WRESTLING WITHOUT FRILLS

Evening Star, Issue 22070, 2 July 1935, Page 4

WRESTLING WITHOUT FRILLS

WADE BEATS PEREIRA A FIRST-CLASS EXHIBITION Al Pereira (16.5) went down by two straight falls to the unbeaten Glenn Wade (15.11) in the Town Hall last night. The bout ended shortly after the start of the fifth round, but while it lasted it was a first-class exhibition of wrestling by two men whose stock in trade does not include the groans, grimaces, and picturesque antics that so frequently (and quite pardonably) earn the derision of that very caustic and critical army who follow the mat game. It was a pleasure to see them wrestle in silence and sincerity, without any of the alleged blood and thunder that bring discredit to the sport. Wade especially has made a big impression in his bouts here for the consistent sporting spirit he displays. As his record plainly shows, He is in the first flight of many Americans who have visited the dominion. Last night he was'content to allow Pereira to make the pace, only to trap his opponent very neatly when he committed two very similar tactical errors. Pereira has put on flesh since he last wrestled here two years ago. His aggressiveness and spirit soon revived his old popularity. . Pereira set the pace from the first gong and, after some cautious sparring for position, took Wade to the mat witli a headlock that would probably have irrevocably parted the cervical vertebrae of any normal person. The imperturbable Wade shook him off, only to stand up to a series of flying body scissors and short-arm scissors. The last short-arm lock Pereira put on kept Wade kicking and squirming on the mat for the last three minutes of the round, which ended with the latter tenderly massaging a completely deblooded hand. , . , , Wade was first but m the second, but Pereira resumed his forcing tactics, and Wade was content to hold him in check. There was nothing very spectacular here, just good, solid wrestling. At one stage Wade threw Pereira with a couple of hard headlocks, but did not persist when the Portuguese retaliated with flying tackles. If the massive bulk of the latter had connected properly the bout might have been over. Wade put on one of his punishing splits, and, as he pushed the hapless Pereira’s left leg further over and so increased Ins obvious agony, the crowd —human nature being what it is—roared its appreciation. The first fall came in the first minute of the -third round. Pereira launched his vast frame into space in a flying scissors and wrapped Ins legs about Wade’s middle. Big as he was, he lacked the strength to pull Wade down to the mat, and the latter very shrewdly dropped himself, still holding Pereira’s’ legs in front of him, and simply lay back and held the Portuguese for- a fall. , The fourth round opened with some aerial evolutions, in which both men hurled themselves about the ring without doing any damage. Pereira was still the aggressor, relying principally .on body scissors to keep Wade occupied. The gong sounded with a melee in the ropes, Wade attempting to deposit_ Ins opponent on the floor outside the ring. The end came soon after. Pereira essayed another of his costly flying scissors, this time a forward one, and the quick-thinking Wade, turned the tables on him again, dropping him on to the mat and still holding him for a fall in what is known as the jack-knite position. It was a first-class bout, and one well worth seeing. The referee was Mr M. Goughian, and the fact that ho had an easier evening than any of his predecessors this season indicated the excellent spii it in which the match was contested. PRELIMINARIES. A Oakes (9.7) beat Eric Cockburn (10 5) with a fall, in the second round of a lively and interesting match. Frank Reach (10.3) had too much experience for Bill Williams (10.0), taking a fall in the third round ot their bout. Len Goughian (12.0) and Andrew Rae (11.6) had a very willing tussle, Goughian running out the winner with a fall in the third. lor some obscure reason best known to the crowd the decision, the only one possible, was badly received. Archie M Millan (12.0) and Jack Burt (11.11). gave a fine exhibition, the latter being a recruit of distinct promise. They each got a tall, but M'Millau rightly got the decision. A draw was the only logical verdict in the bout between Phil Hancock (11.7) and J. Henry (11.0). These boys came on to fill out time, and were evenly matched in . a bright three rounds. Neither got a fall. . It was an added pleasure to see the familiar figure of Mr W. L. ( Bill ) Goughian in the ring again as third man for the preliminaries.