Masked Marvel To The Rescue

Samuel Rachmann promoted the International Wrestling Tournament in New York during 1915.  Rachmann invited wrestlers from around the world to the tournament but his real intention was to establish European Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion Alex Aberg as the successor to the retired Frank Gotch as World Champion.

Rachmann’s plan for establishing Aberg was going as planned after the tournament kicked off in May 1915.  Unfortunately, few people noticed.  The public did not show much interest in the tournament.  Newspapers started giving it less coverage in the summer.

Rachmann knew something was needed to stir the public.  Little did he know the gimmick he used to save the tournament would be the first “really over” gimmick in professional wrestling.

When the tournament entered its final leg in October 1915, a mysterious masked man started sitting at ringside.  He would occasionally argue with wrestlers and started demanding an entry into the tournament.  Fans began to demand it as well.  When Rachmann saw the reaction, he realized his idea was golden.

After teasing a refusal to let the Marvel enter the tournament for a few weeks, Rachmann booked him into his debut on December 9, 1915.  The Marvel’s opponent was poor Wilhelm Berner.

Throughout the tournament, many of the international wrestlers took their anger out about Germany’s action in World War I out on the body of Berner.  The Masked Marvel gladly joined their ranks.

According to the New York Sun, the men tied up in the Manhattan Opera House for a bout which lasted 12 minutes, 40 seconds.  After circling each other for a few minutes, the men finally tied up.  After a few minutes, The Marvel finally secured a body hold.

The Masked Marvel wrenched Berner from the floor and slammed him to the mat so hard Berner was momentarily knocked senseless.  Or was he?  Several wrestlers would have to help Berner to the back bu later events would cast doubt on The Masked Marvel’s in-ring accomplishments.

The Masked Marvel would stay undefeated until he was thrown by Ed “Strangler” Lewis.  The Marvel would end the tournament losing or drawing with the three favorites, Lewis, Alex Aberg and Wladek Zbyszko.

While The Masked Marvel may or may not have been a marvel in the ring, he certainly was a marvel at the box office.  The Marvel was the first wrestling gimmick to truly get over.  Sam Rachmann saved his tournament with addition of The Marvel.  The gimmick would also change the business as well.

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