Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1908)

Program of the world championship fight.

Status: Lost

Frank Gotch vs. George Hackenschmidt was the first of two infamous world championship matches between Gotch and Hackenschmidt, held on April 3, 1908. Gotch, the challenger, would win the world championship from Hackenschmidt, the first recognized world champion, and would hold the championship until he retired in 1913. Like the later 1911 rematch between the two, it is one of the most infamous matches in professional wrestling history.

Background

On September 4, 1902, an undefeated George Hackenschmidt would face Tom Cannon for his European Greco-Roman Heavyweight Championship in London, England, and defeated him to win the championship. George would hold the championship until 1905, until he faced American Heavyweight Champion Tom Jenkins on May 4, 1905 in New York City. George would also defeat Jenkins, and began to take claim as the world champion, which was officially recognized in North America.

Frank Gotch would challenge Hackenschmidt for the world championship three years later on April 3, 1908, at the Dexter Park Pavilion in Chicago. Hackenschmidt was described as not being in the best condition going into the battle, and Gotch was able to wear Hackenschmidt down, utilizing dirty tactics such thumbing, punching his nose, and supposedly covering himself in oil. Though Hackenschmidt complained to the ref, his concerns were ignored, and the two would grapple for two hours, before Gotch would utilize his toe hold, and would win the first fall. Hackenschmidt would refuse to return to the ring for the start of the second fall, and would relinquish the championship to Gotch.

Footage

While it's unknown if the match was shot in it's entirety, the film was described to show "only the best parts" and "much of the grind of grabbing for holds" was cut out entirely. The Film appeared to show Hackenschmidt arriving on the Lusitania upon entry to New York City, and his arrival to Chicago. The film would proceed to show the ring and the two wrestlers posing for pictures. The first ten minutes, and the last fifteen minutes of the match was then shown At the end, fans were seen rushing the ring, and carrying Gotch away on their shoulders.

The film was 8000 feet in length, and was to be shown in six different US cities, including Nashville, TN, and Davenport, IA. The film was seemingly last shown in England in November of 1908

The whereabouts of the film is currently unknown, and is thought to be lost.

Gallery

Images of the Match

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See Also

• Bill Longson vs Whipper Billy Watson (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 1947)
• Braden Walker's "Knock Knock" promo (lost original pre-tapes of WWE backstage segment; 2008)
• Bret Hart-Hulk Hogan photoshoot (lost professional wrestling promotional photos; 1993)
• Bret Hart vs Tom Magee (found untelevised professional wrestling match; 1986)
• Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling (lost early BBC televised professional wrestling matches; 1938-1939; 1946-1947)
• Celebrity Wrestling (partially found ITV professional wrestling reality show; 2005)
• Collision in Korea (found professional wrestling event in North Korea; 1995)
• Collision in Korea wrestler sketches (lost North Korean pencil sketch portraits of professional wrestlers; 1995)
• ECW Anarchy Rulz (lost build of cancelled Nintendo 64 port of professional wrestling game; existence unconfirmed; 2000)
• ECW at E3 2000 (partially found footage of professional wrestling at gaming trade event; 2000)
• ECW Hardcore TV final episodes (lost episodes of Professional Wrestling Show; 2001)
• FMW at E3 2000 (partially found footage of professional wrestling at gaming trade event; 2000)
• The Game (partially found Disturbed cover of professional wrestling theme song; mid 2000s)
• GFW Amped (partially found unaired professional wrestling show; 2015)
• Girls Gone Wild: Live from Spring Break (found WWE/Girls Gone Wild crossover special; 2003)
• GLOW (lost unfinished final season of Netflix comedy-drama series; 2019-2020)
• Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1911)
• Jake "The Snake" Roberts DDTs Hulk Hogan (lost Snake Pit segment; 1986)
• The Last Battle of Atlanta (found untelevised professional wrestling steel cage match; 1983)
• "Plane Ride From Hell" (lost photographs of drunk wrestler incidents; 2002)
• Radio WWF (lost professional wrestling radio show; 1993-1994; late 1990s-2000)
• Screwed: The Bret Hart Story (lost unfinished wrestling documentary film; 2005)
• Sex University (lost WWE webshow; 2006)
• Shin Nihon Pro Wrestling Gekitou Densetsu (lost build of unreleased Virtual Boy wrestling game; 1995)
• Strange Kentucky People (lost recording of Chris Jericho "tribute"; 1994)
• TNA Impact! 2 (lost build of unfinished professional wrestling game; 2009)
• WCW 2000 (lost work on unfinished PlayStation 2 game; 2000)
• WCW All Nighter (partially lost professional wrestling compilation show; 1994-1995)
• WCW Classics (partially found professional wrestling compilation show; 2000-2001)
• WCW Internet-only Special Events and PPVs (lost audio streams; 1997-1998)
• WCW/nWo Live (lost build of cancelled PlayStation professional wrestling game; 1998)
• WWE 24x7 (lost professional wrestling compilation show; 2007)
• WWE Brawl (lost build of cancelled fighting game based on professional wrestling; 2012)
• WWE SmackDown vs Raw Online (lost build of cancelled online professional wrestling PC game; 2010-2011)
• WWF Attitude (lost professional wrestling recap show; 2001-2002)
• WWF Backlash (non-existent unfinished Nintendo 64 professional wrestling game; 2001)
• WWF Excess (partially found professional wrestling talk show; 2001-2002)
• WWF In Your House 8: Beware Of Dog (partially found untelevised professional wrestling matches; 1996)
• WWF Livewire (partially found professional wrestling recap and talk show; 1996-2001)
• WWF No Mercy (lost Game Boy Color games based on Nintendo 64 wrestling game; 2000)
• WWF Shotgun (partially found July to December season of syndicated wrestling show; 1997)
• WWF Xperience (found pay-per-view event footage; 1996)