Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 301, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1913 — FRANK GOTCH CRUSHES HACKENSCHMIDT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FRANK GOTCH CRUSHES HACKENSCHMIDT

Volumes have been written on the second encounter of the world’s champion with Hackenschmidt, in which the "Russian Lion” was decisively beaten before the largest crowd that ever watched a battle of mat gladiators in modern times. Some writers have cast suspicion on the integrity of this match, alleging that the public was victimized. This is an erroneous opinion and a manifest injustice to the world’s champion* The real fact is that Hackenschmidt was defeated before he went on the mat. He • feared Gotch and his toe hold, but he did his best, and the better man triumphed.

• Hackenschmidt and his trainers contended he was handicapped by strained tendons in one of his knees. This Gotch has repeatedly scouted, contending 1 it/was in the heart that his famous foe was injured. There was. no hippodroming in this match, Gotch asserts. He went to the mat with the Russian with the intention of taking no chances and of crushing his opponent in as decisive fashion as possible.

The story of the battle, which occurred September 4, 1911, at Comiskey’s new baseball park in Chicago, is one of the' triumph of speed over slowness, of courage over fear, of brain over mere strength. From the time the gladiators took the referee hold at the call of time until Hackenschmidt wailed for mercy at the finish, the superiority of Gotch was manifest. At the start the wrestlers bulled it about the mat for five minutes, stabbing for holds, with the American on the akgresslve. Suddenly Gotch caught Hack by the neck, pulled him

-forward, and tried for a leg hold, but Hackenschmidt dodged away. They tugged and pulled and shoved, each missing attempts to gain leg holds. Gotch, after 12 minutes of rough work, made a lightning shift, sprang forward, secured a leg hold and hurled Hackenschmidt to the canvas. Gotch tried for the toe hold and Hackenschmidt, scenting danger, crawled about the mat to elude the much feared 'grip. Hackenschmidt, in a desperate mixup near the ropes, came to his feet, but Gotch again put him down. Hack came to a sitting posture, broke a waist hold and again was free. Hackenschmidt at this point showed to the best advantage in the match. He bored in, secured a waist hold and put Gotch down, but the American easily broke away and again hurled Hack to the mat. Gotch caught Hack off his guard, lifted qis near leg, grapevined the far leg in a flash and then reversed the grip into a crotch, applying a half nelson, and Hackenschmidt fell back in defeat in 14:18. At the start of the second bout there was some preliminary feinting and stabbing, then a shuffle, a moment of suspense and Hack went sprawling to the mat. In a flash Gotch had one of his opponent’s legs imprisoned for his famous toe hold. Hack begged Gotch for mercy, but the Xvorld’s champion insisted on a fall. Gotch pressed his free arm against Hack’s chest and pulled his foot back. Hack .grabbed the ropes, but was forced to let go. It was the despairing effort of a defeated veteran of the mat and Hackenschmidt sank back for the bitterest defeat of his career in 5:38. ~ (Copyright. 1913, by Joseph B. Bowles.)

Final Fall in Gotch’s Second Battle With Hackenschmidt.