El seu primer repte seriós seria un vell enemic

Al gener 2, 1911, El lluitador suís John Lemm es va trobar com el burla dels aficionats i periodistes de la lluita lliure professional. L'incident va passar quan Lemm va lluitar contra Stanislaus Zbyszko a Buffalo, New York. Els aficionats van considerar a Zbyszko com el màxim aspirant al títol mundial de Frank Gotch.

Zbyszko was a world class wrestler although more skilled in Greco-Roman wrestling than catch wrestling. Lemm was a skilled journeyman. Lemm surprised fans and Zbyszko when he lifted Zbyszko off the mat only a minute into the match.

The glory was short-lived as Lemm lost his balance and fell heavily with Zbyszko on top of him. Lemm pinned himself for the first fall in one minute, trenta segons.

Compounding the debacle, the fall injured Lemm’s chest muscles. Lemm could not raise up one of his arms after the fall. Despite the doctor’s warning to forfeit, Lemm insisted on continuing with the match.

Zbyszko tied up with Lemm, realized he was helpless and released Lemm. Zbyszko told the referee that Lemm could not defend himself. Zbyszko said Lemm would be seriously injured if Zbyszko threw him to the mat for the second fall. The referee stopped the contest and awarded the second fall and match to Zbyszko.

Because of the odd nature of the first pinfall, newspapers across the United States covered the match. Lemm resented being a figure of fun, so he requested a rematch with Zbyszko. Zbyszko agreed and the men wrestled each other again in Chicago on March 6, 1911.

Lemm weighed 200 pounds while Zbyszko weighed 250 lliures. Despite the disparity in skill level, Lemm gave Zbyszko a competitive match.

Lemm pushed the pace for the first hour remaining on the offensive. Zbyszko was content to power out of Lemm’s holds and look for an opening. After fifty-four minutes, Zbyszko saw an opportunity and pounced. Grabbing Lemm in a reverse body hold, Zbyszko flipped Lemm to the mat for the first fall at 54 acta, 10 segon.

Zbyszko normally ground down his opponents and made quick work of them in the second fall. Lemm appeared fresh after the ten-minute intermission. He pressed Zbyszko for over twenty minutes until Zbyszko took him to the mat. Zbyszko demonstrated his improving catch-as-catch-can ability by using a head scissors to take the second fall in 27 acta. Zbyszko won in two straight falls, but Lemm showed better than the average Zbyszko opponent.

Lemm reclaimed his legitimacy even in defeat. He would no longer be the laughingstock of fans and pundits while he continued to wrestle in the United States.

Zbyszko continued campaigning for a rematch with Frank Gotch. I write extensively about his title pursuit in Gotch vs. Zbyszko: La recerca de la redempció released in e-book, paperback and hardcover on February 2, 2022.

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Sources: The Washington Times (Washington, D.C.), Gener 3, 1911, p. 13 i Lincoln Journal Star (Lincoln, Nebraska), Març 7, 1911, p. 6

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