CHAMPIONS ON THE MAT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7930, 13 October 1911, Page 9

CHAMPIONS ON THE MAT

DEFEAT OF THE RUSSIAN LION. GOTCH v. HACKENSCHMIDT. In its description of the match between Gotch and liackenschmidt, decided at Chicago, the San Francisco “’Call” t> ays: Tho Russian’s showing was pitiful. The crowd- decreed that ho had ‘‘quit,” but tho defeated challenger averred that he entered the arena with a wrenched knee, on which Gotch worked and speedily reduced him to an almost helpless state. In any event it is certain that tho foreigner's nerves were on edge. He spent a sleepless night and was pale when lie crawled through the ropes. A doctor, who examined both wrestlers before they went to the mat, declared that while there might be something wrong with Hackenschmidt’s knee, it was not evident during tho examination. The first fall resulted from a reverse body hold after tho men had struggled 14 minutes 18 1-5 seconds. The terrible toe hold, for which Gotch is famous, was responsible for the second fall. He clamped it upon tho left foot of Hackenschmidt and ended the second fall iu 5 minutes 32 1-5 seconds. Scarcely had ho obtained tho grip when ‘ liackenschmidt acknowledged defeat with his shoulders. Hackenschmidt’s own statement that it was tho easiest world’s championship ever won tells tho story of .the. bout. Gotch never was in &enous difficulty at any time during tho match. Neither was he forced to -extend himself to win. Tho lowan got in all half a dozen dangerous holds on his antagonist. Hackenschmidt hud Gotch worried but once. ‘During tho first bout Hackenschmidt obtained a body hold on Gotch that brought him to’ tho mat. But the champion was on tho canvas for only a few seconds. Then lie was only down as far as his knees. Almost before the “Lion” realised his opponent was in a dangerous predicament, Gotch had wriggled out of tho liold and. was bounding across’ tho ring to safety. For his defeat liackenschmidt offers but one excuse —that his left knee, which was injured in training two weeks ago, weakened under tho pressure of tho iron hands of Gotch, ami it was useless to continue at the risk of being permanently injured. Hackenschmidt went into tho ring with the knee in a bandage. But, regardless of whether- llackenscbmidt’s knee was in bad shape, ho was in no state mentally, to enter the contest. Hackenschmidt was unnerved before he entered the arena. THE ACTUAL STRUGGLE.

The story of tho actual wrestling is soon told. ‘ Time was called at 3.15 o’clock. Tho contestants immediately locked heads and began feeling, each other out. For five minutes they tugged at each other’s necks, wrists and amis, but neither obtained dangerous hold. It was Gotch who first turned attention to tho legs. He made several fake passes at Hackenschmidt’s knees before ho finally obtained a kneo hold at the end of eight and a half minutes. Once the lowan’s massive hands wore fastened on Hackenschmidt’s left leg the Russian went down. He struggled out of them and a subsequent hold of tho same kind and then became the aggressor. Ho got a body hold and put Gotch to the mat. But the American was down only a minute. TWO HIT MAT TOGETHER. After 14 minutes of wrestling Gotch started Hackenschmidt downward with a knee- hold, faked a crotch and then quickly worked the Russian into a half nelson. They struck tho mat together, head to head.’ Then.Gotch pivoted on Ins opponent’s stomach, clamped on a reverse body hold, and tho first fall was over. ' ■ , Tho first five minutes of the second bout was a replica of that period in the first. But, of a sudden, Gotch reached down- with his right hand, grasped Hackonschmidt’e left ankle and .unbalanced the lion. While Hackenschmidt was trying to regain his equilibrium Gotch struck tho lion’s injured log with his right kneo and tho Russian crumbled into a heap on the canvas. Instantly Gotch was on Mm, his powerful right hand firmly locked on tho toes of the under man’s left foot. Hackenschmidt screamed a couple of times, rolled over on his shoulders and gave up. Referee Smith is • authority for tho statement that when Gotch secured the fatal toe lock, which won him tho second fall, Hackenschmidt cried out: Dont hurt my tool” and a second later Don t break my leg!” and fell with his shoulders to tho mat, frothing at tho mouth.