WRESTLING LEAD

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 160, 22 June 1935, Page 6

WRESTLING LEAD

Control by Pioneer Club MORE SATISFACTORY FOOTING George Walker’* View George Walker, British Empire wrestling champion, received advice yesterday morning that the Auckland Wrestling Association has agreed to acknowledge the Pioneer Athletic Club, Wellington, as the governing body of Dominion wrestling so far as the Auckland body is concerned. Mr Walker expressed the opinion yesterday that every one of the major wrestling associations of New Zealand would probably follow Auckland’s lead. The effect of this would be the placing of New Zealand wrestling on a much more satisfactory footing than it has been in the past.

Walker is delighted at the move taken by Auckland. He considers that he has not had a fair deal in the past. In spite of many pressing overtures from various quarters, he has remained unmoved in his intention not to wrestle under existing circumstances. He has complained against his treatment by the American wrestlers last season when, according to a statement by himself, he was boycotted. Koloff, it will be remembered, wrestled Walker only once and won the match. When Walker negotiated for a return bout, ho was unable to get one. Nor could a match bo arranged between Walker and Sonnenberg before the end of last season. That little dispute cost Walker a lot of money.

Discussing the position with a “Tribune” reporter yesterday, Walker said, “It cannot be denied that the New Zealand Wrestling Union has proved a failure so far as match-making is concerned. Wrestlers have absolutely run the union.

DISSATISFACTION. “Dissatisfaction has been felt by practically every association in regard to the way wrestling has been run. If Auckland’s move is backed by other organisations, the whole position of wrestling will be far more satisfactory. Visiting wrestlers will have to submit themselves to a programme arranged by the new controlling body. They will not be allowed to make their own arrangements, as they have done in the past. “I think most of the associations will, in fact, baek Auckland. My ex-peri-ence is that all tk’e associations have been greatly annoyed by the past activities of the Wrestling Union. “The whole effect of the re-organisa-tion will be that proper match-making in New Zealand will be undertaken. There can be no doubt, in my mind, that the control of wrestling has been an utter failure. We badly need some responsible body to take control and to be both firm and unbiassed.” Walker added that the new organisation would look after wrestlers themselves far better than has been the case in the past. The arrangements in regard to travelling had been bad in the past. For example, wrestlers had been obliged at times to travel up and down practically the whole length of New Zealand to keep engagements. In arranging itineraries no wrestler should be asked to travel exceptional distances to keep engagements. EAGER TO WRESTLE. Walker is ready and willing to wrestle at a moment’s notice. During his temporary retirement from active wrestling he has maintained a strict training. Questioned about this yesterday, he gave a sample of a day’s training. Rising early, he covers some five miles of the Napier hills at running and walking pace. Returning home, he puts in 10 to 15 minutes wrestling with his partners. Then ho does special exercises for ten minutes, followed by » bath and a rundown. He has breakfast at 11 a.ra., his next meal being dinner at night. Two meals per day suffice Walker.

“I used to go on a diet, but I found this was of no use to me,” he added. “I eat anything. I try to get as early a night as possible. I relax occasionally with a round or two of golf.” “What is your handicap?” his interviewer could not refrain from asking him. The reply was, “Oh, don’t put that in the paper, please. ” Ho concluded by saying that his daily routine of training would be more severe later on, when he was taking an active part in the wrestling ring.