the ropes and tried for a leg grip, but Gotch blocked him. Gotch then rushed his opponent to the ropes, secured a leg hold and tried to drag him back, but Pietro grabbed the ropes and refused to budge. The referee finally ordered Gotch to relinquish hls hold. Gotch retaliated with rough work. Pietro stopped wrestling to tell the referee that Gotch bad pulled hls mustache. The referee had difficulty convincing him that he was supposed to be in a wrestling match, not a college debate. Although Pietro had started the rough work he complained repeatedly that Gotch was hurting him. He turned hls upper lip back to show the referee where Gotch had shoved hls elbow against his mouth. Pietro evi-

dently wished to monopolize the rough work. He made frequent passes at Gotch, giving him hls fist in the clinches. There was no fall in the first ten minute bout Pietro redoubled his protests in the second bout. H«r would leave the mat and be forced back by his friends. He would wrestle a few minutes and quit. When he would quit he would double up his fist and threaten to give Gotch a blow in the ribs. The second bout was lengthened to half an hour by these interruptions. Gotch feared Pietro would jump from the ring and leave the building. Finally Gotch came to the conclusion that he should delegate himself a committee to aid the referee in preserving order and keeping things moving. When Pietro began to protest in the third bout, Gotch pulled him away and made him wrestle. Pietro then quit and started to walk away. Gotch caught him, pulled him back, and rushed him into the ropes. The cords snapped and the Greco-Ro-man star fell to the floor on his back. This time he did not protest, but came back and began roughing It madly, hit. ting Gotch in the clinches. Breaking away he swung heavily on Gotch’s jaw. Instead of going down for the count Gotch came back at his man to punish him. , Sub-Chief stepped in and ordered the battle stopped. He tried to explain why he had stopped the match, but was yelled down. The police ordered Gotch out of the ring. Gotch stepped to the footlights to address the crowd, but the police stopped him. Lamouchh ordered Gotch off the stage and followed him to his dressing room. That was Gotch’s last match In Montreal (Copyright 19U. by Joseph B. Bowles.)

Crotch, Toelock and Push Down.