WRESTLING ITEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23058, 8 June 1938, Page 21

WRESTLING ITEMS

NEWCOMER TO AUCKLAND OPPONENT FOR BLOMFIELD The importance of the part which Canadian wrestlers have played in building up the mat sport in Now Zealand cannot bo over-estimated, and there have been no moro popular competitors in recent years than Earl McCrcady and Jack Forsgren. This season Canadians arc again playing their part, and one of those who has beeii (showing consistently fine form is Pat Median, of Edmonton, whom the Auckland Association has selected as an opponent for Lofty Blomfield in the professional heavy-weight bout ut tho Town Hall next Monday night. Earlier in the season Median distingushed himself by being .the first-to check Blomfield's winning sequence when ;' lie held tho New Zealand champion to U draw .in a thrilling encounter at" Duncdin. Mcohau,put up such a fill© display on that occasion that the .Otago association. regarded him as one of . its strongest drawing-cards, and has hopke4 him for several, matches, .: . '

Another firie^■'* performance was gi veil lie was matched witli Pat' Fraley.'a'ttVWellinfjton. Throughout the greater,-; part of the bout Meohaii was definitely'qii:top, and, with.a fall in hand,. he. Look'cd' to 'llaVo the match in his keeping, \vhen ho had his back injured by Jjeiiig' "thrown against tlie ring SjUpports "in Fraley's "back? breaker", hold. Meehan has bad a most interesting and adventurous career. He was born in Ireland, but went to Canada a*> A hoy, his parents settling in Alberta. He? learned to wrestle while at school, and had further opportunities to improve himself when lie later served for five years in the North-West Mounted Police Force. With a famous, old-timer to guide him along tho right track, luj progressed so well that he won the Canadian amateur heavy-weight title for two years in succession. Subse-! qucritly he turned professional, and since then has made himself one of tho leading figures in the «port. The fact that lie has gained a decision on' Jx'int over Cliff Olson, recog-j nisecl -as one' of the hardest wrestlei'ij in the world to beat. is an indication 'iir.iiility.: while .]iis other : yk'tiiiis iiicTiifh.- :i number "of*wrestlers who are recognised in New Zealand as being distinctly a'b'ovo the average. '