Mkulima Burns Amegundua Frank Gotch
In 1897, Dan McLeod alimshinda Martin “Farmer” Burns kwa Mashindano ya Mieleka ya uzito wa juu ya Marekani. Baada ya kushindwa, Burns alipigana mieleka kwa muda alipokuwa akibadili jukumu lake kuu la mkufunzi wa mieleka. Over the next 30 miaka, Burns aliwafunza wacheza mieleka wengi halali nchini Marekani.
Burns alianza kutembelea ndani 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 dakika, 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.
Martin “Mkulima” Burns and his greatest trainee, Frank Gotch (Public Domain)
Burns held one of his exhibition/seminars on Monday, Desemba 18, 1899, in Fort Dodge, Iowa. 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. On June 16, 1899, Dan McLeod, Bingwa wa sasa wa Mieleka wa Uzito wa Juu wa Marekani, defeated Gotch in his second match on June 16, 1899, in Laverne, Iowa. 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, Iowa. I suspected Adrali may have been one of Burns’ students. Burns often worked matches with wrestlers he had trained or was training. Katika siku za baadaye, 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 paundi.
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 dakika, Burns pinned Gotch’s shoulders to the mat.
Gotch admitted being beaten fairly. He said, “I thought I could last the 15 dakika, 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. From 1900 kwa 1904, only two men defeated Gotch. Oscar Wasem won a March 1901 match in Burlington, Iowa, 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, Iowa), Desemba 21, 1899 edition, p. 9
