Farmer Burns Discovers Frank Gotch
Во 1897, Dan McLeod beat Martin “Farmer” Burns for the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship. After the defeat, Burns wrestled part-time as he transitioned into his primary role of wrestling trainer. Over the next 30 години, Burns trained most of the legitimate catch wrestlers in the United States.
Burns began touring in 1899, where he would both wrestle an opponent in a 2-out-of-3 falls match and teach a wrestling seminar. Burns would also accept challenges from spectators in the audience. If the spectator could last 15 минути, Burns would give them $25.00. Burns and his opponent would work the match, but the challenges were legitimate contests. These challenges would lead to his greatest discovery.
Мартин “Земјоделец” Burns and his greatest trainee, Frank Gotch (Јавниот домен)
Burns held one of his exhibition/seminars on Monday, Декември 18, 1899, in Fort Dodge, Ајова. A young wrestler named Frank Gotch, who had a professional record of 1-1, traveled with several of his friends from Humboldt, Iowa to Fort Dodge.
Gotch defeated Marshall Green in his hometown of Humboldt, Iowa on April 2, 1899. На јуни 16, 1899, Dan McLeod, the current American Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, defeated Gotch in his second match on June 16, 1899, in Laverne, Ајова. Wrestling McLeod in his second match was a feat for such a young wrestler but he was hardly a world-beater.
Burns worked a match with Murad Adrali, who had also been his opponent in Sioux City, Ајова. I suspected Adrali may have been one of Burns’ students. Burns often worked matches with wrestlers he had trained or was training. Во иднина, he would work at least ten matches with his star pupil, Frank Gotch.
Burns was introduced to his new pupil when he challenged any man in the crowd to last 15 minutes with him in a wrestling match. Frank Gotch jumped into the ring in answer to the challenge. Burns noticed Gotch’s generous size at 5’11” and 198 фунти.
Burns and Gotch wrestled a contest which caused Burns to use all his skills to defeat the powerful novice. Besides Gotch’s considerable strength, Burns was impressed by Gotch’s wrestling ability as well. After 11 минути, Burns pinned Gotch’s shoulders to the mat.
Gotch admitted being beaten fairly. He said, “I thought I could last the 15 минути, but 15 minutes is a long time to be in the hands of Burns.”
Burns was so impressed, he offered to train Gotch. Gotch accepted the offer. Burns and Gotch would go on to be the most successful wrestler and trainer team in history. Од 1900 да се 1904, only two men defeated Gotch. Oscar Wasem won a March 1901 match in Burlington, Ајова, which is recorded as a win for Gotch in his record book. Tom Jenkins defeated Gotch in February 1903. Not all the matches were legitimate contests, but Gotch wrestled legitimate contests in most of the matches.
Burns wrestled less as he focused on his star pupil. It paid off for them both in 1908.
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Sources: Frank A. Gotch, World Champion Wrestler by George Sanders Robbins and Humboldt Republican (Humboldt, Ајова), Декември 21, 1899 edition, p. 9
