How to Wrestle

Writing decades after Gotch's death in 1917, George Robbins pens this instructional manual on Frank Gotch's wrestling style. It is unclear where Robbins got his material and quotes from Gotch, but working for the Sporting Staff, The Chicago Daily News would have potentially given him access to Gotch personally at some point and the two may have even been friends. The 27 instructional pictures included are clear, well done, drawings which some have suggested may have partially been redrawn from the photographs of Gotch's earlier book, "Wrestling and How to Train." The real gems of this little instructional manual are Gotch's discussion of his famous "toe hold," including, most interestingly, its origins, and instruction on the Strangle hold with a drawing of the legendary "Farmer" Burns demonstrating. Altogether, this manual is a unique and important bit of catch wrestling history.