VARIED WRESTLING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 81, 3 October 1944, Page 7

VARIED WRESTLING

MAORI, PLEASES THE CROWD

Varied styles were seen at the Wellington Town Hall last night when a triple professional wrestling bill was presented to a well-filled house. The contestants were all New Zealand bred and trained, three of them being i'rom the north and the remainder from Wellington, and, on the whole, the displays they gave were well enjoyed by the crowd.

The high light of the. evening was provided by Frank Boric (Auckland), 15st 111b, and Tal Yates (13st 81b), a Maori from Dargaville. Boric was seen in Wellington earlier in the season when he met Arthur Read, and there was much speculation as to whether his. new opponent could match him better than Read did. Yates, as it happened, proved to be the favourite of the night. He lost the bout by one fall, but he was imbued -with a sense of humour which the spectators greatly appreciated; particularly as it provided a marked contrast to the workmanlike efficiency of his opponent. Boric again showed himself to be a particularly fine wrestler and handled his playful opponent without. difficulty, though once again he had a marked advantage in weight. '

The other Aueklander was Bill Norton (13st 61b), a powerful but somewhat dour performer who beat Frank Moses (Wellington), 12st 111b, by one fall. Norton has competed with success iv important amateur tournaments and his wrestling still bears the stamp of the amateur style, being almost wholly without frills. Moses tried at times to make him play up, but Norton was content to' follow his own inclinations, and' though there was a lot of merit in his performance, the crowd became rather impatient with the contest before it was over.

The professional side of the programme was feent.away to a lively, start by two local men, Jack Prestney (list 91b) and Bert Monastra. (list 21b), who wrestled a draw with a fall apiece. As usual the pair kept things moving at a fast clip, Introduced plenty of variety, and were always ready to do something' to keep the crowd amused, f Prestney took the first fall with a flying body scissors, and -Monastra equalised in the final round with a fall following jolts and a dump. Mr. Kay Allen was the Teferee. Results of the amateur preliminaries were:— P. Harris (Kilbirnie), lOst 31b, beat R. Gough (Kilbirnie), lOst 41b, by one fall; T. Rowell (Kilbirnie), 7st 81b, beat B. Lucas (7st 41b), on points; J. Henderson (Petone), 9st 31b, beat L. Nolan (Koolman'e), 9st, by one fall.

Mr. L. W. Woods was the referee.