Zbyszko Beats Aberg for Title

On February 26. 1914, Stanislaus Zbyszko beat Alex Aberg for the World Greco-Roman Heavyweight Wrestling Championship in Boston, Massachusetts.  Zbyszko came to the United States in 1909 to campaign for Frank Gotch’s World Catch-as-Catch Can Championship.  Wrestling insiders considered Gotch’s title the World Championship.

Zbyszko could not beat Gotch in 1910.  Before they had a rematch, Frank Gotch retired in 1913.  While promoters and wrestlers alike were vying to replace Gotch, Stanislaus Zbyszko signed to meet Aleksander “Alex” Aberg for Aberg’s World Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship.

Aberg was one of the wrestlers vying to replace Gotch as World Catch-as-Catch Can Champion.  The question Aberg had to answer was whether he could beat Zbyszko.  Zbyszko arguably gave Gotch his toughest tilt as champion.

To pull off the match, promoter George Touhey offered a purse of $10,000 to the wrestlers.  Touhey also had to bring Zbyszko back from Paris, where he was touring.  The grapplers squared off in Boston’s Mechanics Building.

Both men were built like barrels.  Greco-Roman wrestling barred holds below the waist.  Upper body strength was critical to success in Greco-Roman wrestling.  Both Zbyszko and Aberg were powerful men.

Zbyszko won the first fall but it took him over an hour.  At 1 hours, 7 minutes and 47 seconds, Zbyszko secured a cross body hold and brought Aberg’s shoulders to the mat for the first fall.

Aberg began a desperate struggle to avoid being defeated for two straight falls.  After 30 minutes and 25 seconds, Aberg scored the second fall with a flying body half-Nelson hold.  Aberg’s exertions sapped the last bit of his strength.

Zbyszko took a page out of Gotch’s book and tackled Aberg to start the third fall.  Zbyszko secured a whole arm hold and pinned Aberg in 35 seconds.  Stanislaus Zbyszko was the Greco-Roman World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion.

Zbyszko immediately returned to Europe.  He did not return to the United States until 1919 after World War II.  Zbyszko claimed to have beaten Aberg during the war in Russia.  Aberg died in Russia, so he could not contradict Zbyszko’s story.

Samuel Rachmann attempted to establish Aberg as Gotch’s replacement with the 1915 International Wrestling Tournament.  Gotch would eventually be replaced by Joe Stetcher and Ed “Strangler” Lewis.

Would Stanislaus Zbyszko been Gotch’s replacement if he stayed in the United States?  Why or why not?  You can leave a comment or ask a question about this or any post on my Facebook page and Twitter profile.

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