EDWARDS WINS

Evening Star, Issue 20613, 13 October 1930, Page 6

EDWARDS WINS

SENSATIONAL WRECTLIHG MATCH FINISHED BY TERRIFIC DEADLOCKS No more spectacular or colourful wrestling has boon seen in Dunedin than that served up at tho Town Hall on Saturday night in tho professional match between Tom Ray, of Omaha, Nebraska (U.S.A.) and Billy Edwards, of Moose Jaw, Canada, Edwards securing a fall in the sixth round, which so completely knocked Ray out thdt he was unable to continue. The contest marked Edwards’s first appearance in New Zealand, and by reason of his unorthodox and colourful style of wrestling in Australia and also because Tom Ray was known as a very clever, willing grappler, tho attendance was over tho 2,000 mark, probably the largest yet seen here. Those who were present "in tho hope of seeing something a little different from tho average concontest were not disappointed. From start to finish the men wrestled at a, remarkably fast clip, and it was full of the sensational, the task of the referee (Mr W. Goughian) being no light one. Both men indulged in tactics that far from savoured of kid gloves. Ray frequently went for his opponent with his head down and butter him either in the chin or stomach, but Edwards went in for more vigorous methods, and on several occasions when Ray was holding him the Canadian let drive with his clenched fist, and sent Ray spinning. Twice, Ray missed his opponent when ho dived at him, and Edwards sent him shooting through the ropes on to the floor. There was much that was hectic and over tho borderline, hut so far as tho wrestling of both men was concerned it was as interesting as anything seen hero this season, and most of it of tho open type. Ray showed as much variety as ever, but fast and clever as he was he was outmatched by Edwards, the more powerful man of the two. The earlier stages found Ray setting tho pace, but there was no hold that Edwards could not bullock his way out of, and after giving a few indications of what he might do if he got tho chance, ho flew at Ray in the sixth round and headlocked him in deadly fashion four times in quick succession. Ray was completely out, and a sensational bout had a thrilling climax. It seemed apparent that Edwards was biding his time, hut Ray must bo given due credit for a fine display for over the first three or four rounds ho it was who was making tho contest, and several times he brought his opponent down with beautiful wristlocks, while he also had Edwards guessing when he went for toeholds. Edwards, however, was very clever in the use of his feet, and kicked Ray off his balance time and again, Ray was slightly tire taller of the pair, and weighed 12.8, but Edwards was the more rugged, weighing 13.0. Both men were most spectacular in the ring, but Edwards proved himself a master showman apart from being a clover and powerful wrestler. Ho wore side levers, and thought nothing of breaking a hold by swinging at tho nearest part of his opponent. He had nothing on Ray near the ropes, however, Ray being dangerous whenever they got over tho line. Tho crowd was on its toes with excitement practically throughout, the bout being scheduled for eight ten-minute rounds. THE MATCH DESCRIBED. There was expectancy in the air when tho contestants came from thoif-corners with a rush, but for a while Ray was blocking Edwards from doing anything. Then ho brought tho Canadian down with a wristlock, Edwards rolling out of it.- There were some fierce rallies for an opening round, Ray taking Edwards to tho mat with a Deadlock. Edwards applied a face bar, but Ray pushed him off. Edwards wont for a figure four scissors, but tho men rolled over tho line and the referee was called on to keep the prancing Edwards off. Fireworks started tho next minute, when Edwards swung both clenched fists at Ray’s chin. Tho American stepped back quickly, and before Edwards recovered his balance Ray let him have a couple of chops on the hack of the neck. Ray secured a nice reverse wristlock, and Edwards let fly -with a swing which sent Ray spinning to tho ropes. Ray was making the pace so far, but when he had on a neadlock Edwards brought his kneo up and broke it. A double armbar brought Edwards to the mat, and there was a willing mix-up, Edwards trying to push Ray' through tho ropes. The crowd roared as the referee grabbed Edwards by tho leg and heaved him back into the ring. A bead twist made Edwards squirm, but unable to get out of it any other way apparently, ho started to pull at Ray’s mouth, and got away. Ray was doing tho hard work, hut every time bo went for a hold Edwards would grab him by tho hair or tho nose; but just before corners Hay secured a dandy short-arm scissors and armbar. Edwards made a slap at Ray’s back, but tho latter was still holding tho scissors when tho gong went. Edwards dropped quickly as Ray put in a rabbit-killer at tho start of tho second round, and Ray went for a toehold, Edwards kicking his opponent off. There were several open-imnded exchanges, and Ray Edwards down with a head twist, Edwards getting away by sheer strength. Alter Edwards had Jet unvo at Ray’s neck tho latter put in a couplo of Hying tackles, which had Edwards hack-pedal-ling for all lie was worth. Twice Ray butted Edwards in tho stomach, and tho referee kept tho men apart for a moment. Edwards brought Ray down with a reverse headlock, but tho American dropped to his knees and pulled Edwards’s feet from under him. After connecting with a right uppercut to the chin Edwards tried to butt Ray through tho ropes. Ray tricked his opponent by pretending to appeal to tho referee and then bringing Edwards down with a flying tackle. Ray had Edwards’s leg scissored, and then went for a hammerlock. Ho took Edwards’s head over his shoulder and pulled him over with tho halch, working tho hold into a short-arm scissors. Edwards took a punch at Ray, and tho pair wore going for each other for somo time after tho gong went. Tho crowd was becoming wildly excited as the contest was being waged at such a fast and vigorous clip. The third round saw Edwards butt Ray under the chin, and when Ray retaliated ho missed and got tangled up with tho ropes, Edwards pushing him through on to tho floor, amid hoots and cheers. Ray did not waste much time in getting hack, and as Edwards retreated Ray caught him in tho back with his head A wristlock he worked into a hammerlock, but with a great effort Edwards pulled himself out of it and punched Ray in tho ribs. Edwards h mouth was bleeding his lip be ing bitten through. Ray was unable to hold a toehold, and Edwards started in, securing a punishing toehold with Ray’s logs through his own. Ho headlocked Ray, but tho latter rolled out of it. Edwards applied reverse headlocks twice in succession, and Raj- went to tho irepes, coming back quickly with hi., bend down to Catch Edwards on tho chin. Edwards stood up when liny had him headlocked, and then with Ray holding him by tho toe he crawled

round tho ring on his knees. Ho got clear by bringing his kneo up to Hay’s chin, and then scissored Ray’s arm. The later bent Edwards’s toe up, the Canadian countering with a headlock, but Ray pulled, out of it. Tho fourth was full of sensations. Ray made two flying tackles at Edwards, who jumped high to get clear. Ho smacked Ray on the nose and tijen backed into tho corner, watching Raj as warily as a. cat watching a mouse. Ray dived in quickly and tried to throw Edwards over tho ropes with a headlock. They were swaying perilously on tho ropes, and wasting no time in words Referee Goughian pulled them both back into the ring. Even then, Edwards’s sense of showmanship did rot desert him, and ho jabbed his knee into Ray’s back. After Ray had failed to hold a double armbar Edwards secured a short-arm scissors and hit Ray in the stomach. Edwards seemed able to extricate himself from Ray’s most punishing holds by his great strength, but ho was also keeping on top of his man more than had been tho case in the earlier rounds.

Ray fell on his side after Edwards threw him with a headlock, and then tried for a figure four scissors standing up. He placed it right, hut Edwards walked to the ropes with him and the referee quickly brought them back to mid-ring. W-th the men on the mat Ray grabbed both of Edwards’ legs and stood him on his head, but ho was unable to put on the Boston Crab, Edwards, who was making clever use of his feet, kicking him off his balance as ho turned. Ray was worrying Edwards for a while, and he butted the Canadian in the chin, tho referee getting between the men who' were starting to engage in a hectic mix-up. There was a melee and Referee Goughian fell beneath the contestants. He was up quickly, and as he was cautioning the men Edwards took a punch at Ray. It was not long before they were at it again, clever -wrestling being intermingled with some roughhouse stuff which tho referee did not let get beyond his control. Ray grabbed both of Edwards’s legs, but was kicked off his balance and then brought down with a reverse headlock, Edwards putting his shoulder into Ray’s chin. The gong went and Ray took a sock at Edwards, the latter lunging back before returning to his corner. Ray was making some fierce attempts to butt Edwards in the stomach, hut in the fifth round he missed and Edwards pitched him clean out of tho ring. Kay was not hurt, for he put on a reverse wristlock as soon as he came hack. Edwards broke it by smacking him on the face, and after putting a figure four scissors on Edwards’s head, Ray twisted his arm up into a hammerlock, Edwards stopping it by holding his own hand. Edwards pushed Ray over the ropes aud connected to the mid-section with a swinging punch. Ray was not wrestling so fast bow, and Edwards put ou a short-arm scissors and armbar. Ray rolled round, and Edwards worked it into a headlock. After Edwards had connected with a swing to the chin, Ray made his opponent prance by landing cleanly to the ribs. There were signs of another willing set-to, and as Edwards was pushed back by the ' referee, Ray threw himself at his opponent with his chin down twice in succession, and tho round ended with the crowd on its feet, wondering what was going to happen next They did not have to wait long, for the start of the sixth saw Edwards make a wild bound from his corner, and after connecting with an uppercut ho caught Raj- oil his balance and tossed him with a deadly headlock. Raj- was unable to recover before Edwards was at him again and two more headlocks had Ray almost gone. The crowd was trerriendouslj- excited, and then Edwards threw his man with another terrific headlock and secured a fall. Ray was carried to his corner, but despite the feverish work of his second, he could not come up' for the next round, and Edwards took the match. He was greated with hoots and cheers as he left the ring, and merelj- bowed to both, but Ray re-, ceived a wonderful ovation. PRELIMINARIES. P. Lunam (10.10) gave an attractive exhibition against J. Flaherty (10,7), but lie knew too much for his opponent, showing a much greater variety of holds. Flaherty was fairly effective at. blocking, but Lunam frequently tied him up with head and neck scissors, and secured tho first fall in tho second round by means of a body press. He forced Flaherty to submit in tho third round with a body scissors, Lunam winning bj- two straight falls. A. M‘Grcgor < (10.10) was at a big disadvantage in weight when opposed to M. F. Arthur (11.11). but ho was ahead iu just about everything else, Arthur making his first appearance. It was not a verj- interesting bout, M'Gregor securing the only fall by means of a bodjscissors in the third round. M. Clark (12.0) and G. Mowat (12.0) wore a pair of strong, willing men, and what they lacked in science they made up in tho vigour they displayed. A strenuous contest ended in tho third round, when Mowat took a fall with a body press following a body scissors. MAY STAY IN DOMINION TOM RAY’S INTENTION. Seen before his contest with Edwards, Ray stated that ho Imped to stay in New Zealand during the next year for the purpose of instructing the young idea iu the art of wrestling. Ray is recognised as a remarkably clever matman, and was once an instructor iu the Farmer Burns School of Wrestling. He stated that there was a possibility of his being given a retaining fee bj- one of tho associations, and that ho Imped to be able to find a Now Zealand wrestler capable of holding his own with some of tho overseas men with tuition. He said that ho felt sure that if some of New Zealand’s Rugby players took to tho wrestling game they would be a success at it.