Known as the “Russian Lion,” Hackenschmidt was often billed as the strongest man of his
era and might have been the strongest wrestler of all-time.  Born at Riga on July 20,
1877, he spoke more then a half-dozen languages fluently.  He was a civil engineer
before turning professional wrestler.  Hackenschmidt wrestled privately in homes of
nobles in England, his popularity unparalleled by anyone.  According to the New York
Times, Hackenschmidt,  in eight years, wrestled 2,000 bouts and never lost a fall.

Having met and defeated all champions, Hackenschmidt was recognized as the World
Champion.  He won tournaments all over Europe before traveling to America.  Prior to
1907 and during a tour of the United States, Hackenschmidt appeared and defeated the
American Champion, Tom Jenkins.  When asked to wrestle Frank Gotch, he refused.

On March 21, 1908, Hackenschmidt failed to defeat Gus Schoelein in Baltimore once in
fifteen minutes.  Afterwards, Schoelein claimed that his opponent was stronger then
Frank Gotch, who he had recently wrestled and who Hackenschmidt was preparing to
battle in Chicago.  On April 3, 1908, Gotch defeated Hackenschmidt after two-hours in
Chicago’s Dexter Pavilion at the Stock Yards when the champion quit from exhaustion.  
Instead of just handing over the first fall, he told the referee that it was over.  He was
accompanied by Americus and Unholz.  Some said that his last appearance in the U.S.
came in Kansas City on March 8, 1911 before sailing for Europe and met Henry
Ordeman, the man Gotch declared champion.  Hackenschmidt was facing a man with a lot
to prove, and wanted to keep his own name at the top before making his departure,
especially in a city with a vast wrestling interest.  When the match came around, George
beat Ordeman in two-straight falls.  The first came in 1 hour and 2 minutes, 8 seconds
with a half-Nelson and the second in 14-minutes, 31 seconds with a double bar armhold.  
Hackenschmidt hadn’t gone for Europe as of March 16th, as he appeared in Springfield,
MA and beat John Pereli of New York in two-straight falls.

The most anticipated rematch in wrestling happened on September 4, 1911 in Chicago,
Illinois at the baseball grounds.  Hackenschmidt returned to the mat against Frank Gotch
for the World Heavyweight Title in the catch-as-catch-can style of wrestling.  Gotch
defeated Hackenschmidt in two-straight falls to retain his crown.  He wrote several books
after his retirement, focusing on athletics and strength.

Hackenschmidt died on February 19, 1968 in London at the age of 90.



Other Notes & Information:

In December 1905, Hackenschmidt admitted that his American tour didn't go as well as
he'd hoped, financially.  At the moment, he was making $1,000 a week as a beer hall
attraction in England.


In June 1908, reports came in that Hackenschmidt had died, but he was, in fact, very
much alive.  He was recovering from a recent knee operation and was staying at the
Kaiser Hotel in Aix La Chapelle.



Hackenschmidt, Yussif Mahmout and Stanislaus Zbyszko, in January 1911, were
considered the top three challenges to Gotch.  Gotch wanted a series of elimination
matches to determine who'd wrestle him, and promoters and managers were scrambling
to arrange the first bout.  The managers of Zbyszko (Jack Herman) and Hackenschmidt
(Jack Curley) didn't want to deal with Mahmout, incidentally, because the latter was tied to
Antoine Pieri.  Some promoters wanted a big Mahmout match, but it was a tough sell, and
a Hackenschmidt-Zbyszko affair seemed much more likely.  Zbyszko had perviously
wrsetled Mahmout, but Pieri claimed the match wasn't on the level.

The Hackenschmidt-Zbyszko match was signed for February 9, 1911 at Madison Square
Garden in New York.  It would be under handicap rules, where Hackenschmidt would
attempt to throw his opponent twice in 90:00.



Before Hackenschmidt left the country in April 1911, there was plenty of scrambling to get
a deal done for a bout with Gotch.  Gotch wanted $20,000 for the bout, and it was as
simple at the money being collected to pay him that amount to get the deal actually done.






A report from London in late January 1912 reaffirmed that Hackenschmidt had a
legitimate knee injury.  There was a "distinct separation of the leg and thigh bones."




Research by Tim Hornbaker
George Hackenschmidt Wrestling History
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