AMERICAN WRESTLER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 109, 8 April 1936, Page 10

AMERICAN WRESTLER

HARRY KENT ARRIVES. A POWERFUL GRAPPLER. Harry Kent, the powerful 29-year-old American wrestler, arrived in Palmerston North yesterday to fulfil his engagement with Glenn Wade at the Opera House to-night, when the Palmerston North Wrestling Association’s season is expected to open with a crowded house. Kent, who is just over six feet tall, and scales 16st 41b, is the embodiment of physical strength, which he revealed when, in drawing with Earl McCready, the Canadian and New Zealand champion, in their match at Wellington on Monday, he swung his 17st opponent over his hend for an aeroplane spin as lightly as a stick. Blomfield has already had to strike his colours to Kent. An ambition to secure an excellent deer head was confessed by Kent to a “Standard” representative, and lie said he was also keen on pig-hunting. He is a crack rifle shot, a keen huntsman and fisherman. He has trailed game in the wilds of Canada and played the “fighting yellowtail” in Californian waters. . Born in Pennsylvania, Kent attracted the imagination of big men when tuey saw him juggling with ease heavy tiniber baulks during his work as a bridge engineer on the State highways. Because of his massive build, he was induced in 1930 to take up professional wrestling as a career, which he has followed with great success, having liad about 600 bouts to date, including colourful contests in Canada and Mexico. Graduating from Oregon State University, Kent became an All-American football player, a ranking winch requires real toughness. He has twice wrestled a draw with Sliikat, the present world’s champion, the last occasion being three months ago; ne nas beaten Jack Paterson, the “Nebraskan hurricane” who was so popular in ins appearances at this centre; inflicted defeats on “Wild Man” Dene Detton and several times accounted tor tlai Rumberg, the fair-haired Nordic grappler. All had excellent records m New Zealand. Hard football gave Kent the practice which has made him a uynjS tackle” expert, and this, allied with his rugged strength, makes him very fast and formidable.in the ring. He climbs hills for training and does a three-hours’ workout of this nature daily, having, during his stay in Wellington, mapped out an arduous route over its hills. , Kent intends to spend a busy season in New Zealand, and has . numerous bouts in prospect. That against Wade to-night will be his third. in this country, and he has been hailed as one of the best grapplers ever to visit these shores. TO-MORROW’S MATCH. Harry Kent, Oregon University football and wrestling star, is'to make ms first appearance in Palmerston. North at the Opera Houso to-morrow night, when he will be opposed to the formidable Nebraskan, Glenn Wade, in the opening match of the local season. When. Kent stepped into the ring with Lofty Blomfield at Auckland, last week there was a look in his eye that boded ill for his opponent. It told very clearly that he was ready fo- anything the New Zealander might start and that he would met. any play on Blomfield’so part by employing something from his own repertoire ot tricks His subsequent actions showed that he meant business. From a torrid beginning the match continued at a last clip and when it was all over Blomfield—second only to McCready in last season s 'ranking—lay flat on the mat with Kentpressing his shoulders down. On that occasion Kent showed that he possessed a wide range of attacking moves and the Strength and speed necessary to employ them to the fullest extent. However, in Wade he will bo meeting a tried and proved campaigner whose shrewdness and agility in the ring makes him particularly formidable when opposed to a flying tackle expert. There are not many hotter wrestlers in the world than the Nebraskan, and if Kent can add His scalp to his bolt *it will ho a highly meritorious effort. Preceding the big professional bout will four preliminaries in which the best known amateurs will figure. J. Eckersloy (Apollo), 9.5, will opposo W. Brighouse (Dannevirke), 9.3; J. Clark (Downes’s Gym), 10.3 will meet W. Roill (Rata), 10.1; A. Karema (Dannevirke) 11.6 will try conclusions with J. McConachy (Downes’s Gym), 11.6, while T. Waldron (Rata) 11.3, will be matched with W. Coldstream (Dannevirke), 11.3. The emergencies are M. Edhouse, H. Growcott, E. Pinker and G. Graham. These amateurs have been judiciously selected and four keen struggles are predicted. Owing to Messrs Collinson and Cunninghame’s being closed on Wednesday afternoon, the box plan will bo transferred to the Opera House to-morrow afternoon.