GRÆCO-ROMAN WRESTLING.

THE HAMMERLOOK APPLIED. A match for £200 aside and the GrsecoReman championship of Australia was wrestled at Melbourne on April 5 between Professor Miller, the well-known Australian athlete, and Duncan O. Ross, a recent arrival fiom Canada and an athlete of fame. A little more than a month ago these two althletes met in a similar contest at the Melbourne Athletic Club, when Miller was deolared the viotor, having won three falls to Ross' two. Miller, who weighed about 15at 41b, was seconded by his brother ; and Ross, weighing 14at 31b, waa seconded by the French wrestler Victor, The usual announcement having been made that the match would be decided by the best three falls in five, and that two shoulders on the floor constitute a fall, work was commenced. Miller won the first fall in 14min 22sec, bringing the American over on his Bhoulders with the arm-hold and half-Nelson. In the seoond bout Ross, after 13min 30sec wrestling, lifted Miller up and turned him on his shoulders. These two bouts demonstrated clearly (says the Argus) that though Miller was a much stronger man than Robs, the latter had almost a counter- balancing advantage in his agility and quickness. The wrestlers were covered with perspiration when they retired for the usual 15 minuteß' reßt. The third bout was Bhort, lasting 9min 45seo, and brought the match to an abrupt and unfortunate termination, The.wrestlera reappeared on the stage, and started in a most determined fashion, Miller tried hard to put hi 9 opponent over with the neck-hold, but failed in every attempt, the American having wonderful facility for slipping his head out of the noose. Presently Ross was brought down on all fours, and in a moment Miller scoured what he had vainly Btriven for in the first two bouts— viz,, the hammerlook, that treaoherous hold which was first introduced here by the late Clarence Whistler, and applied with unmerciful force to Miller himself, Since then the hold has been recognised by all Grteeo-Roman wrestlers in Melbourne as perfectly legitimate, and as the securing of it is practically the same thing as winning a fall, it may easily be understood that wrestlers are always ready to take advantage of it. It simply means bending the arm round on to the baok, and forcing it upwards until, in some cases, the hand is made to reach the he^d. When a man is down on his knees and pinioned in this fashion he must either turn clean over on to his shoulders or have his arm broken. This ia exactly the position in which Ross was placed on Saturday, and instead of going over he put the stop on, or, in other words, resisted, until his j arm was partially wrenched out of the socket, and he was placed hors de combat. The ever demonstrative Victor, the most keen observer of the struggle all through, and who was as visibly effected by every move of the wrestlers aB a barometer by the weather, saw what was happening, and rushed at Miller and pushed him off his victim. He then placed his foot under Ross' shoulder, and pulled the arm into its place again. Miller's brother then made a plunge at Victor to strike him, but the latter jumped back and explained why he had pushed Miller off Ross. The whole proceeding was of Buch momentary duration that even those who were on the stage did not at first see any justification for Victor's interference, and the latter appeared to be the only person who noticed Ross' painful predicament, The referee states that when he saw the hammerlock on he asked Ross if be would give the fall, and that the latter made no reply. Victor states that he called out " a fall," " a fall," before he pushed Miller away. Dr Moore and Dr J. E. Usher examined Ross' arm, and found that no bones were broken. Dr TJsher considered that Victor had done right in pulling the arm into the sooket again, and said that the Bevere wrench that the arm had got had e trained the outer muscle so aB to disable the arm, though for a time only. Ross was therefore unable to continue the match, and the spectators were accordingly informed of the circumstance, and Miller was deolared the winner amidst cheers. Both men addressed the audience. Ross was sorry he could not wrestle any more that day, and Miller explained that he was beaten by the hammerlook by Whistler when he knew nothing about it, but that now he knew the hold.