WOMEN WRESTLERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26473, 29 May 1947, Page 2

WOMEN WRESTLERS

Although the galleries at wrestling matches generally contain a fair percentage of female enthusiasts, the “ gouge and grapple game” remains one of the few sports in New Zealand which have not been adapted and adopted by women. As might be expected, however, America—usually the country of origin of freak sports—is able to boast a group of female wrestlers. Unlike the male world’s wrestling title, which is generally in dispute, the women’s wrestling championship of the world is in the unchallenged possession of one Mildred Burke, who has been the leader in this field for more than 10 years. In that time, she has never lost a fall to any opponent. She heads a troupe which tours the nation and is annually seen by some 3,000,000 spectators. Not so surprisingly, most of the girls are married to male wrestlers. The rules of w’restling are the same as the men’s—the principal variation being emphasis on hair-pulling and finger-nail gouging.