Adali Halil

No World Wrestling Champion Was Left to Defeat

The big hall was buzzing with noises. The wrestling fans who thought that their wrestler was death jumped to the stage with closed fists. Halil was throwing everyone reaching to the stage just like throwing a basket.
Adali Halil was a monumental name among the big names of Kirkpinar. Kirkpinar oil wrestling tournament never started without him after his death.

His grave was always visited before the start of every Kirkpinar oil wrestling tournament. His burial place was always visited while it was located in the backyard of Kasimpasa Burial Mosque alongside river Danube, and in his new place in the city.

Adali Halil was born in the Kilise village of Ada town near the river Maritza now located outside the borders of Turkey in 1870-1871. His first name comes from the name of his birthplace.

Although Adali had sometime become intemperate, he was beloved so much by residents of Edirne. His whole life passed with struggle. He was especially known to fall into abject poverty during Balkan Wars.

The date he died was inscripted on his tombstone. However, this date was wrong according to Atif Kahraman and should be corrected.

İsmail Habib Sevuk, who was a person close to Adali Halil, narrates that he is safeguarding items such as medals, cups and staffs as a hard evidence the invincibility of Adali Halil in his house with an understanding of “sacred memoir"

Unfortunately, Today it become impossible to find belongings of Adali Halil.

Retired Major Mehmet Goklen, who was related with Adali Halil through his mother who was the first wife of the son of Adali martyrized in the Balkan Wars, said that a Jew took away all the photographs and personal belongings of Adali.

The mother of Retired Major Mehmet Goklen had made her first marriage with Emin, the son of Adali Halil. The house of AdaIi Halil was in Kirishane in Tas Mektep side near the Bulgarian Church. A wall was passing in the land their house located.

According to Mehmet Goklen, "Adali Halil was practicing by hitting with his hands to the main girder in his porch for one hour every morning." One of the wrestlers to whom Adali Halil was defeated was Hergeleci İbrahim. This wrestling match of Adali Halil vs. Hergeleci İbrahim was held in a place near Edirne, and "The victory of Hergeleci İbrahim, who was famous for his technique, was talked for a long time.

People ask Alico, “Tell us, who do you, think will be the champion wrestler after you quit wrestling?"

Alico pointed towards a young man wrestling in category "deck" and says, “This boy, I think he is a gypsy. He would become a head wrestler in three or four years."Alico was the master of Adali Halil.

A journalist asks Adali Halil in an interview, “What is the secret of being a head wrestler?" Adali Halil responds: “There are two main secrets in being a head wrestler. The first one is to be stronger, and the second is being fearless." Another question to Adali, "What do you think about the boxing which is the favorite sport of these days?". Adali responds by showing his long arms, “These arms may possibly punch the opponent, but they did not allow their owner to be punched," After that he continues with a sigh, “When we were young, boxing was not a popular sport." The main important question to Adali, “What was the most exciting wrestling match in your career?" Adali responds, “The most exciting event of not only my wrestling career, but also my life happened in USA. It was so exciting that I was almost dying."

Adali Halil's USA Adventure

Narrated by Ismail Habib Sevuk:

"It was the last year of the nineteenth century. Adali Halil goes to USA. He travels from Boston to Chicago, from New York City to other cities. Adali Halil was fighting one night with a wrestler given so much importance by the Americans. His opponent was very quick and fast. Adali was not able to catch his opponent. His opponent was running from Adali all the time. Adali becomes so angry. Finally, he catches his opponent. Adali Halil begins to crush his opponent. At that moment, a noise like a "crack" is heart. While searching for something fell on the floor, Adali saw that his opponent fell on the floor.

Adali starts to wait for people to come to help his unconscious opponent. What is that! The big hall was buzzing with noises. The wrestling fans who thought that their wrestler was death jumped to the stage with closed fists. Halil was throwing everyone reaching to the stage just like throwing a basket.

Spectators who see this situation goes crazy. The fists starts to fly in the air. Shouting increase. The spectators turns into a terrible wave. The cold sweat pouring from his brow, Adali is being faced with death.

The lynching voices from the crowd turns into a death clamor. Like a lion prisoned in a cage, Adali Halil doesn't know what to do.

Suddenly, Adali Halil heard a strong sound in Turkish over all the noises in English, “Wrestler.......run away from the side door of the stage. Don't stop......" Don't stop..... "Adali Halil runs.....

Note: It was found year later that the person who yelled to Adali Halil to run was Ismail Yildiz of Gozkoylu village of SebinKarahisar-Su Sehri town who had arrived in the USA with an adventurous voyage in order to work in the USA.

The last years of Adali Halil passed in poverty. With the help of his fans, he worked for a time in the Easter Tobacco Company as a worker on a daily wage basis. He died of pneumonia not being cured due to abject poverty. It is said that he caught cold when he went to cut firewood.

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