At His Peak

Frank stood 5 feet and eleven inches tall at his peak, and weighed 210 pounds. He weighed 195 when he began competing as a professional in 1899 but continued to add muscular weight for the next decade and a half. He was very strong, basically from hard work on the farm as a lad and from a very good genetical base (his three brothers were also powerful men). He worked with wall pulleys to some degree, but never lifted weights, as did Hackenschmidt. Frank played a lot of handball to help increase his speed and reflexes, and believed in running. While preparing for his matches with Hackenschmidt, he would go on 5 to 10 mile runs through the gently sloping hills around Humboldt.

Here's how George Barton, sports editor of the Minneapolis Star and Tribune and the No. 1 wrestling writer of his era, described Gotch: He was "a remarkable physical specimen. He was tremendously strong, amazingly fast and catlike in movements. Frank was master of all holds on offense and blocks for these holds on defense. He also mastered leverage to the nth degree and was the last word in courage."

According to most experts, Gotch had three qualities which separated him from the other great wrestlers: (1) his quickness, (2) his understanding of technique, basically from years of training with Farmer Burns, and (3) his incredible endurance. He never seemed to tire out, against any foe.