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Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
PHYSICAL TRAINING SIMPLIFIED - The Complete Science of Muscular Development - (circa 1930) - DEDICATION & PREFACE - By Mark H. Berry
DEDICATION
This humble volume is respectfully dedicated to the strength heroes of the past, who have done so much to popularize weight-lifting and the development of the male physique by means of heavy exercise.
We, of the present age generation, owe a profound debt of gratitude to the old timers, some of whom are still with us, but particularly to the many who have passed on.
May the efforts of the future continue to reflect honor upon those who were instrumental in advancing the cause of Human Strength and Development.
Mark H. Berry
PREFACE
In presenting this book to the public, the author has in mind the dissemination of physical training knowledge in a manner making possible the easy memorization of essential facts. He has put into effect certain personal ideas on arranging instruction to the advantage of the reader. We have all observed at times, the ease with which certain facts are retained by the memory, while others slip the mind completely. The important factors governing this, seem to be a thorough interest and the desire to retain those facts which have an important bearing on subjects of greatest interest to the reader. Having this idea in mind, we have attempted to arrange the chapter matter in such a manner as to impress indelibly upon the mind certain salient facts which govern the proper training and development of he human body, with particular emphasis on the acquisition of 100% masculinity.
No attempt has been made to compile a complete encyclopedia of every known exercise or method of exercising the muscles. Completeness is most valuable in relation to the thoroughness of instruction and usefulness in attaining satisfactory results. The reading of no one chapter can be relied upon to give thorough information on any part of the body. The entire subject matter of this volume must be studied and mentally digested if your knowledge of the methods advocated is to be considered complete. A repeated perusal of the exercise ideas contained herein may be gleaned from the photographs.
For obvious reasons, the author must omit from the illustrations in this volume many valuable exercises which have been fully illustrated in the books "Super Strength" and "The Key to Might and Muscle." The majority of fundamental bar bell training exercises for the development of the body are included among the illustrations in the first named book. When advisable, we refer to many of these exercises in connection with our discussion on developing each part of the body; when necessary, the details of such exercises are covered. We feel certain that most valuable exercises are properly illustrated in the present volume, and can assure readers of the highest degree of satisfaction from the practice of such exercises as we have included herein, without the addition of any others. The foundation movements of bar bell training are described at considerable length in the chapter entitled "A Complete Course in Bar Bell Exercise;" the majority of the movements described in that chapter are illustrated on one page in rather small size, due to the fact they are so well known to bar bell physical culturists. In the final analysis, most substantial results could be expected from adhering to the course outlined in that one chapter, as such standard, time tested bar bell exercises have proven reliable and result producing over a long period of years.
The author must acknowledge his gratitude to every ardent physical culturist with whom he has come in contact. He has learned something from everyone with whom he has dealt on the subject of physical education and the training of the human body. In helping his many pupils and others who have sought his advice, he has found it necessary and essential to concentrate upon many unusual problems which would not otherwise come to his attention. The desire uppermost in his mind is that the reader will consider the book a real help in advancing to complete health and strength.
Iron Nation
Monday, July 25, 2011
THE WAY TO LIVE - (Circa 1908) - The Story Of My Life - Part 9 (*End of Book) - By George Hackenschmidt
In August, 1907, my old knee trouble again made its appearance, but this time the water gathered in the joint itself, so that my knee cap stood away from the joint quite a quarter of an inch. By medical advice I know always wore a bandage, and found it practically impossible to do any serious wrestling practice. Even a slow trot caused me such pain that I could only fulfil my ordinary engagements with the utmost difficulty.
Matters in the Wrestling World were livened up however by the visit of three wrestlers possessing formidable reputations on the Continent.
First came Constant le Marin, then the Galician wrestler Cyganiewicz, or Zbysco. Finally came the big Cossack Padoubny, the winner of World's Championship Tournaments in the Graeco-Roman style.
These were followed by Joe Rogers, a big American wrestler, with whom I had wrestled in New York, but who had since progressed considerably in his knowledge of the game.
All four of these hurled challenges at me, but as I found that Constant le Marin, who had been first in the field, appeared less ready to come to business than he had been to announce his readiness therefore, and as it would have been absurd to match myself to meet them all at once or to lay myself open to their accusations, if I accorded either of them precedence, I suggested that they had better wrestle among themselves, promising to meet the winner.
Knowing full well that they were all formidable opponents, and feeling the urgent need of rest and recuperation after my long and arduous spell of work, I now took a brief holiday, paying a visit to my home in Russia.
Unfortunately I did not find the rest or cure I needed, and consequently returned to England feeling far from fit and well, in time to witness the Zbysco-Padoubny match, to which the proposed tournament had dwindled down.
This, as you are probably aware, resulted in the victory of Zbysco, owing to the disqualification of Padoubny, and I accordingly signed articles to meet the winner.
Meanwhile Rogers, who had been unable to enter the proposed tournament or triangular contest, owing to a poisoned thumb, was clamouring for a match with me, on that eplea that I had promised to meet him while I was in America, if he took up wrestling seriously and was able to prove that he was a serious opponent.
This he had done by virtue of his success in one or two American tournaments in which he had defeated some very formidable opponents and so I consented to meet him.
We came together at the Oxford Music Hall on February 6, 1908, and, despite his great advantage in height and weight (he is quite six inches taller and more than three stone heavier than I was), I did not experience any very great difficulty in pinning him out twice in 7 min. 35 sec. and 6 min. 45 sec. respectively.
I was attacking practically throughout the contest, almost the only aggressive move which he made being an attempt to seize me round the thighs, which resulted in his being thrown for the first time, as I stooped also and quicker than he did, securing a hold just below his knees, lifting him and then pitching him forcibly to the ground, after which I was able to pin him down without much difficulty.
I then sailed to America to fulfil my contract to wrestle Frank Gotch. Prior to the contest itself I fulfilled a night's engagement at the Grand Central Palace, New York, meeting Neil Olsen, a quick little wrestler, who calls himself Young Hackenschmidt, and Steg-Miller, whom I took with me to America. After this I went to Boston, where I wrestled John Perelli, Albert Ouvray, and several others; and had the honour of making the acquaintance of the son of President Roosevelt, who introduced me to his friends. From Boston I went to Philadelphia, and there beat Carl Darschn of Camden, in 3-3/4 min., Henry Paulson in 5 min. 9 sec., and Miller. From Philadelphia I went to Washington, where I was introduced to President Roosevelt at the White House, and to several other leading politicians. There I wrestled five opponents, and threw them all pretty quickly; traveling thence to Baltimore, where, after defeating two or three opponents, I wrestled 15 min. With Gus Schonlein (America). From here I went straight to Chicago to get ready for Gotch.
As to the contest itself so much has been said and written already by various eyewitnesses and also by people who were not eyewitnesses, that it seems to me that I should be serving no useful purpose by either adding to or taking from the remarks I have already made on the subject.
After returning to England I had to prepare for a match with Zbysco, which should have taken place in June. I started hard practice, but in a short time felt such pain in my right knee, round the knee cap, that it was even painful to walk. Any quick turn made me feel as though I should collapse. I cancelled all my engagements, including the match, and went to Aix-la-Chapelle, to undergo a thorough treatment. Examination by one of the leading surgeons proved the necessity for an immediate serious operation, from which I am now recovering.
I have been asked whether I propose seeking to regain my lost championship.
Well, in order to answer that question, I beg to state that the only man I propose wrestling before my final retirement is Frank Gotch, and then to inquire as to the championship which I am alleged to have lost.
When did I last hold one?
When I entered for and won the Championship Tournaments in Vienna, Berlin and Paris in the year 1901, the motive that actuated me was the desire to prove myself a greater wrestler than all the famous exponents of the science who were gathered together at those places. That I won the title of champion at the same time was purely a side issue. So much so, indeed, that I have not since troubled about renewing it.
Throughout my whole career I have never bothered as to whether I was a champion or not a champion. The only title I have desire to be known by is simply my name, George Hackenschmidt.
Iron Nation
Sunday, July 24, 2011
THE WAY TO LIVE - (Circa 1908) - THE STORY OF MY LIFE - Part 8 - By George Hackenschmidt
Back again in the British Isles with a long list of music-hall engagements before me and having anticipations of a prospective match with Alexander Mundro (the Scottish champion) and a possible return encounter with Madrali, it was quite clear that on these occasions my opponents would stipulate for "Catch-as-catch-can" conditions, and t hat it would be advisable for me to accustom myself thoroughly to that style of wrestling.
I therefore resolved that, at all events for the time being, I would only engage in contests or exhibitions under that code, more especially as there can be no doubt of its greater popularity among the British people.
Several months elapsed before the conditions could be arranged for my encounter with Munro, and meanwhile I had my music-hall engagements to fulfil, but finally, on October 28, 1905, I encountered the British champion before 16,000 spectators on the Glasgow Rangers' Football Ground, at Ibrox Park. The greatest interest was evinced in the encounter on account of my antagonist's magnificent physique and great reputation. My readers may, perhaps, be interested in comparing our respective weights and measurements on that occasion:-
Munro ....... Hackenschmidt
Height . . . . 6 ft 5ft. 9 1/2 in.
Weight . . . . 15 st. 5 lb. 14 st. 8 lb.
Neck . . . . . 18 1/2 in. 22 in.
Chest. . . . . 48 in. 52 in.
Waist. . . . . 36 in. 34 in.
Thigh. . . . . 27 in. 26 3/4 in.
Calf . . . . . 17 in. 18 in.
Forearm. . . . 14 1/2 in. 15 1/2 in.
Biceps . . . . 17 3/4 in. 19 in.
A drizzling rain which fell throughout the contest somewhat hampered my movements, and since I was the attacking party during most of the time the conditions naturally handicapped me more seriously that my adversary. Munro was the first to go the mat, and was soon compelled to "bridge" for safety. I turned him over with a leg hold, but he managed to slip clear, as he also did out of several "half-nelsons." Indeed, after about a quarter of an hour's struggle he managed so to extricate himself from my grasp as to be able to put in several aggressive movements. He was, and is undoubtedly, a very powerful man, and did not finally succumb (to a "half-nelson") until after a struggle lasting altogether 22 min. 40 sec.
After 10 minutes' interval we commenced the second bout, and again the Scotchman displayed fine defensive tactics, once or twice even assuming the offensive. Again, however, I got him with a "half-nelson" and rolled him over in 11 min. 11 sec.
That night, on appearing to fulfil my engagement at the Palace Theatre, just outside Glasgow, Scotland, the audience called for a speech, and after my saying a few words they stood up as one man and gave me one of biggest ovations I had ever experienced in Great Britain. The kindly enthusiasm with which they acclaimed me as "a jolly good fellow" was such as I shall never forget, for the rest of my life.
My music hall engagements, together with an occasional brief holiday, occupied me now for the next six months, when, in order to satisfy Madrali Pieri, the British public and myself that the result of our first encounter was not, as Pieri alleged, "a fluke," I consented to again meet the "Terrible Turk" under "Catch-as-catch-can" rules on this occasion. At this style of wrestling he was, according to his mentor and discoverer, "absolutely invincible," and on the strength of recent encounters with Tom Jenkins and Alex Munro, a not inconsiderable section of the public inclined to opinion that he would "make me travel." Even I myself had but little confidence in my chance, consequently I trained seriously for the occasion, putting in a fortnight's preparation at dear old Jack Grumley's house. "The Seven Stars," Shepherd's Bush. I had practice bouts regularly with one or another of the following very capable group of wrestlers: Jack Smith, "Gunner" Moir, poor Jack Grumley, John Strong, Gus Rennart, and Constables Barrett and Humphreys of the City Police, and to wind up, I took them all to Worthing and finished my training there.
One daily item of my training may deserve mention here, since in itself it was no small feet and graduated according to circumstances might be included with advantage in every wrestler's preparation. I used to kneel down while the others placed a sack of cement weighing six hundred weight on my back, and as soon as this was comfortably settled, poor Jack Grumley, who scaled another 232 lbs., seated himself thereon, say, well over 900 lbs. in all. No small weight-moving feat I can assure you.
Under these circumstances, therefore, it can be well understood that I was feeling particularly fit and well when for the second occasion I faced Madrali at Olympia.
As this contest was brought about after a tremendously wordy discussion in the Press and amidst the greatest possible excitement, it may, perhaps, interest my readers, if I quote the report which appeared in The Manchester Guardian, which runs as follows:-
"Hackenschmidt and Madrali, surrounded by their friends and seconds, were early in their dressing-rooms. Madrali was reported marvelously fit, but a whisper flew around, among the journalists, telling the alarming tale that Hackenschmidt was sick! His stomach was wrong! They were annointing him with alcohol! He was faint! He was trembling! Part of it was true. Sheer excitement had upset the Russian, and betting began to veer, and the odds weakened just as they do on the morning of a big race, when the favourite is reported to be coughing. Strung to a higher pitch of excitement by this 'stable intelligence,' the crowd watched and waited hungrily for the appearance of the two mighty men. It was nearly half-past nine before the band played with gusto. 'See the conquering hero comes!' There was a sudden eddy among the group of privileged persons at the side of the ring, the eddy broke and through it strode Madrali. Olympia howled as one man. The Turk stalked to the stage like a ghost in a dream. He looked immense-passionless and colourless; a black overcoat covered him from throat to ankles . . . He walked to his corner as an automaton walks and sat down stiffly on a kitchen chair. At the tail end of the cheers which greeted him came Hackenschmidt, in a brown dressing-gown, with tassels flapping dolorously. With his wonderful shoulders concealed by the wrappings of his gown, he appeared small and puny compared with the great mass of humanity opposite him. His face - trunk and boyish as a rule - was the very picture of misery. It was drab and drawn and withered. His lips were trembling and his eyes were flashing furtive glances across the great auditorium whilst the cheers hurtled among the rafters of the glass dome.
"At the call of 'time,' and a silence through which one little cough broke like a rifle shot, the Turk and the Russian leaped like cats to the mat. And at that moment life and confidence came back to Hackenschmidt, whose apparent collapse was nothing more than tremendous excitement worked up to a pitch almost heartbreaking. He knew that in the "Catch-as-catch can" style Madrali was cunning and relentless if he could only get time - time to wear his man down and to grind the spirit out of him. And Hackenschmidt's one idea was to limit the time to a mere handful of seconds, if only he could, and not save himself for an endurance test. After a few lightning flashes of preliminary sparring the Russian jumped in for a neck hold and got Madrali's head down. But Madrali weaved his arms around Hackenschmidt's waist and hugged and tugged until his opponent bent nearly double. Hackenschmidt made a wild grab at the Turk's neck and got a hold which was near enough to the "strangle grip" to cause Madrali to squirm away and protest, mumbling to the referee as he explained in pantomimic passes with his hands. In another moment the pair were at it again, crouching like tigers for a spring. And here Madrali made his first bad mistake. He tried his favourite dodge - a sudden spring to get a leg hold. But Hackenschmidt, sharp as a needle, was on the look-out for that. He hopped back an inch and no more, Madrali's hand smote the air and the impetus of his fruitless grab upset his balance. His right arm went up to steady himself, and like an arrow, the Russian leaped in, took his man under that right arm and swung him round. Down with a thud and grunt went the Turk.
Hackenschmidt was on him, and Madrial went over in a body-roll, which no power on earth could stop. There was one wild struggle, a helpless kick or two, and Madrali was pinned to the carpet in a fair and straight throw in 1 min. 34 sec. Madrali staggered up, shook himself, and stalked back to his corner, while in a storm of cheers Hackenschmidt, pale as death but smiling, slipped on his dressing-gown and departed to his dressing-room for the fifteen minutes' interval. Madrali stayed where he was, solacing himself with a rough towel.
"For the second bout the Russian was a raging favourite. And lo! In the second bout Madrali found his haven. Twice he dived for the leg hold. Twice he got it, being craftier this time, after his first stinging lesson in carelessness. Twice Hackenschmidt broke away. And then in a whirl of heaving flesh both men came to earth with a bump. Madrali was on top. He wriggled behind the Russian and wrapped his sinewy arms round his waist. Hackenschmidt crouched on all fours, while Madralit kneaded him remorselessly - a painful process which has churned many a great wrestler into sickness and partial unconsciousness. A minute or so of this set the Russian sweating. His white skin glistened in the blaze of the electric light. His face was twisted with pain. And still the inexorable Turk gruelled and gruelled the opponent.
Thinking, no doubt, he had weakened him sufficiently, he made a grab at his ankle. That did not come off, so Madrali ground his knees into the Russian's thigh. This was not strickly cricket, and Mr. Dunning promptly stopped it. Hackenschmidt just watched for his chance. It came with startling suddenness. Incautiously Madrali loosed his waist hold and tried a "half-nelson" on the Russian's right arm, but found it too strong even for his muscles, whereupon Hackenschmidt got a left wrist hold and leg-lock simultaneously, strained the mighty muscles of his shoulders almost to bursting-point and with a heave which showed incredible strength hurled his man clean over. The crowd went mad with excitement. 'He's got him! He's got him! they yelled. He had. Fiercely, furiously, panting and straining Hackenschmidt flung his whole weight upon the prostrate Turk. It was the biggest effort he had ever made. For a breathless moment Madrali struggled. Then he collapsed with a sob, and Mr. Dunning smote Hackenschmidt upon the shoulders with a sounding slap which signaled that the championship had been won and that the terrible Turk had been beaten. 'Time, four minutes, cried Mr. Mansell, the timekeeper, and like an avalanche, the crowd swarmed, roaring into the arena."
Since that date, it has become fashionable in certain quarters to call Madrali a much overrated man. There was never a worse, or indeed a more absurd, mistake. He was a most formidable opponent, one of the strongest, if not actually the strongest, man I have ever encountered. Somewhat careless, perhaps, as a wrestler, but once he had you in his clutches - well, he had me pretty tightly, I admit, and I was able to turn the tables, but I shall always count myself as singularly fortunate in having been able to do so. Tom Jenkins is a very powerful man and a most able wrestler, and yet Madrali positively crushed him. Munro is one of the strongest men in the world, and thoroughly experienced at "Catch-as-catch-can" and yet Madrali treated him as if he were a novice.
No, the opinions which were entertained of the "terrible Turk" prior to his defeat by me were much nearer the truth than those which obtained subsequently thereto, and every wrestler who ever felt Madrali's grip will, I am sure, fully endorse this opinion.
I was now booked up for a lengthy tour, during which I visited nearly every town in the United Kingdom, meeting all the wrestlers of repute in every locality, without coming across any serious or exciting encounter.
Iron Nation
Read More »
I therefore resolved that, at all events for the time being, I would only engage in contests or exhibitions under that code, more especially as there can be no doubt of its greater popularity among the British people.
Several months elapsed before the conditions could be arranged for my encounter with Munro, and meanwhile I had my music-hall engagements to fulfil, but finally, on October 28, 1905, I encountered the British champion before 16,000 spectators on the Glasgow Rangers' Football Ground, at Ibrox Park. The greatest interest was evinced in the encounter on account of my antagonist's magnificent physique and great reputation. My readers may, perhaps, be interested in comparing our respective weights and measurements on that occasion:-
Munro ....... Hackenschmidt
Height . . . . 6 ft 5ft. 9 1/2 in.
Weight . . . . 15 st. 5 lb. 14 st. 8 lb.
Neck . . . . . 18 1/2 in. 22 in.
Chest. . . . . 48 in. 52 in.
Waist. . . . . 36 in. 34 in.
Thigh. . . . . 27 in. 26 3/4 in.
Calf . . . . . 17 in. 18 in.
Forearm. . . . 14 1/2 in. 15 1/2 in.
Biceps . . . . 17 3/4 in. 19 in.
A drizzling rain which fell throughout the contest somewhat hampered my movements, and since I was the attacking party during most of the time the conditions naturally handicapped me more seriously that my adversary. Munro was the first to go the mat, and was soon compelled to "bridge" for safety. I turned him over with a leg hold, but he managed to slip clear, as he also did out of several "half-nelsons." Indeed, after about a quarter of an hour's struggle he managed so to extricate himself from my grasp as to be able to put in several aggressive movements. He was, and is undoubtedly, a very powerful man, and did not finally succumb (to a "half-nelson") until after a struggle lasting altogether 22 min. 40 sec.
After 10 minutes' interval we commenced the second bout, and again the Scotchman displayed fine defensive tactics, once or twice even assuming the offensive. Again, however, I got him with a "half-nelson" and rolled him over in 11 min. 11 sec.
That night, on appearing to fulfil my engagement at the Palace Theatre, just outside Glasgow, Scotland, the audience called for a speech, and after my saying a few words they stood up as one man and gave me one of biggest ovations I had ever experienced in Great Britain. The kindly enthusiasm with which they acclaimed me as "a jolly good fellow" was such as I shall never forget, for the rest of my life.
My music hall engagements, together with an occasional brief holiday, occupied me now for the next six months, when, in order to satisfy Madrali Pieri, the British public and myself that the result of our first encounter was not, as Pieri alleged, "a fluke," I consented to again meet the "Terrible Turk" under "Catch-as-catch-can" rules on this occasion. At this style of wrestling he was, according to his mentor and discoverer, "absolutely invincible," and on the strength of recent encounters with Tom Jenkins and Alex Munro, a not inconsiderable section of the public inclined to opinion that he would "make me travel." Even I myself had but little confidence in my chance, consequently I trained seriously for the occasion, putting in a fortnight's preparation at dear old Jack Grumley's house. "The Seven Stars," Shepherd's Bush. I had practice bouts regularly with one or another of the following very capable group of wrestlers: Jack Smith, "Gunner" Moir, poor Jack Grumley, John Strong, Gus Rennart, and Constables Barrett and Humphreys of the City Police, and to wind up, I took them all to Worthing and finished my training there.
One daily item of my training may deserve mention here, since in itself it was no small feet and graduated according to circumstances might be included with advantage in every wrestler's preparation. I used to kneel down while the others placed a sack of cement weighing six hundred weight on my back, and as soon as this was comfortably settled, poor Jack Grumley, who scaled another 232 lbs., seated himself thereon, say, well over 900 lbs. in all. No small weight-moving feat I can assure you.
Under these circumstances, therefore, it can be well understood that I was feeling particularly fit and well when for the second occasion I faced Madrali at Olympia.
As this contest was brought about after a tremendously wordy discussion in the Press and amidst the greatest possible excitement, it may, perhaps, interest my readers, if I quote the report which appeared in The Manchester Guardian, which runs as follows:-
"Hackenschmidt and Madrali, surrounded by their friends and seconds, were early in their dressing-rooms. Madrali was reported marvelously fit, but a whisper flew around, among the journalists, telling the alarming tale that Hackenschmidt was sick! His stomach was wrong! They were annointing him with alcohol! He was faint! He was trembling! Part of it was true. Sheer excitement had upset the Russian, and betting began to veer, and the odds weakened just as they do on the morning of a big race, when the favourite is reported to be coughing. Strung to a higher pitch of excitement by this 'stable intelligence,' the crowd watched and waited hungrily for the appearance of the two mighty men. It was nearly half-past nine before the band played with gusto. 'See the conquering hero comes!' There was a sudden eddy among the group of privileged persons at the side of the ring, the eddy broke and through it strode Madrali. Olympia howled as one man. The Turk stalked to the stage like a ghost in a dream. He looked immense-passionless and colourless; a black overcoat covered him from throat to ankles . . . He walked to his corner as an automaton walks and sat down stiffly on a kitchen chair. At the tail end of the cheers which greeted him came Hackenschmidt, in a brown dressing-gown, with tassels flapping dolorously. With his wonderful shoulders concealed by the wrappings of his gown, he appeared small and puny compared with the great mass of humanity opposite him. His face - trunk and boyish as a rule - was the very picture of misery. It was drab and drawn and withered. His lips were trembling and his eyes were flashing furtive glances across the great auditorium whilst the cheers hurtled among the rafters of the glass dome.
"At the call of 'time,' and a silence through which one little cough broke like a rifle shot, the Turk and the Russian leaped like cats to the mat. And at that moment life and confidence came back to Hackenschmidt, whose apparent collapse was nothing more than tremendous excitement worked up to a pitch almost heartbreaking. He knew that in the "Catch-as-catch can" style Madrali was cunning and relentless if he could only get time - time to wear his man down and to grind the spirit out of him. And Hackenschmidt's one idea was to limit the time to a mere handful of seconds, if only he could, and not save himself for an endurance test. After a few lightning flashes of preliminary sparring the Russian jumped in for a neck hold and got Madrali's head down. But Madrali weaved his arms around Hackenschmidt's waist and hugged and tugged until his opponent bent nearly double. Hackenschmidt made a wild grab at the Turk's neck and got a hold which was near enough to the "strangle grip" to cause Madrali to squirm away and protest, mumbling to the referee as he explained in pantomimic passes with his hands. In another moment the pair were at it again, crouching like tigers for a spring. And here Madrali made his first bad mistake. He tried his favourite dodge - a sudden spring to get a leg hold. But Hackenschmidt, sharp as a needle, was on the look-out for that. He hopped back an inch and no more, Madrali's hand smote the air and the impetus of his fruitless grab upset his balance. His right arm went up to steady himself, and like an arrow, the Russian leaped in, took his man under that right arm and swung him round. Down with a thud and grunt went the Turk.
Hackenschmidt was on him, and Madrial went over in a body-roll, which no power on earth could stop. There was one wild struggle, a helpless kick or two, and Madrali was pinned to the carpet in a fair and straight throw in 1 min. 34 sec. Madrali staggered up, shook himself, and stalked back to his corner, while in a storm of cheers Hackenschmidt, pale as death but smiling, slipped on his dressing-gown and departed to his dressing-room for the fifteen minutes' interval. Madrali stayed where he was, solacing himself with a rough towel.
"For the second bout the Russian was a raging favourite. And lo! In the second bout Madrali found his haven. Twice he dived for the leg hold. Twice he got it, being craftier this time, after his first stinging lesson in carelessness. Twice Hackenschmidt broke away. And then in a whirl of heaving flesh both men came to earth with a bump. Madrali was on top. He wriggled behind the Russian and wrapped his sinewy arms round his waist. Hackenschmidt crouched on all fours, while Madralit kneaded him remorselessly - a painful process which has churned many a great wrestler into sickness and partial unconsciousness. A minute or so of this set the Russian sweating. His white skin glistened in the blaze of the electric light. His face was twisted with pain. And still the inexorable Turk gruelled and gruelled the opponent.
Thinking, no doubt, he had weakened him sufficiently, he made a grab at his ankle. That did not come off, so Madrali ground his knees into the Russian's thigh. This was not strickly cricket, and Mr. Dunning promptly stopped it. Hackenschmidt just watched for his chance. It came with startling suddenness. Incautiously Madrali loosed his waist hold and tried a "half-nelson" on the Russian's right arm, but found it too strong even for his muscles, whereupon Hackenschmidt got a left wrist hold and leg-lock simultaneously, strained the mighty muscles of his shoulders almost to bursting-point and with a heave which showed incredible strength hurled his man clean over. The crowd went mad with excitement. 'He's got him! He's got him! they yelled. He had. Fiercely, furiously, panting and straining Hackenschmidt flung his whole weight upon the prostrate Turk. It was the biggest effort he had ever made. For a breathless moment Madrali struggled. Then he collapsed with a sob, and Mr. Dunning smote Hackenschmidt upon the shoulders with a sounding slap which signaled that the championship had been won and that the terrible Turk had been beaten. 'Time, four minutes, cried Mr. Mansell, the timekeeper, and like an avalanche, the crowd swarmed, roaring into the arena."
Since that date, it has become fashionable in certain quarters to call Madrali a much overrated man. There was never a worse, or indeed a more absurd, mistake. He was a most formidable opponent, one of the strongest, if not actually the strongest, man I have ever encountered. Somewhat careless, perhaps, as a wrestler, but once he had you in his clutches - well, he had me pretty tightly, I admit, and I was able to turn the tables, but I shall always count myself as singularly fortunate in having been able to do so. Tom Jenkins is a very powerful man and a most able wrestler, and yet Madrali positively crushed him. Munro is one of the strongest men in the world, and thoroughly experienced at "Catch-as-catch-can" and yet Madrali treated him as if he were a novice.
No, the opinions which were entertained of the "terrible Turk" prior to his defeat by me were much nearer the truth than those which obtained subsequently thereto, and every wrestler who ever felt Madrali's grip will, I am sure, fully endorse this opinion.
I was now booked up for a lengthy tour, during which I visited nearly every town in the United Kingdom, meeting all the wrestlers of repute in every locality, without coming across any serious or exciting encounter.
Iron Nation
Saturday, July 23, 2011
THE WAY TO LIVE - (Circa 1908) - THE STORY OF MY LIFE - Part 7 - By George Hackenschmidt
Leaving England in September, 1904, I set out for a four months' tour in the Antipodes. My first experiences of Australia were unfortunately by no means as pleasant as they might have been, for I had to go into hospital very soon after my arrival in Sidney.
I was not able to fulfil any of my engagements for quite five weeks, owing to both my arm and my knee again giving way. I was suffering from what are commonly called a housemaid's knee and a miner's elbow, which means water on both joints, necessitating an operation.
This was successful, and I was able to get to work, touring through all the principal towns and meeting all the wrestlers of note whom I could come across. Prior to my arrival in the Southern Continent, the two wrestlers who had enjoyed the biggest reputations were two big Hindus, Buttan Singh, and Gunga Brahm. Both of these were fine big men, with plenty of strength and considerable skill, yet I threw the pair of them in nine minutes on the same night.
Clarence Weber, however, the Champion All-round Athlete of Australia, a most splendidly built young fellow, managed to hold out for ten minutes on more than one occasion. I may say, though, that I did not make any special preparation for either of these encounters, and owing, of course, to my having to wrestle different opponents nearly every night, I was naturally a bit weary and lacking in fire and vigour.
As Greco-Roman wrestling was not well understood in Australia, I found it occasionally difficult to fix up matters with the various opponents who presented themselves and was in consequence compelled to devote my attention seriously to the study of the "Catch-as-catch-can" style. This was an important stage in my career and, considering that I was practically staking all my hard-earned reputation on my prospects of success under these new and comparatively strange rules, a somewhat risky step to contemplate. Nevertheless I accepted the situation, and can sincerely acknowledge that I have never regretted having done so.
After a fairly considerable experience, I may now confess that I distinctly prefer the more open method, and do again propose deserting catch-as-catch can. I have indeed made publicly a declaration of my determination never to wrestle under Greco-Roman rules again.
By the way, on one occasion while in Australia, I was challenged to wrestle in the Cornish style of wrestling, in which a fall is secured only when a wrestler is thrown on any three points, viz., both shoulders and one hip, or both hips and a shoulder touch the ground. All bouts are contested from a standing position, and a hold is secured on the jacket which each contestant has to wear.
My challenger, Delhi Nielsen, who was an experienced Cornish wrestler, may perhaps have imagined that at this style (to which I was quite unaccustomed) he my very probably enjoy a comparatively even chance with me. He having defeated over 400 opponents and possessing an untarnished record was, in fact, very confident.
He consequently refused to wrestle me, save under these conditions, and I was compelled to agree to his terms, trusting that my acquaintance with the Russian style of wrestling, with waist-belts (between which and the Cornish style there is a very faint resemblance, although tripping is prohibited under the Russian rules), might stand me in good stead.
Be that as it may, I was able to rise to the occasion and to throw him very easily.
Having completed my Australian engagements, during the course of which I defeated Grotz, who was called the Champion of South Africa, and several other prominent wrestlers and physical culturists, I paid a brief visit to New Zealand, and then sailed for America, where I was booked for several engagements, the most important of all being my return match with Tom Jenkins, the American champion, whom I had defeated under Greco-Roman rules at the Albert Hall on July 2, 1904.
On my way across the Pacific, I made a brief stay at the island of Samoa, and can well understand the enthusiasm with which travellers in the South Seas always refer to these havens of bliss, the islands of Polynesia.
I had promised to meet Jenkins in this return encounter in New York, after the London contest, and now agreed that our second meeting should be under "Catch-as-catch can" rules, with which my opponent was more familiar, but at which style I had but little experience, save for an occasional encounter in England and more frequently during my Australian tour.
This match with Jenkins, however, was the first big one in which I had engaged entirely under "Catch-as-catch-can" rules, and considerable interest was, perhaps, naturally felt throughout America on this account.
Jenkins and I met before a huge crowd at the Madison Square Gardens, New York, on May 4, 1905, our respective weights being as follows: Jenkins 14 st. 4 lb. and my own 14 st. 12 lb.
I was not yet sufficiently versed in the style at which we were wrestling to forestall the clever leg-locks and holds by which my opponent contrived to postpone disaster. He was mostly on the defensive, wriggling and extricating himself from difficulties in a very able manner, but despite a very strenuous struggle and a determined bridge, I finally managed to lever him over and pin him down in 31 min. 15 sec.
He seemed very exhausted, but recovered well, and exhibited considerable liveliness when we met for the second bout. He secured a "half-nelson" and a crotch-hold, and several times initiated an attack, but I did not experience much difficulty in breaking clear from the holds he managed to secure, I gradually wore him down, and finally fixing a "half-nelson," forced him over despite his struggles, pinning him down for the second time in 22 min. 4 sec.
A typical American report of this match ran as follows:
New York, May 5 - Geo. Hackenschmidt, the Russian Lion, defeated Tom Jenkins, the American champion wrestler, in two straight falls last nigh at Madison Square garden, in a match in which Jenkins was handled like a pigmy in the hands of a giant. Hackenschmidt broke holds as if they were the clutchings of a child.
For half an hour the Russian Lion battered Jenkins without a moment's cessation. The older man's vitality began to ebb. Suddenly, Hackenschmidt got an "half-nelson" lock on him-both hands under the chest and clasped around his neck. Inch by inch he twisted Jenkins over, still over, till both shoulders touched the mat. But Referee Hurst did not see the fall and signalled to go on. Within a minute, Hackenschmidt repeated the feat, and this time he kept his man bored down until Hurst dragged him off. Time 31 min. 15 sec.
Tom was still tired when he came back fifteen minutes later for the second bout. Patiently, bravely, unflinchingly, almost hopefully, he put forth all his cunning and strength. Once, as they stood face to face, Hackenschmidt seized Jenkins under his arms and whirled him around in a furious waltz. The body of Jenkins stood out straight, his feet pointing at the horizon. Twice thus around he went; then Hackenschmidt slammed him down on the floor. Tom wriggled around so that his shoulders did not touch the mat. It was a wonderful exhibition of quick thinking under adverse circumstances. But Tom's bolt was shot. No mere human giant could last under the awful strain of handling Hackenschmidt. After 22 min. and 4 sec. The Russian again put Jenkins down with a "half-nelson." Poor old Tom was hardly able to walk out the ring. Hackenschmidt dashed away as briskly as ever.
"I would like to have thrown him quicker," he said, "but several times when I had good holds on him he turned white and I was afraid of hurting him, so I let up."
Despite the strenuous nature of this match, I felt very little fatigue or exhaustion afterwards, thanks to my excellent condition. I was able to demonstrate this on the following evening, when I was matched to throw a half-a-dozen wrestlers of considerable local prominence under Greco-Roman rules. This was a fairly still contact, but I managed to dispose of the whole half dozen inside eighteen minutes.
James Parr, the old Lancashire wrestler, then challenged me to throw him the next evening, offering to resist being thrown three times within the hour. He was, of course, giving a fair amount of weight, but as he is a very skillful wrestler I consider that I did not do at all badly by pinning him down three times in 7 min. 50 sec.
During my tour in the States I had a rather amusing experience in St. Louis. I was there match against Jean Baptiste, who was the champion wrestler of the district.
As soon as the match was started I was attacked my malarial fever, and, consulting a doctor, was ordered to bed, where I speedily became much worse, my temperature rising as high as 105 degrees.
Under these circumstances, and specially as the doctor considered my condition to be highly critical, I sent to the match promoters and informed them that it would be impossible for me to fulfil my engagement on the date agreed.
They called to see me in a state of great distress, Represented that their outlay had been considerable, that they had sold a large number of tickets, and that if they were forced to return the money they had received for these they would be completely ruined.
They implored me to meet Baptiste and used so many arguments that I was practically compelled to assent, provided I found myself able to leave my bed, and although I was still very ill on the day of the match I managed to struggle down to the scene of our encounter.
Arrived there with the doctor by my side, I felt so weak, ill and giddy, that I could not summon up sufficient energy to change my attire, and was sitting shivering and shaking with fever, when I overheard my opponent in the next dressing-room asserting that he would not meet me, as I should be sure to kill him. The promoters were busy trying to encourage him, and as a last resource brought him into my dressing-room that I might assure him the I would be gentle and would handle him tenderly.
I was able to do this confidently, as at the moment, I fet scarcely strong enough to wrestle with a child.
However, the humour of the situation so appealed to me that I had difficulty in restraining my laughter, and after Baptiste, now somewhat more courageous, had retired to get ready I was able to undress and get into my wrestling trunks.
I felt somewhat better, but was still so weak that I positively reeled as I mounted the steps in the raised platform on which we were to wrestle, and experienced considerable difficulty in getting through the ropes which surrounded the mat.
Once there, my strength seemed to come back to me, and the sight of my timid adversary nerved me to go through with the ordeal.
In the state of nervousness and terror, he was, perhaps, not a very formidable opponent, but he was, nevertheless, very big and strong, and but for the nervous strength with which I have been endowed and which seemed to suddenly dome back to me in full tide, I might have had a stiff bargain.
However, as matches went, I did not experience much trouble, throwing him three times in fairly quick time, and subsequently a Turk, Ali Muralah by name. This last opponent was styled "the terrible Turk," but I had never heard of him before that day, nor have I heard of him since. After which I returned to bed and to my doctor's care and indignation. He was very wroth and told me that I had practically done my best to commit suicide, but my constitution pulled me through, and I have since experienced no ill effects from my adventure.
After finishing my engagements in the States I paid a visit to Canada, where I threw such opponents as I could meet with. The most formidable of these was the celebrated French-Canadian, Emile Maupas, a strong and clever wrestler. He is adapt at the reversed body hold, which he tried on with me, but barely succeeded in lifting me from the mat, then losing his balance and falling backwards. I threw him three times in less than twenty-one and a half minutes, the first fall occupying 7 min. 33 sec., the second 6 min. 19 sec., and the third 7 min. 20 sec.
After visiting the Falls of Niagara, and doing a little sightseeing, I again set sail for England, where I was booked to appear for a week in Manchester, before appearing at the Canterbury Music Hall on Whit-Monday.
Iron Nation
Friday, July 22, 2011
THE WAY TO LIVE - (Circa 1908) - The Story Of My Life - Part 6 - By George Hackenschmidt
At the end of July Koch and I left England for the Continent and engaged in tournaments at Brussels, Liege, Namur and other places, in all of which I won the first prize, Koch generally succeeding in winning the second.
I then went back to England in order to wrestle a match with the renowned veteran, Tom Cannon. This took place on September 27, 1902, at Liverpool, and lasted thirty-three minutes. The English champion, though now somewhat of a veteran, had had a very wide and exceptionable experience, and was able to bring into play some very skilful, if somewhat painful, moves, which he had picked up from Turkish wrestlers. I managed, however, to secure a hammerlock and Cannon succumbed.
Not satisfied with this result, Cannon, after staying out a fifteen minute "limit" contest, made another match "to a finish" with me, which I won fairly easily.
This success, though not a very arduous one for me, was generally regarded as a great feather in my cap, and I received a number of excellent engagements to wrestle in England and Scotland in consequence.
I entered my name for the Gold Belt contest in Paris (November 1902), but they sought to impose a number of peddling counter proposals, to which I could not see my way to consent, a result which seemed to be highly acceptable to the Paris authorities, as it was apparently intended that the favourite, Pons, whom I had already thrice defeated, should win. I did not regret this, as Pons is a first-rate man.
After this I toured all over England, being successful against every wrestler who accepted my challenge to all comers.
In 1903 I met and defeated the following wrestlers: Tom Cannon, Tom Connors, Tom MacInerney and Tom Clayton. I threw all of them, but was unfortunately laid up with an attack of rheumatism brought on by the damp climate of Glasgow, which prevented my taking part in the contest for the Championship of the World in Paris. In this contest Pedersen was first and Raoul le Boucher second, both of whom I had previously defeated.
Owing to the fact that the "Catch-as-catch-can" style of wrestling is the more usual and favorite method in England, I was frequently obliged to wrestle with my opponents in this method, but, thanks to my strength and presence of mind, I always came off the conqueror. I very often trained specially for this style with Jack Smith of Manchester, a very clever wrestler.
In September 1903, I wrestled with Bech Olsen, who had, however, no claims to be considered a first-class wrestler. The contest, however, came to an unsatisfactory termination, as, owing to an accident to my ankle, the match had to be discontinued.
On the strength of this, Antonio Pieri, "the terrible Greek," challenged me to wrestle with him, hoping that I would fall an easy victim. The match came off about the middle of October at the oxford Music Hall, in London, and I threw this very experienced and--in spite of his years--very dangerous adversary, in twenty-five minutes. Pieri challenged me to a return match to be decided by one fall under Graeco-Roman, and one under "Catch-as-catch-can" rules. We met on November 21, and in the first bout (Graeco-Roman) I beat him in 17 min. 11 sec. by means of a "half-nelson," and in the second bout, which followed immediately after, in "Catch-as-catch-can" style, I threw him in 15 min. 25 sec.
Smarting under his defeat, Pieri set himself to work to unearth a wrestler who could beat me. And before very long he introduced to the British public a Turk named Ahmed Madrali, a man of gigantic strength, who was boomed in every possible manner, as being a better man than myself. At first I paid but little attention to these attacks, as I had a great many excellent engagements in London and in many other large English towns, where I defeated everyone who came into the ring against me. At last, however, I took up his challenge, and we met on January 30, 1904, at Olympia in London, the winning of two falls out of three to decide the match, the Turk being 6 ft 1 in. In height and weighing 16 st. A huge audience had assembled when the Turk entered the ring with Antonio Pieri, whilst I was accompanied by Koch. The contest, as will be remembered, was a very brief one, as on Madrali making a move for my waist, I dashed in and lifting him off his feet, threw him on to his shoulders. Unfortunately, he fell on his arm, and, as this was dislocated, he was unable to continue the contest, but luckily was able to begin wrestling again three months later.
This victory raised my reputation to its zenith, and since that time I do not think that I have had a wrestling rival in the affections or esteem of the British public.
There is no need for me to enter into any description of the troubles, legal or otherwise, connected with my next big encounter. They were far from being pleasant to either Jenkins or myself, but since neither of us wished to disappoint the public, we readily agreed to the final makeshift arrangements and met on the mat before 6,000 people at the Albert Hall on July 2, 1904. I early on succeeded in getting "behind" the American champion, but after a five minutes' struggle he succeeded in breaking loose. Three times afterwards I threw him on the mat, but he managed to wriggle out of a fall. Jenkins struggled hard and displayed very good defensive tactics, but was forced finally to succumb to a "half-nelson" after 20 min. 37 sec. wrestling. After fifteen minutes' interval Jenkins opened the second bout with an aggressive movement, and for some little time we had a stand-up struggle. Again we went to the mat, where, in spite of his utmost efforts, I finally managed to pin him out after 14 min. 27 sec.
The Sportsman report of this match read as follows:
"It was ten o'clock before the rivals appeared on the platform. By this time the spectators were in a high state of enthusiasm and gave the men a ringing cheer. Taking stock of the two men it was clear that Hackenschmidt had the advantage, physically speaking, at every turn. He looked a stone and a half heavier, deeper and more solid about the chest, more firmly set on the limbs, and to have nearly twice the muscular development of the man. Jenkins is a strongly-built man, but he did not appear half so fit as his opponent, carrying too much flesh. For all that, he made a creditable show, and gave on the impression of being a man of real grit, resource and stamina. "When the men got to grips, Hackenschmidt attacked in decisive style, and twice just missed with the flying mare. In less than three minutes he fixed his rival in a cruel body grip and swung him over on to the stage. Jenkins endeavoured to spring forward on to his feet, but Hackenschmidt's arms shot out like lightning, and he pulled his man down with the greatest ease. The American defended very cleverly, and, failing to find an opening for an arm-hold, the Russian picked his opponent up with the intention of pitching him over his back. Jenkins smartly eluded his grip, and after six minutes both were on their feet. Hackenschmidt was forcing the pace at a terrific rate, and three times lifted his man up and brought him to the boards with a magnificent display of strength, but it availed nothing against the American's skilful defence. Again Hackenschmidt attempted the flying mare, but his hand slipped on his opponent's neck, and like a flash Jenkins gripped the Russian by the waist and had him down. The wrestling was now more even, and each man attacked in turn. The strength and science which the challenger exhibited were a complete revelation, and he kept his opponent at bay without much difficulty. When a quarter of an hour had gone, Hackenschmidt rushed in and swung Jenkins bodily round the stage, describing three circles before he threw him to the boards, but the American once more eluded his grip like an eel. Then the Russian braced himself for a big effort. Twice he twisted Jenkins over on to one shoulder, and just as promptly did Jenkins, with a mighty contraction of his neck and shoulder muscles, snap the holds. At this point Jenkins mysteriously weakened. Hackenschmidt bore down on him with the power of a Hercules, and with a pedal action similar to a man pushing a heavy roller up a hill, forced his man over on his back, and with an irresistible 'half-nelson' gained the first fall in 20 min. 37 sec.
"In the second bout Hackenschmidt did most of the attacking, but Jenkins again put up a wonderfully plucky and skilful defence. Once the latter forgot himself and the rules by employing the leg-hold, but Hackenschmidt appeared quite unruffled by an act which ought to have been penalized by disqualification. Minute after minute sped by, but Jenkins could put on nothing more dangerous than a back-of-the-neck hold in answer to the Russian's arm-hold. Then Hackenschmidt brought the 'half-nelson' into play, but when Jenkins seemed in hopeless plight he extricated himself by a magnificent feat of wrestling, subtlety that evoked a tremendous storm of cheering. It proved his last expiring effort, however, for before he had quite recovered from the exhaustion which the struggle had engendered, the Russian had cleverly slipped on a second 'half-nelson,' and Jenkins was placed squarely on his shoulders in 14 min. 27 sec. Jenkins is to be congratulated on his plucky fight and his fine display of wrestling. The cheer which he received after his defeat was quite as hearty as that accorded Hackenschmidt."
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I then went back to England in order to wrestle a match with the renowned veteran, Tom Cannon. This took place on September 27, 1902, at Liverpool, and lasted thirty-three minutes. The English champion, though now somewhat of a veteran, had had a very wide and exceptionable experience, and was able to bring into play some very skilful, if somewhat painful, moves, which he had picked up from Turkish wrestlers. I managed, however, to secure a hammerlock and Cannon succumbed.
Not satisfied with this result, Cannon, after staying out a fifteen minute "limit" contest, made another match "to a finish" with me, which I won fairly easily.
This success, though not a very arduous one for me, was generally regarded as a great feather in my cap, and I received a number of excellent engagements to wrestle in England and Scotland in consequence.
I entered my name for the Gold Belt contest in Paris (November 1902), but they sought to impose a number of peddling counter proposals, to which I could not see my way to consent, a result which seemed to be highly acceptable to the Paris authorities, as it was apparently intended that the favourite, Pons, whom I had already thrice defeated, should win. I did not regret this, as Pons is a first-rate man.
After this I toured all over England, being successful against every wrestler who accepted my challenge to all comers.
In 1903 I met and defeated the following wrestlers: Tom Cannon, Tom Connors, Tom MacInerney and Tom Clayton. I threw all of them, but was unfortunately laid up with an attack of rheumatism brought on by the damp climate of Glasgow, which prevented my taking part in the contest for the Championship of the World in Paris. In this contest Pedersen was first and Raoul le Boucher second, both of whom I had previously defeated.
Owing to the fact that the "Catch-as-catch-can" style of wrestling is the more usual and favorite method in England, I was frequently obliged to wrestle with my opponents in this method, but, thanks to my strength and presence of mind, I always came off the conqueror. I very often trained specially for this style with Jack Smith of Manchester, a very clever wrestler.
In September 1903, I wrestled with Bech Olsen, who had, however, no claims to be considered a first-class wrestler. The contest, however, came to an unsatisfactory termination, as, owing to an accident to my ankle, the match had to be discontinued.
On the strength of this, Antonio Pieri, "the terrible Greek," challenged me to wrestle with him, hoping that I would fall an easy victim. The match came off about the middle of October at the oxford Music Hall, in London, and I threw this very experienced and--in spite of his years--very dangerous adversary, in twenty-five minutes. Pieri challenged me to a return match to be decided by one fall under Graeco-Roman, and one under "Catch-as-catch-can" rules. We met on November 21, and in the first bout (Graeco-Roman) I beat him in 17 min. 11 sec. by means of a "half-nelson," and in the second bout, which followed immediately after, in "Catch-as-catch-can" style, I threw him in 15 min. 25 sec.
Smarting under his defeat, Pieri set himself to work to unearth a wrestler who could beat me. And before very long he introduced to the British public a Turk named Ahmed Madrali, a man of gigantic strength, who was boomed in every possible manner, as being a better man than myself. At first I paid but little attention to these attacks, as I had a great many excellent engagements in London and in many other large English towns, where I defeated everyone who came into the ring against me. At last, however, I took up his challenge, and we met on January 30, 1904, at Olympia in London, the winning of two falls out of three to decide the match, the Turk being 6 ft 1 in. In height and weighing 16 st. A huge audience had assembled when the Turk entered the ring with Antonio Pieri, whilst I was accompanied by Koch. The contest, as will be remembered, was a very brief one, as on Madrali making a move for my waist, I dashed in and lifting him off his feet, threw him on to his shoulders. Unfortunately, he fell on his arm, and, as this was dislocated, he was unable to continue the contest, but luckily was able to begin wrestling again three months later.
This victory raised my reputation to its zenith, and since that time I do not think that I have had a wrestling rival in the affections or esteem of the British public.
There is no need for me to enter into any description of the troubles, legal or otherwise, connected with my next big encounter. They were far from being pleasant to either Jenkins or myself, but since neither of us wished to disappoint the public, we readily agreed to the final makeshift arrangements and met on the mat before 6,000 people at the Albert Hall on July 2, 1904. I early on succeeded in getting "behind" the American champion, but after a five minutes' struggle he succeeded in breaking loose. Three times afterwards I threw him on the mat, but he managed to wriggle out of a fall. Jenkins struggled hard and displayed very good defensive tactics, but was forced finally to succumb to a "half-nelson" after 20 min. 37 sec. wrestling. After fifteen minutes' interval Jenkins opened the second bout with an aggressive movement, and for some little time we had a stand-up struggle. Again we went to the mat, where, in spite of his utmost efforts, I finally managed to pin him out after 14 min. 27 sec.
The Sportsman report of this match read as follows:
"It was ten o'clock before the rivals appeared on the platform. By this time the spectators were in a high state of enthusiasm and gave the men a ringing cheer. Taking stock of the two men it was clear that Hackenschmidt had the advantage, physically speaking, at every turn. He looked a stone and a half heavier, deeper and more solid about the chest, more firmly set on the limbs, and to have nearly twice the muscular development of the man. Jenkins is a strongly-built man, but he did not appear half so fit as his opponent, carrying too much flesh. For all that, he made a creditable show, and gave on the impression of being a man of real grit, resource and stamina. "When the men got to grips, Hackenschmidt attacked in decisive style, and twice just missed with the flying mare. In less than three minutes he fixed his rival in a cruel body grip and swung him over on to the stage. Jenkins endeavoured to spring forward on to his feet, but Hackenschmidt's arms shot out like lightning, and he pulled his man down with the greatest ease. The American defended very cleverly, and, failing to find an opening for an arm-hold, the Russian picked his opponent up with the intention of pitching him over his back. Jenkins smartly eluded his grip, and after six minutes both were on their feet. Hackenschmidt was forcing the pace at a terrific rate, and three times lifted his man up and brought him to the boards with a magnificent display of strength, but it availed nothing against the American's skilful defence. Again Hackenschmidt attempted the flying mare, but his hand slipped on his opponent's neck, and like a flash Jenkins gripped the Russian by the waist and had him down. The wrestling was now more even, and each man attacked in turn. The strength and science which the challenger exhibited were a complete revelation, and he kept his opponent at bay without much difficulty. When a quarter of an hour had gone, Hackenschmidt rushed in and swung Jenkins bodily round the stage, describing three circles before he threw him to the boards, but the American once more eluded his grip like an eel. Then the Russian braced himself for a big effort. Twice he twisted Jenkins over on to one shoulder, and just as promptly did Jenkins, with a mighty contraction of his neck and shoulder muscles, snap the holds. At this point Jenkins mysteriously weakened. Hackenschmidt bore down on him with the power of a Hercules, and with a pedal action similar to a man pushing a heavy roller up a hill, forced his man over on his back, and with an irresistible 'half-nelson' gained the first fall in 20 min. 37 sec.
"In the second bout Hackenschmidt did most of the attacking, but Jenkins again put up a wonderfully plucky and skilful defence. Once the latter forgot himself and the rules by employing the leg-hold, but Hackenschmidt appeared quite unruffled by an act which ought to have been penalized by disqualification. Minute after minute sped by, but Jenkins could put on nothing more dangerous than a back-of-the-neck hold in answer to the Russian's arm-hold. Then Hackenschmidt brought the 'half-nelson' into play, but when Jenkins seemed in hopeless plight he extricated himself by a magnificent feat of wrestling, subtlety that evoked a tremendous storm of cheering. It proved his last expiring effort, however, for before he had quite recovered from the exhaustion which the struggle had engendered, the Russian had cleverly slipped on a second 'half-nelson,' and Jenkins was placed squarely on his shoulders in 14 min. 27 sec. Jenkins is to be congratulated on his plucky fight and his fine display of wrestling. The cheer which he received after his defeat was quite as hearty as that accorded Hackenschmidt."
Iron Nation
Thursday, July 21, 2011
THE WAY TO LIVE - (Circa 1908) - The Story Of My Life - Part 5 - By George Hackenschmidt
I now returned home to rest and went through several courses of treatment for the benefit of my arm, the most successful of these being the Priessnitsch cold-water pack. The measurement of my biceps, which had decreased to 15 3/8 in., rose again to 17 3/4 in., and my weight went up from 14 st. 2 lb. to 15 st. 6 lb. After three months I October, 190l, I was able to take up wrestling again in Moscow. I was in excellent form, and among other events, threw Lassartesse in seven minutes, Hitzler in twenty-one minutes, and the young Frenchman, Rauol le Boucher, a very powerful, young, heavy and skilful wrestler (6 ft. 2 1/4 in. in height and weighing 19 st. 9 lb.), in twenty-three minutes in spite of a furious resistance on his part.
I threw five excellent Moscow amateurs in seven minutes! This last tour de force I repeated shortly afterwards - at the end of October - in Munich, where I defeated five professional wrestlers also in seven minutes. After which, among others, I beat Burghardt (Austria) in six minutes, Cassino (France) in thirty seconds. Hitzler in twenty-three minutes, Rodel in twenty-seven minutes, Blatte (of Munich) in two and a half minutes, Eigemann (from Elberfeld) I less than one minute, Marchand (the Frenchman) in two minutes, and Koch in twenty-five minutes. I was next matched for the second time against the German champion, Eberle, who was now in better form than he had been in Hamburg. I was prepared for a fairly long struggle, in the event of his adopting defensive tactics, but to my surprise Eberle took the offensive against me. I gave him an opportunity of taking the lower hold from behind, and as I tightened this by a sturdy swing of the leg, I got him off his balance. He fell and I turned him quickly on his back. The whole contest, to the astonishment of every one, and especially Eberle himself, only lasted five minutes.
On the following day, in company with the other wrestlers, I paid a visit to "Steierer Hans," a great character in Munich, who in his earlier days had traveled about the world in the role of Hercules, and had been unsurpassed in the lifting of weights with one finger. The worthy soul had now settled down to end his days in peace as an innkeeper. In an underground room he had a museum consisting chiefly of shapeless stones, axletons, and weights with which he performed various tricks for our benefit, accompanying them with amusing patter. Merely for the joke of the thing, I lifting with one hand a stone to which some weights were attached, the whole weighing 660 lb.
In November a small contest took place at Elberfeld, at which I was once more an easy winner.
On November 30, 190l, a contest for the wrestling championship of the world was commenced at the Casino de Paris. I had entered for this, and before it commenced, at an independent performance, I threw five professional wrestlers in six minutes altogether. For this tournament some hundred and thirty wrestlers had entered, and among others I defeated Mario in three and Buisson in three and three-quarter minutes. My first important adversary was Alexandre le Marseillais, a tall and heavy (17 st. 11 lb.), but none the less accomplished wrestler whom I threw after a severe struggle of twenty minutes. I wrestled with one hour without result with Omer de Bouillon, who was in excellent form, but defeated him on the following day in twenty minutes.
I now threw Koch in twenty minutes. Maurice Gambier in a short two minutes, Dmile Vervet in six minutes, and the Frenchman, Raoul le Boucher in twenty-one minutes.
Raoul wrestled somewhat savagely, but this did not avail him much, as I turned him with a "half-nelson," and got both his shoulders on the ground. At last my time came to wrestle with the celebrated Belgian, Constant le Boucher, in the final contest.
On this particular evening I happened to be in good form and as cool as ice. I got a splendid grip, and, to the general surprise of all, contrived to throw the Belgian after only eight minutes wrestling. This was on December 19, 1901. I received a magnificent ovation, and the newspapers devoted whole columns of space to me.
On December 27, I wrestled once more with Constant, and was declared the winner after a long struggle. The final result of the tournament being as follows: First prize of two gold medals and 3,000 frs. Hackenschmidt; one gold medal being awarded for having defeated all the four light-weight champions, and the other for beating the heavy weights. Second prize, a gold and a silver medal with 1,750 frs., Constant le Boucher. Third prize, with 700 frs., Omer de Bouillon. Fourth prize, and 450 frs., Raoul le Boucher. Fifth prize, and 300 frs., Hitzler. Sixth prize, and 200 frs., Emil Vervet; and so forth.
By the middle of January I felt it was high time for me to avail myself of an invitation to stay at Alseben in Germany which I had received from Herr Siebert, the trainer for my health had begun to suffer from my severe exertions during the championship contest. My weight had gone down to 14 st. 6lb.
At Alseben, which is a quiet little country town, I was able to give my nerves a thorough rest. The whole business of wrestling had become abhorrent to me. I had wrestled for a long time, without ceasing, hastening from one tournament to another.
I was tired of the arena, especially as my arm daily became more painful. I found in Siebert a man of the widest experience and soon conceived a liking for him. He strongly advised to wait till I had fully recovered my health and taken a thorough rest before coming to any rash decision.
Thanks to quiet and good care, I throve amazingly, and very gradually commenced to train, under Siebert's guidance with weights and dumb-bells.
On January 27, I established a new world's record by raising a weight of 187 lb. behind my back with the knees bent. Not long after, for a wager, I jumped 100 times over a table with both feet close together. In a word, my former depression gave place to the pleasures of life and vigour. I stayed a few weeks with Siebert, and during the time established the following world's records: -
1. 110 lb. lifted fifty times with bent knees. 2. 90 3/4 lb in the right and 89 1/2 lb. in the left hand held out simultaneously right and left at arm's length, but improved this afterwards to 110 and 100 lb. respectively.
About this time my patron, Count Ribeaupierre, wrote to me from St. Petersburg suggesting that I should enter into an agreement with Herr Delmer, of Brussels, proprietor of the "Biceps." I had already an engagement with Herr Delmer, having consented to take part in a wrestling competition in Belgium, but had been prevented by ill-health from keeping my promise. I wrote to Herr Delmer. We soon came to and understanding, and now, restored to health and strength, I quitted Herr Siebert's hospitable roof, once more a wrestler heart and soul.
Early in the year 1902, I came over to England with the object of pitting myself against any opponent I could find.
For a long time this was not practicable, for just then the English took but scant interest in wrestling or, at any rate, in the Greco-Roman branch of the Art, since few first-class exponents of this system had as yet visited Great Britain.
About this time an American wrestler named Carkeck made his first appearance in London. I had know this man in France as an average wrestler. He was about forty years of age, and claimed, among other things, to have defeated Beaucarious, Gambier, and Pytlasinski. I sent more than one challenge to his manager, and also to Carkeek himself, but they were invariably refused. I was on the point of leaving England when it came to my knowledge that Carkeek, believing me to have already gone, had challenged any professional wrestler then in London to wrestle with him either in the Greco-Roman, "Catch-as-catch can," or Cornish styles, and would be sure to make a big advertisement out of my departure. I therefore purchased a box close to the stage (of the Alhambra), and as soon as Carkeek had finished his challenge, I sprang, accompanied by Mr Vansittart, the famous athlete, known as "The Man with the Grip of Iron," on to the stage in full wrestling costume, while my companion, holding a stake of L25 in his hand, challenged Carkeek to wrestle with me, and undertook to hand over the sum he held if I failed to throw Carkeek at least ten times within an hour.
A tremendous uproar ensued, and, though the audience took our part, we were compelled to leave the stage by the police. On the following day I lodged L25 with the editor of the Sportsman on the conditions already announced from the stage. All the newspapers gave favourable notices of my debut, and on March 10 I received an engagement at the Tivoli Theatre, London. Fore some time my health suffered from a climate to which I was unaccustomed, but I nevertheless accepted further engagements, which were freely offered me.
In order to have a useful opponent for training purposes, I summoned my friend Koch from Germany, and we wrestled together almost every day for practice, wrestling continually for some months and defeating all opponents. Then I made the acquaintance of Tom Cannon, the well-known wrestler, who lives in Liverpool and only wrestles occasionally now.
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I threw five excellent Moscow amateurs in seven minutes! This last tour de force I repeated shortly afterwards - at the end of October - in Munich, where I defeated five professional wrestlers also in seven minutes. After which, among others, I beat Burghardt (Austria) in six minutes, Cassino (France) in thirty seconds. Hitzler in twenty-three minutes, Rodel in twenty-seven minutes, Blatte (of Munich) in two and a half minutes, Eigemann (from Elberfeld) I less than one minute, Marchand (the Frenchman) in two minutes, and Koch in twenty-five minutes. I was next matched for the second time against the German champion, Eberle, who was now in better form than he had been in Hamburg. I was prepared for a fairly long struggle, in the event of his adopting defensive tactics, but to my surprise Eberle took the offensive against me. I gave him an opportunity of taking the lower hold from behind, and as I tightened this by a sturdy swing of the leg, I got him off his balance. He fell and I turned him quickly on his back. The whole contest, to the astonishment of every one, and especially Eberle himself, only lasted five minutes.
On the following day, in company with the other wrestlers, I paid a visit to "Steierer Hans," a great character in Munich, who in his earlier days had traveled about the world in the role of Hercules, and had been unsurpassed in the lifting of weights with one finger. The worthy soul had now settled down to end his days in peace as an innkeeper. In an underground room he had a museum consisting chiefly of shapeless stones, axletons, and weights with which he performed various tricks for our benefit, accompanying them with amusing patter. Merely for the joke of the thing, I lifting with one hand a stone to which some weights were attached, the whole weighing 660 lb.
In November a small contest took place at Elberfeld, at which I was once more an easy winner.
On November 30, 190l, a contest for the wrestling championship of the world was commenced at the Casino de Paris. I had entered for this, and before it commenced, at an independent performance, I threw five professional wrestlers in six minutes altogether. For this tournament some hundred and thirty wrestlers had entered, and among others I defeated Mario in three and Buisson in three and three-quarter minutes. My first important adversary was Alexandre le Marseillais, a tall and heavy (17 st. 11 lb.), but none the less accomplished wrestler whom I threw after a severe struggle of twenty minutes. I wrestled with one hour without result with Omer de Bouillon, who was in excellent form, but defeated him on the following day in twenty minutes.
I now threw Koch in twenty minutes. Maurice Gambier in a short two minutes, Dmile Vervet in six minutes, and the Frenchman, Raoul le Boucher in twenty-one minutes.
Raoul wrestled somewhat savagely, but this did not avail him much, as I turned him with a "half-nelson," and got both his shoulders on the ground. At last my time came to wrestle with the celebrated Belgian, Constant le Boucher, in the final contest.
On this particular evening I happened to be in good form and as cool as ice. I got a splendid grip, and, to the general surprise of all, contrived to throw the Belgian after only eight minutes wrestling. This was on December 19, 1901. I received a magnificent ovation, and the newspapers devoted whole columns of space to me.
On December 27, I wrestled once more with Constant, and was declared the winner after a long struggle. The final result of the tournament being as follows: First prize of two gold medals and 3,000 frs. Hackenschmidt; one gold medal being awarded for having defeated all the four light-weight champions, and the other for beating the heavy weights. Second prize, a gold and a silver medal with 1,750 frs., Constant le Boucher. Third prize, with 700 frs., Omer de Bouillon. Fourth prize, and 450 frs., Raoul le Boucher. Fifth prize, and 300 frs., Hitzler. Sixth prize, and 200 frs., Emil Vervet; and so forth.
By the middle of January I felt it was high time for me to avail myself of an invitation to stay at Alseben in Germany which I had received from Herr Siebert, the trainer for my health had begun to suffer from my severe exertions during the championship contest. My weight had gone down to 14 st. 6lb.
At Alseben, which is a quiet little country town, I was able to give my nerves a thorough rest. The whole business of wrestling had become abhorrent to me. I had wrestled for a long time, without ceasing, hastening from one tournament to another.
I was tired of the arena, especially as my arm daily became more painful. I found in Siebert a man of the widest experience and soon conceived a liking for him. He strongly advised to wait till I had fully recovered my health and taken a thorough rest before coming to any rash decision.
Thanks to quiet and good care, I throve amazingly, and very gradually commenced to train, under Siebert's guidance with weights and dumb-bells.
On January 27, I established a new world's record by raising a weight of 187 lb. behind my back with the knees bent. Not long after, for a wager, I jumped 100 times over a table with both feet close together. In a word, my former depression gave place to the pleasures of life and vigour. I stayed a few weeks with Siebert, and during the time established the following world's records: -
1. 110 lb. lifted fifty times with bent knees. 2. 90 3/4 lb in the right and 89 1/2 lb. in the left hand held out simultaneously right and left at arm's length, but improved this afterwards to 110 and 100 lb. respectively.
About this time my patron, Count Ribeaupierre, wrote to me from St. Petersburg suggesting that I should enter into an agreement with Herr Delmer, of Brussels, proprietor of the "Biceps." I had already an engagement with Herr Delmer, having consented to take part in a wrestling competition in Belgium, but had been prevented by ill-health from keeping my promise. I wrote to Herr Delmer. We soon came to and understanding, and now, restored to health and strength, I quitted Herr Siebert's hospitable roof, once more a wrestler heart and soul.
Early in the year 1902, I came over to England with the object of pitting myself against any opponent I could find.
For a long time this was not practicable, for just then the English took but scant interest in wrestling or, at any rate, in the Greco-Roman branch of the Art, since few first-class exponents of this system had as yet visited Great Britain.
About this time an American wrestler named Carkeck made his first appearance in London. I had know this man in France as an average wrestler. He was about forty years of age, and claimed, among other things, to have defeated Beaucarious, Gambier, and Pytlasinski. I sent more than one challenge to his manager, and also to Carkeek himself, but they were invariably refused. I was on the point of leaving England when it came to my knowledge that Carkeek, believing me to have already gone, had challenged any professional wrestler then in London to wrestle with him either in the Greco-Roman, "Catch-as-catch can," or Cornish styles, and would be sure to make a big advertisement out of my departure. I therefore purchased a box close to the stage (of the Alhambra), and as soon as Carkeek had finished his challenge, I sprang, accompanied by Mr Vansittart, the famous athlete, known as "The Man with the Grip of Iron," on to the stage in full wrestling costume, while my companion, holding a stake of L25 in his hand, challenged Carkeek to wrestle with me, and undertook to hand over the sum he held if I failed to throw Carkeek at least ten times within an hour.
A tremendous uproar ensued, and, though the audience took our part, we were compelled to leave the stage by the police. On the following day I lodged L25 with the editor of the Sportsman on the conditions already announced from the stage. All the newspapers gave favourable notices of my debut, and on March 10 I received an engagement at the Tivoli Theatre, London. Fore some time my health suffered from a climate to which I was unaccustomed, but I nevertheless accepted further engagements, which were freely offered me.
In order to have a useful opponent for training purposes, I summoned my friend Koch from Germany, and we wrestled together almost every day for practice, wrestling continually for some months and defeating all opponents. Then I made the acquaintance of Tom Cannon, the well-known wrestler, who lives in Liverpool and only wrestles occasionally now.
Iron Nation
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
THE WAY TO LIVE - (Circa 1908) - The Story Of My Life - Part 4 - By George Hackenschmidt
In June, 1900, a wrestling combat took place at Moscow. This was my first appearance as a professional wrestler. The tournament lasted forty days, my salary being 2,500 francs (or L 100) per month. We were wrestling for two prizes, viz., the Championship of St. Petersburg and of Moscow. As I succeeded in winning both I gained another 1,500 fr. For the St. Petersburg championship and 2,500 fr. more, being the amount of first Moscow prize.
I met Aimable and Petroff, and defeated them. I also threw the eel-like Constant le Boucher, a young Belgian in five minutes. Petroff was an immensely strong Bulgarian. Constant was incredibly clever and agile, but seem to undervalue me as an opponent. As he admitted afterwards, he had heard me described as being somewhat clumsy, though very strong. After defeating Constant, the French wrestlers put Peyrousse forward against me. This wrestler was tremendously powerful, but had little heart, so that hardly had we commenced struggling than he practically threw himself, greatly to the surprise of his compatriots, who had counted on his crushing me. My second bout with him lasted only seven seconds. Following Peyrousse I met and defeated an enormously strong Cossack in Michailoff, whom I threw in ten minutes.
While our championship matches in Moscow were still proceeding a great wrestling competition had already commenced in Vienna. Unfortunately I entered too late and did not reach Vienna until the final stages were in progress. My old opponent, Pons, took first prize. Kara Ahmed, a first rate Turkish wrestler, was second, and the corpulent Laurent third. Neither Pons nor the Turk would consent to meet me. Apparently they were in no hurry to risk their freshly-won laurels. The good-natured Laurent alone was willing to wrestle a fall with me. I first of all had a bout with a very tall and heavy Spaniard, named Chorella, whom I threw in the short space of twenty-nine seconds. I had more trouble with a Dutchman, Dirk von den Berg, a finely built athlete. Van den Berg played a defensive game, looking out for some oversight on my part, but at length I defeated him in twenty-two minutes. I found an even more wily opponent in the German, Fengler, who seemed a good-natured man and made all sorts proposals to me before the contest, but once we set to work I found that he was only too anxious to beat me. I now began to realize that in order to win one requires not only brute strength, but must also employ in a far greater degree that the uninitiated would suppose, both judgment and reflection. I threw Fengler in twenty-six minutes.
On the next day I wrestled with the doughty and corpulent Larent le Beaucairois. We had a pretty lively set-to, and the Frenchman let it clearly be seen that he no hope of beating me, for at the end of an hour he withdrew from the contest.
Early in September I went to Dresden, the capital of Saxony, to attend a small wrestling competition. I was the chief attraction there, and wrestled almost nightly with from three to five opponents, nearly all of whom I defeated very quickly, e.g.- Winzer of Hamburg in seven minutes. The Austrian Burghardt in six minutes.
And the nimble Italian brothers, Emilio and Giovanni Raicevich, in three and six minutes respectively, all in a single evening! I threw Fengler and Konietzko on another evening in three minutes altogether. At Dresden I met a very stout and heavy wrestler named Sebastian Miller. This worthy man weighed nearly 24 st., and was fairly strong, but so deficient in science that I threw him in three minutes, and immediately afterwards a nimble but smaller Frenchman named Maurice Gambier in five minutes and Hitzler in twenty-three minutes. Hitzler had improved greatly. I took first prize at Dresden.
From Dresden I went to Chemnitz, another Saxon town of somewhat less than a quarter of a million inhabitants. Here the contestants were: Gambier (France), Hofer (Germany), Seb Miller (Germany), Konietzko (Germany), Buisson (France), Hitzler (Germany), Winzer (Germany), Giovanni and Emilio Raicevich (Italy), Rossner (Germany), Petri (Holland), Oscar Uhlig (Germany), Burghardt (Austria), Dirkis (Belgium), and myself.
At Chemnitz I, for the first time, met my old antagonist, Lurich. As often happens, the management of another theatre, in order to compete with our undertaking, had engaged Lurich and a number of other inferior wrestlers. Lurich went about boasting loudly that he more than once defeated me with ease. His impresario billed Lurich as the strongest man in the world and "the invincible wrestler."
Though as a rule I have no great liking for impromptu challenges, yet in view of this continuous and brazen puffing of Lurich I could not refrain from challenging him to a wrestling match, when I found that he persisted in these wanton personal attacks upon me. Accordingly Hitzler and I strolled round one evening-it was Monday, September 17-to the theatre at which Lurich was engaged and offered to wrestle with him. Although Lurich had declared himself ready to meet any wrestler, amateur or professional, who chose to come forward, our challenge was not accepted on the plea that the "invincible" had already his full quota of opponents. It was nevertheless announced from the stage that Herr Lurich would wrestle with Hackenschmidt on the following Wednesday. On the appointed evening we were punctually in our places, but we noticed that Lurich was already provided with two opponents. One of these, who seemed to be quite ignorant of wrestling, he threw in less than a minute. He then prepared to serve his second opponent in similar fashion when this latter suddenly vanished from the stage, crying out as he went, "Yonder stands Herr Hackenschmidt" ( pointing at me ), "he will take my place, as I don't feel well."
I went on to the stage, amid thunderous applause from the crowded audience which had assembled, in order to wrestle with Lurich. But no sooner did the "invincible wrestler" catch sight of me than he turned deadly pale and bolted into the wings, and in spite of repeated calls he absolutely declined to return.
The Chemnitz Allgemeine Zeitung (No. 29 of September, 21, 1900,) printed the following note on this incident:
"As our readers are aware, George Lurich, who describes himself as the 'Champion of the World' and 'Strongest Man in the World,' has for some days past been appearing at eh Mosella Saal. In addition to a glowing advertisement of his powers, he has issued on his bills, etc., a challenge to all wrestlers, whether amateur or professional. On Monday evening George Hackenschmidt, who is taking part in a wrestling competition at the Kaufmannische Vereinshaus, challenged him to a wresting bout on Wednesday evening. News of this spread very quickly among all the sporting elements of Chemnitz, with the result that the Mosella Saal was packed from floor to ceiling on the evening in question. Everyone looked forward with impatience for the beginning of the wrestling match. The disappointment of the spectators can therefore be imagined, when Herr Lurich appeared on the stage in the company of Herr Gleissner of Borna and another gentleman of whose identity we are ignorant. To dispose of a wrestler like Herr Gleissner was, of course, mere child's play for Herr Lurich. The second wrestler retired in favour of Herr Hackenschmidt, who challenge had been given on Monday evening, and who therefore had the prior claim.
Hereupon the curtain was abruptly lowered amid stormy scenes on the part of the indignant audience. Cries of 'Come out!' 'Shame!' 'Swindle!' were quickly heard, mingled with whistling and cat-calls enough to make one's flesh creep. All this was directed at the 'invincible' Herr Lurich, who we are informed, has caused similar scandals in other towns such as Elberfeld, where the competitors in the International Wrestling Contests were unfortunately prevented by the terms of their engagement from exposing the Russian in the manner adopted on Wednesday. Even the management of the Mosella Saal failed to persuade Lurich to meet Hackenschmidt. Presumably Lurich will not be allowed to appear again until he has wrestled with Hackenschmidt, who is ready to meet him on any evening." Lurich left Chemnitz on the following morning.
My sole object in recording this unpleasant incident is to enable the English public to estimate at their true value the insinuations directed against me by a fellow countryman in the summer of 1904. We continued our tournament at Chemnitz undisturbed, and in addition to winning first prize I received a splendid ovation from the public. Hitzler and Gambier gaining second and third prizes respectively.
From Chemnitz I journeyed to Buda Pesth, the beautiful capital of Hungary, where a wrestling contest had commenced on September 24. The participants were: Kara Ahmed (Turkey), Robinet (France), Muldoon (of America, but not the celebrated Physical Culturist), Charles (France), Krendel (Austria), Weber (Germany), Hitzler (Germany), Celestin Moret (France), Lassartesse(France), Ignace Nollys (Belgium), Albert de Paris (France), Giovanni Raicevich (Italy), Pibius (France), Burghardt (Austria), Mayer (Hungary), and Sanborn (Hungary), Aimalbe (France), etc.
One of first opponents was Robinet, who was a great favorite with the Buda Pesth public, on the strength of his performances some years previously. I threw the Frenchman in eight minutes, and, later on in the competition, I defeated Albert de Paris, a very clever wrestler in five minutes. My severest bout was with the Turk, Kara Ahmed, whom it took me nearly three hours to defeat. But never, while I live, shall I forget what then took place. The whole audience rose like one man, and thunders of applause echoed through the building. I was seized, carried shoulder high, and decked with flowers. For fully a quarter of an hour I was borne like a victorious general through the streets, kissed, embraced, etc., etc. I can assure you I was heartily glad when at last I made my escape to the privacy of my dressing room. Never, even in Paris, have I experienced a similar ovation. I am not likely to forget those worthy Hungarians. The result was as follows, I won the first prize of 1,500 kronen besides my salary, the second prize of 1,000 kronen going to Kara Ahmed, and the third of 600 kronen to Dirk van den Berg, and fourth of 400 kronen to Aimable de la Calamette.
We left the hospitable walls of Buda Pesth, and I next won the first prize at Graz, in Steiermark. None of contests there were of great importance. At Graz I was pitted against the German athlete, Rasso, an exceedingly powerful man, but no wrestler. I threw him as I pleased, clean and cleverly in five minutes, to the great surprise of the good people of Graz, who were familiar with Rasso's Herculean feats as an athlete.
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I met Aimable and Petroff, and defeated them. I also threw the eel-like Constant le Boucher, a young Belgian in five minutes. Petroff was an immensely strong Bulgarian. Constant was incredibly clever and agile, but seem to undervalue me as an opponent. As he admitted afterwards, he had heard me described as being somewhat clumsy, though very strong. After defeating Constant, the French wrestlers put Peyrousse forward against me. This wrestler was tremendously powerful, but had little heart, so that hardly had we commenced struggling than he practically threw himself, greatly to the surprise of his compatriots, who had counted on his crushing me. My second bout with him lasted only seven seconds. Following Peyrousse I met and defeated an enormously strong Cossack in Michailoff, whom I threw in ten minutes.
While our championship matches in Moscow were still proceeding a great wrestling competition had already commenced in Vienna. Unfortunately I entered too late and did not reach Vienna until the final stages were in progress. My old opponent, Pons, took first prize. Kara Ahmed, a first rate Turkish wrestler, was second, and the corpulent Laurent third. Neither Pons nor the Turk would consent to meet me. Apparently they were in no hurry to risk their freshly-won laurels. The good-natured Laurent alone was willing to wrestle a fall with me. I first of all had a bout with a very tall and heavy Spaniard, named Chorella, whom I threw in the short space of twenty-nine seconds. I had more trouble with a Dutchman, Dirk von den Berg, a finely built athlete. Van den Berg played a defensive game, looking out for some oversight on my part, but at length I defeated him in twenty-two minutes. I found an even more wily opponent in the German, Fengler, who seemed a good-natured man and made all sorts proposals to me before the contest, but once we set to work I found that he was only too anxious to beat me. I now began to realize that in order to win one requires not only brute strength, but must also employ in a far greater degree that the uninitiated would suppose, both judgment and reflection. I threw Fengler in twenty-six minutes.
On the next day I wrestled with the doughty and corpulent Larent le Beaucairois. We had a pretty lively set-to, and the Frenchman let it clearly be seen that he no hope of beating me, for at the end of an hour he withdrew from the contest.
Early in September I went to Dresden, the capital of Saxony, to attend a small wrestling competition. I was the chief attraction there, and wrestled almost nightly with from three to five opponents, nearly all of whom I defeated very quickly, e.g.- Winzer of Hamburg in seven minutes. The Austrian Burghardt in six minutes.
And the nimble Italian brothers, Emilio and Giovanni Raicevich, in three and six minutes respectively, all in a single evening! I threw Fengler and Konietzko on another evening in three minutes altogether. At Dresden I met a very stout and heavy wrestler named Sebastian Miller. This worthy man weighed nearly 24 st., and was fairly strong, but so deficient in science that I threw him in three minutes, and immediately afterwards a nimble but smaller Frenchman named Maurice Gambier in five minutes and Hitzler in twenty-three minutes. Hitzler had improved greatly. I took first prize at Dresden.
From Dresden I went to Chemnitz, another Saxon town of somewhat less than a quarter of a million inhabitants. Here the contestants were: Gambier (France), Hofer (Germany), Seb Miller (Germany), Konietzko (Germany), Buisson (France), Hitzler (Germany), Winzer (Germany), Giovanni and Emilio Raicevich (Italy), Rossner (Germany), Petri (Holland), Oscar Uhlig (Germany), Burghardt (Austria), Dirkis (Belgium), and myself.
At Chemnitz I, for the first time, met my old antagonist, Lurich. As often happens, the management of another theatre, in order to compete with our undertaking, had engaged Lurich and a number of other inferior wrestlers. Lurich went about boasting loudly that he more than once defeated me with ease. His impresario billed Lurich as the strongest man in the world and "the invincible wrestler."
Though as a rule I have no great liking for impromptu challenges, yet in view of this continuous and brazen puffing of Lurich I could not refrain from challenging him to a wrestling match, when I found that he persisted in these wanton personal attacks upon me. Accordingly Hitzler and I strolled round one evening-it was Monday, September 17-to the theatre at which Lurich was engaged and offered to wrestle with him. Although Lurich had declared himself ready to meet any wrestler, amateur or professional, who chose to come forward, our challenge was not accepted on the plea that the "invincible" had already his full quota of opponents. It was nevertheless announced from the stage that Herr Lurich would wrestle with Hackenschmidt on the following Wednesday. On the appointed evening we were punctually in our places, but we noticed that Lurich was already provided with two opponents. One of these, who seemed to be quite ignorant of wrestling, he threw in less than a minute. He then prepared to serve his second opponent in similar fashion when this latter suddenly vanished from the stage, crying out as he went, "Yonder stands Herr Hackenschmidt" ( pointing at me ), "he will take my place, as I don't feel well."
I went on to the stage, amid thunderous applause from the crowded audience which had assembled, in order to wrestle with Lurich. But no sooner did the "invincible wrestler" catch sight of me than he turned deadly pale and bolted into the wings, and in spite of repeated calls he absolutely declined to return.
The Chemnitz Allgemeine Zeitung (No. 29 of September, 21, 1900,) printed the following note on this incident:
"As our readers are aware, George Lurich, who describes himself as the 'Champion of the World' and 'Strongest Man in the World,' has for some days past been appearing at eh Mosella Saal. In addition to a glowing advertisement of his powers, he has issued on his bills, etc., a challenge to all wrestlers, whether amateur or professional. On Monday evening George Hackenschmidt, who is taking part in a wrestling competition at the Kaufmannische Vereinshaus, challenged him to a wresting bout on Wednesday evening. News of this spread very quickly among all the sporting elements of Chemnitz, with the result that the Mosella Saal was packed from floor to ceiling on the evening in question. Everyone looked forward with impatience for the beginning of the wrestling match. The disappointment of the spectators can therefore be imagined, when Herr Lurich appeared on the stage in the company of Herr Gleissner of Borna and another gentleman of whose identity we are ignorant. To dispose of a wrestler like Herr Gleissner was, of course, mere child's play for Herr Lurich. The second wrestler retired in favour of Herr Hackenschmidt, who challenge had been given on Monday evening, and who therefore had the prior claim.
Hereupon the curtain was abruptly lowered amid stormy scenes on the part of the indignant audience. Cries of 'Come out!' 'Shame!' 'Swindle!' were quickly heard, mingled with whistling and cat-calls enough to make one's flesh creep. All this was directed at the 'invincible' Herr Lurich, who we are informed, has caused similar scandals in other towns such as Elberfeld, where the competitors in the International Wrestling Contests were unfortunately prevented by the terms of their engagement from exposing the Russian in the manner adopted on Wednesday. Even the management of the Mosella Saal failed to persuade Lurich to meet Hackenschmidt. Presumably Lurich will not be allowed to appear again until he has wrestled with Hackenschmidt, who is ready to meet him on any evening." Lurich left Chemnitz on the following morning.
My sole object in recording this unpleasant incident is to enable the English public to estimate at their true value the insinuations directed against me by a fellow countryman in the summer of 1904. We continued our tournament at Chemnitz undisturbed, and in addition to winning first prize I received a splendid ovation from the public. Hitzler and Gambier gaining second and third prizes respectively.
From Chemnitz I journeyed to Buda Pesth, the beautiful capital of Hungary, where a wrestling contest had commenced on September 24. The participants were: Kara Ahmed (Turkey), Robinet (France), Muldoon (of America, but not the celebrated Physical Culturist), Charles (France), Krendel (Austria), Weber (Germany), Hitzler (Germany), Celestin Moret (France), Lassartesse(France), Ignace Nollys (Belgium), Albert de Paris (France), Giovanni Raicevich (Italy), Pibius (France), Burghardt (Austria), Mayer (Hungary), and Sanborn (Hungary), Aimalbe (France), etc.
One of first opponents was Robinet, who was a great favorite with the Buda Pesth public, on the strength of his performances some years previously. I threw the Frenchman in eight minutes, and, later on in the competition, I defeated Albert de Paris, a very clever wrestler in five minutes. My severest bout was with the Turk, Kara Ahmed, whom it took me nearly three hours to defeat. But never, while I live, shall I forget what then took place. The whole audience rose like one man, and thunders of applause echoed through the building. I was seized, carried shoulder high, and decked with flowers. For fully a quarter of an hour I was borne like a victorious general through the streets, kissed, embraced, etc., etc. I can assure you I was heartily glad when at last I made my escape to the privacy of my dressing room. Never, even in Paris, have I experienced a similar ovation. I am not likely to forget those worthy Hungarians. The result was as follows, I won the first prize of 1,500 kronen besides my salary, the second prize of 1,000 kronen going to Kara Ahmed, and the third of 600 kronen to Dirk van den Berg, and fourth of 400 kronen to Aimable de la Calamette.
We left the hospitable walls of Buda Pesth, and I next won the first prize at Graz, in Steiermark. None of contests there were of great importance. At Graz I was pitted against the German athlete, Rasso, an exceedingly powerful man, but no wrestler. I threw him as I pleased, clean and cleverly in five minutes, to the great surprise of the good people of Graz, who were familiar with Rasso's Herculean feats as an athlete.
Iron Nation
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
THE WAY TO LIVE - (Circa 1908) - THE STORY OF MY LIFE - Part 3 - By George Hackenschmidt
There was, indeed, something singular, I had almost said something mysterious, about Dr von Krajewski. Something in the man's being seemed to melt in his love for feats of strength and agility, and flowed forth in an inexplicable fire on all artistes of this genre. These people often used to say to me, "We don't know how it is, but once the doctor appears on the scene one feels as though he had more strength." This was just the feeling I always had, but it surprised me to hear my impression confirmed by others. I went to Vienna in company with Dr. von Krawjewski, and the pick of the St. Petersburg amateurs, Guido Meyer and Alexander von Schmelling. We were most hospitably received by the Vienna Athletic Club, and I made the acquaintance of various first-rate athletes and wrestlers.
It was there I first met Wilhelm Turck, a very strong man, at that time about forty years of age. He is nearly 6 ft. high and weighs 18 st. 12 lb. He could raise, largely by main force, a bar weighing 30 lb. to the full height of his hand simultaneously ( 264 lb. in all ). My best performance at that time was 114 in each hand, or 228 lb. in all. But in putting up a weight with one hand, which requires more skill, he could manage only 138 3/4 lb. as against my 242 lb.
I may ere point out that owing to the excitement attendant on such events it is very difficult for a man to do his best. My performances were:
Jerking a bar with both hands, 311 lb. Slow pressing a bar with both hands, 249 lb. Slow pressing a bar with both hands, 220 lb., four times.
In weight-lifting I was third behind Turck and Binder, the latter also a Viennese athlete.
It seemed to me that the arrangement of the contests was all in favour of the Viennese, for even the very strong French champion, Pierre Bonnes, could not win a place, owing to the fact that the Viennese had, undoubtedly, been exclusively trained for these special feats. The same remark applies to the feats with separate weights (i.e., with the so-called short Bohlig dumb-bells). My fellow clubman, Meyer, it is true, made a very creditable show, but even he could not score much. Herr von Schmelling, a very tall man, 6 ft. 4 3/4 in. in height and about 17 st. 4 lb. in weight, had wrestled with me and with Paul Pons for a for hour without decisive result, and was reckoned a better wrestler than I, but be had very poor luck in Vienna, for, after defeating Wetesa, the best Viennese wrestler of that day, after a contest of one and half hours, he had, owing to a misunderstanding with the umpire, to retire from a second contest with Burghardt. I was now Dr. von Krajewski's sole remaining hope in the wrestling bouts. I was in excellent fettle, and, first of all, threw several Viennese amateurs in very quick time, less than one minute each. I was then matched with the Bavarian champion, Michael Hitzler, a wonderfully good wrestler, but rather too light a weight for me. I put out my full force and threw him after a plucky struggle lasting five minutes. It took me only two minutes to settle with Burghardt, who was not so good a man.
I had now won the first prize in wrestling, the championship of Europe, a beautiful gold medal, and a magnificent championship belt. Dr. von Krajewski was delighted, and congratulations rained down on me from every side. Professor Hueppe of Prague was one of the umpires in this competition. An enthusiast in gymnastics, he took a great interest in the wrestling contests and was good enough to praise me very highly. I received quite a general ovation at the supper given at the close of the contest, and the Athletic Club invited Dr. von Krajewski, Meyer, von Schmelling and myself to a soiree.
Towards evening on the following day we found ourselves in the Club rooms, and the old doctor was the first to make himself at home and laid hold of the tools. Great surprise was shown on every side seeing so old a man so keen at his work. He put a bar of 154 lb. several times with two hands and performed a number of other feats of strength. Fired by his example, I achieved the following performance: lying on the ground I raised above the head and put up 331 l/2 lbs.
Next day, on the invitation of one the umpires, Herr Victor Silberer, we made an excursion of this gentleman's country house on the Semmering Pass, and spent a most enjoyable time.
Herr Silberer is the proprietor and editor of the Allgemeine Sport Zeitung, and himself a keen sportsman. After our return to St. Petersburg, I was challenged on various pretexts by Wetasa of Vienna, and also by Lurich to wrestle for the championship of Europe or to defend the same. Dr. von Krajewski undertood the preliminaries, but both men sought to insist on such impossible conditions that he contest fell through. Even at that date I had not the slightest fear of them. Wetasa was already somewhat past his prime, while I knew that Lurich, though somewhat more experienced, was a weaker wrestler than myself. I spent the remainder of the year at Dr. von Krajewski's, and in January, l899, after a keen struggle won the championship of Finland from twenty competitors.
Although from the date of my first great success to the wrestling ring onwards, I trained less and less for weight-lifting records, yet in January, 1899, I pressed a bar of 279 3/4 lb. with both hands.
The time of my enrolment in the army had now arrived, and I was commanded to join the Preobrashensky Polk (the 1st Life Guards of the Tsar), but was released from service after five months. On May 16, in Count Ribeaupierre's riding school, I wrestled to a finish the contest with Herr von Schmelling which had been left undecided in the previous year and defeated him in twenty-five minutes by means of "half-nelson," thus winning the championship for 1898. A few days later, on May 19, a second victory over Schmelling in forty-five minutes gained me the Russian championship for 1899. Schmelling was one of my toughest opponents!
After this, I again trained for some time at weight-lifting and made some progress, as I jerked a bar of 330 lb. with both hands, but in trying to slow press 286 lb. with one hand, I strained a sinew in my right shoulder, and injury which was destined to trouble me for years afterwards. At first I though little of this trifling pain and trained for the Championship of the World wresting contests in Paris, which took place in November. I was firmly resolved to become a professional wrestler. Although my arm had not yet fully recovered I went to Paris and took part in the contests.
The list of competitors for this tournament was as follows: Charles le Meunier (France), Henri Pechon (France), Francois le Farinier (Swiss), Feriol Marius ( France), Henri Alphonse (Swiss), Loirdit Porthos, Trillat le Savoyard, Capitant le Parisien, Louis Chappe (all of France), Niemann (Germany), Camillus Evertsen (Denmark), Pietro Dalmasso (Italy), Barnet le Demenageur (France), Jaccavail (France), Devaux (Belgium), Dirk van den Berg (Holland), Raoul le Boucher (France), Raymond Franc (France), Victor Delmas (France), Edgar Joly (France), Hautier le Breton, Leon le Jouteur (France), Bonera Dominico (Italy), Aimable de la Calmette (France), Starck (Germany), Jean le Marseillas (France), Edouard Robin (France), Jax le Taureau (France), Henri Lorange (France), Fengler (Germany), Alis-Amba (Africa), Eberle (Germany), Robinet (France), Laurent le Beaucairois (France), Constant le Boucher (Belgium), Kara Ahmed (Turkey), Peyrousse (France), Charles Poiree (France), Miller, (Germany), Paul Pons (France), besides myself. My first opponent was a medium wrestler, Loir, nicknamed Porthos. I got him down in eighteen seconds! My second was a Frenchman from the South, named Robinet, a wrestler with a fairly good style and till then of fairly high reputation. It is, perhaps, only natural that foreign wrestlers should be greeted with a certain amount of distrust. I was at the time almost unknown to the general public in France, and every one was astonished to see me defeat the popular Robinet in the short space of four minutes. Robinet was too sportsmanlike to attribute his defeat to accident, but, in answer to questions, said that I was very strong; "he has a grip like a vice, and if he gets you on the ground you are done for." It was about this time that people began to call me "the Russian Lion."
After the struggle with Robinet, the next morning I went to the Gymnasium Piaza, Rue Faubourg St. Denis, to train, when Leon Dumont, the French wrestler, put my shoulder out of joint, and for a long time my right arm seemed half paralyzed. Monsieur Piaza used hot and cold shower-baths and electricity to try to restore the use of my arm, but with little result.
It has long been the custom in wrestling circles to put all sorts of difficulties in the was of beginners who threaten to prove dangerous rivals later on, and thus to scare the newcomers out of the profession. I myself was told that "Beginners who may become dangerous must be defeated often and severely in order to get rid of them."
In accordance with this policy only the third opponent assigned to me was one of the best French wrestlers, the versatile Aimable de la Calmette. This athlete, as I soon discovered, was not nearly so strong as I, but far more experienced, a fact which made it necessary for me to be careful, for an experienced wrestler is far more dangerous than one who is merely strong. One is never safe from surprises, and it is almost impossible to calculate on what such wrestlers may do. Well, I threw the worthy Aimable after forty-seven minutes, but learned a great deal in the course of this struggle. On the following day Laurent le Beaucairois, a very strong and clever performed, appeared on the scene. Till then I had not believed it possible hat so corpulent a man-Laurent weighed 18 st. 12 lb., though he was slightly shorter than I- could show so much activity and nimbleness. Laurent was an old hand at the game, having wrestled for fifteen years, and it did not look as if there was much chance for me who had scarcely had fifteen months' experience. In strength I was the Frenchman's equal, if not his superior, and I made up mind to be on my guard and give no chances. We wrestled for thirty minutes when the referee declared the contest a draw.
After this bout the weakness in my arm gave me a good deal of trouble, and I thought it best to retire from the tournament, especially as a French surgeon had ordered me to avoid all overstraining for twelve months. I sincerely wish that I had followed his advice!
I looked on at a few more contests and then returned home to have my arm seen to, going in for treatment with electricity for about six months, but I am inclined to fancy that this did me more harm than good. All went well, and in May, 1900, I again began to lift heavy weights.
With the thoughtlessness of my youth, I soon began to lift the heaviest bars again, and my arm, which had scarcely recovered, was again injured in an attempt to establish fresh records in weight-lifting. Dr. von Krajewski warned me seriously, and I grew more prudent and avoided tours de force of this nature.
Iron Nation
Monday, July 18, 2011
THE WAY TO LIVE - (Circa 1908) - The Story Of My Life - Part 2 - By George Hackenschmidt
In December 1897, I performed the following feats:
Jerked up a bar of 216 lb. twelve times with both hands. Jerked up a bar of 187 lb. seven times with one hand. Pressed up a bar of 216 lb. with one hand.
About this time I thrown in contact with a remarkable man, who exercised a notable influence on my future life.
A slight injury sustained in the exercise of my calling as an engineer - for I was still an amateur - made it necessary for me to seek the help of a doctor. This doctor, an amiable old gentleman, happened to have staying with him a distinguished colleague, Dr. von Krajewski, a physician in ordinary to His Majesty the Czar. This Dr. von Krajewski was the founder of the St. Petersburg Athletic and Cycling Club, of which H.R.H. the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovitch was President, and which included many aristocratic and wealthy people among its members. Dr. Krajewski, in spite of his fifty-six years, was still a very active and energetic man, and particularly keen on feats of strength and weight-lifting. He had first taken up this pastime at the mature age of forty-one, and by systematic training had attained a fairly high degree of physical strength. The doctor had, of course, visited our club and recognized me at once. When I had completely undressed in order to facilitate a careful examination of my injury, he, in conjunction with my own doctor, examined my body, and found that with the exception of a slight injury ( a contusion of the arm ) I was perfectly sound. He invited me to come and stay with him in St. Petersburg as he wished to have me trained as a professional athlete and wrestler.
I learned that Dr. von Krajewski had also had Lurich in training with him for some time, and he was good enough to say that I possessed possibilities of becoming the strongest man in the world.
Yielding to the persuasion of all my club friends, who congratulated me warmly on Dr. von Krajewski's offer, but against the wishes of my parents, I set out for St. Petersburg early in 1898.
Dr. von Krawjewski was a bachelor and lived in a large house in the Michael Platz, St. Petersburg. He had an excellent practice in the highest circle of society and passed for a millionaire. I was most hospitably received in the house of this patron of athletics. The doctor treated me like a son and gave me the best training his experience could suggest. One room in his house was hung with portraits of all the best-known strong men and wrestlers, and he delighted in inviting them to his house, in which all foreign artistes found hospitable welcome every month. Dr. von Krajewski was the organizer of a private club of men of fashion who came to him weekly and worked hard with weights and dumb-bells, and practised wrestling. In his gymnasium the doctor had a great number and variety of weights, dumb-bells, and other apparatus and appliances for the purpose of training. It was, in short, a fully equipped school of physical culture.
All the professional strong men and wrestlers who appeared at the St. Petersburg theatres visited Dr. von Krajewski and gave exhibitions of their art. While so doing, they were all carefully examined, measured and weighed. Dr. von Krajewski had thus been able to acquire great experience and knowledge of feats of strength and methods of training.
The example set by these artistes had a most stimulating influence on us all. Every one seem put upon his mettle to do his very best. Having now nothing to occupy me but alternate exercise and rest, I made rapid progress in strength. The doctor told me not to touch alcoholic drinks and tobacco, for neither of which I had every felt any great inclination, and in neither of which I had ever indulged.
I drank little else but milk, (3 litres, or more than 11 pints daily) and ate practically what I pleased, my appetite being then, as always, an excellent one. I bathed daily with the Doctor in his bath-room, a very spacious apartment built in close proximity to the gymnasium. After the bath we practised weight-lifting till we got dry, neither of us using the towel to dry ourselves. In January, 1898, I pushed up a bar weighing 275 lb. to the full height of the arms and with the right hand pushed up 243 lb., and lying on the ground, I lifted and pushed up with two hands a weight of 304 lb., following this soon after with one 335 lb. With the knees bent I raised a weight of 180 1/2 lb., which remained a world's record for many years till beaten by me with 187 lb. in 1902.
I February, I accompanied Dr. von Krajewski to Moscow, where Baron Kister, another great patron of athletics, had organized a weight-lifting competition for amateurs. I was fairly successful here, and managed to raise a weight of 255 1/2 lb. with one hand. For this feat I was soon after my return awarded a gold medal by my club, the St. Petersburg Athletic and Cycling Club, of which I had become a member. The training at Dr. von Krajewski's was very many-sided and I rapidly gained strength in all parts of the xbody. I also trained steadily in wrestling, the frequent visits of professional wrestlers to the doctor's house affording me many excellent opportunities. About this time Count Ribeaupierre, Master of the Horse to H.M. the Czar, became President of the St. Petersburg Athletic and Cycling Club.
This gentleman took a keen interest in me and has continued to manifest his good will towards me ever since. He afterwards frequently supported and helped me, and I feel that I owe him a debt of gratitude.
In April, l898, my club organized a weight-lifting competition for the championship of Russia, in which I won first prize and accomplished the following among other feats.
With both hands I lifted 114 kilogrammes or 251 lb. to full height of arms with a jerk ( being only 1 kilogramme less than the world's record of the Frenchman, Bonnes - 115 kilogrammes).
I snatched up 257 lb. with both hands. With the right hand jerked 231 lb. With the left hand jerked 205 lb. With the right hand pressed 269 lb.
Towards the end of April the famous French wrestler, Paul Pons, came to St. Petersburg, and defeated this practised wrestler at the end of forty-five minutes. I also threw Jankowsky in eleven minutes. It is possible that Pons may not have been in his best form on this occasion as he himself maintained, for some time afterwards I had a much tougher struggle with him.
I was in tip-top condition and was continuing to train steadily when Dr. von Krajewski put down my name to contest the championship of the world and the championship of Europe at the end of July and beginning of August which were to be wrestled for in connection with the Sports Exhibition in Vienna.
In order to accustom myself to appearing before large audiences, I performed for some weeks previously in a circus in Riga, as an athlete and wrestler, under an assumed name. Dr. von Krajewski, who had an eye for everything, did not omit to take into account the embarrassment which a young performer is certain to feel when he first faces a large audience. I earned a good deal of applause and threw all opponents in wrestling. But to be quite candid, even at that time I still possessed by little of the technique of wrestling. I was, however, very strong and took all my opponents unawares in a very few minutes. Even my former conqueror, Kalde, the teacher already mentioned, was obliged to admit this, as I thre the good man repeatedly after very short struggles, at which he was not a little surprised. Before we set out for Vienna, Dr. von Krajewski, took careful measurements of me, with the following results:
Height…………5 ft. 9 1/2 in. Weight…………14 st. Waist……………32 3/8 in. Neck………………18 1/3 in. Chest and Shoulders…………47 3/4 normal and 51 in. expanded Right Shoulder Joint………21 7/8 in. Left Shoulder Joint…………21 1/2 in. Biceps of right arm…………15 1/4 in. 16 3/4 in. Biceps of left arm……………14 7/8 in. l6 1/2 in. (measured when flexed and straight.) Forearm, right………………………13 5/8 in. Forearm, left…………………………13 1/4 in. Right and left wrist………7 3/4 in. Right and left thigh…….24 1/4 in. Calf……………………………………………….15 1/4 in. Ankle…………………………………………….9 1/8 in.
My best performances, at the end of the six months which I spent with the hospitable doctor, in addition to those already mentioned were as follows:
I jerked a bar weighing 306 lb. with both hands. I pulled in clean to the shoulders a bar weighing 361 lb. I snatched a bar weighing 197 1/2 lb. with the right hand (a world's record).
These feats were performed either in the Doctor's gymnasium or in Count Ribeaupierre's riding school and the weights were in every instance carefully checked. This reminds me of a humorous incident over which I have often laughed heartily. The doctor was at this time wearing a new pair of trousers, which fitted him exceedingly well, inasmuch that I more than once expressed a wish to possess similar garments. Dr. von Krajewski jestingly replied, "My dear George, when you can beat Sandow's world's record of putting up 116 kilogrammes or 255 1/2 lb. with one hand you shall have just such another pair!" It may have been this jest which spurred me on to make a special effort by pulling up a weight of 122.25 kilogrammes (269 1/4 lb. English). This was done in Count Ribeaupierre's private riding school, which was arranged for this occasion like a circus. The place was filled with a large audience of some of the most distinguished people in St. Petersburg. When I lifted this weight Dr. Krajewski in front of all the people rose from his seat, and lifted his hat to full arm's length above his xhead. I shall never forget the doctor on this occasion. His admiration for feats of strength was almost beyond understanding.
Everybody was surprised by this evidence of his genuine emotion, and it seemed as though his enthusiasm spread itself over the whole of the audience, everybody congratulating me warmly. The doctor disappeared for a few minutes and returned with the promised pair of trousers. I don’t mind admitting that, at the moment, I was almost more pleased with this gift than with the large gold Record Medal solemnly presented to me a few days later.
Iron Nation
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Jerked up a bar of 216 lb. twelve times with both hands. Jerked up a bar of 187 lb. seven times with one hand. Pressed up a bar of 216 lb. with one hand.
About this time I thrown in contact with a remarkable man, who exercised a notable influence on my future life.
A slight injury sustained in the exercise of my calling as an engineer - for I was still an amateur - made it necessary for me to seek the help of a doctor. This doctor, an amiable old gentleman, happened to have staying with him a distinguished colleague, Dr. von Krajewski, a physician in ordinary to His Majesty the Czar. This Dr. von Krajewski was the founder of the St. Petersburg Athletic and Cycling Club, of which H.R.H. the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovitch was President, and which included many aristocratic and wealthy people among its members. Dr. Krajewski, in spite of his fifty-six years, was still a very active and energetic man, and particularly keen on feats of strength and weight-lifting. He had first taken up this pastime at the mature age of forty-one, and by systematic training had attained a fairly high degree of physical strength. The doctor had, of course, visited our club and recognized me at once. When I had completely undressed in order to facilitate a careful examination of my injury, he, in conjunction with my own doctor, examined my body, and found that with the exception of a slight injury ( a contusion of the arm ) I was perfectly sound. He invited me to come and stay with him in St. Petersburg as he wished to have me trained as a professional athlete and wrestler.
I learned that Dr. von Krajewski had also had Lurich in training with him for some time, and he was good enough to say that I possessed possibilities of becoming the strongest man in the world.
Yielding to the persuasion of all my club friends, who congratulated me warmly on Dr. von Krajewski's offer, but against the wishes of my parents, I set out for St. Petersburg early in 1898.
Dr. von Krawjewski was a bachelor and lived in a large house in the Michael Platz, St. Petersburg. He had an excellent practice in the highest circle of society and passed for a millionaire. I was most hospitably received in the house of this patron of athletics. The doctor treated me like a son and gave me the best training his experience could suggest. One room in his house was hung with portraits of all the best-known strong men and wrestlers, and he delighted in inviting them to his house, in which all foreign artistes found hospitable welcome every month. Dr. von Krajewski was the organizer of a private club of men of fashion who came to him weekly and worked hard with weights and dumb-bells, and practised wrestling. In his gymnasium the doctor had a great number and variety of weights, dumb-bells, and other apparatus and appliances for the purpose of training. It was, in short, a fully equipped school of physical culture.
All the professional strong men and wrestlers who appeared at the St. Petersburg theatres visited Dr. von Krajewski and gave exhibitions of their art. While so doing, they were all carefully examined, measured and weighed. Dr. von Krajewski had thus been able to acquire great experience and knowledge of feats of strength and methods of training.
The example set by these artistes had a most stimulating influence on us all. Every one seem put upon his mettle to do his very best. Having now nothing to occupy me but alternate exercise and rest, I made rapid progress in strength. The doctor told me not to touch alcoholic drinks and tobacco, for neither of which I had every felt any great inclination, and in neither of which I had ever indulged.
I drank little else but milk, (3 litres, or more than 11 pints daily) and ate practically what I pleased, my appetite being then, as always, an excellent one. I bathed daily with the Doctor in his bath-room, a very spacious apartment built in close proximity to the gymnasium. After the bath we practised weight-lifting till we got dry, neither of us using the towel to dry ourselves. In January, 1898, I pushed up a bar weighing 275 lb. to the full height of the arms and with the right hand pushed up 243 lb., and lying on the ground, I lifted and pushed up with two hands a weight of 304 lb., following this soon after with one 335 lb. With the knees bent I raised a weight of 180 1/2 lb., which remained a world's record for many years till beaten by me with 187 lb. in 1902.
I February, I accompanied Dr. von Krajewski to Moscow, where Baron Kister, another great patron of athletics, had organized a weight-lifting competition for amateurs. I was fairly successful here, and managed to raise a weight of 255 1/2 lb. with one hand. For this feat I was soon after my return awarded a gold medal by my club, the St. Petersburg Athletic and Cycling Club, of which I had become a member. The training at Dr. von Krajewski's was very many-sided and I rapidly gained strength in all parts of the xbody. I also trained steadily in wrestling, the frequent visits of professional wrestlers to the doctor's house affording me many excellent opportunities. About this time Count Ribeaupierre, Master of the Horse to H.M. the Czar, became President of the St. Petersburg Athletic and Cycling Club.
This gentleman took a keen interest in me and has continued to manifest his good will towards me ever since. He afterwards frequently supported and helped me, and I feel that I owe him a debt of gratitude.
In April, l898, my club organized a weight-lifting competition for the championship of Russia, in which I won first prize and accomplished the following among other feats.
With both hands I lifted 114 kilogrammes or 251 lb. to full height of arms with a jerk ( being only 1 kilogramme less than the world's record of the Frenchman, Bonnes - 115 kilogrammes).
I snatched up 257 lb. with both hands. With the right hand jerked 231 lb. With the left hand jerked 205 lb. With the right hand pressed 269 lb.
Towards the end of April the famous French wrestler, Paul Pons, came to St. Petersburg, and defeated this practised wrestler at the end of forty-five minutes. I also threw Jankowsky in eleven minutes. It is possible that Pons may not have been in his best form on this occasion as he himself maintained, for some time afterwards I had a much tougher struggle with him.
I was in tip-top condition and was continuing to train steadily when Dr. von Krajewski put down my name to contest the championship of the world and the championship of Europe at the end of July and beginning of August which were to be wrestled for in connection with the Sports Exhibition in Vienna.
In order to accustom myself to appearing before large audiences, I performed for some weeks previously in a circus in Riga, as an athlete and wrestler, under an assumed name. Dr. von Krajewski, who had an eye for everything, did not omit to take into account the embarrassment which a young performer is certain to feel when he first faces a large audience. I earned a good deal of applause and threw all opponents in wrestling. But to be quite candid, even at that time I still possessed by little of the technique of wrestling. I was, however, very strong and took all my opponents unawares in a very few minutes. Even my former conqueror, Kalde, the teacher already mentioned, was obliged to admit this, as I thre the good man repeatedly after very short struggles, at which he was not a little surprised. Before we set out for Vienna, Dr. von Krajewski, took careful measurements of me, with the following results:
Height…………5 ft. 9 1/2 in. Weight…………14 st. Waist……………32 3/8 in. Neck………………18 1/3 in. Chest and Shoulders…………47 3/4 normal and 51 in. expanded Right Shoulder Joint………21 7/8 in. Left Shoulder Joint…………21 1/2 in. Biceps of right arm…………15 1/4 in. 16 3/4 in. Biceps of left arm……………14 7/8 in. l6 1/2 in. (measured when flexed and straight.) Forearm, right………………………13 5/8 in. Forearm, left…………………………13 1/4 in. Right and left wrist………7 3/4 in. Right and left thigh…….24 1/4 in. Calf……………………………………………….15 1/4 in. Ankle…………………………………………….9 1/8 in.
My best performances, at the end of the six months which I spent with the hospitable doctor, in addition to those already mentioned were as follows:
I jerked a bar weighing 306 lb. with both hands. I pulled in clean to the shoulders a bar weighing 361 lb. I snatched a bar weighing 197 1/2 lb. with the right hand (a world's record).
These feats were performed either in the Doctor's gymnasium or in Count Ribeaupierre's riding school and the weights were in every instance carefully checked. This reminds me of a humorous incident over which I have often laughed heartily. The doctor was at this time wearing a new pair of trousers, which fitted him exceedingly well, inasmuch that I more than once expressed a wish to possess similar garments. Dr. von Krajewski jestingly replied, "My dear George, when you can beat Sandow's world's record of putting up 116 kilogrammes or 255 1/2 lb. with one hand you shall have just such another pair!" It may have been this jest which spurred me on to make a special effort by pulling up a weight of 122.25 kilogrammes (269 1/4 lb. English). This was done in Count Ribeaupierre's private riding school, which was arranged for this occasion like a circus. The place was filled with a large audience of some of the most distinguished people in St. Petersburg. When I lifted this weight Dr. Krajewski in front of all the people rose from his seat, and lifted his hat to full arm's length above his xhead. I shall never forget the doctor on this occasion. His admiration for feats of strength was almost beyond understanding.
Everybody was surprised by this evidence of his genuine emotion, and it seemed as though his enthusiasm spread itself over the whole of the audience, everybody congratulating me warmly. The doctor disappeared for a few minutes and returned with the promised pair of trousers. I don’t mind admitting that, at the moment, I was almost more pleased with this gift than with the large gold Record Medal solemnly presented to me a few days later.
Iron Nation
Sunday, July 17, 2011
THE WAY TO LIVE - (Circa 1908) - Chapter 14 - THE STORY OF MY LIFE - Part I - By George Hackenschmidt
It will, possibly, interest my readers to learn some details of my life and of the process of my physical development.
I was born on July 20, 1878 (Old Style), or August 2, according to English methods or reckoning, at Dorpat, in Russia, my father being the proprietor of some dye-works there. I have a brother and a sister younger than myself. Both my father and my mother were of average stature, neither of them displaying any unusual physical characteristics, but both my brother and sister possess more than average strength. My grandfather, the father of my mother--who, by the way, I never knew, as he died when I was only three years old--was always described to me as a big and powerful man. He had migrated to Russia from Sweden some sixty years before. My mother always told me that I was very like my grandfather, except that he was rather taller, being six feet in height.
So far as I can remember, I was, from my earliest years, devoted to all bodily exercises, and by the time I was eight or nine years old I used to order about a small army of boys of my own age--being admittedly the strongest of them all. I was sent to the Dorpat Grammar School (Realschule), and soon showed a preference for the hours spent in the gymnasium. At a gymnastic competition in the year 1891, when I was fourteen years old, I won a prize as the best gymnast of my own age, a fact which my instructor Herr Drewes, a German, communicated to the press in Germany. At that date, I was 4 ft 7-1/2 in. in height and weighed 8 st. 10 lb. being of a rather thickset build. I was one of the best at club and dumb-bell exercises and could jump over 16 ft in length and 4 ft 7-1/2 in. in height. I could raise and lower a dumb-bell weighing 1 pood (36 lb.) sixteen times with the right hand and twenty-one times with the left, and I once ran 180 metres (about 197 yards) in 26 seconds.
My liking for bodily exercises I inherited from my grandfather.
On leaving school in 1895, I entered some large engineering works in Reval as an apprentice, with a view to becoming a practical and technical engineer. But--Man proposes, God disposes!
At this time I became a member of the Reval Athletic ad Cycling Club, and threw myself heart and soul into cycling, at which I won several prizes.
When autumn and bad weather came round, I gave more attention to exercises with heavy weights and dumb-bells and my ambition soon led me to excel all my fellow members in these exercises.
The chief pastimes favoured in our club were the lifting of heavy weights and wrestling. For the latter I had at first but little liking and was often beaten.
About this time I grew pretty quickly, my measurements in 1896, at the age of eighteen, being as follows:-
Height - - 5 ft 7-1/2 in. Chest - - 41-3/4 in. normal and 44 in. expanded Biceps - - 14 in. straight and 14-1/4 in. flexed. Forearm - - 12-7/8 in.
We had a very judicious trainer in our club, a certain Gospodin (Mr) Andruschkewitsch, a government official, who gave us young fellows many excellent hints on the care and training of the body. At a Club festival held about this time (autumn of 1896) I performed the following weightlifting feats:
With the right hand from the shoulder
I pressed - - - 145 lb. 12 times. Ditto, Ditto- - 155 lb. 10 times Ditto, Ditto- - 198 lb. 3 times Ditto, ditto- - 214 lb. 1 time
And with one hand lifting slowly from the ground to the shoulder (by the strength of the biceps) I raised a weight of 125 lb. with the right, and 119 lb. with the left.
In September, 1896, I made the acquaintance of the professional athlete and wrestler, Lurich. He was only a few years older than myself, had been a professional for a year, and was touring in the Eastern Provinces with a small company.
Lurich challenged all comers to wrestle with him and various members of our club came forward but were all, without exception, defeated by him. Up to this time, I had shown but little taste for wrestling and had wrestled very seldom, being more partial to work with heavy weights. Still, I wrestled several times with Lurich, who, even then, was a fairly good wrestler, though, as I speedily recognized, scarcely my equal in strength. As can readily be understood, Lurich had no great difficulty in throwing an experienced man, such as I was, though on the one occasion on which I wrestled with him in public--in the Standpfort Etablissement in Reval--he could not throw me the first time, and in the second bout I was able to resist him for seventeen minutes.
I mention this easily intelligible defeat, incurred when I had had little or no experience in wrestling, because, later on, Lurich used to boast that he had frequently beaten me.
This gentleman has, since then, for many years kept carefully out of my way, but this defeat annoyed me and after it I wrestled more frequently and, in the course of the winter, defeated nearly all the members of our club.
In February, 1897, a German wrestler, Fritz Konietzko came to Reval. It was said that at Magdeburg he had beaten the famous Tom Cannon, then in his prime, who, in his day, had often wrestled with Abs, a wrestler who enjoyed a big reputation in Germany, and had thus achieved some celebrity in the Graeco-Roman style. Konietzko was a rather smaller man than myself, being 5 ft 6-1/2 in. in height and barely turning the scale at 165 lb. taking him all round his was not a very imposing figure. Yet he was very quick and possessed a strength of hand which to me seemed almost uncanny. These qualities enabled him to defeat all his opponents; especially as he was always undermatched. I was the only member of the amateur contingent to withstand the German. We wrestled ten minutes without a fall. Not long after this Ladislaus Pytlasinski, the Polish wrestler, then at the zenith of his fame, came to Reval and, of course, defeated Konietzko. Pytlasinski defeated me easily, and we all learnt a great deal from this great expert of the wrestling arena. In the following year he was the first wrestler to defeat the famous Turk, Kara Ahmed in Paris. I remember, too, a very powerful village schoolmaster in the neighbourhood of Reval who was one of the chief opponents of this professional wrestler. He (the schoolmaster) had only a few holds, with which he defeated his opponents. On one occasion, he got me down in seven minutes.
As I have said already, these defeats proved very instructive to me and I gradually, if slowly, began to perfect myself in wrestling.
I improved rapidly in lifting power and also in general physical development, and by July, 1897, I was able to press a bar weighing 243 lb. with both hands from my shoulders to the full stretch of my arms. Even at this date, I established a world's record--which was, of course, very soon broken, but afterwards improved on, and since maintained by myself. With my hands crossed behind my back and my knees bent, I lifted a ball weighing 171 lb. this feat proved that I was fairly strong in the legs. Taking two balls weighing 94-1/2 lb. each in either hand, I swung them with a single motion from the ground to the full stretch of the arms. Our instructor, Gospodin Andruschkewitz, took my measurements in December, 1897, with the following results:
Height - - 5 ft. 8-1/2 in. Neck - - 18-1/5 in. Biceps - - 15-3/5 in. straight, and 17-1/4 in. flexed. Forearm - - 13 in. Wrist - - 7-1/2 in. Chest - - 44-7/8 in. normal and 46 in. expanded. Thigh - - 23-1/2 in. Calf - - 15-3/5 in. Weight - - 12 st. 8 lb.
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