WALKER WINS WRESTLING

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1933, Page 9

WALKER WINS WRESTLING

CLARK DEFEATED AT HAWERA

GREEK CROSS USED TO FINISH. SOLID BUT NOT SPECTACULAR. George Walker beat Jack Clark by two falls to one in a hard-fought wrestling contest at Hawera last night. The packed house did not appreciate the solid wrestling, which was not of the bright, fast order displayed in previous contests. Clark was nursing his injured back and Walker was clearly the better man .throughout. However, Clark might easily have won as he missed a fall with a back-loop . slam in. the last, round by inches only. Walker secured his falls with a hanunerlock and, for the first .time, a Greek cross. Clark waited his opportunity to dump Walker for a fall but never had a second opportunity. The crowd was a little disappointed r with Walker; perhaps they expected too much. Still that was scarcely, sufficient excuse for tossing pennies into the ring. Clark, of course, was , unable to show his best, but had it- not been for his back he would have given Walker a pretty run for his money. The weights were not announced. Mr. W. J. Clafingbold refereed. A little initial sparring saw Clark miss a waisthold. He made amends with a short-arm scissors turning into a key-_ lock with which he held Walker for a long period, varying the treatment by tapping his heel on Walker’s stomach. . When the champion escaped he gave his opponent a few headlocks. An open- . handed slap brought a pained expression ' to Walker’s face and an arm-bar to Clark. Unperturbed the American swung up for flying head scissors followed by a keylock from which Walker escaped by tickling. Walker was held in a crucifix and then head scissors. He savaged Clark with 'headlocks till a shoulder in his stomach halted the attack. JUMPED ON OPPONENT’S TOE.

Round two opened with Walker in a headlock’Svhich was broken by the judicious application of a knee. Walker by stamping on his opponent’s toe caused Clark to kick him. Clark escaped from a, hammeflock and seized two handsful of cauliflower ear. An arm-bar had Clark in trouble as he was rolled round the ring. Tlie American countered with body scissors, not very well applied so that '* Walker could get on a splits. The American could not hold Walker in head scissors, the champion getting a leg cradle and then a crucifix. Walker was tormenting him in this till, he took a light kick in. the back. The gong released the American. , ... Walkdr re-opened with headlocks, meeting butts and slaps. Suddenly as Clark was struggling in a chancery he seized a crutch hold and dumped Walker, securing a fall with a body press. Clark opened up full of confidence and was about to' take a headlock when Walker used a tap: in the solar plexus. Walker escaped from a body scissors to work on a barred wristlock and body press. l Gradually he worked the grip on the arm round till he had got his hammerlock. After that it was just a question of time before the American had to submit.. » . Walker’s well-known whistle opened the fifth round. Clark avoided a backloop before he was thrown with a headlock through the ropes. Walker got out of head scissors and. put on a toehold; then seized the other for a double . . toehold. Clark kept Walker off well but the champion pursued him with head- ■ / locks. Clark escaped. from' a hammer- i lock. An arm-bar and body press having failed to r finish Clark Walker used * cradle. Walker’s strength later got him out of trouble. Clark just-missed a back-, loop twice, the second" from a rear hammerlocked position. Walker looked as if he was going..to gain a splits hold; then with Clark deceived suddenly changed to a Greek cross, Mamos’ ‘deadly hold-. Clark was taking no risks, with his sore back and submitted. ,'''’ ’ ' : AMATEUR PRELIMINARIES.

B. Parked (Opunake) '5.0 beat S. McNae (Opunake) 5.0, though he could not get a fall. Good use of the cross-buttock was the Winner's chief .weapon, while he showed a knowledge of the use of a body press, but the loser’s defence was sound, a bridge being a good piece of work. C. Conway (Hawera) 8.7 beat E. Schmidt (Normandy' 8.8 by one fall. After a fast, hard bout Conway suddenly secured a waisthold and slammed hi.: opponent, prior to putting his -shoulders on the mat with, a body press. J. Fake (New Plymouth) 9.7 beat T. Nuku (Okaiawa) 9.8 and deserved his win through a good display. A partial hog-tie and reverse full-Nelson with his legs were two good holds.’ Nuku defended well and was a little unlucky'in that he could have had a submission fall with a particularly-severe body scissors.. : P. Burton (Onunake) 10.6 beat C. Watson (Urenui) 9.11 with a fall from a body press in the secohd ’ round. Burton was the aggressor. throughout and nearly gained a fall in, the third round, also with a punishing head scissors, from which the referee released the Maori when his face begamto bleed.