WRESTLING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22975, 1 March 1938, Page 18

WRESTLING

THE PAST SEASON PROGRESS IN AUCKLAND AN IMPROVED STANDARD Each year has seen an improvement in th 6 standard of wrestling, and last season the overseas matmen were of outstanding calibre and gave the public a season of sensational matches such as have never been seen before in New Zealand, states the report to be presented at the annual meeting of the Auckland Wrestling Association on March 15. In all 32 matches were held. Following the policy of previous years, the Dominion Union's representative in America has already secured an evenlybalanced team for the forthcoming season. 'J'he men are 011 their way to New Zealand, and an early opening of the 1938 season can be looked forward to. During the winter a team of Australian amateurs visited New Zealand and opened its tour with matches in Auckland against leading local wrestlers. Wrestling under Olympic rules, in which (hey were well versed, the visitors in the main were too good for the Aucklanders. The visiting wrestlers, as ambassadors of sport from (he Commonwealth, were true to the tradition of sportsmanship for which Australia is famed. The winners of the Auckland amateur tit es were:-—Bamtam-wcight, T. Harvey; lightweight; F. Murphy; middle-weight, V. Aspin; feather-weight, C. Jones; welter-weight, A. Nicol;» light-heavy-weight, C. Passmore; heavy-weight, B. Norton. C. Passmore and B. Norton were runners-np in their respective divisions at the national championships. Special trophies awarded during the season were won as follows:- —Zeebrugge Shield, for the garnest wrestler, R. Double; Austin-Carr Cup, consolation prize, P. Hill; Kolin watch, most-improved wrestler, B. Norton. The balance-sheet shows the finances of the association to be in a very sound position. During the year donations were made from (he association's funds, covering £.">o to the King George V. Memorial Fund; I'M) 4S 7d (0 the Returned Soldiers' Association; and fid to the St. John Ambulance Brigade. J he sum of A'4oß 8s was expended on local amateurs. Income exceeded expenditure by Clio 7s lid.