Choque: The Untold Story of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil 1856-1949 (Volume 1) (26 page)

The Street

Life and death went on in Rio. On January 11, a widowed nurse named Rosa Del Aguila, age 31, of rua Marechal Floriano n. 170, died from a skull fracture. She had been hit by a car several days before while crossing Praça da Republica. On rua Coronel Rangel, a 21 year old man named Guiomar Olympia da Silveira, age 21, of avenida Suburbana n. 3.048, tried to kill himself by jumping in front of a
bonde
[street car, tram]. The driver was skillful and stopped in time to avoid crushing Guiomar, who received only brusies for his trouble and was transported back home. At 5 a.m., a ship owner named Luiz Cypriano Medina, age 35, married, a native of Cabo Verde, of rua do Propsito n. 42, decided to end it all. He had serious money problems. Luiz drank poison, cut his throat with a razor, and then jumped into the ocean at Cáes do Pharoux. Two nearby residents, Oscar Jose Alves and Miguel Gomes de Britto, heard the commotion and pulled Luiz out of the water. He was in serious condition and absolutely determined to die.
95

***

Geo Smith challenged Geo Omori immediately after the Fernandes contest. Omori accepted and the match was made for September 15, 1932 at Cine Theatro Central in Nichteroy, organized by Empresa Pachoal Segreto-Moraes. Paschoal Segreto was the man who introduced professional jiu-jitsu to Rio, among many other forms of middle-class and family entertainment. He was keeping the tradition alive across the generations. He handed the reins over to his nephews, Paschoal Segreto Sobrinho and Affonso Segreto Sobrinho.
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Not much is known about Geo Smith. He was said to be the luta livre champion of
England and Germany,
97
and had fought Jayme Ferreira, in a preliminary to George Gracie versus Mario Aleixo in 1931. He and his brother performed acrobatics in the Gracie jiu-jitsu versus capoeiragem extravaganga in the summer of 1931. They were described as “well-known luta livre champions [“
conhecidos campeãos de luta livre
”].
98
In some reports his name was spelled “Schmith,” indicating a German background. It is possible that he was simply an all-around strongman jack-of-all-trades type, ready to do whatever was needed.
99

The Omori versus Smith match was scheduled for
an unlimited number of 5-minute rounds. There would a 2-minute rest between rounds. The match would continue until there was a winner. Also scheduled to fight were Saburo Senda versus Tavares Crespo.
100

Takashi Namiki, five days after his
eight rund manhandling of Helio Gracie, would face Portuguese luta livre “champion” Sebastião Victorino. These were jiu-jitsu matches with no round limits. Rounds were 5 minutes with 2 minutes rest. Geo Smith and Vico Tadeu would perform an exhibition of strength and gymnatstics [
um exhibição de foçca, combinada e gymnatica plastica
]. To cap it off, there would also be a movie.
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No results were reported and no mention was ever made of it in any subsequent news article. Since it was to be held in a theatre, the two most frequent reasons for postponements, football games and rain, did not apply, and postponements, when they occured, were announced. The program probably was cancelled.

It was the last that was heard of Namiki. Saburo was scheduled to fight in the 1936 Geo Omori versus Peçanha fight.

The fight was planned and marketed but apparently didn’t happen. It isn’t unusual for information to be missing for small shows in out of the way places, or anywhere outside of
Rio, but Omori versus Peçanha was not small and it was in Rio. The fact that there was no result published in any paper (that we know of), and never mentioned again suggests that it was either cancelled or postponed indefinitely [
sine-die
].

But the fact that he was scheduled to fight indicates that Saburo Senda was still around in 1936. Omori continued fighting. In fact, he stepped up his pace. As far as quantity went, he had few peers.

Fred Ebert

North American “Catcher” Fred Ebert arrived in
Rio on Tuesday September 29. His first order of business was to introduce himself to the Rio press.

He had just previously been to
Porto Alegre, Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Montevideo, Santiago de Chile and other places, he informed reporters. He had been a member of the American Olympic team in the Antwerp games, 1920, where he was champion of greco-roman wrestling.

He was also former world luta livre champion [
ex-campeao olympico de luta romana e mundial de luta livre
]. He was German-American [
teuto-americano
]. He fought Jim Londos for 2 hours in 1929. He was 174 cm. tall and planned to stay in Rio for about six weeks. He had defeated Zbyszko and Strangler Lewis [
vencedor do Zbysko e Strangler Lewis
]. He planned to challenge Geo Omori, Roberto Ruhmann, Manoel Fernandes, Dudú, Namiki and any other fighters in Rio. He was a practitioner of “catch-as-catch-can” locally known as luta livre. The writer provocatively asked, “who will accept Ebert’s challenge?”.
102

The next day,
A Noite
filled in some additional details about Ebert.

He was born in
California. His parents were German. He entered the ring as an amateur in 1915, until 1921 when he went pro. He fought Jim Londos, in Boston in 1929, for 2 1/2 hours to a draw. He defeated Strangler Lewis, Joe Stecker, and Erl [
sic
] Cadok. He became world champion after his second fight with Lewis which he won, in Los Angeles. In India, he defeated Gama, who had never before been bested by a white man. He defeated Zbyszko in 2 minutes.

Ebert never stopped traveling in search of glory and money [
sempre viajanda em busca de gloria e dinheiro
]. He went to Australia, where he defeated two of the country’s best wrestlers, At [
sic
] Santal and Conde Zaranoff. He defeated English champion Walker Georges in New Zealand. Then he went to Panama and Peru, where he fought and never lost, and in Chile where he also defeated Quintin Romero Rojas. Finally he was in Montevideo (Uruguay) where he became champion of South America after vanquishing Argentine champion Georges Briola, among others. Ebert never really lost his title of world champion but rather conceded it to Jim London when he beat Shikat in New York. Ebert came to Rio to challenge anyone who wanted to fight him.
103

Another Chance

Despite his quick loss to Oswaldo Gracie in 1931, João Baldi wanted another crack at a jiu-jitsu master. He did what most people did, he challenged Geo Omori.

Omori declined, saying Baldi was too heavy. Baldi responded that Omori easily beat Youssuf [“
venceu bem, como quando quiz
”], and Youssuf weighed the aame as Baldi, so why not me? Baldi asked.
104

In the mean time, Omori accepted Ebert’s challenge for a luta livre match, saying that it would be an honor to fight an “authentic champion”
.
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The next day it was announced that Omori would fight Helio Gracie on October 8. Omori insisted that fight be “
bolsa ao vencedor”
[winner take all]. Simultaneously, Roberto Ruhmann challenged Ebert, offering to pay him 5,000$ if Ebert could resist his famous headlock.
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While this was going on, the Omori versus Fernandes rematch was announced for October 1.

Omori versus Fernandes I terminated after six hard fought rounds in a draw [
empate
]. The October 3 “tie-breaker” [
desempate
], to be held at São Cristovão Athletic Club, would have no time limit; the fight would continue until there was a winner [“s
em limite de round…Irá até que haja um vencedor
”] which would be determined only by “give up” or KO.
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All offensive techniques were permitted except biting, pulling the hair or ears, fingers in the eyes, low blows, punches and kicks [
dentadas
,
puxões de cabellos, e orelhas, soccos
,
dedos nos olhos
,
golpes baixos
,
and ponta-pés
].

Fernandes was training with Fred Ebert, who was training with Dudú.
108

There were three preliminary matches. The first a jiu-jitsu match between Saburo Senda and Ouchido. Saburo was “
o garoto japonez”
[the Japanese kid]. Oucida was the Japanese coach [“
technico japonez
”]. The fight would be five 5-minute rounds. The winner could only be determined by give up or KO. As there was a round limit, an
empate
[draw] was impossible.

There was also a
five round luta livre match between Jayme Martins Ferreira and Amilcar Fortes, and a three round capoeiragem match between Euclydes Lucio “Velludinho” and Eduard o de Oliveira, o “Perna de Ouro”.
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The semi-final was a
ten round boxing match with 4 ounce gloves between Peruvian Emilio Palestine and Mario Francisco.
110

In addition to the preliminary fights, Fred Ebert the “catcher” who had drawn with Jim Londos [
o ‘catcher’ que empatou com Jim Londos
] would conduct a two 10-minute round “
luta academica
” [exhibition] of luta livre with the assisstance of local hero Dudú.
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The fight had been promoted as a no time limit fight to the finish in order to avoid a repeat of the first fight.
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As often happened, things did not work out that way.

The fight started out actively. Fernandes appeared to be better shape than in the September 3 outing. In the
third round, Omori threw Fernandes, who rolled out of the ring, being injured in the process [
contundiu-se
]. In view of that and the fact that the regular rounds were finished, referee Gumercindo Taboada awarded the victory to Omori.
113

Reports of the fight were not detailed, indicating that there may have been lulls in the action. That was obviously something that could happen in any fight. Promoters often prepared for that possibility by scheduling a little of every type of fight, and often demonstrations of one style or another, or gymnastics or anything else that could please the crowd while promoting upcoming events.

The Saburo Senda versus Ouchida jiu-jitsu match was violent and hard-fought, but lacked sensational exchanges. It ended in a draw. Jayme Ferreira forced Amilcar Fortes to concede in the fourth round. Well into middle age, Ferreira continued undefeated in luta livre in his weight class.

Significantly, Ebert’s “
luta academica
” with Dudú was the high point of the evening. [
A exhibição de Fred Ebert foi sensacional e constituiu a melhor oparte do espectaculo
]. Reading the reviews, smart fighters, astute managers, and wily promoters might have calculated that they could satisfy the paying customers while taking less pain and punishment if they introduced some planning into their fights. How much was the obvious question?

The writing was o
n the wall.

Omori belatedly responded to Baldi’s recent challenge, saying that he didn’t reply sooner because he was busy preparing for the Fernandes fight. Needless to say, he would be delighted to fight Baldi.
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Omori versus Baldi didn’t happen. But Omori and Ebert had challenged each other, and Ebert only planned to be around for about six weeks. Arrangements were speedily made. Baldi would still be available if an opponent was needed. He challenged Ebert as well as Omori.

Jiu-Jitsu versus “Catch”

Ebert was exciting because he was new, he was foreign, and he was temporary. He also had an impressive (if exaggerated) resumé. It gave the press ample material to work with. Could Omori resist the man who vanquished Zby
szko and Strangler Lewis? Could Omori do what current world champion Jim Londos couldn’t do in 1929, beat Ebert? We will have to see tomorrow, the newspapers informed readers. Gamblers were putting their money on the “lutador yankee de catch as catch can” (Ebert), and one couldn’t find any member of the local “yankee” community who thought there was any possibility of him losing.
115

For the first time the fans would be able to see someone who knew how to put into practice “real catch as catch can”.
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The fight took place Saturday October 8, at São Christovão Athletic Club. There would be six 10-minute rounds.

Inexplicably, at the last minute, Omori requested that
cabeçadas
[head butts] not be allowed. Ebert agreed. The fans vehemently disapproved. The lack of
cabeçadas
made the match more conventional than decisive.

The fight was a
disappointment. “The fight from the first to the last round was without action, as though the fighters were cluelessly waiting for the final bell to ring, punctuated by a few throws”.
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Ebert’s reputation, the press build-up, and his recent impressive demonstration with Dudú had misled the fans into expecting a more action-packed battle. As often happened, they were disappointed. It was a fight without great significance [
luta sem maior significação
]. The fans were left wondering whether Omori was really so extraordinary, or whether Ebert genuinely tried to apply his skills They also did not like the fact that the number of rounds was fixed and that
cabeçadas
and
ponta-pés
[front kicks] were not used.
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