THE WAUPACA POST

January 25, 1894

 

A WALKAWAY

 

            The Dane’s Home hall was well filled to see the champion of the Northwest and Southwest, Prof. Chas. A. Uhl (Frank Crawford) weight 196, and a little fellow over here from Ogdensburg called Sim Shambeau, wrestle; collar and elbow was the style.  It proved a poor style for Crawford; it made him appear awkward.  Mr. Shambeau, after digging potatoes and husking the corn, told some of the ‘Berg boys he would wrestle the champion heavy weight to show them that he was quite a wrestler himself.  Of course, the big man didn’t want to wrestle without there was a little money in sight, as wrestling was his profession, and the way he makes his living.  Mr. Shambeau favored him with a purse of $25, while Frank Stout was called upon by Mr. Crawford to put up, which he did.  Shambeau got the first fall; every man excepting three of the great congregation let their voices out, and the consequences were to put on a new lot of shingles on the roof; the yelling could be distinctly heard nearly all over the entire city.  The next round was given to Crawford as Shambeau broke his hold. The third round Shambeau threw him heavily; Crawford came down “heavy as a rock”.  Then the band played “Jim Flinigan’s Wake”, Crawford got hot at the referee and claimed he wasn’t treated right, and a few “cracks” brought the referee to his feet, who soon make Mr. Crawford take his chair and then Crawford asked for the loan of the referee’s shoes, as he wanted to kick the shins of his contestant; while changing shoes times was called, Crawford got mad and wouldn’t wrestle the finish, and the match was awarded to Shambeau.  Mr. Stout called to Shambeau and asked him if he wished to take the money without wrestling the match out, and he got the gentlemanly answer, “No sir.  I will wrestle this to a finish if Mr. Crawford so desires.”  They went at it and it was only a minute and a half before Crawford went down slick and clean.  There was never a wrestle in Waupaca that created so much excitement.  Shambeau was picked up from the floor and carried around the hall by his friends.