Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1914 — GOTCH, ILL, DEFEATED TWICE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GOTCH, ILL, DEFEATED TWICE

Among the bitter disappointments experienced by Gotch during the period when the champion was in the making were his fourth and fifth encounters with Tom Jenkins, March 15 and May 19, 1905, respectively. New York fans were eager to see the new mat sensation from lowa, and Gotch agreed to the fourth meeting with Jenkins to be staged in the metropolis. Unfortunately he contracted a severe cold- making night jumps en route eastward. He decided, however, to keep the engagement. The match was at GrecoRoman style and Gotch, unfitted for a rough and tumble encounter with a mat tiger like Jenkins, went down to an honorable defeat after taking one fall.

George Hackenschmidt, the Russian Lion, then in the heyday of his fame as a wrestler, was on his way to America to meet the Yankee champion. Hackenschmidt met and defeated Jenkins at catch-as-catch-can, but turned a deaf ear to challenges hurled at him by Gotch. This wap a bitter disappointmet to the lowa boy, who had dreamed of winning the world’s championship. Hackenschmidt returned to Europe, claiming that honor. Gotch was eager to regain his lost prestige and remained in the east until Jenkins agreed to a return match. The encounter took place at Madison Square garden May 19, and proved to be one of the most savage in wrestling history. Gotch was still suffering slightly from his cold, and Jenkins was in prime condition. The outcome of this match was a bitter dose for Gotch, and the citizens of Humboldt never have forgiven the metropolis for its. treatment of their old resident of Humboldt about it and he will tell you that Gotch was robbed and beaten by the most outlandish exhibition of thievery ever perpetrated in American sports: They contend that the referee winked at Jenkins’ rough tactics and permitted him to grasp the ropes every time Gotch had him near a fall. Gotch, however, took his de-

feat in a sportsmanlike manner and began a campaign of training to regain his lost trophy. The referee was Tim Hurst, famous for his eccentricities as a baseball umpire. It was a grudge match and, the winner took all the receipts. , At the call, of time Jenkins rushed in but was stopped by Gotch, who put the veteran down on the mat Gotch held Jenkins down for nearly half an hour. Jenkins finally broke away and landed a heavy blow on Gotch’s mouth. Gotch protested but Hurst told him to go on and wrestle. Jenkins grabbed Gotch around the neck for a strangle hold and after several minutes of protesting by Gotch in which he received a good choking, the grip was loosened. When they clinched Jenkins took another strangle hold and held it until Gotch went down, despite the warning of the referee.

Gotch wriggled out and caught Jenkins by the feet, turning, him into a double thigh and crotch hold. Jenkins’ head was forced down until his shoulders touched the mat, but he grabbed the ropes. Gotch protested, but the referee ordered the men to the center of the mat, where they began to wrestle anew. Jenkins kicked and strangled Gotch. He fouled him deliberately. Gotch retaliated with rough work. Six times Jenkins caught the ropes to avoid a fall. Each time Hurst ordered the men to the center to begin anew. Jenkins caught Gotch with a head hold which Tim Hurst called a “mug hold” and Gotch went down to defeat in TT3OTM ; Both wrestlers were thrown from the ring in the second bout, Gotch receiving a bad fall. Gotch won the second fall but he was clearly weakened, while Jenkins seemed stronger. Jenkins rushed Gotch hard in the third fall and crushed him to the mat, Gotch struggled to his feet, tottered, looked about in a dazed manner, lurched forward and fell full length on his face. It was nearly twenty minutes before he could be carried to his dressing room. (Copyright. 1913, by Joseph B. Bowles.)

Another Example of the Strangle Hold.