Wrestling.

Southland Times, Issue 19726, 29 January 1906, Page 2

Wrestling.

A DRAW. Tin; matches between Frank Fordo and Clarence Weber attracted some .'WO persons to the Zealand a Hall 'on Saturday evening'. The contest was in two styles, catch-os-catch-can and Cumberland, the former being Weber's specialty and the latter Fordo’s favourite style. Some difficulty was experienced about which style should bo first contested and the point was finally decided by the spin of a coin. Fordo winning and deciding on Cumberland. Little time was lost thereafter in preliminaries, and when the judge proclaimed " holts ’’ each jumped to close grips. The bout was sharp but short, Fordo 'hanking his man in a few sec’onds. The second bout was ■ similarly brief and strenuous. Fordo again asserting his superiority by decisively back-buttocking the Australian. Weber had revenge in the. catch-as-catch-can style; the first bout of which he won with comparative ease. When positions were taken for the next " go ” Fordo wasted no time in finessing. The men were in grips for about 15 minutes, the local man struggling desperately against superior skill, the excitement being at times intense, but the issue finally rested with Weber, who pressed his opponent’s shoulders fairly to the mat, The result of tho match was thus inconclusive. .Both men submitted without question to the rulings of the judges, Messrs J. McGregor, W. Murdoch and M. Oilfedder, and each fall was received with impartial applause from the spectators.

Wehor, who now returns to Melbourne, has won several long distance foot and cycle races on Ihe other side, and ho has expressed the intention of returning later to match Fordo in an " all round” contest.