Fred Beell Overcomes Old Champ

On October 20, 1906, Fred Beell proved dynamite comes in small packages.  Beell, light heavyweight wrestling champion, defeated former American heavyweight champion Dan McLeod.  Beell parlayed an active 1906 into defeats of former American Heavyweight Champion Dan McLeod and current American Heavyweight Champion Frank Gotch.

Beell won the American Middleweight (Light Heavyweight) Championship but remained out of the spotlight until he began to take on the big name heavyweights.  It proved unfortunate for many of the heavyweights because Fred Beell proved to be a formidable foe despite his stature.

Dan McLeod defeated “Farmer” Martin Burns, Frank Gotch and Tom Jenkins between 1897 and 1901.  However, McLeod lost his last American Heavyweight Championship in 1902.  The 46-year-old former champion would wrestle until 1913 but he was past his prime going into his bout with Fred Beell.

30-year-old Beell weighed 160 pounds to McLeod’s 170 pounds, a far cry from the 25 to 30 pounds disadvantage he normally had to overcome.  Beell’s superior physical condition would lead him to victory over McLeod.

For the match in Chicago, Beell could not use a strangle hold.  Flying and rolling fall were also banned.  The referee, a man named Siler, started the match after explaining the rules.

Realizing he probably had a limited gas tank in comparison with Beell, Dan McLeod pushed the action for the first ten minutes.  Time and again, McLeod grasped at Beell to secure a hold.  Each time, Beell deftly slipped the hold and shoved McLeod off.

At the ten minutes mark, McLeod visibly fatigued.  Beell recognized the change in McLeod’s posture and pounced.  For the rest of the match, McLeod defended, while Beell attacked.

At the 12 and 23 minute marks, Beell secured a hammerlock but McLeod slipped free.  The holds continued to sap McLeod’s strength though.  When Beell almost pinned McLeod with a hammerlock, Beell knew what he needed to do.

 Beell kept playing for a hammerlock only.  McLeod fought off the second attempt but third time was a charm.  Beell used the hammerlock to turn McLeod onto his back for the first fall at 33 minutes, 36 seconds.

After the standard 15 minutes rest between rounds, Beell again pressed the action but using a different tactic.  Beell secured a front headlock over McLeod’s mouth and nose.  The referee checked to make sure it was not a guillotine choke but Beell had the arm across the face.

After grinding McLeod’s face for 15 minutes, McLeod finally gave up at 19 minutes, seven seconds.  Beell won the contest in two straight falls.  After he regained his breath, McLeod claimed Beell was the strongest wrestler he ever met at Beell’s weight.

Fred Beell would give many other wrestlers fits for the next 13 years.  One of those men would be Frank Gotch.  Gotch was thought to be invincible but he hadn’t met Beell yet.  The best big man would meet the best little man.

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