WRESTLING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 148, 25 June 1931, Page 4

WRESTLING

DEFEAT OF TOM Al 1 FY SURPRISE AT AUCKLAND McDOUGAL’S POPULAR SUCCESS Frenzied cheering by many hundreds of wildly-excited wrestling fans provided a fitting obligato to a thrilling match in which. Scotty McDougal defeated Tom Alley by two falls to one in the Town Hall, Auckland, on Monday night, states the Auckland Star. The circumstances under which the ScottishCanadian snatched his win were sensational in tho extreme —ho pulled his last trick when he himself was almost “out on his feet.” In fact, it was all McDougal could do to crawl across the ring and lie on his unconscious oppon out to tako the third fall and the match. If McDougal had any doubts as to his popularity they must have been dis pelled last night, for ho was cheered and cheered again, and hardly a man loft the hall until McDougal had gone to his dressing-room. For sheer thrills tho match eclipsed anything previously seen on a wrestling mat in Auckland. Never before had tho crowd which yelled itself hoarse seen a man go so near defeat and then not taste of it. By all tho laws of human nature McDougal should have been beaten. In the fatal sixth round ho took more punishment than comes the way of an ordinary man in a lifetime; only his indomitable spirit made him crawl up each time after he had been lifted bodily and crashed to the mat. It is doubtful whether any wrestler in an Auckland ring has ever received such a series of shattering dumps as Alley inflicted on McDougal, before he himself was caught unawares and kicked backwards with such force that he was knocked out. When a wrestler is dumped hard—and there is no doubt thafr McDougal was dumped hard last night—he is usually in no condition to continue the engagement, but four times was McDougal slammed down and four times did he get up again. To tho spectators his courage appeared out of all proportion, and there wore some among his friends who hoped that he would stay down. But McDougal did not stay down. Ho got up and ho won. Is it any wonder that the crowd gave vent to delirious cheering! A game loser is always popular with a wrestling or a boxing crowd, but a game loser who unexpectedly’ becomes a winner is more popular still. Alley Considered Unlucky Of Alley it must be said that he was unlucky to lose, decidedly’ so. It was the Aanerican’s first appearance since his return from the States and he showed himself as even a better wrest ler than Aucklanders already know him to be. The Mormon’s weight was announced at 14st dead—McDougal came in at 14st 311jl —but it did not look as if the extra brawn he has put on amounted to as much as that. If anything, he was quicker than he was last season and his agility was something to wonder at. When he was thrown he landed lightly and bounced back into action without ever a let up. All bis holds were neatly’ applied mid his counters cleanly executed mid it will hardly be denied that he was the more polished wrestler. Alley’s tactics in the last few minutes of the match were difficult to comprehend. From outside the ring the obvious thing for him to do after ho had dumped his man a couple of times was to fall on him and try for a fall with a body press, but to the surprise of the crowd he did not do this. Instead he waited until Me Dougal had picked himself halt off the mat and then lifted him and dumped him again. It almost appeared as if tho Mormon was anxious to win the match without the trouble of lying on his opponent for a fall. Perhaps it was that Alley suspected that McDougal might be foxing. Certain it is that the Mormon’s cat and mouse game brought about his own defeat. So many holds were applied and broken that it would be impossible in limited space to detail the match. In the first round McDougal did the more spectacular work until near the end. when Alley obtained a key’ lock. Later the Mormon tossed his man all over the ring with a scries of headlocks. Mr Dougal got his first tall in round two. Catching Alley in a headlock, he threw him clean through tho ropes. The Mor mon struck his head on the boards, and no sooner was he buck in the ring again than he was pinned with a body press. More fine wrestling was seen in the third round, in which Alley obtained his famous crucifix and held his opponent in it until the gong. Early in term four Alley again secured a crucifix, and in quick lime he wrung a submission fall out of tho gurgling .McDougal. McDougal recovered well during the respite ami tugged at a

headlock at the start of the fifth round. Later Alley came to light tvith a heavy head barrage, which had McDougal in 1 serious trouble at the gong. Sensational Finish Provided o s Then camo the sixth round, and tho . most sensational finisn yet seen in Auckland. McDougal tumbled his man I five times with headlocks, but was then t given a taste of the same treatment. I As a result of the tierce onslaught McDougal became groggy. Alley picked r him high off the boards and dumped f him. The crowd thought, the match r was over, but McDougal slowly crawled on to his hands and knees. Immediate- , ly Ailey picked him up and dumped him again. Still McDougal would not stay ? down, and twice more ho was lifted and I crashed downwards. When ho got up f a fifth time lie found himself in a > corner, and he threw his arms over the i ropes for support. Then, as Alley came t within range, he swung his legs up and . kicked out with all his might. Caught 4 high up on the chest, the Mormon was . catapulted backwards through tho air and his head hit the boards with a I bang. When it was seen that Alley i win out the house went wild, but it was i several seconds before McDougal, al* > most unconscious himself, could crawl , over and lie on his prostrate opponent r to take the winning fall. Both men had • to be assisted to their chairs.