Episode 6 – Worked Title Matches

July 25, 2022 Ken Zimmerman Jr. Podcast

In this episode, I will be talking about a pair of worked title matches for the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship.

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Fred Beell was a strong, talented professional wrestler at the turn of the 20th Century. Although powerfully built, Beell stood no more than 5’05” and weighed 168 pounds. Yet, he improbably defeated Frank Gotch for the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship on December 1, 1906.

Fred Beell posing for the camera in the early Twentieth Century from the Public Domain

Gotch won the first fall without a problem but the second fall proved controversial. To start the second fall, Beell took the offensive and slammed Gotch several times. Gotch appeared to be fatiguing, an unusual situation for the well-conditioned champion. Beell picked Gotch up again but stumbled. Both men fell off the mat onto the hard floor.

Gotch hit heavily with his head striking the floor. Beell was not seriously affected. He quickly turned Gotch over for the second fall. Light heavyweight wrestler Charley Olsen, who served as the referee for this match, tapped Beell on his back indicating Beell took the second fall.

Beell stood to his feet, but Gotch remained prone on the mat. Two police officers, providing security for the event, helped carry the half-conscious champion back to his dressing room for the second intermission.

In Gotch’s autobiography, he said he struck his head on a post. However, this match does not appear to have taken place in a ring. It is more likely he hit his head on the floor although if there were stanchions around the mat, he could have struck one of those.

The police officers carried Gotch back to the ring, where Beell pinned him in 50 seconds for the third fall and championship. I suspected Gotch and Beell worked this match because of the fanciful finish and a rematch had already been scheduled for Kansas City, Missouri on December 18, 1906.

8,000 fans crowded into the Kansas City Convention Hall to see Gotch take the title back in two straight falls. Gotch and Beell liked worked the matches for the large payday in Kansas City and to make Gotch look beatable. Fans started to see Gotch as invincible, which made it harder to convince fans to pay to see Gotch crush his opponents.

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