THE WRESTLING BOOM

Evening Star, Issue 20310, 19 October 1929, Page 20

THE WRESTLING BOOM

LEADING ADMINISTRATOR HEBE INCREASING POPULARITY OF HAT GAME The rapid growth and development oi wrestling in New Zealand was the subject of a talk yesterday afternoon with Mr J. M. F. Connelly, who was the first foundation member of the New Zealand Wrestling Association, and who is on a- business visit to Dunedin. Mr Connelly has been associated with the mat game over a long period of years, and is well known in the sporting world. He was formerly treasurer of the Northern Boxing Association, of which he is still a vicepresident, and he has occupied a seat on the New Zealand Rowing Council.

Mr Connelly was one of the originators of the New Zealand Wrestling Association, -which came into being in 1922 and which not only controls the sport in Auckland,, but is recognised as the dominion controlling body. Prior to 1922 there was no organisation controlling wrestling, and that meant that matches were arranged which did the sport no good, and time and again the public was gulled by showmen. The need for a registered body to control the sport was apparent to all who had its interests at heart, but it was W. Tennant Colledge, a professional wrestler in Auckland, who took the necessary steps to establish the New Zealand Wrestling Association. It has as its objects the promotion and encouragement of amateur championships, and, when advisable, professional championships, to foster and encourage scientific wrestling in the dominion, to exercise a general supervision over the sport in New Zealand, and to govern and regulate amateur and professional wrestling. The association’s president to-day is Mr G. Henning, one time a well-known cyclist, who is well known in motor racing circles and is also associated with the Auckland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association.

The first contest under the auspices of the New Zealand Wrestling Association was for the middle-weight championship of New Zealand, the grapplers being Colledge and “Nugget” Thompson, both of Auckland. There was little public interest at that time, and the contest barely paid expenses, Colledge winning two falls out of three. Alex. Bain (a former world’s champion) was the referee. Much more interest was aroused in the contest between the Maori, Ike Robin, who has been one of the outstanding personalities of New Zealand wrestling, and M. A. Sunni, the Indian. That contest was for £1,500 stake money, which was recognised as the biggest stake money put up in any grappling contest in the world. It was a case of Hawke’s Bay and Auckland finding the money, and Mr Connelly is able to vouch for the_ amount as the stakes passed through his hands. Sunni deposited £7OO and £7OO was put down on behalf of Robin. The contest started about 9.30 p.m., and at 11.45 p.m. Robin got a fall when there was only a_ minute to go. There seemed little use in continuing, as the match was to finish at 12, the winner having to secure two falls out of the three. There was a big crowd present, and when Sunni emerged from his dressing room and walked into the_ ring there was a cry of “Where’s Robin?” Robin was brought up, but it was impossible to continue, and a doctor the following day announced that Sunni had injured Robin’s arm with a hammerlock, Robin thereupon asking for an extension of time for the resumption of the contest. Arrangements were finally made for the contest to take place, Robin’s former fall being cancelled. Robin was trained for the contest by Colledge, but the Sunni party was so confident of success that it increased the side stake by another £SO. Robin obtained the first fall in a few minutes and the second fall also in a few minutes, winning £1,500 for his stakeholder.

The next contest of any importance was that between Robin and Walter Miller, the middle-weight champion of the world, in 1925, the pair wrestling a draw. Robin was also matched with Stanilans Zybszko, the famous Polish wrestler. The first match ended in a draw, each securing a fall. They wrestled again a fortnight later, and the Polo won by securing one fall. In this contest Robin was most unfortunate. Ho held Zybszko in a hold and had him practically insensible. The timekeeper was unable to make himself heard in calling out “ one minute to go,” otherwise the Maori could have shifted his hold and pressed Zybszko’s shoulders to the mat. When the gong went for the termination of the bout, the Pole lay unconscious on the floor, and it took four men to carry him to his chair. Robin walked over and shook hands, being quite fresh, and when lie came to Zybszko wanted to know who had won. If Robin had managed to win that fall, he would almost certainly have won the next and the world’s heavy-weight championship. After the match the Pole said that Robin was the strongest man he had ever met, and the only one who had ever got a fall out of him. This referred to the first match, in which Robin used a headlock, a thing that even “ Strangler ” Lewis could not do with Zybszko. The latter’s manager wanted to take Robin to America, but the Maori refused, even an inducement that Zybszko would lodge £2,000 in- a New Zealand bank if he would wrestle under the charge of the Pole failing to move him. Zybszko told several members of the New Zealand Wrestling Association that if he had Robin for three months there would lie no mar. in the world able to stand up to him. Robin is now living in Hawke’s Bay, and he wrote to the New Zealand Wrestling Association recently regretting that, as he now weighed 22st 71b, time would not permit him to get into condition to wrestle any of the overseas matmen here at present, but ho assured the council that he would be in a condition to grapple with any of them next year. His weight in form is 18st 71b.

Last year the New Zealand Council made arrangements with Kibnis, the Greek, and McCarthy, the Irish-Cana-dian, to wrestle in New Zealand after the completion of their contract with Stadiums, Ltd. Two contests were held in Auckland, both of which drew big houses, and both of which Kilonis won. The Greek also beat Sunni in his final match. On McCarthy's return to America he told other wrestlers that there was a big field for the right type of grapplers in New Zealand, and Tom Alley immediately got into touch with the council, arrangements being made with the Pacific Coast Wrestling Association to send .over Alley; Farmer Vance, the light heavy-weight champion of Canada; Walter Johansson ? light heavy-weight champion of Finland; and Maracci Gardini, the ItalianAmerican light heavy-weight; and; just as they arrived in the dominion Naranjan Singh also made an appearance. At a later date Clarence Eklund, who won the light heavy-weight championship of the world from Ted Thye, and George Walker, heavyweight champion ol Canada, came to* New Zealand, the arrival of these men marking the big boom in wrestling

that is being experienced at the present time. “ The style of wrestling has changed much in the last few years,” said Mr Connelly, and he mentioned that Mi* J. Creeke, a wrestling referee of many years’ experience, had stated in Wellington that the style was now quite different from what it was in the days of Hackensmidt and Joe Carkeek, with both of whom Mr Creeke wrestled. Toe holds, wristlocks, and Japanese jiujitsu holds were not being used, and such holds as the crucifix and the Boston crab were unknown.

A fine programme of _ wrestling matches has been arranged in the various centres, said Mr Connelly, and on October 28 Gardini meets Vance at Christchurch, Eklund wrestling in Wellington on the same date. The following Saturday, November 2, Eklund and Gardini will -wrestle at the Drill Hall, Dunedin, but Eklund’s title will not be at stake, as he does not consider be will have sufficient time after his Wellington contest to get down to the necessary weight. If he retains his title, however, he is prepared to defend it in his sedbnd contest at Dnnedin on November 16 against any of the other wrestlers at present in the dominion.

The popularity of the game is revealed by the fact that an association which was recently formed in Wellington has promt ted three contests, and associations have been formed in Palmerston North, Dunedin, and Christchurch. The idea is that a circuit should be worked, and next year probably arrangements will be made for twelve of the best wrestlers in the world to come to New Zealand. This is made possible by the fact that the New Zealand season is the off season in America and that the high-class wrestlers much prefer to come to Australia and New Zealand and keep themselves in condition for the opening of the season in America, about the end of December.

The control of the sport in the dominion has favourably impressed visiting wrestlers, and Pesek’s manager was so pleased with the way things were conducted that he stated on ms way to Australia that if the permission of Stadiums can bo obtained Pesek might wrestle in the main centres of New Zealand next vear.

A conference is to be held before next season, at which each of the associations will be represented by delegates. Tire object in view is to centralise the administration of the sport, after which the New Zealand Wrestling Association in Auckland will automatically become the Auckland Wrestling Association and headquarters will be shifted to Wellington. The Act will also be amended so as to bring wrestling administration into line with that of boxing. Wonderful strides have been mads by the amateur wrestlers in Auckland, said Mr Connelly, and when a professional is in training for a contest he is almost overworked by the number of amateurs working out with him. The same thing lias applied in Wellington, and preliminary boys should soon be in good supply. Another year or two will see the New Zealand amateur wrestling championships staged on a big scale, Mr Connelly considers. When the wrestlers arrive in Dunedin, arrangments will be made for instruction to be given to the local boys to get them into form as preliminary boys. The mat men are such fin© sports _ and good types of men that there is no fear of any of the lads being injured At training operations the wrestlers will give demonstrations of the various holds.

Mr Connelly _ regards the Otago Wrestling Association as very fortunate in securing Gardini and Eklund for its first contest Just prior to coming to New 7 Zealand Gardini was beaten narrowly by Thye, ex-light heavy-weight champion of the world, by two falls to_ one; and Eklund, holder of the title, is known as tho “ wrestler with the educated feet.” The mat men now wrestle 10min rounds with Imin intervals, which makes the matches all the more interesting. The men now identified with the control of the game are men of high standing in the sporting and business community, and there can be no doubt of excellent administration in the dominion. Mr Connelly will b© in Dunedin for some months, and the Otapn Wrestling Association is fortunate in being able to call on him for bis advice and experience in connection with its forthcoming matches.