GEORGE
HACKENSCHMIDT
Georges Karl Julius Hackenschmidt
was a handsome muscle champion and strongman celebrity, the
"Hack" was also a championship wrestler of great
talent. Unlike Sandow (who had the ideal Grecian proportions)
Hack was thick and heavily muscled. He was indeed the overwhelming
favorite in his first wrestling match with Frank Gotch in
Chicago in 1908, with most predicting a brief match (Hack
won most of his battles in less than 10 minutes). Some predicted
that Hackenschmidt would get the Iowan into his bearhug and
literally crush Gotch to death! So Gotch worked hard to stay
out of the Lion's grasp, and worked on his ring speed. That
seems to have made the difference in making Gotch the winner
in a 2-hour match -- he was too elusive. There is much folklore
surrounding these matches, and a lot of it is rooted in the
fact that the results of the first match were such an upset,
that many people felt compelled to offer some sort of explanation
--after all, Hack was undefeated! He pinned most of his opponents
in less than 10 minutes! How could this Iowa farm boy get
the great Russian Lion to submit? Though there are allegations
that Gotch won by unfair tactics -- oiling his body, rough
ring tactics -- gouging, punching, and from verbal taunts.
So far,there seems to be no evidence of oiling...although
there is evidence of rough behavior from both men... and,
yes, Gotch apparently was a "talker" who said things like,
"Who said you know how to wrestle?" and "You're going home
without the championship!" -- one comment, "Show us those
great moves you told the press boys about!" seems to have
demoralized Hackenschmidt and made him lose focus. He also
said he was tormented by Gotch's ever-present smile. The fact
that Hackenschmidt submitted rather than be pinned also contributes
to speculation and questions. Gotch had Hackenschmidt in his
famous toehold which usually led to a pin or in the opponent
conceding; Gotch had broken a couple legs of opponents, and
Hackenscmidt didn't want that to happen to him. Hackenschmidt's
shoulders were nearing the mat as Gotch cranked on the toehold;
George told the referee that he submitted. He was asked to
repeat the "I give" message to make sure, which he did, and
that round was over after 2 hours 3 minutes. But it was a
2 out of 3 fall match, so there should have been more. However,
after a 10-minute break where both wrestlers went back to
their dressing rooms, Hack refused to return to the ring.
The bout -- and the championship belt -- wereawarded to Frank
Gotch. They met again in Chicago about 3 1/2 years later,
and in a 2-fall match in which the action barely lasted a
half-hour total, Gotch won both falls and kept the world championship.
It is interesting to read Hacenschmidt's "Complete Science
of Wrestling" (written after the first Gotch/Hack encounter)
and see that the gentleman grappler was not above mentioning
or teaching certain "punishing" holds and retaliatory gestures
when "done wrong" in the ring. But Hackenscmidt still come
across as a true gentleman in the ring. One lasting legacy:
Public interest was so great, this was the begining of organized
amateur wrestling in high schools and colleges. Both men are
still considered to be among the top wrestlers of all time
and Hackenschmidt later began to display his physique much
like Sandow...one of greatest of the first early bodybuilders.
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