Salt Lake City Wrestling Results

Salt Lake City, Utah: Wednesday, January 25, 1911
(Salt Lake Theater) ... World Middleweight Champion Henry Gehring and Mike Yokel
drew (3:38:00) (no falls) ... (referee: Willard Bean) ... (2,500+ fans)
Notes: Gehring was coming from Cleveland on a near-month journey, where he planned
to wrestle a total of six matches. After facing Yokel, he was going to Butte, Montana to
face Pearl Beeman. He also planned to appear in Falls City, Montana, Oklahoma City,
St. Paul, and Chicago. Gehring's weight was around 155 compared to Yokel's 154.
Yokel had been in straining for almost six weeks. Upon arriving in Salt Lake, Gehring
trained at the Mission Theater, offering an exhibition for fans against Ross. He was
accompanied by his manager T.J. Scanlon. Gehring claimed to be in great condition.
Yokel was said to be the welterweight champion. After the match, Yokel said: "I never
expect to meet a better, stronger or more skillful middleweight wrestler than Gehring. He
is a remarkable wrestler." Gehring said he had no idea Yokel was going to be as tough
as he was in their match, and that "Yokel is a much better wrestler than Willoughby,
although Willoughby is considered a wonder, and Ackerman isn't in his class at all." At
the 3-hour, 8-minute mark, Gehring went to the edge of the mat and reached out to Yokel
to shake his hand. The audience thought this was Gehring giving up. Officials raced to
the mat, and Gehring went to his dressing room, although he didn't want to give up his
championship in such a manner. The referee called both wrestlers back out, and they
wrestled an additional 30 minutes without a fall. After the match, both men were carried
to their dressing rooms on the shoulders of their fans. This was the largest crowd ever
for wrestling in Salt Lake City, and the "longest" ever staged. 1,000 fans waited outside
the theater for the results. The middleweight limit was 158 pounds.

On February 7, 1911 in Denver, Mike Yokel's amateur wrestlers were victorious. Dale
Deane beat Ivor Johnson of Denver in a heavyweight match and L.S. Mortenson topped
Albert Davenport of Fort Logan in the 158 pound match. A few days later, Macke and
Mortenson won the 145 pound and 158 pound Rocky Mountain championships. John
Sloan beat Fred Crabbe of Salt Lake in the 135-pound division, but it was alleged that
Sloan challenged Johnny Billiter for the lightweight championship in Cleveland in a
professional match. Sloan reportedly used rough tactics in his match. His record was
going to be examined.

Salt Lake City, Utah: Friday, February 17, 1911
(Salt Lake Theater) ... World Welterweight Champion Mike Yokel vs. Alex Swanson ...
(promoter: Harry Heagren)
Notes: Swanson had previously traveled with several different theatrical companies,
taking on all comers with $25 going to anyone he couldn't beat in 15 minutes. Swanson
was delayed in his trip to Salt Lake in Chicago. He was managed by Otto E. Ross.
Swanson was 36 years old, stood 5'5 1/2" and weighed 152 pounds. Yokel was 5'5" and
was 28 years old.

Salt Lake City, Utah: Monday, March 27, 1911
(Colonial Theater) ... World Heavyweight Champion Frank Gotch b. Jack Leon (2-0)
(25:00, 10:00) ... Mike Yokel failed to throw Danny Keefe and Adolph Lindroos both in
30:00 (Yokel beat Keefe in 8:00, but was held by Lindroos through the remaining time) ...
Otto Ross and Alex Swanson drew (15:00) ... The Zimmerman Twins (Floyd and Lloyd)
boxed an exhibition to a draw ... (promoter: Harry Heagren) ... (referee: Willard Bean) ...
(large crowd in attendance) ... (paid receipts: $4,361)
Notes: Reportedly in Boston, Jack Leon beat Nouralah, the young Turk, in a private
match for a side bet of $1,000. Gotch was managed by Emil Klank. Leon was said to be
around 6'2" and weighed around 220. He was known as the "Russian Bear Cat." Leon
was said to have won seven matches in eight days in the New England area recently. His
arm extension was said to be 83 inches, perhaps longer than Jack Johnson. Leon was
also a skilled boxer, according to newspaper accounts. He was managed by Boston
promoter George Tuohey. Leon was said to be 24 years of age. Prior to the match, he
trained at a gym in a fire station. Tuohey also managed Tom Jenkins in the past. Leon
and Mike Yokel took photos together and the contrast between the two men was startling.
Gotch was said to be 5'11 1/2" tall and weighed 196 pounds. He was 32 years of age.
Gotch and his wife, along with Klank, arrived on the Denver & Rio Grande train Number 5
on March 26. A large contingent of fans were there waiting for him. Heagren picked
them up in his car and took them to the Knutsford Hotel. Gotch and his wife then
attended services at the tabernacle before running into an old friend, and spending time
with them. Both Gotch and Leon were in peak condition, reportedly. Mrs. Gotch said that
"outside of Humboldt, Iowa, this [Salt Lake City] is the best place in the world, at least in
that part of the world that I have seen." The newspaper claimed that the show drew the
"most magnificent crowd ever seen at a sporting event in Salt Lake City." Among those in
attendance were Mormon Church President Joseph F. Smith, Anton Lund, and John
Henry Smith. "Several" women were also present. Mrs. Gotch stayed back at the
Knutsford Hotel, and awaited news via telephone. After the match, Tuohey said that he
wanted the toehold barred. Gotch received 75 per cent of the gate and Leon got 25.

Ogden, Utah: Tuesday, March 28, 1911
(Ogden Theater) ... World Heavyweight Champion Frank Gotch b. three men in 20:00
(Harry Steffens, Jim Asbell, Ed Ferguson) ... Arthur Chester and Danny Keith drew
(30:00) ... (small crowd in attendance)
Notes: Steffens was from Salt Lake, Asbell from Kansas City, Ferguson from Ogden,
Keith from Salt Lake, and Chester from Ogden. Jack Leon was in attendance and gave a
speech, saying he'd meet Gotch again with the toehold being barred. The Zimmerman
Twins again gave an exhibition of boxing. It was said that the theater did not advertise
the show, and that was why there was such a small crowd.

Research by Tim Hornbaker

Salt Lake City Wrestling Results - 1911