ON THE WRESTLING MAT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 187, 10 August 1931, Page 8

ON THE WRESTLING MAT

BOUT AT OPERA HOUSE CONTEST ENDS IN DRAW KARA PASHA AND STAN PINTO Not a display of the pryotechnics of wrestling, but an exhibition of showmanship and wrestling holds that ought to have satisfied all but the most captious critics —that is what the crowded audience at the Opera House on Saturday night saw when the bout between Kara Pasha (Turkey) and Stanley Pinto (United States) was staged. Apparently there were many present who expected to see the wrestlers throw each other out of the ring and do all those things that exponents of the mat game are reported to have • lone in other towns. These were perhaps the section who hooted the contestants at the conclusion of the eighth round, when the referee, Air Alex Bain, raised the hands of both aloft as a signal that the match was declared a draw. It was the first professional wrestling bout to be staged in Wanganui since the formation of the Wanganui Wrestling Association, under whose auspices the contest was run. Indeed, it was the first wrestling bout to be staged here for well over two decades. Thus it was scarcely surprising, especially in view of the reputations of the two contestants, to find the Opera House crowded for the occasion, the “gate” being reported to exceed £3OO. Kara Pasha was the first to secure a fall. The fifth round had not progressed much more than the first halfminute of the scheduled ten minutes when the Terrible Turk suddenly swung a Boston crab on to his opponent and Pinto submitted. The Nebraska Wildcat, as Pinto is billed, evened matters in the seventh round, when, after headlocking the Turk round the ring. Pinto lifted his opponent and dumped him to the mat to be awarded a tall for a body slam and press. Under the impression that the bout was not so strenuous as could have been expected, some persons threw several pennies into the ring during the progress of the opening rounds, a mark of disapproval adopted in other centres where wrestling is better known than in Wanganui. Prior to the commencement of the programme King Elliot, the well-known Wanganui wrestler, who has adopted the professional cloak for his activities, was introduced by the announcer, Mr John Coull, and gave an exhibition of the various wrestling holds most frequently used. He was assisted in this display by Mr A. Marsh, a Wanganui amateur, and the exhibition proved most interesting, especially in view of the bouts to follow. Several amateur bouts and exhibitions of wrestling preceded the professional contest, and the “house” gave them all a really good hearing. The Professional Bout Stanley Pinto, “The Nebraska Wildcat,” was the first to enter the ring, his weight being announced as 14st 31b. After a few minutes’ delay Kara Pasha, “The Terrible Turk,” made his appearance, a striking figure in flowing red robe and white turban, with a crescent and star emblazoned on the back of his robe. His weight was announced as 12st 121 b. The opening round was marked by a good deal of showmanship, particularly on the part of the Turk. Bringing his opponent to the mat with an arm roll Pinto proceeded to get a forward chancery on to Pasha, who escaped. Retaliating, Pasha secured a chiropractic headlock from which Pinto freed himself. Pinto held his opponent in a bear-hug but the Turk got the nerve of Pinto’s right ear and broke away. Then Pasha shook himself clear of an armbar and proceeded to bring the Nebraskan down with a wrfst.lock. Pinto was cautioned for roughing his opponent’s face, and Pasha got an arm strangle on. from which Pinto escaped by tickling the nerve of Pasha’s spine.' much to the delight of the crowd. At. this stage Pinto was inclined to display roughness and had to bo cautioned. Pasha got a headlock on to Pinto, who wriggle*! clear and retaliated with a similar hold on the Turk, whom he throw. Pasha tried for an Idaho splits and Pinto secured a toe hold that hurt. Then the Turk got a body scissors on and tried for a crucifix, but could not complete the hold, Pinto managing to roll from it. Still on the mat, Pasha hold Pinto with a crucifix, with his opponent’s loft arm locked, when the gong went for the first round. The opening of rhe second round found Pasha trying for a forward roll but Pinto struck him with the flat of the hand a blow similar to the rabbit punch and got a body scissors on, swinging into a partial crucifix, but was warned for slapping his opponent in the stomach. Pasha tried to spin out of the hold and finally got free. Pinto rolling through the ropes. Pasha got a hammerlock on but Pinto proved too strong for him. Then Pasha tried for a firing tackle but missed. Pasha put a forward chancery on his opponent and threw him with a forward headlock and got a standing splits on him, followed by a Sherry leglock. This he tried to develop into a leg strangle but Pinto throw himself clear and obtained a toe-hold which he retained for the best part of a minute. Pasha got a facelock on to Pinto, who tried to pick him up and dump him, but the Turk was too quick. Pinto then threw his opponent, with a flying mare and had a figure four head scissors on him as the gong went for the end of the round. Pinto managed to evade the Turk’s attempt to throw him with a flying mare at the commencement of the third round, and then Pasha got a rabbit punch in that made the Nebraskan angry. Pasha had a headlock on but Pinto threw him to the ropes. The Turk got Pinto down with a double armlock but the American escaped and held his opponent with a body hold, which he developed into a log splits, which obviously caused the Turk considerable pain. After several vain attempts to free himself Pasha slapped his opponent on the back twice and Pinto, appearing to think it was the referee awarding him a fall, relaxed, the Turk wriggling clear, much to the amusement of the crowd. Pinto got a double wristlock on and the pair went down again, with Pasha held in a head scissors and arm-bar, but the Turk reversed positions and got a shortarm scissors on his opponent, holding it for a minute. Finally the Nebraskan got clear, his advantage in weight being used to effect, and he had an arm-lock on the Turk until the latter broke away. Pasha got a toe-hold on but Pinto had a leg strangle and held

it for a good half-minute until the end of the round. Pasha threw his opponent with a flying marc at the opening of the fourth stanza, and then headlocked him a couple of times. The Nebraskan retaliated with a head scissors from which Pasha wriggled clear. From an arm strangle Pinto broke away by rubbing Pasha’s spinal nerve. Pinto then threw the Turk with a flying mare and tried for a body press. Ho got an arm scissors on the Turk, who escaped from an arm strangle. Pinto threw Pasha with a double armlock and head scissors, but the Turk reversed the position with a short-arm strangle, holding it for fully a minute. Pinto stood up to it and managed to break clear, getting a toe-hold, while Pasha tried a succession of face-locks and finally an arm-lock with his legs. Finally Pinto broke clear, but Pasha, had a forward headlock on him when the gong sounded. Rumours were current, yesterday to the effect that, the sharp of the proceeds due the two wrestlers. Pinto and Pasha, was being withheld by the Wanganui Wrestling Association, but a denial was given by the president of the association, Mr T. Hurley. The Frist Fall Awarded. The fifth round was of very short duration. Pinto tried for a flying marc and they went down, the Nebraskan headlocking his opponent round the ring. Suddenly the Turk swung a Boston crab to his opponent and the Nebraskan submitted immediately. The rov" ' had lasted less than a minute. Pinto indulged in some slapping when they commenced the sixth round, rnd when they went to the mat he held the Turk with a body press and developed an arm strangle and Japanese arm-bar. This tho Turk succeeded in breaking with a toe-hold, which he worked into a double Japencse toe-hold. Pinto got his fingers into the corner of the Turk’s mouth and was warned. The Turk broke out of a scissors hold and angled for another Boston c ab. Pinto slapped viciously clear and was hooted. The Nebraskan tried to lift Pasha from the ropes and slam him but, after being warned for holding the ropes, the Turk broke away. Pinto threw the T. rk with a flying mare and got an arm strangle on. which he developed into a Japencse arm strangle. Pasha, secured an armbar and Pinto went for a toe-hold as the gong brought the round to an end. Lik • the fifth, the seventh round was a short one. Pinto headlocked Ip~ opponent, and threw him about the ring. Roth had 1- mdlockfi on when suddenly Pinto lifted his opponent and durr, ed him to be awarded a fall on a body slam, winning applause from the crowd. In the final round Pinto got a headlock on the Turk and U.rew him, trying for a body press, holding him with a headlock. Pasha reversed posi 'ons and the Nebraskan broke rhe headlock by butting his opponent. Pinto then go' the Turk with the Idaho leg spli* i and a face-lock, but Pasha bro’ o out with awristlock. Pasha dragged Pinto round the ring in an attempt to break a toe-hold and got clear with a facelock. Another headlock brought the pair to the mat, but the Turk got clear. Pinto threw the Turk with a forward headlock and threw him, putting on a head scissors and arm-bar, and the hold

was developed into a cradle hold just before the gong went for the end of the bout. Tho lefcree’s announcement met witha mixed reception. With the Amateurs. In the first amateur bout S. Sullivan (Wanganui) secured two falls in the first round and won from D. Grieve (Raetihi)). J. Bullock (Wanganui) beat C. Richards (Raetihi) by securing two falls in the first found, both with a cross-but-tocks throw. In the third bout B. Bullock (Wanganui) won from D. Sanford (Raetihi) by securing two falls, also in one round. D. Scarrow (New Zealand heavy weight champion) and E. Scarrow, both of Raetihi, gave an ehxibition, as also did the Bullock brothers, while D. Scarrow and A. Marsh (Wanganui) gave an attractive display. Marsh securing a fall in the first round.