EXCITING WRESTLING

Evening Star, Issue 21543, 16 October 1933, Page 6

EXCITING WRESTLING

WALKER BEATS RUMBERG CHAMPION FULLY EXTENDED After one of the most exciting and spectacular matches seen in Dunedin this season, George Walker beat Hal Rumberg by the only fall of a professional contest at the Town Hall on Saturday night.'a house which packed the building thoroughly enjoying the bout from start to finish, and giving voice to it« appreciation in no uncertain terms. This will probably be the last match of the local season, and it provided a fitting finale to a good season, both men giving solid displays of fast and clever wrestling, with Rumberg on top of his man for the first four or five rounds, but Walker all the time showing brilliant defensive tactics from which he frequently moved to the attack. The weights of the two men were not announced, though the M.O. humorously referred to Walker as weighing “ something less than half a ton.” Rumberg held a height and reach advantage, but, powerful . man that he is and beautifully proportioned to match, Walker showed in this contest that he was the stronger of the two, and the way he stood the strain of some most punishing holds spoke well as to bis condition. Rumberg had the satisfaction of knowing that he made Walker work at top nearly all the way, but from the fifth round onwards Walker did his share of the attack, and after. Rumberg had failed to dump him in the seventh round Walker took the only fall of the contest with a devastating reverse headlock. The last, round will be remembered for a long time for the incident and action that was crammed into it, and at any moment either man seemed prone to secure a fall. There was wild excitement when Rumberg toppled Walker over the ropes into the stalls, and the din became deafening when he brought his opponent back into the ring by back-slamming him over the ropes. Tempers became just a little frayed then, otherwise it was a fiercely-contested bout with very little between the two men, though Walker usually had just a shade in his favour. He further strengthened the impression that he is the hardest man in New Zealand to beat at the present time, but Rumberg lost no admirers by his aggressive display on Saturday night, and, judging from the applause that greeted him when he took the ring, he was the favourite with the crowd. Mr C. L. Finer was the M.C., and Mr Frank Anderson was the referee, substituting for Mr W. J. Coughlan, who was unable to act owing to a leg injury. Mr Anderson gave a first-class display, and handled the contest, which was scheduled for eight ten-minute rounds, excellently. THE MATCH DESCRIBED,

After trying two or three times, Rumberg brought Walker to the mat with a reverse wristlock, Walker breaking out of it. Rumberg was making the attack, but Walker countered cleverly, and when Rumberg headlocked him Walker put on a chinlock to break it, the crowd roaring its approval as Walker spun out. Quickly Walker put on a head scissors and armbar, Rumberg applying the splits. Walker was in Setter condition than on his last appearance here, “and both men were wrestling at a fast clip. Rumberg was taken to the mat with a Japanese stomach throw, and Walker butted himj but could not keep him out, Rumberg applying a reverse headlock and short-arm, scissors. Rumberg put all he knew into the hold, and at the gong Walker was looking decidedly worried. Bringing Walker to the mat in the second round with a wristlock, Rumberg scissored his opponent’s head, Walker kicking out. Rumberg was keeping on top of his man, and with a series of reverse headlocks threw Walker round the ring. Walker countered with a chinlock, and then took a turn by throwing Rumberg with a couple of reverse headlocks. Rumberg was moving very fast, and a flying tackle brought Walker down. Rumberg came right over on top of Walker with a headlock and put on a head scissors. Rumberg went for a cricifix, but Walker had his head beneath Rumberg’s knee, giving a great display of strength in preventing Rumberg from obtaining any definite advantage. Walker came out. but Rumberg put on a double bar with his legs, levering Walker’s head back with one hand. Once again Walker slipped clear and brought Rumberg down with a nice wristlock. Some willing rallies on the mat followed, and at the gong Rumberg held a reverse headlock. The contestants were giving of thenbest, and the crowd showed its appreciation in no uncertain terms. Rumberg maintained the offensive in the third, but Walker broke it with a facebar, and then -btained a short-arm scissors, Rumberg securing a double toehold which Walker blocked. Walker bounced off the ropes when Rumberg tossed him across the ring, and when Rumberg tried for a crucifix the Canadian put his head under Rumberg’s knee and kept him from straightening his legs. There was a mix-up on the ropes just before the gong, and Rumberg was on top when the gong went. Walker very cleverly applied the reverse wristlock in the fourth round, Walker rolling right over the top of his opponent and still holding it. Rumberg stood up and threw Walker off, aud then brought him down with a hanimerlock, Walker jumping on his opponent’s toes and getting out of a dangerous position. Rumberg put on a stepover toehold, hut Walker stood the strain, the leverage being a little too f;down. Rumberg gave Walker considerable punishment, but Walker came out on top, and to the cheers of the audience put on a toehold just before the gong. Rumberg was making Walker do his best, and the latter was giving a great display of defensive wrestling in response to Rumberg’s spectacular attack. In the fifth Walker secured a standing splits, Rumberg pulling out with his free arm. There were some fast rallies before the men went to the mat again, and after Wa. or applied a hammerlock Rumberg stood up with him and tried to dump him over the ropes. Walker brought his opponent down with a Japanese stomach throw, and stood on Rumberg’s toes to break a hammerlook. Walker was hanging on to a stopper hold when the gong went, Rumberg limping to his corner. Walker began the sixth round very vigorously, and after heaving his opponent round the mat jumped over him and landed on top, Rumberg putting on a body scissors and armbar. Walker came round, but Rumberg went from a wristlock and head scissors to a short-arm scissors. Walker moving up gradually and trying to get clear. Walker butted Rumberg in the stomach and tried to dump him, but Rumberg quickly went for a headlock, and at the gong' was holding a double armlock.

Rnmberg tried all he knew in the seventh to obtain a fall, but Walker slipped out of a headlock and threw llumberg with three reverse headlocks. Kumberg picked Walker up and tried

to dump him, hut the crowd .became wildly excited as Walker slipped to the front and put on h, reverse headlock to bring him to the mat, roll ou top and secure a fall. . The eighth opened sensationally with Rumberg pulling Walker in for a flying tackle. Rumberg headlocked his opponent, but Walker was defending well, and slipping out sent Rui iberg spinning to the ropes. Rumberg tore in fiercely, picked Walker up, and threw him over the ropes into the floor of the hall. Walker mounted the staging again, but stood outside expostulating, evidently as to how to get in over the net. Rumberg obligingly saved him the trouble by grabbing him and back-slamming him back into the ring. Fists were flying at this stage, and matters became willing for a while, Rumberg bringing Walker down with a headlock. He missed with a flying tackle, and Walker grabbed him by the legs and lifted him up in an effort to put ou the back-loop slam. Rumberg’s legs became tied up with the ropes and this saved, him from being thrown. Both men tried for a dump, and just before the match ended Rumberg broke a reverse wristlock by standing on his opponent’s toes, Walker being the winner with the only fall of the match. . THE FRELQHNARJBS. A. Beveridge (9.0) made a great show, ing against a heavier opponent in J, Leech (9.12), the pair giving a bright display. Leech showed cleverness in getting out of some dangerous holds, but Beveridge kept on top of his man' throughout. Beveridge had morevariety din attack than Leech, and’ several times threw his opponent over his shoulder with arm twists. In the last round Beveridge went all out for. a fall, and tried desperately to pin hi* opponent with headlocks Leach grot out of them, but Beveridge took the only fall of the match with an arm’ scissors and body scissors. Beveridge was the winner. There was not much action in the bout between G. Terry (9.8) and H, ; Shaw (9.3), but Terry cut loose in the last round and threw his man to take a fall by means of a buttock hold and body press. Terry was the winner.

L. Small (8.8) and S. Anderson pro* vided a lively and spectacular match, both doys introducing plenty of variety into their work. Anderson started off with a series of headlocks, but Small came off the ropes with a flying scissors, which took a bit of the sting out of Anderson, Small diving at him and lifting him above his head to put on the aeroplane spin and secure a fall in the first round. Anderson started the second smartly ; and evened up with an armchair splits, the last round being solidly contested. Anderson took the deciding fall in the last round with an armbar and body press, winning a well-contested bout by two falls to one.

D. Samson (10.8) and A. Strang (10.8) were a well-matched pair, and indulged in a good deal of tight work. Samson took a fall in the first round with an armbar and body press. The last round was strenuously contested, but there were no further falls, Samson, being the winner.