As many people seem to be forgetting, the title of the thread is “greatest old school wrestler of all-time.” Not “favorite wrestler of all-time.” Not “greatest wrestler between the years 1990 and 2000.” We’re talking old school, and as I normally would get, old-old school. When I think of “old-school,” I don’t think about Ric Flair, or Hulk Hogan, or any other professional wrestler whom was active from 1978 (the year of my birth) to the present date. I only consider wrestlers active before that time.
Thus, my choice for greatest old school wrestler is Frank Gotch, a guy who I’m lobbying to get selected as one of the initial candidates of the Wrestlezone HoF. There hasn’t been much interest in that thread, so he may not get in. But make no mistake about it: he belongs there.
Gotch was the second world heavyweight champion (succeeding George Hackenschmidt) and reigned from 1908 until 1913. He met all of the notable contenders of his era, including such wrestlers as Tom Jenkins, Benjamin Franklin Roller and Stanislaus Zbyszko. He reigned as champion during a time in wrestling history when the sport was considered on par with pro boxing. Trained by the best of his age, Martin “Farmer” Burns, Gotch was a technical marvel during a time when bouts could last as much as 3-5 hours and match action rarely left the mat. To those not in the know, Burns was a self-taught wrestling prodigy and was probably a more gifted trainer than Stu Hart. He trained hundreds of submission masters in his day; Gotch was among the first and certainly the foremost.
A mainstream sensation that was arguably greater than Hulk Hogan, Gotch was known from coast to coast and internationally in a day before television, radio and internet, a period when word traveled by word of mouth and/or newspaper and nothing else. He rubbed shoulders with politicians and was a good friend of then-President of the United States Teddy Roosevelt. His talents were thought so highly of by the general public that boxing promoters desperate to lift the boxing championship of the world from Jack Johnson—the African-American fighter who was the most hated sports celebrity of the day—attempted to recruit him. Gotch refused all offers, wanting to stick to wrestling.
Try to imagine a wrestler such as Hogan or Flair retiring as champion in his prime, and then retaining recognition by the WWF or NWA World titles throughout retirement. Because that’s what Gotch did. When he gave up wrestling in 1913, he did so without dropping the title. His absence left a gaping void in the industry, and an official world champion would not be crowned until Joe Stecher took the title midway though 1915. In the opinions of many, Gotch continued to be the “true world champion” until the time of his premature death of either uremic poisoning or syphilis on December 16th, 1917.
To honor Gotch today, the International Wrestling Institute and Museum annually selects a candidate for the “Frank Gotch Award,” which is given to gifted wrestlers whom have contributed to the mainstream perspective of wrestling.
