WRESTLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 1764, 12 September 1885, Page 22

WRESTLING.

WHISTLER V. DINNIE.

On Saturday, the 29th ult., at the Victoria Hall, Melbourne, Whistler, the American wrestled Donald Dinnie, the Scotch champion, in two matches of three and five styles respectively, for £100 a-side in each match. The first match came off in the afternoon and the halJ was full. Whistler appeared without a singlet to wrestle in the GracoEoman style, and Donald Dinnie objected that this was contrary to the articles of agreement of the match. The articles stated that the conditions were to be the same as in the Dinnie v. Miller contest, and singlets were worn on that occasion. The referee Mr William Miller, decided that as the wearing oC singlets had not been expressly stipulated in the articles, the men must wrestle as they or Dinnie could take off his singlpt if he chose. He, however, did not do so. The Grajco-Roman style is one for which Whistler is famous, while it is comparatively new to Dinnie, who is \not so active as his opponent. Whistler's wonderful agility enables him to almost defy his adversary to keep him on the iloor. When he is thrown, he may be said to bounce like indiai ubber rather than jump upon his feot. He, too, like Miller, is immovable when down on all fours, but when he got Dimiip. iii thih position he proved hiroself a daugerous. antagonist fey his determined tactics for an. arm-hold. The object is, by wrenching the arm, to compel a man to turn

over on his back, but Dinnie, knowing his danger, resolutely refused to allow his elbow to be drawn from underneath his chest while he was lying down. These tussles |to complete the fall were very prolonged, and Dinnie occasionally broke away from grip and regained his feet, for which he was loudly cheered. After the men had been wrestling for 20 minutes, Whistler succeeded in his arm-hold and scored the- first fall. The second bout was in the Scotch style. Dinnie was able to throw Whistler as he pleased, but for a long time the American, as soon as he touched the floor, slipped like an eel from his opponent, and got up on his feet. Dinnie tried . every grip he knew of, and strained every nerve to pin his opponent down, but as soon as Whistler got his arms off the floor the men had to begin to take hold again. Once Dinnie kept the upper hand for 24 seconds, and the excitement rose to a high pitch. The courage of Dinnie in his heavy task waa remarkable, and his strength in resisting a trip was wonderful. Whistler would coil hislegs right round Dinnie and hang on to him like a sailor on a mast, but Dinnie waa im-"> movable ; and when the latter tried a throw he seldom failed. The bout had lasted 40 minutes, and Whistler had been thrown nearly 20 times before he was held down for the required time, and Dinnie obtained the fall; The third and deciding fall was in the mixed catch-as-catch-can above the waist style, and it only lasted three minutes. Whistler got Dinnie down, and seizing his arm before he had time to get it securely under his chest, easily put him on his backhand held him there for five seconds. Dinnie did not attempt jto resist being .turned over when his arm was caught in the fatal position, as he . knew itj would be useless, and Whistler, was too quick for him when he tried to wriggle away. | The match was, there! ore, won by Whistler. The second match, in the evening, wasnoij quite so largely attended as the first, ' jft was started with the side or belt hold. The letting 'go of the hold of the belt, which is worn round the waist, gives the fall to the other man. Whistler let go' by accident, and way cautioned by Miller,' the referee, ancl soon afterwards Dinnie let go. There was some uproar, and the referee said, as both . men had broken the rules of the fall, it could only be decided by three points on the floor, regardless of the belt hold. The, fall was won on these conditions by Dinnie. The Lancashire bout folldwed, and after a veryshort struggle it was won by Whistler. The Scotch ( fall was very similar to the one . wrestled in the afternoon, Dinnie finding the same difficulty in repressing Whistler after he had put him down with the bodyhold. Whistler's insouciance, as though he were only amusing himself, could not fail to be remarked all through the bout, which was won by Dinnie in 25 minutes. The fourth style, Grseco-Roman, reproduced what had been seen before of Dinnie's dogged resistance when he was in difficulties on the flborj i He showed splendid courage and . statnina,- and Whistler, finding that Dinnie, was too strong for him in the " tug-of-war," finessed artfully with him till he got the upper hand, and gained the fall. After a long retirement, preparatory to the final bout (Cornish)* the referee announced that Dinnie had injured his arm in the Scotch style of wrestling in • the afternoon, and it had now become so painful that lip would have to give the match to" Whistler. At the same time, he wished • to remind Whistler that in a former match between them his (Whistler's) shoulder and knee-joint had been put out, and the stakes had not been claimed without the option of another match. Whistler, in reply to calls, said h^ was willing to give up the stakes if he goti two-thirds of the proceeds of the house, and he would wrestle Dinnie again for the same stakes, or double the> amount. Dinnie accepted this challenge, and the gathering then dispersed.