Farmer Burns 发现 Frank Gotch

在 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 岁月, 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 分钟, 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.

Burns held one of his exhibition/seminars on Monday, 十二月 18, 1899, in Fort Dodge, 爱荷华州. 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. 六月 16, 1899, 和麦克劳德, 现任美国重量级摔跤冠军, defeated Gotch in his second match on June 16, 1899, in Laverne, 爱荷华州. 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, 爱荷华州. I suspected Adrali may have been one of Burns’ students. Burns often worked matches with wrestlers he had trained or was training. 在未来, he would work at least ten matches with his star pupil, 弗兰克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 英镑.

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. 后 11 分钟, Burns pinned Gotch’s shoulders to the mat.

Gotch admitted being beaten fairly. 他说，, “I thought I could last the 15 分钟, 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. 从 1900 至 1904, only two men defeated Gotch. Oscar Wasem won a March 1901 match in Burlington, 爱荷华州, 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, 爱荷华州), 十二月 21, 1899 版, p. 9

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