| Show FRANK GOTCH DOWNS HIS SCHOOL 17 t A ix gotch gets half nelon nelson and toe leek luck NE wintry day in 1894 two human beings struggled in the snow near a country school house a few miles from Hurn humboldt boldt iowa ONE 0 one was a young man of twentythree twenty three the di district school teacher his opponent was a robust sunburned lad of sixteen in knee trou brou gers sers a youngster destined to become the champion wrestler of the world there were no box seats at this impromptu show the admission was tree free as the air of heaven the audience comprised the roll call of the school excepting those unfortunate enough to play hookey on that particular day ed kennedy now baggage master at fort dodge iowa was my school teacher and was considered one of the best beat wrestlers around humboldt said gotch in telling the story it was one of my earliest ambitions to tackle my teacher who was much bigger and older than I 1 and down him before the pupils I 1 remember our battle in the snow as though it were today the little old school house Is still standing and the same old trees are there yet we wrestled side holds in those days I 1 didn t know any more about the toe bold hold or the half nelson than a rabbit knows about latin we took holds and went at it hammer and tongs around and around we swung tugging and pulling at each other tor for dear life kennedy came near scoring a fall on me but I 1 quickly stepped aside and tripped him to the ground this counted as a fall and the boys and girls gave him the laugh whim he complained be he had slipped on the snow kennedy Kent ledy invited me to go in the school house and wrestle him I 1 told him the snow was good enough for me after that battle I 1 had more confidence and was willing to tackle any of the giants that inhabited the region about humboldt I 1 doubt it if any victory of my life gave me keener satisfaction it marked the cutting of my wrestling eye teeth and made me ambitious to excel in athletic competition new news of the battle spread to the farm houses and barnyards about hum boldt and the farmer lad became a hero of the younger set gotch was not to get away with this triumph so easily how bow ever dver kennedy was a tough customer in a cassling ras sling match he lost no time hurling a challenge at gotch tor for a return encounter which it was agreed should take place the next summer on a warm afternoon in july 1895 they met on the lawn in front fronton of tho the gotch homestead before a score of boys from each of the rival neighbor hoods represented gotch always had been tenderly devoted to his mother but on this occasion he double crossed her he had arranged tor for her absence that day kennedy had downed several of the leading wrestling hopes of the humboldt contingent and the clare iowa boys were in a jubilant mood over their hero gotch was unperturbed by this show of confidence he was juet just as eager to get at kennedy as he was to fly at Hacken schmidt nearly eighteen year years later in the struggle that crowned him king of all wrestlers I 1 will always remember the battle of that july day as one of the landmarks of the champion champions s career said an eye witness now a wealthy farmer residing near humboldt gotch tore into his opponent like a demon and hung on like a bulldog after twenty minutes of rough battling on the grass kennedy forced gotch near an old tree that Is still standing and had him in a bad way the least inclination on gotch s part to succumb would have meant his defeat but he tailed failed to budge gradually he forced kennedy from his position of vantage and came into the cle aclei i aid a arti shout of triumph from us boys who were following every pta rr it w th l l keathl inhere t for ten minutes longer they battled on even terms v th tl tj a lanot i nese ness then the rattle of wheel wheels was heard toor tie road and the referee declared the match a draw the crowd shouting its ae As I 1 watched gotch hang to his opponent and refuse to give in and have seen him tn in some of his championship matches I 1 believe this to be one of the secret secrets of his wonderful success once he gets a dangerous hold he lit will keep it this trait earned him a hard fought draw with kennedy it finally made him the most feared athlete among a race of physical giant giants around humboldt 1912 by joseph 13 dowles |
