American wrestler (born 1878)

Frank Gotch

Frank Alvin Gotch was an American professional wrestler who was the first American to win the World Heavyweight Championship in catch wrestling, and is credited for popularizing professional wrestling in the United States. Gotch competed back when the contests at championship level were largely legit, and his reign as World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion is one of the ten longest in the history of professional wrestling. He became one of the most popular athletes in the United States from the 1900s to the 1910s. Pro Wrestling Illustrated described Gotch as "arguably the best North American professional wrestler of the 20th century".

Born

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Died

1917

Era

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Country

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About

Frank, in brief

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Key dates

1917 Died

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What else happened on this day, through history

533 The Digest, the great collection of all Roman jurists' law, is issued together with a new official law textbook for legal schools, The Institutes.
714 Pepin of Herstal, mayor of the Merovingian palace, dies at Jupille (modern Belgium). He is succeeded by his infant grandson Theudoald, while his widow Plectrude holds actual power in the Frankish Kingdom.
755 An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Yanjing, initiating the An Lushan Rebellion during the Tang dynasty of China.
1431 Hundred Years' War: Henry VI of England is crowned King of France at Notre Dame in Paris.

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The world in 1917

When Frank departed

april 12 World War I: Canadian forces successfully complete the taking of Vimy Ridge from the Germans.
april 16 Russian Revolution: Vladimir Lenin returns to Petrograd, Russia, from exile in Switzerland.
april 2 American entry into World War I: President Wilson asks the U.S. Congress for a declaration of war on Germany.
april 6 World War I: The United States declares war on Germany.

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