George Baptiste Meets World Champion
У п'ятницю, Може 12, 1905, World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion George Hackenschmidt toured the United States after defeating reigning American Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Tom Jenkins. One of Hackenschmidt’s stops was the “Gateway to the West”, Вулиця. Луїс, Міссурі.
Hackenschmidt agreed to throw three wrestlers in under 90 хвилин. He accomplished this feat in less than 19 minutes after the third wrestler fled the arena. Had “Рубати” not been suffering from malaria, he may have beaten the men in 9 хвилин.
Artist Rendering of George Hackenschmidt’s St. Louis Matches from the Public Domain
Hackenschmidt wrote about these matches in the last chapter of his book To Live in Health and Strength. The last chapter in his book is the tale of his weightlifting and professional wrestling career.
The book is pretty accurate but Hackenschmidt wrote it 30 years after the events, so his memory was likely a little hazy on certain details. Considering he was also ill, “Рубати” can be forgiven for a few mistakes in his narrative.
George Baptiste, Вулиця. Louis Wrestler and All-Around Athlete
He inadvertently identified George Baptiste as Jean Baptiste. “Рубати” also remember Baptiste being large and powerful. Baptiste was strong but he was a middleweight wrestler. The 165-pound Baptiste was giving up 43 pounds to the 208-pound Hackenschmidt.
While the matches were in Baptiste’s speciality, Greco-Roman wrestling, “Рубати” originally won the world championship in this style. It was hardly an equal match up. Baptiste slithered away from “Рубати” a couple of times. Однак, once Hackenschmidt got his arms locked under Baptiste’s armpits, he slung him around and slammed Baptiste on his back. The first fall was scored in 3 хвилин, 6 секунд.
Ali Muralah, one of a number of “Грозний турок” wrestlers, was not nearly as skilled as some of his other name sakes. While taller than “Рубати”, he wasn’t as strong. His size probably did prevent Hackenschmidt from throwing him around like Baptiste but he was also pinned in 6 хвилин, 3 секунд.
Poor George Baptiste was the only skilled wrestler, so he had to go three falls with Hackenschmidt. The unnamed German wrestler had already fled the arena by this time. 15 minutes after Baptiste lost the first fall, he climbed back into the ring at the Old Colosseum for another fling in the air. “Рубати” made it quick slamming Baptiste to the mat in 2 хвилин, 2 секунд.
Baptiste only rested 5 minutes before he met “Рубати” again at center ring. Resigned to his fate, Baptiste was ready to end what was turning into an exhibition of Hackenschmidt’s superior skill. Hackenshmidt decided to have fun and sprawl on all fours to let Baptiste have a chance at him.
“Рубати” was so big and powerful, Baptiste could not even secure a half-Nelson on the world champion. Hackenschmidt eventually stood up and tossed Baptiste to the ground for the final fall at 6 хвилин, 20 секунд. The promoter announced the German wrestler chickened out and named Hackenschmidt the winner.
George Baptiste was a good professional wrestler but clearly outmatched with the great Hackenschmidt. Baptiste shouldn’t have felt too bad though. Just about everyone else was too.
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Sources: To Live in Health and Strength (1941) by George Hackenschmidt and Вулиця. Louis Post-Dispatch, Може 13, 1905 видання, р. 6
