By Tim Hornbaker Humboldt County, Iowa, according to the United States Federal Census, had a little more than 12,600 people residing within its limits in the year 1900. Among the people building the farming communities were Frederick Rudolph (1830-1911) and Amelia Johannah Nopece Gotsch (1834- ). The Gotschs, and their children, Mary, Anna, and Frederick, immigrated from Germany into Lewis County, New York in 1863, and shorted their name to “Gotch.” Frederick served as a private with Company A of the 186 New York Infantry during the Civil War. During the middle of the 1860s, the family moved to Springvale (later renamed Humboldt), and settled permanently. The ninth child of Fred and Ameila was named Frank Alvin Gotch, born on April 27, 1876. He built his muscles working on his family’s farm, and attended school, where he first became interested in wrestling. One of his earliest opponents was his teacher, a man seven years his senior. Gotch and Kennedy wrestled two matches, one win for Frank and the other a draw. These matches were not amateur bouts held on a mat, but battles outdoors before friends of both competitors, and little rules were followed. The bouts were shoot matches, as all Frank’s early contests were, and provided a strong training atmosphere for the young grappler. He built his toughness against Humboldt County’s most interested fighters, wrestling in the streets, on snow or grass, in the dirt, and in farm houses. Gotch’s initial professional match took place on April 2, 1899 in Humboldt. Neither of the individuals on the original bill had the name “Gotch,” but after one of the men failed to appear, friends of Frank began to persuade him to step up to the challenge made by the man who did appear, Marshall Green, a local farmer. Legend has it that even Humboldt’s Mayor, Richard Gray helped convince Gotch to compete, which the latter did, and using a strangle hold, beat his opponent. During an interview with Joseph B. Bowles in 1913, Gotch said: “I won my first professional match at catch-as-catch-can wrestling with the strangle hold because I didn’t know any better. That was before I had met either McLeod or Farmer Burns. It was in the match with Marshall Green, the chicken picker, when we wrestled in overalls in the old opera house in Humboldt in 1899. It was a rough and ready battle and both tried for the strangle hold. I was quicker than Green and won three straight falls in about an hour of hard work, taking all three with strangle holds.” Gotch reportedly earned $80 for his bout with Green. Still with no formal training, Gotch went to the annual Woodsmen’s picnic in LuVerne, Iowa on June 16, 1899 and found himself in a match with the acknowledged heavyweight champion of the world, Dan McLeod. McLeod used an alias (either Dan Stewart or Charley Reynolds), appearing under the guise of a furniture mover from Omaha. McLeod had been drawn into the picnic by the chance of having excess time on his hands while waiting for an outgoing train. Another report stated that McLeod was brought in by backers to specifically face Gotch, either way, McLeod and Gotch locked up for a match with two-of-three-falls and a $50 side bet. The two competed in the street and before a large gathering, in what was a brutal shoot match between a heralded champion, and a newcomer. McLeod beat Gotch in 54 minutes for the first fall, and as blood flowed from both men, went another 9 minutes before the champion won again. Another report of the Gotch-McLeod match stated that the latter won the first fall in 1 hour and 14 minutes, and then the second in 28 minutes. In a report written by Joseph Carroll Marsh and printed in the Des Moines Register (March 21, 1954), he said the following: “I managed Gotch for many years during his climb to the championship. I saw him in his greatest matches, but I would have given more to have seen his street match with Dan McLeod than any match he wrestled afterwards. “In my opinion – and I feel that I am capable of judging, having been connected with the game for more than 50 years and wrestled during 20 of them – a 21 year-old farm boy with practically no experience meeting a champion like Dan McLeod and lasting more than hour, stands as an event without parallel in athletic history.” Needless to say, the performance Gotch put on with champion McLeod gave the youth great confidence to continue his athletic career. On December 18, 1899, Gotch decided to test his skill against Iowa’s greatest professional wrestler (to date), the legendary Farmer Burns. That day, Burns was in Fort Dodge wrestling all challengers, and accepted that of Frank Gotch. The two locked horns, grappling for position, and after 12-minutes, Burns was victorious. Burns was impressed with the young wrestler, but after the match, the men went their own ways. Within the next two months, Gotch met up with wrestling farmer again, this time accepting a place within the Burns’ troupe. Martin trained Gotch thoroughly, schooling him in the art. Along with Duncan McMillan, Gotch and Burns hit the road, wrestling throughout the Central States. On September 26, 1900, the trio were joined by Ole Shellenberger and Ernest Roeber for a tournament in Des Moines. Gotch beat Roeber in the first bout, then Gotch won two-of-three-falls over Shellenberger, losing the initial fall. Burns beat McMillan in two-of-three-falls, then failed to beat Gotch in 15- minutes in the finals. Besides Burns and McMillen, Jack Carkeek was another early influence on Gotch’s career. The Burns-Gotch traveling show ventured to most small towns in Iowa, and when there weren’t opponents to battle, they’d wrestle each other. In places they could, other identities were used to mask their reputation from gamblers. On March 27, 1901 in Burlington, Oscar Wasem, formerly from St. Louis and residing in that Iowa town, beat Gotch with the first and third falls. Less than two weeks later, Wasem was dropped by Burns in two-of-three-falls. During this time-frame, and on these early tours with Burns and his cronies, Gotch learned how to work matches, and how to perfect his showmanship before audiences. That skill would be used expertly until the day he died. 1901 was a very successful year for Gotch all-around, and it was his trip to the Yukon Territory and Alaska that spawned a wealth of legend on his behalf. So many different stories of that trip surfaced following his return, most of which counted his amazingly high earnings. Reportedly, the date of the initial Gotch-Joseph Carroll Marsh meeting was June 18, 1901. Marsh was scouting through Iowa looking for athletes to accompany him for a tour of the great northwest. Marsh wanted Farmer Burns originally, but the latter declined and offered up his protégé, Gotch. That same day, both men, along with the Butler Brothers (Dick and Jim) and a man named (P.O.) McKeller, were on their way to Seattle. There, they picked up famous collar-and-elbow wrestling great, Colonel James Hiram McLaughlin, and the gang ventured northward. While away from Iowa, Gotch adopted the alias “Frank Kennedy” while Marsh was known as “Ole’ Marsh.” Kennedy was billed as being from Springfield, Illinois, and having served in the Spanish-American war. On Wednesday, August 14, 1901, Gotch wrestled a member of his troop, Vincent White at the Orpheum Theater in Dawson, Yukon Territory. Gotch said the following in 1907, “I made a match with Vincent White in our camp for $500 a side and threw him. Then word was ‘mysteriously’ carried over to Bear Creek, where (Bob) Swanson worked, that there was a wrestler on the Bonanza (Creek). A delegation came over. Swanson was one of the number – a great big hulky sort of a fellow.” “Both sets of miners began bragging. They boasted and bragged and quarreled. Finally money began appearing. First $1,000, then $2,000, then $5,000. When this amount came up the Bonanza boys grabbed it. In all, about $6,000 appeared and was covered. The bout was advertised far and near. Frank Gotch (sic), miner, from Bonanza Creek, bet $5,000 he can throw the mighty Swanson, the posters said. “The opera house in Dawson was crowded that night when the match came off. Money flowed like water. Bet after bet was made. Excitement was high. When we appeared on the stage the miners yelled themselves hoarse. Only one fall was scheduled. We went at it. Swanson clamped his big arms around me and picked me off my feet. I got loose, and waited for an opening. It came. I jumped in, got a clean half Nelson, and rolled him over. Time, 18 minutes. Well, the crowd went wild. I cleaned up about $4,000 on it. And the boys from Bonanza Creek? Lord knows how much they got!” The troupe working the Yukon continued their performance in Dawson, and McLaughlin and Marsh competed several times. On Wednesday, August 28, at the Standard Theater, Kennedy (Gotch) lost a one-fall match to Marsh in 22-minutes. Kennedy had an overbearing advantage over his opponent, and betting went in his favor to win. During the celebrated bout, Kennedy fell from the ring and into the orchestra pit, of course, leading to his demise. When he lost, an estimated $3,000 changed hands, and there was immediate talk of a rematch. Kennedy was pegged again as the choice to win. Marsh was very interested in making money, proved further by his wrestling contests at a local gymnasium in Dawson at 5:00 in the morning on August 29 against a Swede named Yonson and Gene Riley. Marsh won his bout with the former in 45-seconds and then took the latter in 1:15, capturing $50. The second Kennedy-Marsh match drew considerably more attention then their first round. A local promoter named John Mulligan worked the specifics, invested money, and offered $1,000 to the winner. The affair took place on Friday, September 13 at the Savoy Theater, and Colonel McLaughlin acted as the referee. Kennedy and Marsh performed in a memorable contest, although many believed Frank wasn’t using all of the moves in his repertoire. Some saw faults in the officiating of McLaughlin. Kennedy won the first fall in 14:20, and although Marsh was defeated, there were still people betting on him. Marsh bounced back to capture the second in 11:31 and then won the match in 29:20, winning the purse and damaging the name “Frank Kennedy” forever. Joe Carroll Marsh was a veteran wrestler, but hardly the wrestler Frank Gotch was. Gotch was in shape, had a dominant weight advantage over his older opponent, and would not have lost a straight arrowed contest. Their Savoy Theater match on September 13 had plenty of controversy, including falls for Gotch that were not counted. Eight days later, the duo and McLaughlin entered a round-robin tournament at the Savoy. Gotch won a Cornish-style match over McLaughlin, lost a catch-style match to Marsh, then won a Graeco-Roman match over McLaughlin, and beat Marsh in a catch-style rematch. Before leaving Dawson, Gotch fought an experienced boxer named Frank “Paddy” Slavin (1862-1929), an Australian familiar with the territory. Kennedy put up $1,000 backing his fighting abilities, and Slavin agreed to the terms of a 15 round, Marquis of Queensbury rules match, predicting a victory and unafraid in the possibilities of “Kennedy” being a ringer. Kennedy was, in fact, a ringer, but not in the world of boxing. They laced up their gloves and went at each other on September 25 at the Savoy. Slavin dominated the fight before a hearty crowd, all hoping to see something spectacular, but after two rounds, the boxer was awarded the match by disqualification after Kennedy had tossed him to the mat. The audience was not pleased with the result. Gotch remembered the fight with Slavin in 1907, saying the following: “After I wrestled down the Klondike champion for $11,000 a side in Dawson City, in 1900, the boys up there began to think that I could do anything. They matched me to fight Frank Slavin, who was in Alaska at the time. Well, I trained hard for the match, and we fought before a packed house, the miners paying their way in and making their bets with gold dust, fresh from the pan. Slavin and I had a terrific tilt. The police stopped it in the seventh round. At least that’s what they told me afterward. Say, do you know that during those seven rounds, Slavin hit at me 300 times, and I don’t believe he missed me once.” The day following the boxing match, the Daily Klondike Nugget of Dawson stated that referee Tozier halted action after the second round had ended. Slavin had punched Gotch as they were separating for the break, and Gotch quickly reacted by downing the fighter from Australia. Tozier then ended the bout. A recollection of Joe Carroll Marsh in 1915 said that the bout lasted three rounds, and affirmed that Slavin’s fistic skill eclipsed that of the future World Wrestling Champion. Gotch’s trip to the Yukon and Alaska may have earned him upwards of $30,000, and his association with Marsh continued in the months and years that followed. In December of 1901, Gotch gained revenge over Oscar Wasem in Burlington, taking two-straight falls in less than 20-minutes, and, thus, taking claim to the Iowa Heavyweight Title. Carl Pons was a victim of Gotch’s abilities on January 10, 1903 in Seattle, and on February 22 in Cleveland, Frank matched moves with American Champion Tom Jenkins. Jenkins had very few contemporaries in the catch-as-catch-can style, and had been considered one of the best in the world. That night in Cleveland, Jenkins beat the up-and-comer from Iowa, but recognized the prospects for Gotch’s future, and Farmer Burns’ boasts that he would soon be champion seemed certainly possible. Jenkins offered a rematch if the price was right. Gotch spent some time in the Pacific Northwest, where he drew well, and defeated Burns, Emil Klank, and Frank Coleman. The manager of Beck’s Theatre in Bellingham, Washington, A.C. Senker, worked with Gotch’s handlers to book the highly anticipated rematch between Frank and Jenkins. The date was set for Wednesday, January 27, 1904, and drew 5,000 fans. Not only was the American Title on the line, but Gotch and Jenkins were wrestling for the $2,000 purse and a $2,000 side bet. The challenger won the first fall in 53-minutes, and the heat was turned up for the second, as fans watched Jenkins apply a stranglehold, a move barred from use. Gotch broke out of the maneuver several times, jabbing the only eye Tom could see out of, and the two ended up on their feet with the former nearly striking his opponent with a punch. The referee disqualified Jenkins and Gotch was named the new American Champion. Shortly thereafter, Frank left Marsh behind and ventured east, where he took Horace W. “Harry” Lerch, a sports writer and manager from upstate New York, as his pilot. Gotch continued his winning streak, going over the likes of Jim Parr, Joe Rogers, and Dan McLeod. On December 23, 1904 in Buffalo, Gotch had to beat Parr again, under handicap rules. He had to beat him three times in 60-minutes, and when he was only able to win twice in that time, Parr was named victor. A talented French-Canadian named Emile Maupas won a handicap match from Gotch on January 1, 1905 in Montreal. He then won bouts over Rogers, Ed Atherton, and a rematch over Jenkins on February 1 in Cleveland. Between March and May 1905, several historical events took place in professional wrestling. First, George Hackenschmidt, a mammoth grappler from London was arriving for his first North American tour. Second, Gotch and Jenkins were scheduled for a rematch at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Third, Hackenschmidt and Jenkins wrestled at the Garden for the catch-as-catch-can World Championship, and fourth, in Buffalo, Gotch and the “Russian Lion” faced off the first time. Hackenschmidt, by the Spring of 1905, had established himself as the strongest, most feared grappler in Europe. He beat Tom Jenkins with little trouble in London in July of the year prior, and was looking for a rematch. Jenkins said the following in the middle of March 1905: “I see by the papers that Hackenschmidt is on his way to this country. The time is ripe therefore for me to put in my claim for the first opportunity to meet the Russian in a match at catch as catch can style. No matter what the outcome of my match with Gotch at the Garden next Wednesday night it seems to me that I am entitled to the first opportunity to meet Hackenschmidt in this country. In London I met him on his own battlefield in a straight Graeco-Roman match and it seems to me that he ought to meet me on my own battlefield at my own style.” Organizers did sign Hackenschmidt vs. Jenkins following the Gotch-Jenkins affair on March 15, 1905. Jenkins won the first fall in 19:34, Gotch returned to capture the second in 6:47, and Jenkins won the third in 10:11, regaining the American Title before a large crowd. Later that month, Hackenschmidt arrived on the West Coast and traveled to New York to prepare for his duel with Jenkins. On May 4 at the Garden, Hackenschmidt beat Jenkins in two-straight falls, winning the match in 31:15 and 22:04. Hackenschmidt was holding World Titles in both the catch-as-catch-can and Graeco-Roman styles. Hackenschmidt went to Buffalo for a May 6 appearance against Jim Parr, and Gotch was in attendance. Gotch verbally assaulted Hackenschmidt before the bout, issuing a stern challenge. Hackenschmidt declined, and tried to remain focused on the match on hand. When the estimated 2,000 fans in attendance began voicing their opinions in the matter, the pressure began to heat under Hackenschmidt. Gotch claimed that he was scared, but, in an attempt to prove that he wasn’t, Hackenschmidt said that he would give Frank a match as soon as he arrived for his second tour of North America. Hackenschmidt even said no to a $5,000 offer from a local promoter. He did proceed to beat Parr in three- straight falls, winning a handicap match with the rules that he’d beat his opponent with three falls in 60-minutes. George won all three falls in nearly eight minutes. Gotch had lost a comparable match to Parr. Although Jenkins was the American Champion, it was quickly becoming apparent that Frank Gotch was the great hope to resurrect the popularity of professional wrestling in the United States. Jenkins was also looking to slow down his career, and the offer from President Theodore Roosevelt to serve as the initial boxing and wrestling instructor at West Point Military Academy was too significant to pass up. He did remain champion until Wednesday, May 23, 1906, losing a three-fall match to Gotch at the Convention Hall in Kansas City, Missouri. Shortly after his win, Gotch announced that he wanted to wrestle Hackenschmidt. “I want to wrestle Hackenschmidt for the world’s championship in Kansas City,” he said, “and I am going to make him a proposition that he can’t dodge.” A $6,000 purse was offered by the Missouri Athletic Club and Gotch agreed to put up $4,000 himself for Hackenschmidt, which he would receive no matter what. Gotch, between the summer of 1905 and through his match with Fred Beell in December 1906, built a long streak of victories. Among those defeated were Beck Olson, Duncan A. McMillan, Jack Carkeek, Emil Klank, McLeod, Charles Hackenschmidt, Farmer Burns, Rogers, Apollo, Parr, Charles Olson, Hjalmar Lundin, Leo Pardello, and a number of handicap match wins over several wrestlers at a time. Highlights in the run were two matches in Montreal, his tournament victory over Emile Maupas on December 27, 1905, and his controversial match with Emile Pietro on May 14, 1906. The latter saw the two battle for 30-minutes to a no decision when police stopped fans who were nearly rioting. Gotch had English-speaking fans backing him, while Pietro had French-fans backing him, and the two groups were nearly at blows. A heavy influx of international talent gave Gotch a range of opponents, and actually built American support for him. His confident challenges towards Hackenschmidt seemed to prove his invincibility, and the latter’s failure to appear for a match hinted more of the same. Hackenschmidt, in the minds of many writers, was the only man who could give Gotch a serious test. When Frank went into the Greenwall Theatre in New Orleans on December 1, 1906, he was the palpable favorite. Odds were heavily in his favor to win, but strikingly, there were still people in the arena betting on the challenger, the “Wisconsin Wonder,” Fred Beell. Beell stood only 5’6”, and weighed no more than 167 pounds versus Gotch’s 5’11” and 202 pounds. The betting continued as Gotch won the first fall in 31:22, even more astonishingly, bets continued in favor of Fred to win by a select group of gamblers although the odds were 3-1 Gotch. Referee Charles Olson ordered the match to resume for the second fall, and after more than 30 minutes, Beell took advantage of the fall by slamming the champion to the mat four successive times. One of the moves sent Gotch from the mat and to the floor, before the audience, where he hit his head. Gotch returned, dizzy, and hardly the wrestler he was going into the fall, and Beell quickly capitalized, scoring a winning pinfall at the 39 minute mark. Handers carried Gotch to the dressing room, and he had a total of 20 minutes to recover. The third fall lasted a total of 50 seconds, with Beell pouncing on the weakened Gotch and pinning him. A stunned audience watched Beell capture the American Heavyweight Title, and a reported $10,000 changed hands. The Gotch-Beell affair has been labeled the greatest upset in professional wrestling history. In fact, it was the greatest something, upset – no, “work” – yes. The match was handled perfectly by all involved, and earned the Gotch-Burns-Beell-Olson troupe a bundle of cash. Commenting on the question of possible artificially created finish by two actors rather than wrestlers, referee Olson said the following to the New Orleans Daily Pacayune: “I’d bet this to a penny that the two worked their best.” As he said the words, he displayed a wad of cash. Was the money he held earnings from the huge payday? 16 days later in Kansas City, Gotch regained the title from Beell with two-straight falls before an estimated 8,000 fans. Both men, again, cleaned up at the box office. Olson was an important member of the Gotch-Burns syndicate, and would go on to win three handicap match victories over the champion, but lose finish matches. In 1907, Gotch replaced his manager, Harry Lerch with Emil Klank. Klank was born in Chicago on June 19, 1876 (listed as June 9, 1876 in Joseph B. Bowles 1913 book entitled Frank A. Gotch, World’s Champion Wrestler) to German parents, Charles and Johanna Kauradt Klank. He was trained by Farmer Burns, and was a longtime worker within the syndicate, even using different identities along the trail to dupe audiences out of money and to hide his reputation. Klank claimed various championships during the early 1900s, including an Omaha-city title, the Nebraska State Title, the Northwest Title, and the Western States Championship which he lost to Gotch in 1905. As a civilian occupation, Klank worked as a policeman. Gotch and Klank had a memorable match in Denver on August 23, 1907 even though Gotch was the master of his opponent. In 13:30, Gotch beat Klank with a half Nelson and bar lock, injuring Emil’s arm. The champion won the second fall in 11:20. The first inclination of Gotch retiring from wrestling came in March 1907, more than a year prior to his first match with George Hackenschmidt. His schedule did slow down, but the door remained open for possible bout with the Russian. Gotch competed in “safe” matches against members of his organization, even dropping several handicap bouts to the likes of Joe Rogers, Charles Olson and William Demetral. During the latter part of February 1908, Milwaukee businessman and promoter William W. Wittig was hard at work trying to get Gotch and Hackenschmidt to negotiate for a match. Both were willing to hear the offer, and when mention of a $10,000 purse came up, the deal was signed simultaneously, with final confirmation via cable, in New York City (Gotch was signed for by Wittig) and in London by Hackenschmidt. Wittig immediately attempted to fix Madison Square Garden at the location of the match, but was unable, and finally settled on Chicago being the host city for the match of the century. Rogers was an interesting pawn in the build up for Gotch-Hackenschmidt. He was born around 1879 of Jewish-German parentage and immigrated to the United States from London when he was three years old. Standing a little more than 6’1” and weighing between 260 and 295 pounds, Rogers was a formidable fellow in any ring. Under the guidance of Hall of Fame fight manager Tom O’Rourke, who managed Tom Sharkey, Rogers was accorded much respect even before his first boxing match with comparisons to many of the sport’s best. O’Rourke even hoped that young Rogers would dethrone Jim Jeffries for the World Championship. With great aspirations, Joe and O’Rourke traveled to Europe in 1907 to pursue both boxing and wrestling. Joe Rogers, the boxer, wasn’t as skilled as Joe Rogers the wrestler, and O’Rourke quickly learned that. Before leaving for the west after an unsuccessful tour, the duo beckoned for a match with Hackenschmidt, the World’s Champion. Rogers, possessing skill in both the Graeco-Roman and catch-as-catch-can styles, was outmatched by his opponent when they locked up at the Oxford Music Hall in London during the afternoon of January 30, 1908. The match was under the latter style, and Hackenschmidt won the first fall in 7:35 and then took the second in 6:45. Hackenschmidt proved that his talent and quickness could overcome the size of the “American Apollo.” Interestingly enough, The Times of London, England, printed that Rogers stood “about five inches” taller than Hackenschmidt. The aspirations of O’Rourke and Rogers quickly faded, although upon return to the United States, Joe received a handicap match with Frank Gotch in New York City. The match took place at the New Amsterdam Hall on March 6, 1908, and Gotch had to beat Rogers five times in 60-minutes. He failed, only winning two falls in the allotted time. Using the rationale, if Hackenschmidt beat Rogers so squarely, and if Gotch had such a difficult time with him, it seemed likely in the opinions of many that Hackenschmidt had an advantage. Gotch did win two falls, like “Hack,” over Rogers, but lost the handicap match. Rogers had wrestled both men within a two month period, and tested their skills, so, in the minds of some, he was the barometer. All in all, it gave pundits more to chew on as the date of April 3 neared. Back in Chicago, Gotch wrestled and beat Fred Beell on February 7, 1908 in Chicago and won in two-straight falls. The first went after 54-minutes of action. He was scheduled to compete with Charlie Olson the next night at the Illinois Athletic Club, but could not due to a cold and a hurt knee. The man representing him in the negotiations for the important bout was Jack Herman, the future manager of Stanislaus Zbyszko. Gotch also had Farmer Burns, Jack Carkeek, and Emil Klank working in his best interests, and trained locally in the “Windy City” with a German named Ernst. The pieces were in place, and both grapplers were in town making their final preparations for the match. The night of April 3, after several preliminaries, and as an estimated 6,000 fans looked on in the seating areas of the Dexter Park Pavilion, Hackenschmidt went to the ring with boxer Rudolph Unholz and wrestler Gus Schoenlein. Out of apparent courtesy, he waited for Gotch to arrive and get into the ring first, before making the move himself. The American Titleholder was accompanied by Burns, Carkeek, and Klank. Finally, a match three years in the making, Gotch and Hackenschmidt shook hands at 10: 29 p.m., and the timer began as both readied for the fight of their lives. The quickness displayed by Gotch out-dueled any strength of Hackenschmidt, and the latter was easily unprepared for the conditioning of the man from Humboldt. Any attempts by the Russian to gain the upper hand was knocked away by superior defense. Two hours and one minute of harsh, bloody, and heavily contested wrestling ended with the international superstar, George Hackenschmidt, unable to continue. Hackenschmidt honestly told the referee and his opponent that he was giving up the fall, and the entire match. He was unable to go any further. Thus, Gotch was the new catch-as-catch-can World Heavyweight Champion. Chicago fans lifted their hero onto their shoulders and carried him to his dressing room, as Gotch’s supporters cheered wildly. After the match, Gotch was quoted by the Chicago Daily Tribune, Saturday, April 4, 1908: “Hackenschmidt never was a better man than I am. He may be a little stronger in the arms, but not much. He wanted to quit several times and have the bout declared a draw. I told him he could quit, but I would not consent to a draw. I can beat him any time and am willing to go right out now and wrestle him again. I intend going to Paris and open up in the theaters, where I will meet all comers. I am glad I won the championship of the world.” In the same paper, Hackenschmidt said: “Gotch surprised me. He is 50 percent better than when I saw him last. He had me greatly worried because of his toe hold and I was afraid to go to the mat. When Gotch threw me on the mat he hurt me internally and I quit rather than injure myself for life. When I get well, I will wrestle Gotch again and try to retrieve my lost laurels. Gotch beat me and I have to acknowledge it.” In an article that ran in the Washington Post on April 5, 1908, Hackenschmidt was quoted as saying: “There is no man in all England who has a chance with your man, Gotch. He is king of his class, the greatest man by far that I have ever met. After going nearly two hours with him my muscles became stale. My feet also gave way on me. I had trained constantly against the toe hold and I had strained the muscles of my legs. When I found myself weakening I knew there was no use continuing. I had no chance to win. That was the reason I conceded the championship to him. I have no desire to wrestle him again. A return match would not win back my title.” Hackenschmidt, still picking up the pieces from the loss, corresponded with the London Daily Mail, which was special to the Washington Post, and ran in the April 6, 1908 newspaper, saying the following: “The tactics by which I was defeated on American soil would not have been tolerated in England. Gotch’s body was literally soaked in oil, to prevent my holding him. All the world knows this to be unfair and against the rules of wrestling. He dug his nails into my face, tried to pull my ear off, and poked his thumb into my eye. Gotch fought not like a man, but like a cat. I will state facts, and let the English public judge. “In the first place, I underestimated Gotch’s power, and thought it unnecessary to do much training. For two weeks after my arrival from England I went on a tour in the East, and then I hurried on to Chicago. The manager of the Chicago Athletic Club, where I was to train, insulted me and acted mean, so that I only went there twice. Consequently, I was wholly unfit to meet Gotch. However, I am sure that if he had wrestled fairly, I should have beaten him. Once in the ring, I began aggressive tactics, but Gotch would not come on, and started his tricks.” “I saw that his body was oiled, and protested, but the referee paid no heed to me. The people at the ringside were all prejudiced against me and unfair, so that I concluded the best thing to do was to keep silent and do my best. Gotch then dug his finger into my eye, and I called out “unfair,” but he continued, and the referee did not stop him. Then he caught hold of my ear and started to pull it off. In releasing my ear he scratched my face, tearing the skin off. “Now happened an unusual thing, which I don’t think fair. Gotch grabbed my big toe and tried to sprain it, with the object of crippling me by breaking the bone. Throughout the match he kept pulling and wrenching my toe, and I saw that it was not a wrestling, but a butchery match. After an hour and a half, I was disgusted and ready to quit, but I decided to try again. Gotch seemed to weaken, but, cheered by the crowd, he kept up the ‘bloody work’ on my face, so half an hour later, I said ‘I’m done.’ “I was not hurt much, but I didn’t want all my skin pulled off. I never appealed for a draw. I am both quicker and more powerful than Gotch. The only thing is that I did not train enough. Had I do so, I would have beaten him despite oil, scratching, toe pulling, and ear butchery. I ask the English public, through the Daily Mail, if this is fair dealing? I will return to England in a few days, to appear at the Metropolitan Music Hall two weeks hence, and shall not retire. “I shall keep all my English engagements, and now that I know Gotch I will train to win back the championship, but not on American soil. I don’t think American ideas of sporting are fair. I trust that when the English public learns the above facts it will not allow my so-called defeat to injure my reputation. I tried to uphold English sportsmanship by fair means, and would not stoop to win by foul methods. I have made $20,000 since my arrival in America.” Hackenschmidt went to Wittig’s farm to recover following the match, and soon returned to England on the Lusitania, while the people of Humboldt awaited Gotch’s return. He emphatically denied “Hack’s” statements that his body was heavily oiled. Among the thoughts Gotch pondered both in the press and in private was the possibility of giving Hackenschmidt a rematch, and the offer of $10,000 to tour Europe. Frank took a look at everything, and was hesitant to make any rash moves. As the motion picture of the Gotch-Hackenschmidt match circulated in movie houses, Frank made his first reference to leaving professional wrestling behind for vaudeville. He had several matches in May and built up to a bout with Dr. Roller in Seattle on July 1, which he won. Gotch then went to Texas for a tour of the major cities, including Dallas, Houston, and Galveston. In Dallas on July 15, he took out three competitors in 19- minutes. Two nights later, he was in a Galveston ring against Herman Berneau. Within five minutes of one-sided wrestling, Berneau was injured with a broken rib, and Gotch was held by police for aggravated assault. Gotch was released the next day as the case was dismissed. Gotch and Klank sailed for Europe on the Campania on October 28, 1908, arriving in Queenstown on November 3. The members of the Gotch party battled sickness at sea, only to have the speculation of a battle between Frank and “Hack” to begin as soon as they stepped off the boat. A bout in London during the winter stay was not going to happen. He did make numerous appearances, performed in some exhibitions, and acted in a sketch entitled “All About a Bout.” On February 2, 1909, Gotch returned to New York City on the Deutschland. Yussiff Mahmout and Antonio Pierri, while Gotch was overseas, arrived in the United States, and began headhunting. Next to Gotch vs. Hackenschmidt, Gotch vs. Mahmout quickly became the most yearned for professional wrestling match available, and promoters worked to get the contracts signed. Mahmout rolled over the top heavyweights, Beell, Jenkins, Roller, Ordeman, Lundin, Olson, and Demetral, proving to the American wrestling fan that he was a force to be reckon with. Between March and June 1909, Gotch toured extensively, defeating his major challengers. On April 14, 1909 in Chicago, he wrestled Mahmout before a reported 15,000 fans, and scored a two-fall victory. He earned $7,500 for the match. Additional wins came over Dan McLeod, Ordeman, Roller, Charles Hackenschmidt, Westergaard, Beell, and Jenkins. Mahmout, familiar with the territory and finding a friend in Gotch, became the latter’s training partner and “policeman.” Gotch decreed that Mahmout and his student, Ordeman, were among the best wrestlers around. Jack Curley signed Gotch for a thirty week tour, paying $1,100 a week, with the Sells- Floto Circus in January 1916, to begin in April. Accompanying him on the circuit was Jess Willard, the heavyweight boxing champion. The most important thing for the major wrestling promoters at the time was to bid and practically beg for the rights to a Gotch- Stecher match. Promoters from New York, Chicago, Omaha, and San Francisco all set sights on the bout, but Gotch was determined to call the shots, turning down an offer for Decoration Day. In March 1916, he went to the Pacific Coast, where he continued his training to get back into shape. On March 10, he beat William Demetral in two-straight falls in Los Angeles. He turned down a deal to wrestle Ad Santel in San Francisco. Early in May, after joining the circus on the road, Gotch became seriously ill. He was unable to hold food down, and had lost between 30 and 40 pounds. He cancelled his contract with the circus, told newspapers that he was not going to wrestle Stecher, and that he was done with wrestling completely. Gotch returned to Humboldt, where he hoped to recover, and reports of his illness ranged from fatal stomach cancer to acute indigestion. Gotch’s health quickly turned around, and was not only able to return to the circus, but resume any discussion regarding a match with Stecher, whom many thought he was running from. On Sunday, May 21, Gotch met with Stecher’s manager Joe Hetmanek and Gene Melady in Burlington to discuss the prospects for a bout. At the conference, Gotch stated that no matter if he won, lost or the match was a draw, he needed 40 percent of the receipts. On the other side of the table, Hetmanek wanted 60 percent to the winner, and 40 for the loser. In a previous declaration, Gotch had stated that if Stecher wanted a match, Joe would have to pay him $18,000 to get him out of his circus contract. Needless to say, Joe refused. Earl Caddock, whose friendship with Gotch was growing, joined the circus, and the two trained with each other often. During the afternoon of July 18, 1916, an incident redirected the course of wrestling history forever. The accident ended the possibilities of a match along the lines of Gotch- Hackenschmidt, which could have remained as legendary today, as it would have been on Labor Day 1916. Gotch and the circus were in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he was wrestling another member of the gang, Bob Managoff, a talented Armenian shooter. Going for a hip hold on his opponent after the passing of only a few minutes of grappling, Gotch’s left foot became caught in between a set of mats, and a continued movement strained his febula, above the ankle, to the point of fracture. A physician, Dr. Curtis H. Gephart, ran to Gotch’s aid, as did Willard and Tom Jones. A combined effort got Frank to a nearby automobile, where he was taken to a hospital. Gotch remained in a Kenosha hospital for a number of days, and was quoted by the Washington Post on July 23, 1916: “I am done for good. I think it is time for any man to retire when he is 40, and from now on I don’t care who has the wrestling championship. Just as soon as I am able to leave the hospital, I am going back to the farm.” The injury was severe, and Frank limped for several weeks afterwards. Any possibility of a match with Stecher seemed totally out of the question. In August 1916, Gotch engaged a special exhibition bout with Jim Essen for the Selig Polyscope Company, and was victorious. He said the following and was quoted by a number of newspapers from the Washington Post, which reported that the article was under copyright, 1916, to the Selig Polyscope Company, to the Omaha World Herald and was printed at different times over the span of several weeks: “I have retired from the ring. I have not retired because I do not think I am capable of defeating them all, but because I do not think I am quite as good as I was, say a half dozen years ago. I am 38 years of age and time will tell sooner or later. I think it would be later with me, but, just the same, I do not want my friends to back me with their money believing that I am even better than I was ten years ago. I am not better. I may not be as good. At that I think I would be good enough to take on those in the game today. “My match with Jim Essen, champion of Scotland, staged exclusively for motion pictures, will go down in history as my last match. I won, it is true, but after that match it came to me suddenly that there is a time for all men to retire. I never dodged a match and I gave them all opportunities to win my championship title, and so my retirement will not permit nor will it deserve criticism. The retirement was made at no small sacrifice, for under an agreement with the Selig company I was to receive $85,000 for two more matches. I will not wrestle again. I have enough money. I want to stay on my farm and enjoy the company of my wife and family.” In January 1917, Gotch publicly backed Caddock, stating that he was the best in the world and a future heavyweight champion. Frank was among the team tutoring Earl in Chicago for his April 9 bout with World Title claimant Joe Stecher at Omaha’s Municipal Stadium. That night, Caddock won the World Heavyweight Title from Stecher when the latter refused to continue after losing the second fall. Gotch, who was in Caddock’s corner, helped put pressure on the referee after Stecher refused to return to the ring. The badgering became too much, and the referee declared Caddock victor by forfeit. Gotch was in Houston four nights later to referee the middleweight championship match between Mike Yokel and Waino Ketonen. Before an estimated 10,000 people at Chicago’ s Coliseum, Gotch wrestled his final match against Leo Pardello on Tuesday, May 1, 1917. Frank beat his opponent in 6-minutes with a half nelson and crotch hold. Also on the all-star show for the Elks Lodge No. 4, were Caddock, Louis Talaber, Marty Cutler, Ernest Kartje, and Ben Reuben. The following night, Frank acted as the third man for the John Olin and Ed “Strangler” Lewis match, which the latter won a claim to the heavyweight title. He also refereed matches on May 7 in Des Moines (Caddock-Eustace) and on August 30, 1917 in Harlan, Iowa (Caddock-Draak). On October 12, Gotch and his wife finished their journey from Humboldt to Chicago, where Frank was going to seek medical help at St. Luke’s Hospital. Gotch was moved to the German Hospital, and was quoted by the United Press as saying the following on October 15, 1917: “The doctor is kidding when he says he don’t know how long I’ll be here. I feel fine. Fine thing for me to be doing, loafing in a hospital. We were loading rugs out on the farm and I strained myself. They couldn’t do much for me out there, but I have felt fine since coming to the hospital.” A strained back was one of the earliest symptoms, but doctors seemed to believe he was having kidney problems. The illness ended up being uremic poisoning. He was put on medication, and rested for several weeks before boarding a train with his wife for Humboldt, rather than going on to Hot Springs, Arkansas, the couple’s original plan. The news they received while in Chicago was terrible, Frank was dying. Frank Alvin Gotch died at noon on December 16, 1917 with his wife at his bedside. His health had deteriorated in the weeks and days prior to this death. With Iowa Governor William L. Harding and hundreds of mourners in attendance, Gotch was buried on December 19 in the family mausoleum in Union Cemetery in Humboldt. A friend of Frank’ s, Reverend Alexander Bennett, of Salina, Kansas, performed the oration, and the entire town of Humboldt closed up all businesses, schools, and offices to pay their respects to the fallen champion. Near Humboldt, Gotch had owned 1,200 acres of farming land, as well as owning property in both Iowa and Minnesota, interests in business, and an estate worth between $250-$400,000. The master of the toe hold, Frank Gotch was a family man, an avid sports fan, an animal lover, and car enthusiast. Most of all, he was America’s greatest wrestler, paving the way for the generations that succeeded him. Gotch, posthumously, was inducted into the following hall of fames: Des Moines Register – Iowa Sports Hall of Fame – Inducted in 1951, Madison Square Garden Hall of Fame, George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame at the International Wrestling Institute and Museum – Inducted in September 1998 in Newton, Iowa, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame – Inducted on May 5, 2002 in Schenectady, New York. An autobiography entitled Gotch – World’s Champion Wrestler was written with Joseph B. Bowles and George Robbins, and published in 1913. An updated biography, Gotch: An American Hero, was written Mike Chapman and published in 1999. Gladys Gotch, who was only 26 when her husband died, married a Humboldt County salesman named Dale Fraser during the 1920s, providing a stable home for her son Frank. In 1926, 12 year old Frank “Junior” was photographed with Ed “Strangler” Lewis, and the caption was widely circulated in newspapers. It seemed, at the time, young Frank wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, even through his father and mother both wanted him to pursue his education and become a lawyer. Gladys took Frank to see a wrestling match between World Champion Gus Sonnenberg and Charlie Hanson in Des Moines in 1929, and the course violence had an impact on both. Maybe the dramatics and lack of what was known, or even perceived as “real” wrestling swayed the young man from taking the road his father had. + In November 1909, the arrangements for a traveling athletic combination show featuring Frank Gotch, John Hermanson (boxer), James Callahan (baseball player), James "Jim" Jeffries (boxer), and Dr. Roller as headliners. Sam Berger (manager of Jeffries) and Jack Curley (manager of Gotch) were making the deal for a scattering of theatrical appearances throughout the country. They were called a "band of champions," the "Greatest Gathering of Athletic Stars Ever Got Together Under One Roof." One report out of New York on November 4, 1909 claimed that Jeffries was going to battle Gotch to prepare for Jack Johnson. During the theatrical show, Jim Jeffries was going to perform for 25 minutes in an act entitled "In the Gymnasium." He was going to jump rope, work the pulleys, and punch a bag, demonstrating a normal routine. Based on the success of the company tour across the United States, a 10-month tour of the world was planned. The tour would begin on July 8, provided that Jeffries regained his championship from Jack Johnson on July 4, which he ended up not accomplishing. H. H. Frazee made the announcement on January 31, 1910. Among the others who'd be on the journey were Gotch, Roller, James J. Corbett, Stanley Ketchel, Sam Berger, and maybe Battling Nelson. The Sheboygan Press (12/11/1912, Sheboygan, WI) ran a feature on Gotch and included some quotes from one of the latter's friends, Ed Smith. Smith said: "The other day, I ran into Gotch in a downtown hotel. It was the first time I had seen him since last fall when he wrestled Hackenschmidt here. Clad in a woolly overcoat and under a heavy cloth hat, the Iowa star looks as fat and sleek as a retired businessman, whose one aim was to exact most of the good things out of this life." Gotch admitted that training to get back into shape was something he didn't look forward to, and had horrific memories of past experiences. He explained: "They are scolding me in some quarters because I don't wrestle Zbyszko again. They may keep on scolding. I don't care. I beat him once; don't doubt that I could do so again, but I haven't the slightest inclination to try it. That's final, and I don't care how strong you make it." In February 1913, Gotch told the press that he was willing to return to wrestling. He said: "If there is a public demand that I wrestle again, I'll come back. I might even wrestle some one I already have beaten, if the sporting public thinks I should, in order to make my superiority conclusive. But I'm not anxious about going into training." In early November 1917, Gotch arrived home to Humboldt, Iowa from Chicago. He became sick when he was first going to the "Windy City," and there was talk he was going to spend the winter in Hot Spring, Arkansas. He was unable to go through with the treatment in Chicago and planned to recuperate at home in Iowa. He was accompanied by his wife. + If you think Brett Farve has made one too many retirement announcements, only to come back to play football, or that Terry Funk did the same, one can look back to the legendary Frank Gotch as setting the bar for these athletes -- unwilling to walk away from the sport's they love. For Gotch, it was a move of leverage, working over potential rivals and the audience, all in effort to build toward another huge payday. And frankly, did Gotch even love professional wrestling like Farve loves football or Funk loves wrestling? In a report in the January 6, 1907 Washington Post, taken from the Kansas City Star, Gotch said that he was not proud of the title of wrestling champion, and was "ashamed of the wrestling business," as his parents were also. He wanted to leave wrestling behind as soon as it ceased to bring him "big money." He was also quoted as saying that wrestling was a "poor game." Doesn't sound like Gotch had any real love for wrestling at all. These simple facts may change the opinion of some about Gotch regarding his perspective on wrestling, and why he was even involved in the sport. Wrestling came naturally to him, and he learned that he could make a fortune doing it. It was a business, not a passion. But what kind of man was Frank Gotch? After his death, Farmer Burns was quoted as saying that "Gotch was one of the kindest hearted of men. He proved it by his love of dumb animals. Every animal on Frank's farm would come at his call." Retirements of Frank Gotch: (Work in Progress) March 3, 1907 - Washington Post, Washington, D.C. - "Champion to Retire" August 29, 1910 - Stevens Point Daily Journal, Stevens Point, WI - "Gotch Retires From Mat" *Article says that Gotch has competed in 331 matches, and has only lost 7, five of them being handicap matches. Gotch reportedly announced his retirement in a letter to a Kansas City sports writer. January 1, 1911 - Salt Lake Tribune - Gotch is retired and won't wrestle Hackenschmidt January 4, 1911 - Salt Lake Tribune - Gotch Retires From the Mat December 27, 1911 - Daily Oklahoman - Gotch's exhibition with Munro to be his last. February 7, 1912 - Coshocton Tribune - Gotch will retire for awhile. February 26, 1914 - Stevens Point Daily Journal - Frank Gotch Retires Again July 23, 1916 - Washington Post, Washington D.C. - "Gotch Back to Farm From the Hospital" *Article quotes Gotch : "I am done for good. I think it is time for any man to retire when he is 40 and from now on I don't care who has the wrestling championship." Gotch also said that his son will not be a wrestler or a boxer, but a "champion lawyer of the State of Iowa." January 11, 1917 - Daily Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI - "Frank Gotch Has Quit" *Gotch claimed that he was going to be "forty-one years old next April," and that he thought Stecher was the best man in the sport. However, he wanted Farmer Burns to get a hold of Stecher and teach him a few new holds. Incidentally, the Daily Review (Decatur, IL) on September 21, 1916 stated that Gotch still limped from the accident at Kenosha, and that he didn't want to wrestle again because he was "now past forty years of age." *Within days of his December 27, 1911 proclamation that he was through with wrestling, Gotch was telling sports writers that he was coming back because there was a "fine piece of bottom land near Humboldt" that he wanted, according to the January 4, 1912 edition of the Daily Oklahoman. Gotch explained that he'd wrestle anyone who could topple Mahmout first. Mahmout was Gotch's training partner. Copyright 2012 by Tim Hornbaker |
Frank Gotch Wrestling History |
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