Stanislaus Zbyszko Tours in 1910

In late 1909, Stanislaus Zbyszko traveled to the United States to challenge World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Frank Gotch.  Prior to meeting Gotch, Zbyszko toured the United States and battled many local wrestlers throughout the early part of 1910.  Zbyszko would travel 37,000 miles.

Early in his tour, Zbyszko met Frank Gotch in a handicap match.  Zbyszko defeated Gotch, who was unable to throw him, in a non-title match.  The validity of this match is questionable though.  Gotch would sometimes lose non-title matches but crush the challenger in the title match.  Wrestling correspondents believed Gotch sometimes threw matches to build interest and increase the gate receipts in the title fights.

When Zbyszko landed in America in October 1909, he weighed in at 272 pounds.  After six months of touring, Zbyszko weighed 228 pounds.  In March 1910 alone, Zbyszko wrestled 8 legitimate contests in Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Zbyszko had one of his toughest matches with Dr. Ben Roller in Kansas City, Missouri on March 22, 1910.  Zbyszko wrestled Roller to a 2 hour and 17 minute draw without a pin being scored.  Dr. Roller did better during the first hour but Zbyszko took over in the second hour.  Both men resorted to rough tactics but neither man could score an advantage.  Kansas City Police stopped the bout after it became apparent neither man would score a fall.

Zbyszko met Gotch in June 1910 but was defeated in two straight falls.  Gotch did not prove himself a gentlemen however.  Gotch scored the first fall by tackling Zbyszko off the hand shake to start the match.  Zbyszko did eventually become champion in 1926 in a double cross.

By 1926, promoters prearranged match results but Zbyszko beat and pinned the champion Wayne Munn in a double cross that would have made Frank Gotch proud.  Stanislaus Zbyszko became a world champion in his own right.

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