Frank Gotch
Best Wrestler Ever?
#PWHS #Article #Gotch #BestWrestlerEver
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Frank Gotch is widely considered to have been the greatest pro wrestler to have ever lived. He was a proponent of the Catch-as-catch-can style, and handled it to perfection. He held the World Heavyweight Title for eight years, until his retirement. During the heyday of his career, he was pretty much unbeatable. Although there is no known video footage of his career in existence, there is enough evidence to document his role in wrestling history, and his influence. There was a certain mystique about him, and a good deal of controversy, and I will explore that.
Early Years
Gotch was said to have been born on April 27, 1876 as well as April 27, 1878, although his actual birthdate was April 27, 1877. (1) He was born in Humboldt, Iowa, to Rudolph and Amelia Gotch.(2) In his childhood, he worked on a farm, and he loved to have wrestling and boxing matches with other children, referably older children.(3) During his teenage years, he developed a reputation as a "tough customer".(4) His first major match would be against Dan McLeod, a former American heavyweight champion. Even though Gotch didn't win, he would impress McLeod, and McLeod would later refer him to Martin "Farmer" Burns for training.(5)
Farmer Burns
Farmer Burns was a legendary wrestler and wrestling trainer.(6) Gotch would meet in the ring with Burns on December 18, 1899, and although Burns would win the outing, he was suitably impressed enough with Gotch to agree to train him for the next year or so.(7) In 1901, Burns decided to send the young upstart on a tour of Alaska with several other wrestlers. During this tour, he went under the name Frank Kennedy and performed very impressively, becoming champion of the Klondike, and making $30,000 in six months.(8) He would defeat Silas Archer to become the Klondike champion.(9)
Tom Jenkins
Gotch would set his sights on the American Catch-as-Catch-Can Championship, which was held by Tom Jenkins. He held a series of matches with Jenkins, and although Jenkins would win the first match, in 1903, Gotch would win the belt from him on January 27, 1904.(10) It would not be easy for Gotch, though--this match was referred to as one of the hardest-fought and one of the dirtiest in history (11), although it would pale in comparison to modern-day hardcore standards. He would later lose the belt back to Jenkins in 1905 and lose a subsequent match to Jenkins (12).
Quebec
After the losses, Gotch went into a slump, and he needed to get his momentum back. He would enter a Greco-Roman tournament in Quebec, and although the Greco-Roman style was not his forte, he very easily plowed through all the competitors and won the tournament.(13) He was now ready to gain the title back.
Regains Title
On May 23, 1906, Gotch would regain the title.(14) He had several subsequent matches with Jenkins, but always emerged victorious. Gotch would later describe Jenkins as one of the toughest men he would ever met in the ring.(15)
Fred Beell
Although Gotch would briefly lose the title to Fred Beell, in a match that some see as "fixed"--a controversy that remains to this day--he would swiftly regain it.(16) He would never lose another match.
Gotch-Hackenschmidt I
In 1908, Gotch would face his greatest challenger in George Hackenschmidt, who at that time was the World Heavyweight Champion. He would defeat Hackenschmidt for the belt in two straight falls in a long, grueling match. After the match, Hackenschmidt would state: "There is no man in all England that has a chance with your man Gotch. He is the king of his class, the greatest man by far I have ever met."(17) Yet he would later accuse Gotch of questionable tactics. He said that Gotch had wrestled "dirty", such as using eye gouges, and that Gotch had come to the ring covered in oil, which prevented Hackenschmidt from getting a grip on him.(18) The arguments on this point vary, mostly in favor of Gotch.(19)
Post Gotch-Hackenschmidt I
The match would make Gotch a major celebrity, the first celebrity in American professional wrestling history. It prompted a play called "All About a Bout", in which he starred.(20) He began making numerous public appearances.(21) He spearheaded the popularity of wrestling, to levels that had never existed before.(22) Yet soon he would think of a life outside of wrestling. On January 11, 1911, Gotch would marry Gladys Oestrich.(23) They would have a son, Robert Frederick, on February 24, 1914.(24) He had contemplated retirement on several occasions, and now was as good a time as ever.
Gotch-Hackenschmidt II
However, he would be called back. The time would come for the Gotch-Hackenschmidt rematch, which would take place in Comiskey Park, Chicago on September 4, 1911.(25) However, the match, which had been highly publicized, would turn out to be a "fiasco."(26). Hackenschmidt had come in with a knee injury that he had developed through training,(27) but he chose not to forfeit the match under advisement of his manager Jack Curley.(28) Gotch won the first fall quickly; in the second and decisive fall, Hackenschmidt lay down, and subsequently the match would be awarded to Gotch.(29) "The Chicago debacle, occurring in a highly-touted world championship bout, destroyed much of the remaining public faith in wrestling."(30) Here is a tribute to the second Gotch-Hackenschmidt match: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs7SG-hXHMo It has been said by some, including Lou Thesz, that Gotch hired another wrestler to cause the injury to Hackenschmidt, but this has been proved to be false.(31)
Later Years
After Frank Gotch defended his championship, he would wrestle here and there, continuing to defend his championship, until he broke his leg in 1916.(32) He would die of kidney failure due to uremic poisoning, although there was a rumor that he died of syphilis.(33)
A Questionable Legacy
There is another issue regarding Frank Gotch that I would like to address--his views towards African-Americans. As Beekman states, "Gotch himself wrestled Silas Archer during his Klondike tour, but never again faced an African-American in the ring. While it appears unlikely that Gotch...would have given an African-American a shot at his title, wrestling's nineteenth-century color line proved so effective that no African Americans figured prominently in the sport during Gotch's tenure."(34) The last statement is telling. Racism had been ingrained into the business for years, as black wrestlers were systematically held back from titles. Viro Small, who had won the Vermont Collar-and-Elbow Championship in the 19th century, was denied opportunities to wrestle for the American championship or World titles, and nobody batted an eyelash.(35) When Jack Johnson held boxing's heavyweight title, he faced extraordinary amounts of racism. Renowned writer Jack London coined the phrase "great white hopes" to apply to white boxers who would take on the challenge of facing him, and possibly defeating him.(36) As he wrote, "The white man must be rescued!"(37) A few of these "great white hopes" were trained by Frank Gotch and Farmer Burns.(38) Although this is a reflection of the racist fervor at the time, it is a significant blemish on their legacy.
After Frank Gotch defended his championship, he would wrestle here and there, continuing to defend his championship, until he broke his leg in 1916.(32) He would die of kidney failure due to uremic poisoning, although there was a rumor that he died of syphilis.(33)
A Questionable Legacy
There is another issue regarding Frank Gotch that I would like to address--his views towards African-Americans. As Beekman states, "Gotch himself wrestled Silas Archer during his Klondike tour, but never again faced an African-American in the ring. While it appears unlikely that Gotch...would have given an African-American a shot at his title, wrestling's nineteenth-century color line proved so effective that no African Americans figured prominently in the sport during Gotch's tenure."(34) The last statement is telling. Racism had been ingrained into the business for years, as black wrestlers were systematically held back from titles. Viro Small, who had won the Vermont Collar-and-Elbow Championship in the 19th century, was denied opportunities to wrestle for the American championship or World titles, and nobody batted an eyelash.(35) When Jack Johnson held boxing's heavyweight title, he faced extraordinary amounts of racism. Renowned writer Jack London coined the phrase "great white hopes" to apply to white boxers who would take on the challenge of facing him, and possibly defeating him.(36) As he wrote, "The white man must be rescued!"(37) A few of these "great white hopes" were trained by Frank Gotch and Farmer Burns.(38) Although this is a reflection of the racist fervor at the time, it is a significant blemish on their legacy.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Frank Gotch.
Author: Julie Hankinson.
Published: May 13, 2015.
Article: #89.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Frank Gotch.
Author: Julie Hankinson.
Published: May 13, 2015.
Article: #89.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Image Sources
Chicago Day Book.
Frank Gotch.
Fort Wayne News.
Information Sources
1. Frank Gotch (1877-1917) Find a Grave Memorial.
2. Chapman, Mike.
3. Chapman.
4. Chapman.
5. Chapman.
6. Beekman, pg. 43-44.
7. Chapman, Catch pg. 7-8.
8. Chapman, Mike. Frank Gotch: World's Greatest Wrestler. pg. 23.
9. Chapman, pg. 9.
10. Beekman, pg. 45.
11. Chapman, pg. 17.
12. Chapman, pg. 18.
13. Fleischer, pg. 88-91.
14. Chapman, pg. 18.
15. Chapman, pg. 18.
16. Chapman, pg. 21-23.
17. Chapman, pg. 26.
18. Chapman, pg. 27.
19. Chapman, Catch. pgs. 27, 30, 34-35.
20. Chapman,. pg. 28.
21. Chapman,. pg. 28.
22. Chapman, pg. 29.
23. Chapman, Wrestler. pg. 85.
24. Chapman, Wrestler. pg. 117.
25. Chapman, pg. 30.
26. Beekman, pg. 49.
27. Beekman, pg. 50.
28. Beekman, pg. 50.
29. Beekman, pg. 50.
30. Beekman, pg. 50.
31. Chapman, pg. 33.
32. Beekman, pg. 52.
33. Chapman, pg. 63.
34. Beekman, pg. 49.
35. Beekman, pg. 29.
36. Chapman, Wrestler. pg. 81-82.
37. Chapman, Wrestler. pg. 82.
38. Beekman, pg. 48.
Chicago Day Book.
Frank Gotch.
Fort Wayne News.
Information Sources
1. Frank Gotch (1877-1917) Find a Grave Memorial.
2. Chapman, Mike.
3. Chapman.
4. Chapman.
5. Chapman.
6. Beekman, pg. 43-44.
7. Chapman, Catch pg. 7-8.
8. Chapman, Mike. Frank Gotch: World's Greatest Wrestler. pg. 23.
9. Chapman, pg. 9.
10. Beekman, pg. 45.
11. Chapman, pg. 17.
12. Chapman, pg. 18.
13. Fleischer, pg. 88-91.
14. Chapman, pg. 18.
15. Chapman, pg. 18.
16. Chapman, pg. 21-23.
17. Chapman, pg. 26.
18. Chapman, pg. 27.
19. Chapman, Catch. pgs. 27, 30, 34-35.
20. Chapman,. pg. 28.
21. Chapman,. pg. 28.
22. Chapman, pg. 29.
23. Chapman, Wrestler. pg. 85.
24. Chapman, Wrestler. pg. 117.
25. Chapman, pg. 30.
26. Beekman, pg. 49.
27. Beekman, pg. 50.
28. Beekman, pg. 50.
29. Beekman, pg. 50.
30. Beekman, pg. 50.
31. Chapman, pg. 33.
32. Beekman, pg. 52.
33. Chapman, pg. 63.
34. Beekman, pg. 49.
35. Beekman, pg. 29.
36. Chapman, Wrestler. pg. 81-82.
37. Chapman, Wrestler. pg. 82.
38. Beekman, pg. 48.
Other articles by Julie can be Read Here.