Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 303, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1913 — FRANK GOTCH CRUSHES ITALIAN CHAMPION [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FRANK GOTCH CRUSHES ITALIAN CHAMPION

Leo Pardello, fun maker of the wrestling mat, at one time imagined he could down Frank Gotch. The Italian was heralded as one of the toughest men in the game and Gotch thought he was taking on a big contract in agreeing to an encounter with this fighting “demon" from sunny Italy. Both wrestlers were disillusioned November 26, 1906, at the? 1 Brookes’ Casino, Chicago, when they met in a finish match. After this defeat Pardello devoted his to comedy, and as a mirth producer has made countless thousands laugh. Gotch had heard that Pardello was a bone breaker and a prize fighter. He was apprised that he would be fortunate to escape with both ears intact and all his teeth in his head after encountering the latest sensation from Latin Europe. The night of the match found the pavilion packed almost to suffocation. Pardello rushed at Gotch like a wild man when the referee signaled the start, but Gotch side-stepped him. Gotch went to his hands and knees, lifted Pardello in the air and hurled him to the mat. This was the signal for Pardello to .employ th<T rough, tactics for which he was noted. He gouged Gotch with his elbow and slugged him in the mixups." The crowd hissed Pardello, but Gotch had learned his opponent’s actual strength and took these thrusts lightly.

Soon, however, Pardello showed his temper and resorted to the Marquis of Queensbury code. He came to his feet and made a swing at Gotch and the crowd again hissed. Gotch lunged and brought Pardello to the mat again. Gotch was working for a hold to secure the first fall. He had slipped over a crotch and half nelson and was gradually forcing the shoulders of his opponent to the canvas. Pardello reached over in a fit of rage, grabbed the lowan by the hair and pulled a

whole handful of Gotch’s hair from the roots. That proved the downfall of Pardello as an aspirant for the highest wrestling honors. In a 'wild mixup the wrestlers shifted about the mat and in less than thirty seconds Gotch had Pardello’s left foot up his back for the toe hold. There was a sharp -snap audible to those at the ringside. Pardello, with a groan, fell to the mat in defeat. An examination showed that a ligament had been snapped, but the game Italian came back for the second fall, which Gotch won in a few sec-

Gotch made a speech, in which he told the crowd he deeply regretted, the accident to pardello. It was one of the few times the world’s champion has lost his temper on the mat. “The day after the match,” says Gotch, “a friend of mine met Pardello hobbling about the streets of Chicago. “ ‘What do you think of Gotch now?’ my friend asked him. “‘Gotcha?’ was his answer. ‘Why, Gotcha, he very fina da fell. He get ona the mata and go toa da wrestle. Gotcha, he cracks'da joke. One fina da joke. I stoppa to laugh. Gotcha, he catcha my foots and twist him upa da backa. Oh, yes, Gotcha, he very fina da fell.’ ” After this match Pardello seemed to take a proprietary Interest in the champion. After every match Gotch had in Chicago his wrestling tights disappeared. Pardello took them for souvenirs. After his last match in Chicago Gotch ordered a boy to get his tights and see that they were carried to his hotel. Pardello noticed that the boy had them in charge. After Gotch departed from the dressing room he approached the youngster and took the grip, saying Gotph had ordered him to carry ’it to his hoteL Thus he secured an imposing addition to his trophy room that night. (Copyright, 1913, by Joseph B. Bowles.)

Gotch With Half Nelson and Crotch Hold on Westegaard.