Hack-Man Pro-Wrestling Frank Gotch Page

Last updated 1 April 2000


Champion Frank Gotch Throws The Greek

by Howard Angus

Frank Gotch, the world's champion wrestler, came back smiling at the L.A.A.C. last night after four years of retirement. Bill Demetral, and all his 195 pounds of sinew and muscle, were almost like putty in the hands of the wonderful Gotch. Twice he clamped the famous toe hold on his man and the idol and champion of all the Greeks twisted up his face in agony and rolled over on his back.

The first fall came after thirty-nine minutes of grappling. The wrestlers were in the center of the ring when Gotch pulled the left leg of Demetral over his and pried. The Greek fought and grunted and twisted. But over he went. He signalled that he had enough, but Referee Dan McLeod was on his chin trying to see if the Greek's shoulders were down. Gotch called Dan's attention to the fact that the Greek was through, and the latter signalled the fall.

The second fall came after 18m. 37s. of rough work. That is, Gotch went right after the Greek. The fall came as a result of a combination toe hold and crotch.

But the story of the match is not that Gotch threw the Greek, but that he did it so easily. Sitting behind his man, laughing, roughing the Greek up, Gotch whiled away a mighty pleasant evening.

Down in the showers after it was all over he was just like a kid. He was so tickled that he could hardly keep from dancing around. He had come back without half trying. If he was not the old Gotch, he was still the invincible.

"Boys, I'm tickled to death," he grinned while he wiped off the water. "This match showed me just what I wanted to know. I took a thirty-minute workout, then I tried to spurt to see if I had my old stuff. I had it."

He was not puffing when he was talking. He asked those around him to put their hands on his heart. It was beating as steadily and regular as an eight-day clock. It was quite evident that the champion was not even tired.

Just then Demetral came into the shower. Gotch made a jump for him. "Bill, old boy, I love you, except in the ring. You brought me back."

"Yes," grinned the Greek sadly, "I brought the champion back." He shrugged his shoulders to indicate that there was not much in life worth living for.

"I'm for you when you meet Stecher, Gotch," he said. "Let me train with you."

And Gotch consented.

But to get back to the match. The L.A.A.C. gym was packed as it never has been packed before. Every available space was filled with a greasy sweating face and long before the two wrestlers were ready for action, the air was hot and heavy as if it had been being fanned over a blazing furnace. The whole bottom floor was a black mass and around the gallery were peering, anxious faces.

Outside of the L.A.A.C. a thousand men waited patiently in line, hoping that by some crook they could get in. They were told that the seats were gone, but they hung doggedly on. A few went away. But most of them hung around in groups waiting for news from the inside. After Gotch threw Demetral the first time, they melted away. But many still hung to hear from friends how Frank Gotch came back.

Demetral was the first to come through the maze of smoke that hung in a twisted mist over the audience. It was 9:52 o'clock. He wore an anxious expression. A little later Gotch followed and he was not smiling.

"It's the first time I have ever seen him look nervous," whispered Charlie Eyton in a strange whisper. While Guy Finney was introducing the men to the audience and Dan McLeod was crawling through the ropes, Gotch moved nervously from foot to foot. Why shouldn't he? There was Jim Jeffries just below him looking up at the wrestling champion. On his face was stamped the whole history of the Reno failure.

The two men came together in the middle of the ring and began grabbing at each other's heads. In two minutes Gotch reached down, grabbed the Greek's leg and brought him to the mat. Like a cone.


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