HUMBOLDT, Iowa – The hometown of world wrestling champion Frank Gotch, an American Hero, a power-ful and remarkable man who many experts and historians consider the greatest wrestler of all time, is making plans to honor its most famous citizen.

The Frank Gotch Statue Committee, a non-profit organization, has announced a fundraising campaign is un-derway to raise funds to erect a statue of Frank Gotch on the west end of Humboldt’s main street. The 8-foot tall bronze statue of Gotch will be located in Bicknell Park, the historic training site for Gotch 100 years ago.

The committee in this north central Iowa community of 5,500 feels it is time to honor Gotch in a big way.

Gotch has been credited with laying the foundation for the state of Iowa becoming one of the nation’s strong-est wrestling states in high school and college, let alone the long-lasting impact he had nationwide on the sport.

In 1911 when Gotch defeated George Hackenschmidt, known as the Russian Lion, Gotch trained in the area of what is now Bicknell Park. Many famous wrestlers, including Farmer Burns, considered the top wrestling trainer of all-time, came to Humboldt to help Gotch prepare for his match with Hackenschmidt. Hundreds of fans and sportswriters poured into Humboldt from all over. A special train from Fort Dodge brought fans by the hundreds. One particular day, a newspaper writer from Chicago estimated there were over 2,000 fans in Hum-boldt watching Gotch train.

The match between Gotch and Hackenschmidt of what was then the new baseball park in Chicago, Comiskey Park, drew an estimated crowd of 30,000 fans. It was the largest crowd ever to see a wrestling match for another half century. Gotch won easily and never lost again.

Frank Gotch won the heavyweight wrestling title in 1908 and never lost again, winning 88 consecutive matches before retiring in 1916 undefeated.

Frank Gotch was the Michael Jordan of his own era in the early 1900s. Frank Gotch was as well-known in his era, as any athlete since then.

Mike Chapman, who has authored several books on Gotch, says Gotch is the best-known athlete, per era, in Iowa history, even when you compare him to Bob Feller, Nile Kinnick, Dan Gable or even Olympian Shawn Johnson.

“Frank Gotch was arguably the top athlete in America in the 1908-1915 era,” said committee co-chair Steve Reimers. “Frank brought great recognition to this town and to all of Iowa. Many of us feel it is time to pay spe-cial tribute to Gotch and the great legacy he left behind.”
The committee estimates it will need to raise upwards of $100,000-$150,000 for the project.

According to author Mac Davis, in the book 100 Greatest Sports Heroes, Gotch was a bigger star than any boxer or baseball player. “As the idol of millions in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Gotch made wres-tling a big-time sport in his day.”
“In an effort to make this project all inclusive, we are reaching out to the citizens of Humboldt and wrestling and sports fans across the state and nation,” said Ron Wasoba, committee co-chair. “Frank Gotch helped create a strong interest in wrestling in America in the early 1900s. We believe many fans across the nation will want to be a part of this effort to honor his memory and his impact on the sport, both amateur and professional.”
“I’m very excited about the project,” Humboldt Mayor Walter Jensen said. “I think it would be a very good draw for the city of Humboldt. Frank Gotch was very well respected. He was a world champion in his time. I think it would be a good draw and we’d like to promote it and do the best we can. The city overall is very ex-cited about this project.”
When Frank Gotch died in 1917, his death was national news. Some 2,000 people attended his funeral. 
In 1924, the Des Moines Register conducted a poll to find out what Iowan was most admired in the state, in any field of endeavor. Frank Gotch won easily.

Frank Gotch was the first person inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo, and in the Writers Wrestling Hall of Fame of New York. Gotch was in the initial class of the Des Moines Register Sports Hall of Fame.

Gotch is the subject of numerous books in the past 10 years, including the historical novel GOTCH: An American Hero, which has been sold to a Hollywood movie company.

Gotch was born on a farm three miles south of Humboldt on April 27, 1878, and never left his roots despite becoming a world famous athlete.

Gotch died at the age of 39 on Dec. 16, 1917, of kidney failure in his home, what is now 110 6th Street North in Humboldt. 
Frank Gotch gave so much to Humboldt and the state of Iowa and to erect a large statue of Gotch is one way to recognize somebody who was an inspiration to many and recognizes the values that make Humboldt and Iowa so special. The committee feels it is time to give back and enhance the Gotch legacy.

During Gotch’s heyday, many promoters in New York, Chicago, Des Moines and Omaha urged Gotch to move to a larger city. New York promoters told Gotch “You can sell out Madison Square Garden and you’ll make so much money.”

Frank told them, “I was born an Iowa farm boy. I was raised an Iowa farm boy and I’ll die an Iowa farm boy.”
Frank Gotch had so much loyalty to this town and community. He has brought so much notoriety, this would be a very strong and long-lasting gesture. It would also be another great way to promote Humboldt as a commu-nity and provide an added tourist attraction that members of the committee would like to see expand over time.

The committee is seeking pledges to raise funds to erect a bronze statue. Persons who donate funds will have their names engraved on a brick walkway that will surround the Gotch statue.

Your help in any way, large or small, would go a long ways toward helping preserve the Frank Gotch Legacy in Humboldt and the state of Iowa. Donations are tax deductible to the extent offered by law.

Persons wishing to donate to the project assist in the effort, should contact Tonya Harklau at 515-332-3285. She can also be reached at 902 8th Avenue North, Humboldt, Iowa 50548. She can also be reached by email at harklauj@goldfieldaccess.net.