STUNNED

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 235, 30 August 1930, Page 2 (Supplement)

STUNNED

SENSATIONAL WRESTLING. • ALLEY’S BACK LOOP SLAM. LOGAN PLEASES. Ju6t when it appeared that Walter Logan was about to register a win for his first New Zealand appearance on a wrestling mat, tlio young American fell into a trap set by Mormon Tom Alley and was slammed so violently that it was some minutes before his senses returned to him. It was the deadly back loop slam that allowed Alley to snatch victory when he himself was half groggy from the effects of a heavy head barrage that the voung man from Texas played upon him. The match, promoted by the Auckland Ex-Servicemen’s Wrestling Union, was held last Saturday night. Logan had come to New Zealand unheralded and unsung and probably this fact had something to do with the size of the house (says the Auckland Star). The promoters had only Logan's word that he had participated in 200 contests and had won more than half of them, but such was liis display that there is no reason to doubt that his record is as good as he says it is. Logan proved himself an aggressive wrestler, with a good knowledge of the game. There were times when the going became hot and at these Logan showed that ho can mix it as well as anvbody. If Logan does not get further matches in New Zealand, the enthusiasts who cheered him on when he appeared well on the road to victory and sympathised with him when he was being carried from the ring will he disappointed.. SUDDEN ENDING. At the time of the sudden termination of the bout in the fifth round, Logan not only appeared to have Alley sick with the ferocity of his attack to the head, but also was one fall to the good, having pinned the Mormon in the previous session. With the round only a couple of minutes old Alley’s head was swimming and his feet seemed unwilling to bear his weight. In desperation he made for the-ropes and hung on as if his light-heavy title depended upon his ability to weather the storm that had burst upon him. The referee ordered him to let go the ropes and it seemed certain that Logan would secure a head-lock and put him to the boards for the deciding fall. But Alley’s guile never forsook him and when the chance that lie hoped for came along he did not let it past him. Alley was bending forward with his head well into Logan’s solar plexus. Without seeing the danger, Logan put his arms round Alley from behind, and in a flash Alley had the wrists held as if in a vice. Summoning all that remained of liis strength, Alley threw himself backward. Logan had to go with him and, of course, was underneath when they hit the boards. The force with which the back of Logan’s head struck the canvas was severe and, in addition, he had the full weight of Alley on top of him. It was then child’s play for Alley to lie on him for the second fall. Logan was linconscious and the St. John Ambulance attendants assisted to bring him round. The interval was almost over before lie could be carried to his chair and when the gong went for the sixth round it was obvious that he was in no condition to continue. The referee, Mr C. Pollard, then declared Alley the winner. It was five minutes before Logan could be helped from the ring and a number of the crowd remained behind to give lnm a cheer. BURLESQUE WRESTLING. FOOTBALLERS AT PAHIATUA. A lot of fun was caused by. a burlesque wrestling match the huge Auckland forward, A. Knight (16 stone) and his team mate, A. Imlayson (14.5), at the Pahiatua boxing tournament this week. The crowd were kept laughing from start to finish. In the first round Knight applied a too hold the wrong way round which seemed to amuse Finlayson, his amusement being indicated by a sudden grab at his opponent s hair. In the approved manner they rolled on to the press table, but were coerced back by the referee. Alter a lot of manoeuvring Knight managed to get a toe hold, but found it was on his own foot. To show his disapproval lie somersaulted Finlayson out or the ring on to the press table and followed himself to do a haka on i nilayson’s chest. The flimsy table groaned under the 30 stone and papers flew in all directions. The Auckland footballers ordered the referee to “put Knight off” when he persisted m bouncing on Finlayson’s stomach 2U seconds after the gong sounded. Knight, so far departed from tno canons of good wrestling as to bring his chair with him when he came out for the second round and was going to use it as a club when he thought better of it, induced no doubt by a playful butt in the stomach from hinlayson’s head. After rolling throng i the ropes and scattering the orchestra the pair came back and Knight started “gnawing” at his opponent s arm. Want of teeth—he has false ones—left no imprint and caused Finlayson no surprise at these “tactics.” The referee declared the bout a draw, but the “grapplers” did not worry about this and continued performing evolutions round the floor, which finished only when the “second” humorously emptied a bucket of water over them.

WRESTLING IN SYDNEY. LEWIS BEATS CANTON WINE. Strangler Lewis, who hpd already won matches in Melbourne and tsmshane, beat Howard Cantonwine by two falls to one at Rushcutter Bay Stadium on August 18. Lewis, weighing 17st. 81b., had an advantage of 2st. 21b. over his opponent. Although much older than Cantonwine, Lewis proved the stronger. He threw Cantonwine with two keylocks, but Cantonwine retaliated witn a wristlock and brought Lewis to the mat. Cantonwine gained an armlock, and threw Le.wis, who struggled with a face bar and again Cantonwine brought him down. The heavier man tripped his opponent and strived with a body press and wrist lock. Suddenly Cantonwine gained a headlock, but Lewis arose, to be brought down again with a similar hold. Lewis then threw the lighter man with a headlock, to be brought' down again; then Cantonwine threw his opponent to the mat, Lewis imposing a face bar. Early in .the second round Lewis

brought Cantonwine to the canvas with a lieadlock, but the latter broke away. Lewis imposed a combination arm lock and leg grip, but Canton - wine, escaping, brought Lewis down and struggled with a liammerlock. Lewis prevailed, and lie sought to impose a headlock, which Cantons me frustrated by a crotch hold. La ei Cantonwine had a hammerlock and head scissors, and after Gaiitonuine escaped from a toe hold by connecting, with a “rabbit killer. Lewis, after three times bringing Cantonwine to the mat in the .third round, allowed 'him to free himself rather too easily to be genuine. Cantonwine, in this session, was aw aided the first fall. He rushed his opponent, butted him, and Lewis fell outside the ring. The latter declined to return and after the referee had ordered Lewis to return to the arena, Cantonwine was allowed a fall m 3mm. 20sec. ■\Vfipn they resumed Cantonwine rushed Lewis, and crashed him to the ropes. Lewis secured his first fall m this session. He brought Gaiitonvme down, and the latter fell outside Returning to the ring Lewis forced Cantonwine down with a headlock, threw him again and again, until he pinnerl his shoulders to the mat m Imm oOsec. The match closed in one minute of the fifth round. Two headlocks brought Cantonwine tp the mat. and Lewis persevered until he secured the fall which gave him the verdict. BOUT IN MELBOURNE SARPOLIS v. LEWIS. When Dr. Karl Sarpolis. lost. 21h.> won a fall against the mighty "Strangler” Lewis, list. 81b., in the fourth round of a memorable contest at the. Melbourne Stadium on August 16, the enthusiasm of the huge crowd knew no bounds. Brilliantly and cleverly as Sarpolis wrestled, however, the end seemed inevitable, although he was well ahead on points, and had Lewis perturbed. Lewis was so hard pressed that he had to resort to undignified scrambling through the ropes to save himself. However, the terribly punishing headlocks of Lewis prevailed. A headlock pinned Sarpolis at omin. 42sec. in the sixth round, and he was dizzy and shaken when he launched his flying scissors in the seventh. Lewis caught him in a waist hold, and falling forward gained the deciding fall in 4min. 51sec. WORLD’S BEST WRESTLER. “STRANGLER” LEWIS’S CLAIMS. SONNENBERG PLACED SECOND. Who is the greatest wrestler ol' all time ? Several of the experts now in Australia have been asked lor theix opinion, and the majority taiour “Strangler” Lewis, though admitting that Gus Sonnenberg’s flying tackle is deadly. But Lewis is favoured for his all-round ability, combined with enormous strength. “Wlrat about Frank Gotch?” one of the best men in Australia was asked. “There are about 20 men now in the gamo who are better,” was the reply. “Gotch had a great toe hold, but only, one or two others. Careful study and greatly increased competition have made a big difference in the science of the game. Lots of holds that Gotch had never heard of are now in common use.” A Newcastle correspondent has forwarded a list of eleven wrestlers and asked that they be placed in order of merit. The list has been submitted to Richard Lean, manager of Stadiums, Ltd., who has seen them in action in America. This is how he places them. Lewis 1, Sonnenberg 2 Steelier 3 Pesek 4, Sarpolis 5, Santel, Shikat and Londos, about equal o, with Londos perhaps the best of the three. “But,” lie said, “there are tour men not on the list whom I would place before Pesek. They are McGill, Plastino, Coloff and Steinke. “There are three others on the list who belong to the lighter division. I would place them Tliye, Edwards, and Kotsonaros, in that order.