WRESTLING CHAMPION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21037, 23 November 1931, Page 12

WRESTLING CHAMPION.

BRITISH EMPIRE TITLE. VICTORY FOR GEORGE WALKER. BILLY MEESKE DISQUALIFIED. The wrestling contest for the heavyweight championship of the British Empire at the Town Hall on Saturday evening ended in a victory for George Walker, the ex-Canadian, now resident in Auckland, his opponent, Billy Mceskc, of Australia, being disqualified in the sixth round for making persistent use of the ropes. Up to this stage each man had gained a submission fall by means of a reverse toehold. Mcc.ske won the first fall in the second round, Walker getting even in the fifth.

Tho match was bright and lively and thoroughly enjoyed by a crowd which nearly filled the hall. Meeske did nearly all the attacking in the first three rounds, by the end of which time he had a good lead on points, as well as being one fall u]). However, Wnlkejr lived up to his reputation of being a slow beginner, and from the third round onwards he was clearly master of the situation. Meeske would have been slammed a dozen times had he not held tho ropes. On one occasion he grasped the referee's shoulders to avoid being thrown, and the official in charge ultimately disqualified tho Australian in tho sixth round for persistently breaking the rule relating to excessive uso of the ropes. Both men were accorded big receptions, Walker, as usual, being tho more popular of the contestants. Meeske weighed 13st. 51b. and Walker 13st. 121b. Mr. C. Pollard was referee. After Walkpr had freed himself from a jiu-jitsu wristlock he was downed with a headlock and he next broke a. wristlock by rising to his feet. There was plenty of life in the bout, Meeske earning displeasure for making excessive use of his hands, while the referee spoke to him for lifting his knee. Walker was roused and rushed his opponent to the ropes, the crowd cheering him as he attempted a body lift. First Fall to Meeske. Early in the second round Meeske obtained a standing splits and, quickly converting to a reverse toehold, he gained a submission fall in one minute twenty seconds. Meeske went after his man at the gong, employing further jiu-jitsu methods. Walker replied by attempting a dump, the Australian saving himself two or three times by grasping the ropes. An exchango of toe-stamping roused the spectators and the cheering was almost deafening when Walker appeared likely to gain a fall with a reverse armlock. The cheering increased in volume as the Australian worked his way clear. After being thrown with forward headlocks, Walker was caught in a leg cradle, but he escaped, and gained a standing wristlock. Then, with a head scissors and wristlock, he roughed his opponent, who again sought refuge on the ropes. Tho referee tried to go between the Australian and the ropes, but he was seized by Meeske, who fell lightly to the floor. Walker here obtained a reverse toebar, but tho gong saved Meeske. Meeske opened the fifth round with a reverse toehold, but Walker quickly changed the position to a splits. Walker at last succeeded in lifting his opponent and, pulling him off tho ropes, threw him lightly into the centre of the ring, where, with the application of a reverse tbehold, he won a submission fall.

Meeske went flying through the ropes at the commencement of the sixth round. He had not been long back in the ring before lie seized the ropes when Walker went to lift him. 'The reforee immediately intervened and raised Walker's hand as a signal that he had been awarded the match. Amateur Preliminaries. Bantam-weight.—C. Jones, New Zealand champion, Bst. 31b., beat J. Kissin, Bst. 31b., by two falls gained in the first and third rounds with body presses. Light-weight.—W. Williamson, New Zealand champion. 9st. 41b., beat L. Ball, 9st. 41b., by one fall, won in the third round of an active bout. Welter-weight.—F. Baker, lOst. 41b., beat J. Kazanich, lOst. 61b., by one fall. Baker needed nil his skill to take the only fall in the second with a press. Middle-weight.—D. Pearce, list., beat H. Limn, list. 21b., by two falls. The first was gained with a combined armbar and body scissors in the second round and the deciding one with a press and armbar in the third round of an excellent bout.