Miyake vs. Santel Mixed Bout
On October 20, 1920, Ad Santel, a noted “hooker” or skilled submission wrestler, met Taro Miyake, a Judo and Jujitsu black belt, in a mixed wrestling vs. jujitsu contest. After about 20 seconds, Santel secured a half-Nelson on Miyake, lifted him off the mat and slammed Miyake to the floor. The impact knocked Miyake senseless. Miyake’s seconds assisted him back to the dressing room as Miyake could not walk under his own power. If you search either man’s biography, you will see this account.
All the facts in this account are true. However, the story tellers omitted facts, which would give the listener a different impression.
Photo of Taro Miyake from 1914 (Public Domain)
Fans paid $2.00 for ringside seats, $1.50 for main floor seats and $1.00 for general admission to see the match at Seattle’s Arena. The contestants agreed to a 2-out-of-3 fall Jujitsu match. Santel studied Jujitsu in addition to catch wrestling but the reporters covering the match did not record the rules for the match nor did they say if Santel wore a judo gi jacket.
Santel and Miyake entered the ring at 8:30 p.m. for the Saturday card. The men grappled evenly until Miyake secured a judo throw at the 29th minute. Miyake threw Santel for the first fall. The men rested for the normal 10-minute intercession.
To start the second fall, Santel charged Miyake at the start of the fall. Santel secured the half-Nelson and slammed Miyake for the second fall. Miyake returned to the dressing room during the intermission, but he could not continue in the match. The referee awarded Santel the third fall and match due to Miyake’s inability to return to the ring.
I discovered over the last 8 years that it is best to search for official sources about matches and incidents. Wrestlers tell exceptional stories. The storyteller relies on factual information but embellishes the facts and omits other information to make a compelling narrative. Writers should trust but verify.
Santel scored an impressive win a legitimate contest with a dangerous opponent. It just was not as one-sided as the storytellers led us to believe.
The powerful and dangerous Ad Santel, who wrestled in the prearranged era but was a legitimate catch wrestler (Public Domain)
Santel slammed Miyake but did not discourage him from professional wrestling. Early martial arts instructors instructed students but often could not pay their bills just with teaching. Early judo instructors like Miyake, Yukio Tani and Mitsuyo Maeda grappled with boxers and wrestlers in challenge matches. The instructors earned enough money to carry them for six months or more.
Taro Miyake charted his own path when he started wrestling professionally full-time. Miyake taught part-time while accepting regular wrestling bookings. Miyake adapted to working matches instead of fighting in legitimate contests. Miyake did not win a world title, but he developed into a respected professional in the worked era.
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Sources: The Seattle Star, October 18, 1917 edition, p. 10 and October 22, 1917 edition, p. 8
