Gotch Beats Lurich in His Last Match

Frank Gotch was famous for defeating George Hackenschmidt, verdensmester wrestler og vægtløfter i 1908 and the 1911 rematch. Gotch holdt titlen i fem år og besejrede alle udfordrere. På den relativt unge alder af 35, Gotch besluttet at gå på pension. For hans sidste kamp, he would take on another famous European wrestler and weightlifter, George Lurich.

George Lurich was actually two years older than Gotch. Lurich had been wrestling since the late 1890s. Several sources claimed Lurich trained Hackenschmidt but they were actually rivals. Lurich beat Hackenschmidt, when the latter was still an amateur. Hackenschmidt credited Lurich’s victories with encouraging his increased interest in wrestling. At the time, Hackenschmidt was already one of the strongest men in the world, while only in his late teens.

Lurich and Hackenschmidt would have probably been friends except George Lurich bragged to everyone how he defeated “Hack” after Hackenschmidt won the world championship. Lurich often left out that “Hack” was an inexperienced amateur at the time. Georg Hackenschmidt spent a lot of time pursuing Lurich for a rematch but it never occurred. Lurich would claim illness or simply leave the area after “Hack’s” arrival.

George Lurich did train Aleksander “Alex” Aberg, who would become World Wrestling Champion after Frank Gotch retired. Men, Aberg’s trainer never one his own championship, so he wanted to make the most of this shot at the world championship. Despite his notable successes as a competitive wrestler, he never won a championship.

Frank Gotch and George Lurich met in the Convention Hall at Kansas City, MO on Tuesday, April 1, 1913. According to the April 2, 1913 udgave af Ogden Standard, Lurich was not much of a match for Gotch. Gotch scored the first fall on Lurich at 18 minutter, ten seconds with a toe hold and arm lock. After a short rest, Gotch defeated Lurich in five minutes, 35 seconds with a head chancery and bar arm.

Den Ogden Standard correspondent reported Gotch appeared much stronger than Lurich, a weightlifting champion. Lurich did get behind Gotch six or seven times but could do nothing. Efter Gotch sikrede sin berømte og smertefuld fodfæste, Tilmeldt Lurich HURTIGT. Lurich did not have much interest in continuing the match after feeling Gotch’s pet hold, så han hurtigt bukket i den anden efteråret.

Frank Gotch retired to raise a family. Gotch, who married two years prior to this match, ville kun leve fire år mere. Han døde på December 16, 1917 fra blodforgiftning.

Gotch was such a talented wrestler and promoter that he was able to raise wrestling to a respectable profession in the early Twentieth Century. Han havde også en gennemsnitlig stribe og blev kritiseret for grusomhed mod ringere modstandere.

Georg Alexander og Lurich “Alex” Åberg fortsatte brydning før bliver fanget i den russiske revolution. Oprindeligt, de blev accepteret af bolsjevikkerne. Under den russiske borgerkrig, both men decided their fortunes would be better if they left Russia for America. They were attempting to leave Russia through the south, when both men caught typhoid fever. George Lurich died at 43 years of age on January 20, 1920. Aberg beat the illness but caught pneumonia. Aberg died on February 15, 1920.

George Hackenschmidt outlasted all his rivals. He died on February 19, 1968 ved 90 år.

Did you know the story of George Lurich? Where you shocked that all three men died so young? You can leave a comment or ask a question about this or any post on my Facebook page, Twitter profile og Google+ side.

Gotch vs. Hackenschmidt: The Matches That Made and Destroyed Legitimate American Professional Wrestling is available on Amazon in both paperback and e-book.

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