WRESTLING

Southland Times, Issue 23599, 29 August 1938, Page 10

WRESTLING

BOUTS STAGED AT GORE HIGH STANDARD SHOWN IN ALL EVENTS There was a small crowd present at the Princess Theatre, Gore, on Saturday evening to witness the wrestling bouts staged under the auspices of the Southland Wrestling Association. A high standard of wrestling was shown in the main bout and the preliminaries were also good, the audience being given a bright display A. McGregor, 13.7, of Invercargill, and Bob Meikle, 13.0, of Ohai, met in the main bout of the evening, which resulted in a draw, one fall each. The wrestlers were evenly matched and they mixed it freely providing some exciting action. Meikle took the first fall in the fourth round with a severe toe hold, McGregor being forced to submit, but the latter evened up at the beginning of the fifth round with a slam after a series of jolts. Meikle applied a standing splits soon after the beginning of the first round, but McGregor managed to break clear and counter with a Japanese arm bar. When the gong sounded for the end of the round McGregor had his opponent on the mat in an arm stretch. After the opening of the second round McGregor again attacked, but Meikle put in some smart work and forced his opponent to use the ropes for relief. Both men used the ropes several times in this round, but this procedure did not meet with the referee’s approval and he warned the wrestlers. McGregor tangled Meikle’s head in the ropes at the beginning of the third round and soon after applied a body scissors. Meikle broke clear and twice had McGregor’s shoulders on the mat for a brief period before the end of the round. In the fourth round McGregor was again aggressive and applied an arm stretch, ' but again Meikle broke clear and countered with a painful toehold. He kept on the pressure and McGregor was forced to submit after about 90 seconds. When he came out for the fifth round McGregor was nursing a weak ankle but he succeeded in picking his opponent up to slam him hard on to the mat to pin his shoulders. The referee awarded a fall while Meikle loudly voiced his objections.' There was plenty of action in the sixth round, McGregor elbow-jolting his opponent round the ring. McGregor again took up the offensive. in the seventh round, Meikle showing signs of tiring. McGregor twice succeeded in pinning Meikle’s shoulders for the count of one, and he administered severe punishment with a head-lock. Meikle eventually broke clear and applied an arm-bar which he held until the gong sounded. Meikle applied another arm-bar at the beginning of the last round but his opponent managed to crawl out under the ropes. He came back and administered a series of elbow jolts and then secured his opponent in a head-lock. At the end of the round the referee awarded a draw. THE PRELIMINARIES Lightweight.—C. Courtney (Waimumu) 9.6, drew with A. Stewart (Invercargill) 9.8. S. Eade (Invercargill) 9.7, beat W. Carron (Mossburn) 9.8, on points. Welterweight.—K. Gallagher (Moss* burn) 10.6, beat N. Sutherland (Mataura) 10.6, by two fails to nil. Middleweight—D. Dickson (Invercargill) 12.5, beat A. Thompson (Invercargill) 12.0, on points. Light-heavyweight.—G. Parry (Invercargill) 12.0, beat J. Kirkpatrick (Invercargill) 12.7, by two falls to one. This bout was fought at a fast pace, the wrestlers being evenly matched. Mr L. Eddy, of Invercargill, was referee of the main bout, and Mr. F. Clyme was referee of the preliminaries. Mr R. Butson was timekeeper and Mr L. Wills acted as announcer.

BLOMFIELD BEATS RAINES (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, August 28. A professional wrestling contest at the Town Hall on Saturday night between Lofty Blbmfield, of Auckland, and Dick Raines, of America, came to an abrupt termination in the sixth round, when Blomfield hurled his opponent over the ropes. Raines landed heavily on the staging, and then rolled off on to the floor in front of the stalls seats. He had not returned by the end of the regulation count of 20 and Blomfield was awarded a fall. As Raines was still receiving attention from a doctor and an ambulance attendant, the referee shortly afterwards declared Blomfield the winner. Raines had previously obtained a fall in the fourth round with a body press, following a succession of back-breaker holds. In applying these, Raines picked the Aucklander up bodily and dashed him backwards against the ropes in the corner of the ring. He did this twice in one corner, and then rushed to another where he repeated the performance. He then pressed Blomfield backwards over his knee. It was the first time the Auckland public had witnessed this specialty.

NUMA DEFEATS FRALEY (United Press Association) WANGANUI, August 28. Leo Numa beat Pat Fraley on Saturday night in the sixth round .when the latter was unable to continue because of an injury. Numa secured a fall in the third round with a body press after dumping Fraley with a hammer throw. Fraley equalized when the fifth round began with a submission fall from a flying toehold. When the sixth round started Fraley connected with two drop kicks, Numa going through the ropes. Just as Numa was re-entering the ring, Fraley essayed another drop kick, but injured himself on the top rope and was unable to continue. The bout did not come up to the standard expected. DETTON BEATS MOEN (United Press Association) WESTPORT, August 28. In a professional wrestling bout at Westport on Saturday evening, Dean Detton gained a decision over Andy Moen with a fall in the eighth round, obtained by a body press following a series of flying tackles and dumps.