The One Opponent Gotch Could Not Beat

十二月 16, 1917, Frank Alvin Gotch lost a three week battle with uremic poisoning. Doctors attempted to keep his kidneys going through an operation in Chicago but it provided only temporary relief. Gotch intended to travel to Hot Springs, Arkansas to try and restore his health. The operation ended this hope. Gotch spent the last couple weeks only able to take short walks in his hometown of Humboldt, 愛荷華州.

Frank Gotch compiled one of the most impressive wrestling records in American professional wrestling history. After being defeated by Martin “農民” Burns in 1899, Burns took the 21 year-old Gotch under his wing. 擁有如此出色的教練, Gotch soon won the American Heavyweight Championship.

Gotch scored his biggest triumph in 1908 when he defeated George Hackenschmidt for the recognized World Wrestling Championship. Three years later, he defeated “The Russian Lion” in the rematch. In between these matches, he defeated future World Champion Stanislaus Zbyszko.

Unlike many other champions, Gotch retired as champion in 1913 當他 35 歲. With the birth of his son Robert, Gotch決定與家人在農場上退休. 沒有人能知道強壯健康的洞只能再活四年.

Prior to advances in medicine, uremic poisoning was a deadly killer. Many St. 路易斯警官, who died in the line of duty, had survivable wounds but died from uremic poisoning. 今天, Gotch可能會在農場上過著漫長而富有成效的生活，繼續訓練像他的導師Burns這樣的摔跤手.

With the death of Gotch, legitimate wrestling also died. Legitimate competitions were almost completely replaced with prearranged matches. Gotch的死標誌著一個時代的終結.

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