WITHOUT APOLOGY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 165, 14 July 1936, Page 17

WITHOUT APOLOGY.

WRESTLERS MIX IT. LOFTY AND LEATHERS DRAW. ; AMERICAN RESISTS CLAMP. Lofty Blomfield was born, and cultivated 1 has 16.0 in Auckland; Sam Leathers ' brought his 10.0 from America—but, applied to tehir wrestling at the Town Hall last night, the old saying, "When Greek meets Greek ..." certainly goes. So did they, from first to final gong, and the decision still leit partisans guessing who was the better mail. It was a draw, one fall each. That means another match at least, and if you are thinking of putting money on it—don't. You may be wrong. It was a match with a kick—yes, and an assortment of jolts, and a little knee, ear and hair work, and a few other things that the referee didn't sec —and there were thrills and excitement enough to last enthusiasts for several bouts. In addition there were questions for a dozen arguments. Both falls were doubtful. Leathers claimed the first ill the sixth with a figure four head-scissors that looked, to those at the ringside, suspiciously like a strangle. In the seventh Blomfield tied Leathers' • left leg up behind that wrestler's own head, and the referee, Mr. Charlie Pollard, gave a submission fall. Leathers protested vigorously that lie had not submitted. So there you are "He Can Take It." Then there was the octopus clamp in the last round. Lofty stood up in position for it for over half the ten minutes, and though Leathers could not stand up at the end the gong saved. him. The point was that Lofty did not have it on properly at any stage; he couldn't get his- balance and he couldn't get Leathers on his face so that the pressure could be applied on his spine. Nevertheless, to step into the American for a moment, it has to be handed to Leathers. He can take it. Both of them can hand it out. They proved that last night, and before that in the fact that they have each taken two falls from Earl McCready. On points last night the bout was Lofty's. Leathers, for all his slightly greyed grizzled hair, is a beautiful figure of a man. He has more the build of a runner, is rather small waisted for a wrestler, and he certainly seemed considerably more, than 61b lighter than the Aucklander. But he is fast, spectacular and he can "wrastle." Blomfield was aggressive from the start, handing out a taste of his jolt "medicine," but the American came in with elbows swinging, and when Lofty clapped on a wristlock swung over a leg | neatly t« break it. He followed it with a jiu-jitsu throw, and the rest was head scissors, with sauce flavouring in a little face pushing with foot and fingers. They were at it hard and fast in the sccond, Lofty replying to a little hair mussing with a kick and several jolts that sent Leathers to his knees. Sam was looking lots of things, and Lofty added to the fire by first tying his head in the ropes, then using Leathers' hair to break a wristlock. Sam came up fighting, tried for a drop-kick, had his hair and ears pulled, and then his legs tied up in the ropes. Lots of laughter— but, in a moment, Lojty was rushed to the corner, hoisted, and his legs beautifully triced up. Tit for tat And then some more; an arm-stretch oil Lotty became a strangle and was broken, but it was followed with a series ot head and leg throws that sent Lofty for cover under the ropes. He had his hair pulled' well and truly as he held Leathers in a sustained head scissors until the gong. Lofty Said "Thank You." Leathers tied himself up in the-,ropes when .Lofty side-stepped a rush following a hand-out of jolts, and a moment later the American was being frog-marched in a hammerlock round and round, niiumg escape only when r lumsell upon the third rope of the ring. And lliank you," said Lofty, with, a courtly gesture,as Mr. Pollard pulled Leathers hand from his ear. And there was more amusement a moment later whes Lofty, after being toppled out- of the ring, took a short-arm scissors. Suddenly' he yelled and let go"Where did he bite you, Lofty, came a call, and it had some point, 'lwice Head thrown, Lofty was caught in a bwedisli clamp and then a double arm spissors. In turn he applied a hard standing splits, and then after a jolt or two a lieadloclv, and the gong came with a warning tor Lofty for bringing up his knee liaid to Leathers' head. . Crowd excitement was growing with each round as both men tried a piece ot everything, Lofty specialising in his favourite jolts, but taking a tew himself, and suffering a little hair-pulling. In a tangle both went through the ropes, and Lofty added to the entertainment by stepping heavily on his opponent as he stood up. Leather was held in a head scissors, but again it was tit for tat. In the nttii the same tactics applied, Leathers being held in wristlock, body scissors and then double arm scissors, and then each trying out the efficacy of " frog-marching with hammerlocks applied. There was variety as Lofty, held in a head scissors, -replied with a body scissors and had his legs plucked. He was trying for his clamp at the; gong. Two Falls, and • A series of jolts roused "the gipsy" in Leathers, and he let the Aucklander have it with a series of jolts, leg threw liim and clapped oil a figure-four head-scissors that put Blomfield's shoulders to the mat. A fall to Leathers. From then on 'Blomfield let him have it. With jolts and a body scissors lie P ie " pared the way, followed it with a head scissors, and more jolts, head throws and more jolts, but Leathers came up to butt him off. Leathers went down again in a flying mare, and Lofty tried to pick him up for a dump. The American avoided it, and went in hard with his elbows swinging, to follow with a body scissors. Lofty came out of it to take Leathers left leg up behind the Americans head. J? or a minute he held it there while Leatlieis writhed and then he was awarded a submission fall. Leathers advanced threateningly when freed, P rot ® st '"| vigorously that* lie had not submitted, but the referee ordered him to his corner. Leathers went in. hard for the eighth and punished him in head locks, but he was butted off, and under a head throw got out of the ropes.; As he came in l e was thrown three times and Blomfield picked him up . for a dump. He missed it, however, and was taken in a Kuie four head scissors. He broke it, a'ld followed up a jolting match, with a leg tup, clapping on his octopus clamp, lor two minutes and a half he fought to , a P p , y , properly while Leather rested on his head or shoulder and gripped Lofty s ankle. He fell once, got up again with the clamp still on and then fell into the ropes, the referee breaking it up. Leathers sat; in the rones stalling for time, but lie_ was dragged in, and again Blomfield applied the clamp to the weakened 1 Leathers would not submit, and the„ong came in time to save him. He was still on the floor unable to move his legs softie minutes after the bout ended—the lesult a draw, one fall each.

The Amateurs. M March, 14.1, and Irvine. 14.7, wrestled a draw, one fall each. Neither was very accomplished at the mat game as it goes, but Irvine was ahead on points all the way. V Harvev. 9.2, beat C. Hammond, 9.A bv one fall in the second round of a bright bout. He took it with an octopus clamp applied with the hands. _ H Young, 12.7, and A. Aspm, It./, wrestled a draw, one fall each. Aspm f ;;s fis zf&Jrunn** much separating them. In the special four-round cliallenpe bout making most of the play*