PROFESSIONAL WRESTLERS RAISE LAUGHS BUT NOT MUCH ENTHUSIASM

Evening Star, Issue 26144, 4 July 1947, Page 7

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLERS RAISE LAUGHS BUT NOT MUCH ENTHUSIASM

When does that 'specialty of the rough-and-tumble wrestler,’ the elbo\y jolt, become a straight-out blow? Otto Kuss (by n'ow almost part and parcel of the ring here) and 1,1 Lofty ” Blomfield (making his Dunedin debut for the season) seemed to supply the answer forcibly at'various stages of their contest last night in the Town Hall ; for there were times when theiy qualified as a pair of boxing professionals. There was a lot of clowning, plenty of mock gesticulations to simulate pain, but very little straight wrestling. The clever Kuss had Momfield’s restricted .qualification smartly sized up from tlie beginning of proceedings, and he could not mask the impression that he could have disposed of the slower-moving New Zealander in the first few rounds for good and all had he extended himself. Be. that as it may, tlie result was a draw, which appeared to have the approval of the mildly-amused crowd. Blomfield did not have the variety of holds possessed by Kuss, who was able, when he wanted to, to apply any counter to his opponent’s passes with either arms or legs. Blomfield relied oh elbow jolts mostly to keep hini(out of trouble, although his equalising fall, his favourite octopus clamp, which was applied very 1 neatly and most effectively, . was signalised by a succession of semi-blows to prepare his victim for the. hold. That came in the sixth round, and after it was all over Kuss raised a roar by adopting a B.hddhalifke pose, although his contemplative eye was fixed dismally oil the canvas. In the third round Kuss elbow-jolted (or punched) Blomfield about the ring eight times before pinning him with a flying leg scissors. Both wrestlers had been advised before they came to. grips by a spectator at the contest in an official capacity not to make proceedings too spectacular by throwing each other playfully out of the ring. Consequently, Blomfield at least, was quite satisfied merely to heave Kuss into the safety net twice. He also relished doing something quite novel to -local fans.”; he used Kuss’s head as a battering ram at various stages during the proceedings, and pounded it agaipst thecorner canvas strip. Kuss quite naturally objected, each time, either ex-, pressing his disapproval by lunging out at Blomfield with -his feet or else raising that expressive finger of his in an admonitory gesture. ... There was only, one time when referee Frank Anderson really became deeply involved.in the affair between the two principals. During the last round he sprang, between the two 17sL ■men, and they promptly sprung together, sandwich-like. All in all, the contest resembled a pantomime more than an earnest meeting between two professional wrestlers. THE PRELIMINARIES. D. Kilgour (9.7) beat R. Donaldson (9.6). C. Keach (13.0) beat J. Moyle (13;6). . E. Coughlan (9.7) beat J. McCabe (9.) on points after each had obtained a fall. 1 L Hammer (10.9) beat E. Davis Q 0.9). McCREADY AND BOESCH STAGE A LIVELY BOUT (P.A.) 1 WELLINGTON, July 3. , For. spbed‘and all-round wrestling, ability few contests seen in Wellington have excelled’ that to-night in the Town Hall, when Earl McCready beat Paul Boesch by two falls to one. A fall against McCready in the second round .came as a surprise, but Boesch was in grand form, setting a torrid pace, and the British Empire champion ■had to . call on all his resources finally to subdue his lively opponent.