A GALLIC GESTUREFROM AUSTRALIA

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 174, 20 April 1937, Page 10

A GALLIC GESTURE—FROM AUSTRALIA

Wrestler Kisses His Opponent Wellington wrestling enthusiasts at the Town Hall last night were profoundly shockeel to see a burly, battered, and bleeding Australian mat man, winner of one of the amateur contests in the intercolonial Test match, rush at his defeated, and also bleeding, opponent and imprint an affectionate kiss on his grimy cheek. This breach of mat tradition took place at the close of a particularly hard-fought bout, in which both contestants had sustained split eyebrows and were in consequence bloodstained and weary by the time the gong brought them respite. There was a tense pause while the judges passed in their decisions; then the winner was announced. Swept off his feet, perhaps, by the sweetness of victory, he cantered across the ring and embraced the New Zealander, who was too surprised to put up much resistance. The gesture was greeted by catcalls from ringside wags. “00, la, la 1 (Test I’amour!” shouted someone. “Wrestling gets more like boxing every year!” complained another.