Wrestler Put To Sleep

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32031, 4 July 1969, Page 12

Wrestler Put To Sleep

The visiting Christie brothers demonstrated their sure-fire remedy for insomnia in the wrestling ring at the Civic Theatre last evening.

Their victim was the Samoan,. Tua Paapaa, who was rendered “momentarily unconscious,” according to the official medical officer in attendance, Dr A. S. Falla.

Paapaa had not really been ready for bed, but his forty winks under the effects of the slumber hold qualified as a fall for the Christie tag team and enabled them to draw the bout.

Paapaa’s partner, Frank Lipanovich—who comes from Jugoslavia—opened the proceedings by throwing down the gauntlet in the grand manner. With a great sense of occasion and a lofty, autocratic air, he slapped Bobby Christie’s face, leaving no doubt that a challenge had been issued. Virtuous Discretion The Christie brothers took it up, and within moments brother Bobby had Lipanovich creeping across the mat on his baric, hand stretched out imploringly towards his tag partner, Paapaa.

But Paapaa was still virtuously observing the rules of lag as early in the bout as that, and stayed out of the ring while he was out of reach. Jerry Christie felt no such qualms. When ever Lipanovltch (seemed close enough to make

the change-over, he leapt over the ropes and dragged him away by the foot. By round three the tide of battle had begun to flow the other way and Lipanovltch made good ol’ apple pie out of Brother Bobby’s Adam’s apple with a devastating throat chop. He followed it up with a triumphant body press and won a fall.

All-In Wrestling The fourth and fifth rounds were complete turmoil, with everyone in the ring at once many pious appeals to the referee, and lashings of underhand punches and hairpulling •t culminated in the familiar sloTt-motion set piece of headbutting—the Christie brothers’ heads tucked under their opponents* arms and clashing together like a pair of Rocky Mountains goats. The referee. Mr E. W. Pinches, never despaired of enforcing the rules, even in the face of fearful odds. He was the only one who cared about them, and round five was notable mostly for his missionary fervour in leaping bodily on to any offender and forcing him out of the ring. Paapaa came into his own with some tricky leg-work-catching Brother Jerry Christie in a foot-trap as he bounced off the ropes at about 30 m.p.h Between rounds the American? tried converting the referee tt their point of view with swee reason, but an aggressiv* stamp of his foot sent ther. scampering for their corner.

Happy With Decision Things degenerated quickl; after the successful equalisinj slumber-hold, and by the en< of round eight the referee’! main concern was untangling Brother Bobby from the ropes where Paapaa had him hanging like a great sloth. The resulting: decision seemed to satisfy everyone.

Results of amateur bouts were:

A. Teague (Crichton Cobbers Club). Bst 51b, beat M. Smith (C.C.C.), Bst; G. Stewart (C.C.C.). 9st, beat D. Collins (C.C.C.), Bst llib; K. McLaughlin (C.C.C.). 9st 111 b; H. Stewart (C.C.C.), 9st 121 b; H. Stewart (Toe H. Linwood), list 71b, beat R. Williams (Toe H. Linwood), list; P. Terei (Toe H, Linwood). 13st, beat P. Rugg (C.C.C.), 13st 91b.