GOTCH DEFENDS HIS
TITLE AS CHAMPION.
DEFEATS DR. ROLLER ON MAT
IN STRAIGHT FALLS.
Seattle Physician Puts Up Good
Fight, but Is Outclassed by
the Powerful Iowa
Farmer.
FRANK GOTCH, The Victor (left), and
DR. B. F. ROLLER, The Vanquished (right).
By Edward Cochrane.
For the second time within a year Frank Gotch of Humboldt, Ia., the world's wrestling champion, defended his title against Dr. B. F. Roller of Seattle in Convention hall last night, winning the match in straight falls. The Seattle athlete put up a much better battle against the champion than he did the last time they met, but Gotch proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is still the greatest wrestler in the universe. The first fall was won by a combination crotch and half-Nelson hold and the second by a toe hold.
From the time the men went on the mat until the final toe hold caused the bones in Roller's foot and ankle to all but snap in two, as his expression showed the torture he was enduring, it was plain to the 10,000 or more spectators that Gotch was the master. Every time he took a hold it made Roller exert every effort he had at his command to break it, and twice he failed to do this, thus losing the bout. Roller had many holds which would have been on less powerful grapplers, but Gotch broke them whenever he tried, and his strength was far too great to be overcome by the cleverness and power of the Seattle physician.
That the crowd, one of the largest that ever assembled to witness a wrestling bout in Convention hall, enjoyed it immensely was shown by the unlimited applause which greeted the athletes as they entered the arena for each fall and the ovation accorded them at the close, probably was the greatest yet given a pair of wrestlers at the close of a bout. As Roller, the game and conquered combatant arose to his feet after Gotch had put a hold on him which even the referee was afraid break his ankle, the 10,000 people stood and applauded him for a full five minutes. He had put up a great battle and had lost to a champion. The crowd was satisfied with his showing.
BOTH HAVE IMPROVED.
To Gotch it was the same old story. For years this big farmer from Humboldt and the conqueror of all American and foreign mat artists, has been accorded great ovations by Kansas City audiences. Those 10,000 hands which made a sound deafening to the ears had applauded Gotch many times before. He is their idol and they expect to be able to see him in action many more times.
While Dr. Roller has improved in weight, strength and ability since he met Gotch in a similar match here last winter, so has the mighty champion. While many believed Gotch could not improve over the wonderful form he exhibited a year ago he seems to be even a greater champion. He has more confidence. He had is holds all perfected to a greater degree and his cleverness is decidedly better than a year ago. Roller has improved more than Frank because of the much better battle he gave the champion and he still believes that some time he may possibly win from Gotch, but at the present time his chance is as slim as a triple split hair.
That it was a great bout is shown by the fact that the wrestlers worked hard every minute, and it took Gotch 1 hour 18 minutes and 59 seconds to gain the two falls over the physician from the Northwest.
DR. ROLLER MADE SOME SWIFT MOVES TO BREAK THE TOE HOLD.
Time after time during this bout Gotch tried the toe hold, and time after time Roller broke this famous hold when it seemed impossible for him to avoid losing a fall. The second fall was lost by the toe hold and it was a perfect one, pinning Roller to the mat without giving him the slightest chance to get away from it.
Roller tried hard to break this hold and believed he might possibly win the match by doing so, as Gotch was not in the best condition and a little tired at the time. But Roller was also fatigued, and with the might champion bearing down with all his weight on his ankle, the physician was forced to submit.
HIS LAST CHANCE.
As Roller lay in Gotch's arms with his head on the mat and his foot and ankle being pressed out of shape in such a manner that he was being severely tortured, his face showed the agony he was in and fans began to move toward the door. This meant a great deal to Roller. As he gradually sank to the mat he saw the last flame of his championship aspirations flicker and again he made a grand effort to break the hold. The flame brightened, flickered again and was gone. Roller had lost. Gotch walked to his corner with that same old smile of a victory and left the arena quickly, while Roller received the congratulations of his friends for putting up such a grand battle and many were his friends.
DR. ROLLER'S FOOT AFTER THE MATCH.
All Roller had to say was, "I lost and to the greatest wrestler that ever lived. Gotch is unbeatable."
Gotch's remark was, "He gave me a grand battle and is a fine wrestler."
