WRESTLING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9084, 2 December 1909, Page 7

WRESTLING.

THE WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP

Mr E. P. Baker, of Melbourne, referring to the approaching contest for the wrestling championship of the world, said: —Yes, I have been quite successful in signing up Hackenschmidt and- Gotch for the championship to be wrestled in Melbourne, but I have had to rush over a considerable portion of the earth to do it. As far as Hackenschmidt is concerned, I have had no difficulty whatever, but Gotch was as coy as a girl, and as elusive as wet soap. It ie as plain as daylight that he w,ants to retain the title ho was awarded when he met Hackenschmidt in Chicago, and it is also plain that he would just as soon keep it without having any further bother with Hackenschmidt over it. He did not want, to wrestle at all. Finally, having taken time to consider, he decided to defend the championship, stipulating for Chicago rules—the rules under which he wrestled Hackenschmidt previously, and signed a legally-drawn-up agreement to that effect. When I told Hackenschmidt that Gotch had stipulated by cable to Australia for Chicago rules, and that he said ho (Hackenschmidt) had asked for English rules, "Hack" for a moment looked grave. "Is that the only hitch between us?" he asked. I told him yes. "Well," eaid he, "take a sheet of paper and draft out rules to suit Gotch, any rules at all, so long as iho man's shoulders arc to be put flat on the mat. Give him Chicago rules, including every hold of which he has loiowledge, and any now holds he or anyone else may invent. Meanwhile, make it plain in the rules that absolutely no hold will be regarded as a foul"hold, and I will sign it. If my ideas sound too barbarous, let him modify them to suit himself. I would, naturally, sooner wrestle a sporting match under the properly-disciplined English rules of Lancashire wrestling, but if Gotch desires to wrestle differently I will meet him in his own way, with all I my heart. All I want is to get him on the mat again." Hackenschmidt. and his troupe, including Gunner Moir and a- noted European wrestler, have gone to tour in South Africa, and 'are timed to arrive in Melbourne about January 4.