BRUTES-OR JUST SHOWMEN ?

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 565, 18 January 1929, Page 7

BRUTES-OR JUST SHOWMEN ?

FOR the time being at any rate, the recent wrestling boom in Auckland appears to have ceased with the departure of two colourful overseas grapplers, although there is no reason why its recent run of popularity should not be legitimately exploited to carry the sport, along on a regular basis. The brief visit of ICilonis and McCarthy may be the forerunner of an American invasion next season, when a cosmopolitan throng of strong men returns for its annual pilgrimage to Australia. Ivilonis and McCarthy made no secret of the fact that they were here to spy out the land. If sufficient inducement offered, New Zealand would be placed on the wrestling map, to quote the naive remark of friend Kilonis.

It was indicated in a previous article in these columns that it was proposed to suspend judgment on Kilonis, McCarthy and Co. until the full effect of a new and, at first sight, rather startling trend in wrestling could he gauged. In other quarters, at least one bout at the Town Hall was fiercely denounced. Even Mr. Kilonis was moved -to a mild protest at so scathing an indictment.

It is well to differentiate between apparent brutality and the artifices of clever showmen. The late Tex Rickard, greatest of all sports promoters, realised the value of the “caveman appeal” (for want of a better term) ; hence his consistent backing of Jack Dempsey as bis greatest drawing card, and his clever manipulation of the claims of I/uis Firpo, a boxer whose tremendous strength and colourful appeal served to cover up an extremely elementary knowledge of the finer points of boxing-. The sport of wrestling is passing through the same phase. The bouts have been made faster, more spectacular and even thrilling. A great deal of the seeming ferocity of these so-called “man-eaters” is more apparent than real. Their aim, as frankly outlined by Kilonis (really a mild-mannered, pleasant man out of the ring), is to give the public its money’s worth; and judging by recent attendances at the Auckland Town Hall, they more than succeeded in their efforts. There may he room for supervision of their entertaining methods, but it is futile and rather silly to denounce them as bloodthirsty brutes. The police chief in Sydney expressed a similar view after an inspection and report on the wrestling boom in Sydney last year, in which both Kilonis and McCarthy were prominent figures.