Alley Wins Again

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 734, 6 August 1929, Page 13

Alley Wins Again

MORMAN BEATS JOHANSSON

Wrestling at Town Hall

Did both Tom Alley’s shoulders touch the canvas in the first fall given against him or did the referee err 1 That is the question which is exercising the minds of the large crowd of spectators who attended the Town Hall last evening to see Alley and Walter Johansson, light-heavy-weight wrestling c.ianipion of Finland, in the second contest of the season promoted by the New Zealand Wrestling Association. Aliev won by two falls to one.

Many of the spectators are emphatically of the opinion that only one of Alley's shoulders was on the mat when the referee, Mr. Val Dunne, warded a fall to Johansson. Alley declines to comment, but the referee that one shoulder was on the mat tnd the tip of the other, thus ‘making * genuine fall. Johansson had nothing to say other than that he had bad luck and was suffering from a boil on the arm. Whatever the opinion, Alley put the *«ue bevond doubt by taking the next two falls and the match. The bout was not as spectacular as that between Vance and Alley, but nevertheless it was hard going all the As a preliminary to the main event, a second professional contest was staged, Xaranjan Singh, of India, defeating Charlie Pollard, of Auckland, by two falls, the latter one a penalty. “Farmer” Vance was introduced and challenged the winner. He is espe- I cially keen to meet Alley again and is prepared to risk his belt for the light-heavy-weight championship of Canada, should the contest be arranged. He said he was prepared to wrestle anyone in the world at 185 pounds. JOHANSSON’S FIRST FALL Johansson and Alley both looked in the pink of condition as they stripped for action. The weights were announced as Alley 13st 51b, Johansson l3st 21b. After some preliminary sparring Alley secured a short armlock. Johansson knocking him off his feet to break the hold. To enliven tho proceedings the Finn kicked Alley’s feet from under him, but gained no advantage. Alley secured a reverse Japanese lock and Johansson again saved himself by knocking his opponent over. The pair brought applause with a series of holds on the mat, swiftly applied and immediately broken, their efforts taking them all over the ring. Johansson took Alley to the mat and pressed him down. One of Johansson’s arms was under Alley’s shoulder, but the referee gave a fall. The crowd gave vent to its feelings with boos and hoots, and concluded by counting out the official. Opening the second round, Johansson applied a reverse wristlock, Alley breaking and getting a head-scissors. Johansson strained and at length broke the hold. Both regained their feet and the Finn secured an armlock. Alley breaking and kicking Johansson's feet from under him. A moment later Johansson applied the standing splits. Alley grabbed the Finn’s leg, upset him and got a double toe-hold. Johansson was in pain, but he broke the hold in a scramble. The Finn took a turn, securing a head hold, which Alley broke and got a head-scissors. Johansson somersaulted about for a time until Alley released him to get a short arm-scis-sors, the Finn saving a fall by using the “bridge.” He broke the hold by turning and getting a crutch hold. After escaping from another headscissors Johansson was struggling in a short arm-scissors as the gong signalled the end of Ihe round.

The pair sparred for a while until they went to the mat and Johansson secured a headlock which Alley broke with another. Johansson applied an arm-scissors and endeavoured to get Alley caught in a crucifix. But that it not Alley’s pet hold for nothing, and the ‘‘Morman mat-man” made short work in avoiding it. Johansson then ran into a series of headlocks which had him very groggy, and Alley had no difficulty in pinning his shoulders to the mat and making the score ope fall each. There was a wild scramble at the beginning of the fourth round. Johansson using a "shamrock.” Alley took it calmly until he fell into a short-arm scissors. . Leaping high he caught the Finn’s head in a scissors and they went to the mat, Alley underneath. Alley appeared dazed by the crash and Johansson secured a short-arm scissors which had Alley in difficulties for a long spell. With a tremendous effort Alley broke, but nearly ran into another. He reversed the position by securing a headlock which he turned into a body press to gain the final fall and the match. INDIAN BEATS POLLARD In the preliminary bout Naranjan Singh sprang a surprise when he emulated a swallow or did an Indian form of the “Sailor’s Hornpipe” toward the middle of the ring, when he was called over for instructions. Pollard also looked surprised. The well-known Auckland wrestler, Sunni, who was the Indian’s second, accompanied his charge to act. as interpreter. Singh had no difficulty in defeating Pollard, who never looked like winning. Pollard was in difficulties in the first round and Singh secured a body press and the first fall. In the second Pollard was on the defensive all the time. Ho made one or two efforts to catch tho Indian, but Naranjan avoided them and secured a hold. Sunni in the corner was keeping up a jabber of what must have been Bengalese, for Naranjan paused to take a rest while kneeling on Pollard's spine, and grinned and gesticulated toward his fellow countryman. The third round was quite bright. The Indian pushed Pollard through the ropes and at one time was intent on pushing him off the platform altogether. But this the referee did not allow. So the next time he pushed Pollard through he tried to get him back by tugging at his heels. But neither did this receive official sanction. After that Pollard was outside the ropes more than he was in the ring, and the referee awarded a penalty fall to Singh, giving him the match. THE AMATEURS L. Jellie, Sst 131 b, and F. Jackson 9st 31b, wrestled a draw, neither securing a fall. N. Grimmer, 6st 21b, beat C. Rise. 6s t 41b, by two straight falls. As in their appearance at the last match, these two little fellow's gave a clever display. C. Bacon, list 31b, beat L. Naylor, lOst 121 b, by one fall, which was secured in the last round after a good bout.