Wrestling In Full Swing

Southland Times, Issue 23828, 27 May 1939, Page 15

Wrestling In Full Swing

Gradually the man-power of the Dominion Wrestling Union is being built up to its full strength, which is intended to be seven or eight men at one time, and more associations are following Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch and Palmerston North in opening their seasons. Greymouth will make a start on June 3 and Wanganui on June 5.

The Southland Association has applied to the union for a match and it is expected that the Invercargill season will open next month. The next arrival from overseas will be Paul “Bombshell” Boesch, who stands supreme as the most artistic demonstrator of the dropkick. Boesch is coming to New Zealand by the Aorangi, which is due at Auckland on Monday. His first bout may be against Blomfield at Wanganui. Earl McCready and Frank Forster were to leave South Africa yesterday and when they reach Australia McCready will travel overland by rail in order to reach New Zealand as quickly as possible. It has been announced in South Africa that Johannes van der Walt is to visit Australia and New Zealand, but no advances have been made by the Union. If he arrives, however, he will find plenty of opposition ready to tackle him.

Before McCready and Forster arrive New Zealand will be visited by the non-stop wrestler, King Kong Cox, who is making his second visit to this country. McCready has yet to score a win over Cox and the next meeting should be exceptionally interesting. TALLEST WRESTLER Rollend Kirchmeyer, tallest wrestler ever seen in New Zealand, weighs 18 stone, and is surprisingly fast. His favourite hold is known as the “python clutph,” and is as effective as Blomfield’s “octopus clamp,” to which it has many similar characteristics. Kirchmeyer has beaten many of the bestknown matmen, including the Dusek “riot squad,” Ed Don George and others. He has been attracting full houses in Auckland, where he opened the season against the New Zealand champion. Jack Donovan, 6ft 2in in height and 17st in weight, is a former boxer who realized the value of wrestling as a body builder. As a light heavyweight boxer he had 27 fights for 25 wins by knockouts, defeating, among others, Ernie Schaaf, Emmet Rocco, Marty Simmons,

and Tony Galento, who meets Joe Louis for the world heavyweight boxing title on June 28.

A collegiate wrestling champion—he was beaten in the American amateur light-heavyweight championship by the present world professional champion, Leroy McGurk—Donovan was persuaded to enter the boxing ranks, but after consultation with Victor McLaglen and Nat Pendleton, for whom he did stunt work at Hollywood, he returned to his first love and went to Charlie Hansen’s wrestling gymnasium, where he learned the finer points of the game. Before long he had established himself as a threat to the best, and his jolts, tackles and dumps earned him respect in any company. ,