HAD IT OFF PAT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 143, 20 June 1938, Page 14

HAD IT OFF PAT.

MEEHAN’S VICTORY. FRALEY’S FIRST DEFEAT, t i referee takes a hand. 1 The referee took a hand in the wrestling match at the Town Hall on Saturday night, but it was the hand of Patrick Meehan, 16.4, of Canada—and that was how “Cowboy” Pat Fraley lost his first j match in New Zealand this on a I disqualification. With Meehan one fall iup and the going pretty even, hraley I whipped on his flying toehold in the j seventh and hung on. The referee, Mr. I Jack McLean, pulled him off after awarding the fall, talked very severely to Mr. ' Fraley, and then, when Meehan still gave no indication of being able to carry on, awarded Meehan the match. All that sounds very complicated, but then a wrestling referee has a very complicated job. In him must be vested the agility of a hare, the watchfulness of the fox, the severity of a stern parent (and/or traffic cop) and the understanding of an Irish policeman on New Year's Eve. It is not surprising that he sometimes gets ’ them mixed up, particularly when “the j boys’’ will be boys. That was the way of iit on Saturday night. You see, there was ■ the little matter of a “back-breaker" I applied on Meehan in Wellington a week !or two back, when Fraley won after i incapacitating the other Patrick. On the Spot. ■ So right at the start Meehan fixed his .steel-blue eyes on Mr. Fraley, and both 1 they and his demeanour generally said. . "Well, I'll get you. my man, anyway." ■ However, Fraley made the pace at the start, head-tossing Meehan, jolting him, • and using a knee to the stomach as an aperitif. But, as “King Kong" has it. when some “tough bozo starts some’p'n.” | then is the time to “bean him on the | melon.” and that vegetarian advice j Patrick Meehan 00k with good measure jin the second. Fraley had taken him in a barred toehold and wristlock, ami the ' referee buzzed round excitedly. “Had ; enough?" . . “No! No! I'll tell you." said Meehan, and then . . “Whaeko!” A I whipping right took Fraley under the jaw j and sent him flying. He came again. ! though: threw Meehan in a halch ami ; applied his wristloek to hold it until I Meehan broke with a head-scissors at the ■ gong. I Retreating from a volley of jolts. I Meehan suddenly launched a butt in the 1 third, and Fraley headed for the plains : outside the ropes; came bark wiHi more : jolts, and took another punch. Halched again Meehan came on top with a rockingchair splits, was taken in a wristlock, but ■ got another sly one across by imitating the referee's taps on Fraley's back, and added a jolt or two for good measure. ( Fraley used his knee again to break a nead-scissors, but was held in a toehold at the gong. “Ref! Ref!” I brough the fourth they were at evens. Meehan attacking with scissors holds ami <i:i attempt at a boston crab, while stopping a few jolts err route. .Jolts and *m open-hander at Meehan's face opem-d the filth, with Mr. McLean telling Fraley with decision that he wouldn't warn him again. However, Meehan stopped one or two mor.* punch<*H and went m hard. He < unver ted a Trammel I<» k to a wristloek. and put in the pressure. Twice it was broken, but again he got it. and suddenly rraley was shouting "Ref. Ref!” Mr. McLean promptly awarded a fall to Meehan though Fraley protested aiterj wards, that he had not submitted. | Again Meehan went for the wristloek | m the sixth, but fingers in his face stopped that, and the Canadian was down in a 1 hard head-scissots. Aleeljan came out of 1 that with a wristloek again, but was taken in a lying splits. However. Meehan was on top again with a short-arm I scissor s at the gong. 1 So to the seventh, with blood on the j moon right at the start. Fraley went in with his elbows flying, and five jolts connected. but Meehan fought back. and following up two hard ones he threw Fraley off two forward headlocks. A third-- but Fraley dropped sideways, tripped Meehan and whipped on his flvingtoehold. Meehan gave in, but pandemonium reigned (with cries of “Disqualify I Fraley!") as Patrick the Cowboy, refused J to be pulled off the recumbent ex-Mountie. ; He was cleared at last, protesting, with I Mr. McLean giving him the end of his tongue. As Meehan attempted to get up. ! but didn't succeed, Mr . McLean took I action. He raised Meehan’s hand . . . I "Well! I II . . ." Mr. Fraley was annoyed. IHe slammed the mat. Justice, appalently, was “the bunk!"

Fast Preliminary. The preliminary professionals are improving with each match, and on Saturday Rod Douglas, 13.8, and F. Irvine, 13.6. fought out a fast-action five-round draw, with no falls. There wasn’t a dull moment in it, with both executing their holds well. Mr. Jim Brown was referee, and Messrs. Browne and Heald were judges of the amateurs, who were hard-working but slow. B. Norton, 14.0, beat N. McGregor. 13.8, with a press fall in the first. K. Brewer, 9.10. was slightly ahead on points against T. Govorko. 9.6, but it was a heavy push-pull affair. Once, though, t..-y nearly went to the mat. BOUT AT GREYMOUTH. KENNEDY AND MOEN DRAW. (By •Telegraph. — Press Association.) GREYMOUTH, Sunday. Before only a fair crowd at the Town Hall last night, Jack Kennedy, 16.4, drew with Andy Moen, 16.8, one fall each. It was one of the most spectacular professional wrestling bouts witnessed in Greymouth.