WRESTLING ITEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23100, 27 July 1938, Page 22

WRESTLING ITEMS

NEW MATMAN ARRIVES NUMA'S EXCELLENT RECORD AN INTERESTING CAREER ROLES IN COWBOY FILMS Of powerful physique and possessing a record in professional wrestling which compares favourably with those of some of the best niatmen to visit the Dominion, Leo Niima, the American exponent, who arrived from Australia on Monday, is looking forward to a busy and successful season. He will make his first appearance in a match against Lofty Blomfield at the Town Hall next Saturday night. American football and athletics, particularly hammer-throwing, first caught Nunin's interest when he was attending thi' Washington University, but it was not long before he drifted into amateur wrestling. Amateur competition gave him the experience and balance which are the essentials to success and he sprang into prominence when he won the collegiate championship of America in 1927.

The past eight years have seen Numa in the professional arena, during which time he has pursued a hectic and successful career. At .'3O years of age he can look back on a record of close on 1600 matches, many of which have been against champions and near champions in the sport. Some of the more promininent men over whom he holds decisions are Strangler Lewis, Gus Sonnenberg, Sandor Sy.abo and Charlie Strack. He wrestled two draws with the famous .Jim Londos, one of the most brilliant exponents and brightest personalities in the sport, and also held Xagurski to a draw prior to the last-named becoming world champion. "1 lost I lib. in weight on that occa-

sion," said Nmna, when mentioning that the longest bout of his career was with Nick Lilt/., the contest going three hours minutes without a fall being registered. He held the Californian championship four years ago and for two years toured the North-west States as a masked wrestler, during which time be did not have his shoulders [tressed. Nunta holds the opinion that the excessive fore-arm punching, kicking and other rough tactics of modern wrestling will eventually be eliminated from the sport. He prefers the straight methods himself and regards the use of rough tactics as an indication of lack of science. While he possesses a wide knowledge of the holds and can exploit them all with ease. Xuma has a partiality for the surf board and the hammer throw, the latter hold being one which lie has developed himself and which has earned him many falls. During the several months he was in Australia lie lost only one decision, that being to Hay Steele.

Numa's outstanding build and fine appearance brought him under the notice of motion picture companies in America and he appeared in several films. The film executives endeavoured to depict bi 111 as a Western hero, but his great size did not appeal to them as being suited to the part, so they arrayed him in whiskers and made him a "bad man."