KENNETH HAS WHAT IT TAKES—BUT HE TOOK IT!

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 177, 29 July 1941, Page 10

KENNETH HAS WHAT IT TAKES—BUT HE TOOK IT!

You can't make a racehonse out of a draught—unless you are a commercial ■traveller and the general idea is a Patriotic Fund gymkhana, and even t'hcu the darned old prad still looks like a draught. WJik-h id jutt saying, in a different sort' of way, that you can't make a silk puree out ol a eow'e car. But Ken. Kenneth, 36.4 of solid Xe\v Zealand flesh, ibono <ind Wood, is neither draught nor sow —and he proved to the satisfaction or the wrestling populace last night t'hut you can epend good long years of your youth in the preliminary division and etill produce the goods when you at last get a chance to push the "'big boye" about. The crowd at "he Town Hall saw Ken in violent action against "Wildcat" Joe Corbett, of Boston, U.S.A., and they affirmed both in voice and eager attention that Ken had what* i f . takes. That he also took it, to the tune of one fall against ■him and lots of hard knocks, is equally not to ibe gainsaid. That fall Joe gained in the sixth, -when Ken missed -with a drop-kick and came down on his back . . . an easy victim to a press. Ken Has Long Legs It was hard luck in a way, 'but he took the risk in using drop-kicks—and, in any case, luck works both ways in "wrestling, and it may be his 'turn next time. Ken shouldn't worry, anyhow. It was as good and even a bout as the crowd could Slope , for, and he won't lose customers over it. .Lots of 'things -were learned about" the lad from Helensville ami places north last night. For one tiling, it was noticed — even without the insistence of the somewhat exhilarated gentleman at the rear of the Press bench—that Ken Jiad long legs. They kept getting in all sorts of awkward places about Corbett's anatomy, and they annoyed him. And Joe wasn't called "■Wildcat"" for nothing. When he's annoyed he shows it. He grubs hair by the handful. He lifts his knee with malice aforetihought. He uses a net when a jolt would be more strictly in etiquette, and he is even known to fry out a tentative •eye-gouge. All of which is highly regrettable from the referee's standpoint. Highly irritating from 'his opponent's, and hugely diverting from ■the crowd's. From Straight to Slam-bash Mr. Jack McLean remonstrated, and Ken took sterner measures. Xormally calm and business-like, he became animated and ibusiness-like. Shifting his big frame with surprising 6wiftn-?es lie launched a jolting tblitz that landed Joe outide the ropes near a dozen times. That jolt of his haen't the thunderous, drama-tic quality of Lofty'e, for instance, but it seems to get there. And that annoyed Joe some more, and started things in a. sort of ever- i decreasing vicious circle. Stalling oil" on a basis of solid mat" wrestling, it worked up to near hectic proportions at the finish, with the two of them slugging it out with jolt's until Ken lowered Joe in an Indian <leathlock that had him in trouble to the final gong. The upperhand seemed to rest with the young Xew Zealand party at The end, but that one fall ill the sixth gave the bout to Corbett. That Ibout proved one thing, anyway. Ken is established ae a firm favourite with the crowd. The Preliminaries Fred Irvine (14.6) and Bill Mclvor (14.10) spread themselves In the professional preliminary and provided five rounds of fast action "wrazzling." Bill was the attacker all the way and roused Fred to heights of indignation. It was good entertainment, and the drawn decision annoyed no one. Mr. F. Murphy refereed the amateurs, with Messrs. G. Heald. H. J. Ashby and C. W. Hall as Judges. C. Hammond (9.3) beat G. Moore (8.10) by straight falls; Private G. Lang (11.10) beat G. White (12.0) by one fall (White was injured); D. Harvey beat G. Howiscn (11.0) on points.