WRESTLING TO-NIGHT’S BOUT SHOULD ATONE FOR RECENT POSTPONEMENT: BOESCH WILL NOT DISAPPOINT

Grey River Argus, 3 May 1947, Page 6

WRESTLING TO-NIGHT’S BOUT SHOULD ATONE FOR RECENT POSTPONEMENT: BOESCH WILL NOT DISAPPOINT

To-night will mark the opening of the Greymouth wrestling season, and the bout which will bear the significance of this occasion—that of Paul Boesch, 17st. 11b., v. Jim Henry, 18st. 3lb — should be one which will attract, please, and leave the appetites of wrestling fans considerably whetted for more. With wrestlers of this class providing our entertainment, it is to be hoped that there will not be too great a gap before the next matmen pay a visit to the West Coast. Since the 1947 wrestling season started —with a match, between Jim Henry and Paul Boesch at Wellington on April 10— there have been 11 matches decided in New Zealand. Six more are down for decision this week, with seven others scheduled for the following week, and it is expected that Lofty Blomlield will be back in circulation on May 10 and this will give added zip to a season that has already been most successful.

Last season was one of the most successful in the history of wrestling in New Zealand, but the men showing their wares this year have already given signs that the records set then will be bettered. Four of the six competing are either flying tackle or drop-kick stars and there is no doubt that the spectators love to see the aerial work. Tom Rice, Paul Boesch, Kay Bell and Otto Kuss are all expert on the aerial work, but Kuss—who says his name .is pronounced “Koos” —adds a spice of variety to his wrestling by applying bolds with his legs. This is not unusual, but w’hen it is explained that Kuss snaps on holds usually applied by the use of arms the value of his work may better be appreciated. Jim Henry, who opened the New ealand season with Paul Boesch, is not a tackler nor a drop-kicker, but what he doesn’t know about backbreaker.s isn’t worth knowing. He has a keen sense of humour, but reserves it for outside the ring. Jim Wright, brother of Rube Wright (who met Earl McCready at the Albert Hall, London), is a solid* type of wrestler with just that amount of “nastiness” to keep the crowd on edge. 1

With four wrestlers able to thrill with tackles and such speedy movements, the wrestling associations are able to make their matches this season in the knowledge that there will never be a dull moment. It 'is not by accident that New Zealand has such a classy collection of wrestlers this season. They were picked from the top-liners and picked for their ability to wrestle. New Zealanders have indicated in the past their distaste for unadulterated showmanship in wrestling. Men of the class of Earl McCready, Lofty Blomlield, Rollend Kirchmeyer, Ray Steele, Andy Moen, Pat Fraley and Jack Forsgren sei. a standard in the years before Woild War If. Last year McCready, Claybourne, Blomlield, Moller and Katan maintained the standard. Henry’s Record ■ In his matches to date in New Zealand, Henry has proved a real crowd pleaser, and brings back to the fans memories of “King Kong Cox”, the bad man of the arena. In the States he has held his own with men of the calibre of Pat Fraley, George Zaha- > rius, Ignacio Martinez, and Vince Lopez, just to mention a few matmen that are well known to DominI ion fans.