100 Year Old Weblog: ROLLER WINNER IN HANDICAP MATCH. ~ HAD BETTER OF HOUR BOUT HAD BETTER OF HOUR BOUT

December 22, 1909

ROLLER WINNER IN

HANDICAP MATCH.

HAD BETTER OF HOUR BOUT

WITH ZBYSZKO.

Offensive Work Better Than That

of Polish Giant, Who Thinks

He Can Win in Finish

Match.

DR. B. F. ROLLER FROM SEATTLE AND ZBYSZKO, THE "POLISH GIANT."

BY DR. B. F. ROLLER: "Zbyszko is a powerful wrestler and can beat most of them in a finish match, but I do not believe he can beat Gotch or myself. He has a powerful grip and his legs are like posts. It is almost impossible to get a toe hold on him. Gotch will do it and will win. Zbyszko looks like about the best wrestler among the gang of foreigners who came to this country."

BY ZBYSZKO: "I can beat Roller in a finish match. He gouged the eyes and was unnecessarily rough, but I will beat him in a finish match."

Zbyszko, the Polish Giant wrestler, had about as much a chance to throw Dr. B. F. Roller twice in an hour in their match in Convention hall last night as Stanley Ketchel had to knock out Jack Johnson in the first round of their battle in Frisco. It was an hour handicap affair and had the referee been empowered to give a decision on points at theclose of the bout it would undoubtedly have been in favor of the Seattle physician. Neither won a fall and as Zbyszko failed to throw Roller twice in an hour the doctor won.

IT WAS A HEAD TO HEAD MATCH MOST OF THE TIME.

From the very tap of the ringer Roller really had the better of the battle Zbyszko's strength was so great that he could push Roller about on the mat, but he had better holds on the Polish Giant than were put on the physician. Roller was much cleverer in dodging and breaking away from holds and his agressive work was far better than that of the Pole. But once did Zbyszko have a good hold on the ph ysician and Roller broke it with ease. Twice Roller had holds on Zbyszko which looked good for falls and one of them, a reverse half Nelson, all but brought home the money. Zbyszko had a hard fight to break the hold.

ROLLER'S STRONG OFFENSIVE.

While working on the mat Zbyszko was on the aggressive four times and Roller was on the agressive the same number. It was even as far as that was concerned, although Roller's offensive work appeared to be better than the Pole's. Roller tried for the toe hold all of hte time, except in one instance and that time he got a reverse half Nelson which looked good for a fall but the power of the giant from Poland broke it. Zbyszko tried for the toe hold and for arm and head holds, but only once had Roller in a dangerous position with a half Nelson, which was quickly broken. Several times during the bout Roller broke away from the Pole and regained his feet when Zbyszko held him around the waist. It was apparently easy for either man to get up out of the grasp of his opponent. For this reason much of the wrestling was while both were standing.

Rolling the Dough out of Zybszko the Biscuit)

DR. ROLLER TOOK THE DOUGH OUT OF THE BISCUIT, ALL RIGHT.

While Zbyszko was considerably heavier than Roller his work did not show it except when the men were tussling about the ring, both on their feet.

After thirteen minutes of work Zbyzsko got Roller to the mat for just a second when Roller broke away and again both were standing. Twenty minutes had been consumed when Roller put the Pole to the mat and got up again. Three minutes more passed and Zbyzsko downed Roller but the physician got up without much exertion. When twenty-six minutes of the hour had passed Roller picked the Pole up by the left leg and dropped him to the canvas. He tried the toe hold time and again but the short, stocky legs of the Pole were too strong. After thirty-seven minutes on the mat Zbyszko got up and got Roller around the waist but the clever physician broke away again.

ZBYSZKO'S HOLDS WEAK.

Forty minutes of wrestling found Zbyszko on top again and he took a half Nelson hold which looked good. The Seattle man gave a strain and not only broke the hold but regained his feet. The Pole got rough but he found a good oponent at that game in the physician, who, according to Zbyszko, amused himself by trying to misplace the Pole's eyes and nose.

After forty-five minutes of wrestling it was apparent that Roller would win the match as he had the advantage. He picked the Polish athlete up by the leg and dropped him to the mat. Zbyszko turned him over and they were soon standing again. When fifty-one minutes had passed Roller went after Zbyszko like a tiger. He threw him to the mat and got a reverse Nelson, which took all of Zbyszko's strength to break. Zbyszko got on top again after a hard tussle and Roller got up. The bout finished with the wrestlers sparring in a rough manner.

In the semi-windup Ed Somers defeated George Weber in straight falls. Both were one legged wrestlers. Dave Porteous refereed.