Stanislaus Zbyszko Loses Match

This week’s post is a confession of sorts. For years, I have written that Frank Gotch was the only wrestler to defeat Stanislaus Zbyszko during his initial tour of America between 1909 and 1914. I recently read Wrestling in the Garden, Volume 1: 1875 to 1939; The Battle for New York – Works, Shootes and Double Crosses (affiliate link) by Scott Teal and J. Michael Kenyon. On page 74, the authors included a newspaper article about George Lurich defeating Stanislaus Zbyszko on May 28, 1913.

The article surprised me. I had read hundreds of newspaper articles in the early 1910s and 1920s, which stated Gotch was the only man to defeat Zbyszko in their controversial 1910 title match. The articles did not mention Lurich defeating Zbyszko.

Lurich was a skilled wrestler but not on Zbyszko’s level at that period in their careers. I started researching the match to discover what occurred. Lurich did win the match, but he did not defeat Zbyszko.

The events leading up to the match began in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on May 24, 1913. Zbyszko wrestled Constant Lemarin. The men wrestled only a few minutes when they fell through the ropes out of the ring. Zbyszko landed on his head and suffered a cut above his eye.

Despite the injury, Zbyszko re-entered the ring and continued the match. He lifted Lemarin off the mat with a crotch hold. At this point, Lemarin fouled Zbyszko to prevent Zbyszko pinning him. The referee awarded the match to Zbyszko on a disqualification.

The referee raised Zbyszko’s hand. As Zbyszko tried to leave the ring, he passed out. After a few minutes, Zbyszko walked back to the dressing room. A doctor examined Zbyszko and feared a fractured skull. However, the doctor performed more tests and decided it was only a cut with a concussion. The doctor told Zbyszko to take at least two to four weeks off from training or wrestling.

Zbyszko ignored the doctor’s advice. Promoters booked him for a match with George Lurich at Madison Square Garden in New York City on May 28, 1913. Zbyszko intended to fulfill his commitments. It would prove to be a foolish decision.

Zbyszko entered the ring for his match with a large gauze bandage wrapped around his head. Newspapers reported extensively on his Montreal match and the injury. Lurich and everyone else was aware of Zbyszko’s compromised condition.

Zbyszko pursued Lurich frantically, but Lurich wrestled defensively. Lurich stalled out Zbyszko’s frequent offensive attacks. Zbyszko normally wrestled defensively while looking for an opportunity to counter his opponent’s offense. Zbyszko threw Lurich over his head with a flying mare. Lurich rolled out of the fall at the last second.

Lurich employed the more successful strategy. At the 16-minute mark, Zbyszko fainted. Lurich did not realize Zbyszko’s plight at first. He tried to turn Zbyszko to his back but could not move Zbyszko’s dead weight. Referee Charles White saw Zbyszko passed out and dragged Lurich off him. Zbyszko’ seconds and the referee carried Zbyszko to his corner. White awarded the match to Lurich as Zbyszko could not continue.

Lurich yelled to the reporters at ringside that he did not want to win the match in this fashion. He would gladly give Zbyszko a rematch. However, Lurich officially won this match.

While we cannot give Lurich full marks for such a win, Lurich did beat Zbyszko for only his second loss during his first American tour. He would not suffer another one until he returned to Europe in 1914 after his failure to secure a world title rematch with Frank Gotch.

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Sources: The Boston Globe, May 26, 1913 edition, p. 4 and The Brooklyn Eagle, May 29, 1913 edition, p. 20

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