A POOR SHOW

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 147, 6 June 1936, Page 3

A POOR SHOW

Wrestling Crowd Disappointed at Hastings RUSSELL BEATS ELLIOTT Anticipation of another stirring wrestling contest under the jurisdiction of the Hawke’s Bay Wrestling Association last evening were not realised when “Cowboy” Russell defeated King Elliott on points after a disappointing bout at the Hastings Municipal Theatre. Perhaps it was that the previous three contests this season had set too high a standard, or it may have been that last night’s contestants were not well-matched. But whatever the reason, one thing was certain, and that was the dissatisfaction of the audience. This -was expressed in characteristic fashion, by booing, hooting, countingout and other expressions of derision. The first fall came in the fourth round with a body press by Elliott after he had turned the tables on Russell with shoulder butts and a couple of flying tackles. Russell evened up matters in the seventh round with a couple of dumps preceding a body press, and at the conclusion of the contest the referee awarded the verdict in favour of Russell on points. Right from the start the pair displayed a reluctance to come to grips in the referee’s hold, and a good deal of time was wasted in fruitless sparring for position. This was one of the worst features of the contest, and, in fact, was one of the main causes for the dissatisfaction. Nearly a quarter of the first round was wasted before there was an exchange of head-scissors and the application of a few armlocks, which neither appeared able to maintain with any degree of effectiveness. The American indulged in a bit oi “clowning” with the referee and the crowd, whose displeasure he earned when he gave an extra wrench to an armbar after the gong had sounded. “PRODUCE YOUR SPURS.” Hainmerlocks and arm-strangles featured mainly in the next session, which was not very eventful or interesting; and during the interval the “Cowboy” was called upon to “produce his spurs,” to which comment he replied by extending an invitation to “come into the ring and see them.” Slapping and shoulder butts were unduly prominent in the early part of the next round. Elliott produced a splendid flying body scissors which he transferred into a crucifix, until Russell cleverly worked an escape and resorted to further irritating tactics such as arm strangles and a few leg twists. “What do you think of your New Zealand friend now?” yelled Russell to the “gods” during the respite, and he came out for the fourth round with a couple of shoulder butts, to which Elliott replied in like measure, following it up with a couple of tackles and a fall. This particular round, which lasted barely five seconds, showed Elliott up more in keeping with his reputation. Amid yells from the crowd of “How do you like our New Zealander now, Cowboy?” the American protested that bis shoulder had not touched the mat; but his protests were drowned in cries of derision. Ear-grabbing and a lot ot talking, gesticulating and mumbling filled in a good portion of the next session, which concluded with Russell having Elliott in difficulties with a Japanese leg trip and toe-roll. A GOOD HAMMERLOCK. Round six saw Russell in his best light upto this stage. He applied the rocfcing-chair splits early in the piece, and a little later he very nearly trappd his man in the Indian deathlock. When the gong went he had Elliott in quite the best hammerlock of the evening, having effected a bar in it. Coming out with the “rough-house” in the seventh, Russel handed out a collection of elbow jolts and shoulder butts before picking up his man twice to dump him to the mat and secure a fall within a minute and a-half. The final round -was a fiasco as far as wrestling went. Neither party did much in the way of wrestling, and what little was done came from Russell, who for the most part was the aggressor. But altogether it was a very poor finale and only aggravated the feeling of disappointment shown by the crowd, THE AMATEUR CONTESTS. Four amateur bouts were staged on the preliminary programme, and all proved interesting and, at times, ex citing. Quite the best encounter was that of Morley and Cawston, which, apart from being a strenuous one, was productive of considerable excitement and very clever work, both on defence and on attack. The results of the amateur bouts were as follow:— Rika (Hastings) 9.2, defeated Croucher (Taradale) 9.13 by one fall to nil. Morley (Hastings) 11.1 defeated' Caw.ston (Taradale) 11.0, by one fall to nil. Small (Hastings) 13.6 lost to J. Stewart (Hastings) 12.2, on points. Webby (Hastings) 10.0, beat Thow (Hastings) 10.0, by one fall to nil. Mr G. Anderson, of Palmerston North, was referee for all contests.