WRESTLING.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11493, 21 November 1931, Page 10

WRESTLING.

HOOTS FOR PINTO. BEATS BILLY MEESKE ON A FOUL. Pelted Avitb sAveets, w»ds, °f P a P e , r and pennies,-. Stanley Pinto shook hands AvitJi himself and smiled but on a sea of hostile faces at the end of his AA’restling . match Avith Lilly Meesko at Auckland on Monday evening. The American bad won by the only fall of the contest, but ins tactics had incensed the big crowd, and In. a a - as booted to the echo. Although entertaining all through, the match avus hardly as exciting as tbo first meeting betAA'Ceu the pan* a fortnight ago. . . If one AA'at to take Pinto seriously one would have no option but to scorn him. but. lie, or rather his. bad temper, should not be taken serious- , lv. A shopkeeper may help bis business by displaying a charming manner: Pinto adA'crii.ses his wares in excatlv the opposite way. When h, e entered the ring on Monday evening be was greeted with prolonged nooning from all parts of the hall, but at the first opportunity he earned himself further displeasure. This chance cam,, before the referee had call/d the. wrestlers together for their instructions. George Walker entered the ring, and after he had been introduced to the emivd as Meeske ■=’ opponent for a match on Saturday, lie Avalked across to shake hands with Pinto. As the Canadian readied his corner Pinto got off his chair and deliberatedv turned his back to the outstretched band. _ Walker shrugged Ins shoulders, smiled went oi'fer and shook .hands with ‘ Meeske. When tho referee. Mr. L. Wilson, wag having Tii s usual few ■ words to sav before ibe firing of the first gun. frnto pretended to . be, highly indignant at bis- opponents action in running his hand oA'Cr lus shoulders to see that the American was not greased. UNSATISFACTORY FALL. Ail through the match Pinto gave the impression that the luxes and boos of the croud were /weet liiuSiC to his ears. A particularly hostile demonstration was made against him in tlio sixth round, Avben he g'->t tne fall AA'liieh gaA'e him the match. He had thrown the Australian back on to the ropes with a trio of revel se lieadlocks. when Meeske brought up bis foot to the pit of bis opponent s stomach. The- kick did not appear to be a severe one,- but the American at once dropped to the canvas as if pole-axed. When lie made no attempt to get up the crowd hooted Avildly. The referee and Meeske then helped Pinto to bis corner, the American skoAving his gratitude by threatening bis opponent Avitli bis fist. The announcement that Pinto bad beeii airarded a fall on a foul was greeted Avitli prolonged hooting. Pinto made a reniarkablv quick recovery during the interval, and AA’as newer in really serious dauget in the last round. Meeske is a tireless worker, and a colorful AA'rcstler, but Pinto Avas unquestionably the. better man. According to tlio official announcement, Pinto (1-1.1) bad an advantage of only Half a stone, but the margin appeared more than that. Meeske seemed to find the American’s bulk a distinct handicap. Avhicli his own strength avus unable to overconie. Although be Avas beaten, tlie Australian had tho house with him all the Avav. and he avus loudly cheered as be left the ring. ROUGH ALL THROUGH. Early Britons avlio roamed the forests clubbing each other on the head for fun had little on the graduates of the so-called rough house school of wrestling, and Pinto and Meesko got as rough as the. police and tlio referee avouUl allow. Hard, openhanded .smacks to the. iuce were freely exchanged, and time and time again a' foot was' brought down ivith a bang into a heaving stomach. Meeske infuriated the American by digging his thumbs into nerve centres to free himself from trouble, and there Avere also occasions Avlicn lie played Avitli Pinto's nose in much the same way as a kindergarten teacher instructs lief class in the use of plasticine. Many of the punches that. Avere let go Avere never alloiA'CCl to laud, for such things, officially at any rate, are not pessimistic, but there ivere times A\dien solid bloiy-S were put hi on the blind side off tlie referee. Meeske introduced something entirely iieiv by grabbing lus opponent by tlio ears and pulling him towards him for a -spectacular Japanese stomach throw. The trick delighted the crowd.

PINTO THROUGH THE ROPES

Before the start of the match' the crowd was told what the wrestlers would not be allowed to do. Oiid of these restrictions was the unnecessary use of the ropes, hut apparently no one knows just, what that means. On oho' occasion- near tho end •of the match Pinto, after' being tossed twice with flying mar.es, do? liberutoly skipped- out of the* ring and stayed there until it was sale to . conic hack. Sprbly silfih' fin aftfc constitutes unnecessary use of tho ropes? The rules of professional wrestling in Ney Zealand at- present, it seems, are astonishingly clastic.'