Jenkins’ און Beell's Closed Door Match

טאָם דזשענקינס האט די דיסטינגקשאַן פון זיין דער בלויז ראַנגלער צו באַזיגן פראַנק גאָטש עטלעכע מאָל. Jenkins and Gotch traded the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship between 1902 און 1906. אין דער צייט פון דעם גלייַכן, דזשענקינס איז געווען דער מייַסטער ווידער.

Fred Beell had been campaigning for a match with Jenkins for months. Beell finally convinced Jenkins to meet him but not in the way he thought the bout would occur.

An exceptionally talented but small heavyweight Beell defeated good wrestlers, but they were just under the level of Gotch and Jenkins. A victory over Jenkins would take Beell to the next level.

Beell’s biggest weakness, despite his powerful build, was Beell stood only five feet four inches, and weighed 165 פונט. Jenkins was similarly muscled but stood five feet, צען אינטשעס הויך און וועגן 210 פונט.

Instead of a match in an arena, which Beell expected, the men wrestled in a New York City gymnasium. 100 VIPs and sporting men paid to watch the private match. The bout was 2-out-of-3-falls for $1,000.00 אַ זייַט.

Beell participated in worked matches, but this match was a contest. The contest taxed the strength and endurance of both men.

The men wrestled on a mat, which abutted the wall of the gymnasium. נאָך 2 hours of wrestling without an advantage for either man, Jenkins secured a half-Nelson as both men were near the corner of the wall.

Jenkins worked to turn Beell, when Beell was able to reverse out of the half-Nelson. Jenkins was momentarily off-balance allowing Beell to toss Jenkins with a head and arm chancery. Beell scored the first fall shocking Jenkins.

The quick fall forced Jenkins out of his lethargy. Jenkins grabbed the smaller Beell and threw him bodily against the wall along the mat. Beell landed on his head. The impact knocked Beell senseless. Jenkins grabbed a half-Nelson and turned Beell for the second fall at 1 minute, 13 סעקונדעס.

Beell refused to withdraw even though he was obviously concussed. Jenkins mercifully slammed Beell right after the referee restarted the match and pinned Beell in less than a minute. Jenkins could have roughed up Beell, but Jenkins did not have any animosity towards Beell despite all the public challenges.

Tom Jenkins lost the title back to Gotch months later and went into semi-retirement. The U.S. Army’s Military Academy at West Point appointed Jenkins to the position of physical education and self-defense teacher. Jenkins wrestled sporadically after his appointment.

Beell continued wrestling until 1919. Frank Gotch was in Beell’s future in a result that surprised fans and newspaper reporters.

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Source: Spokane Chronicle (Spokane, Washington) יוני 10, 1905 edition, פּ. 5

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