WRESTLING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 183, 7 August 1935, Page 4

WRESTLING

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The stage now appears to be set for a real British Empire championship con test in New Zealand. The competitors could include Earl McCready, George Walker, Sam Burmister, King Elliot, Geo. Hopkins, ‘‘Lofty'' Blomfield, Peter \ enter, and the three Indians. Jaget Singh, Harban Singh ami “Tiger” Duala. All these maimen are now present. except Duala, and most of them claim the title or are disposed to chai lenge for it. What a chance for a wide awake promoting organisat on! A single fall in the eighth round ; ava Earl McCready (17st.) victory over Englishman George Hopkins (16.10) last Monday week after one of the very best expositions of straight-out wrest.ing ever seen in Wellington. Il was a con test devoid entirely of showmanship and burlesque—a bout in which two men representing two nations of the British Empire, gave all they had in a stern endeavour to win out. There can be no question about Hopkins’ great strength. He must rank as the strongest man ever to wrestle in this country —not excluding Dan Koloff. But there are more factors than strength in modern wrestling, and in speed and trickery Hopkins is deficient. It was fortunate for the public that McCready’s own strength was such that he was able to keep Hopkins fairly active . Against a less accomplished wrestler than McCready, Hopkins might have gone about his business in slow motion—but the Canadian was at times able to make him speed up the action. The latter point was borne out on Monday of this week when Hopkins was matched with Andresen at Dunedin. The bout, according to reports, proved to be a farce, and the public showed their dissatisfaction in no uncertain manner.

Cy Williams, who left New Zealand about three weeks ago, intended to work at Honolulu for a while. Before leaving he expressed a wish to return to New Zealand. “Not for the money,’’ he said, “but just to show you folks that 1 am quite tame. ’

Anybody wishing to watch George Walker working out may do so by attending Anton Koolman’s gymnasium at 11 a.m. daily, states a Wellington paper. The national champion, who is said to be going along nicely in his work, is being massaged by Koohnan. * * * * Popular Dean Detton, out here lafet season, has had to quit the game for a couple of months on account of an injured knee sustained during an engagement in Lou Darro’s tourney in Los Angeles. And Dean wasn’t the only one to knock himself up in this tour ney—Man Mountain Dean received shoulder trouble; Sandor Szabo sustained similar injuries; and Kiman Kudo had a couple of ribs stove in. Who said wrestling wasn’t a tough game?

The latest wrestling oddity is that two wrestlers have managed to knock each other out simultaneously. When they manage to knock out the referee, too, that will be the perfect ending.

It was stated in a certain quarter !,t hat Glenn Wade had defeated George iWalker at Columbus, Ohio, in 1930. As is generally known. Walker was in NewZealand at that time, and he informed an inquirer that he had not vet wrestled Wade. The New Zealand Herald reports that tentative arrangements have been made for Earl McCready and Ole Andresen to meet at Auckland on August 12. Neither the Dominion Wrestling Union nor the Pioneer Athletic Club (which imported Andresen) had any knowledge of the fixture when the statement was referred to them. King Elliot left Wanganui on Mon day morning to fulfil an engagement, at Invercargill. He will try conclusions with George Hopkins there. • » • • Before a full house in Wellington last Monday the American wrestler Glenn Wade was beaten by Earl McCready, by having to submit late in the seventh round to a ferocious new hold known as the “octopus deathlock.’’ Wade continued gallantly to the end of the remaining round, but was unable to secure the evening fall. The contest was clean and most vigorous all the way through. As in most of his previous bouts. McCready saved his most dangerous work till near the end, but even so, he did not appear to have very much in reserve and was on many occasions bustled by Wade. The “octopus deathlock,’’ as it was used apparently for the first time in public, has the appearance of a halfdeveloped crucifix, with the feet not locked and the victim’s head caught be hind the knee. Blomfield, on the form he has shown this season, is likely to become one of the most popular and sought-after wrestlers in the country. He gives the public speed, action, and strength, and if he feels so inclined, he is quite willing to mix it. Hardy Kruskamp’s disqualification sends still another good man away from the 1935 season befort it, is half way through. Cy Williams, Pereira, and now Kruskamp can ill be spared, especially at such an early stage. The following are the names of the professional wrestlers still in New Zealand, with their affiliations, so far as can be gathered: —New Zealand Wrestling Union, Glen Wad * and Georg? Hopkins; independent. Earl McCready and “Lofty” Blomfield; Pioneer Athletic Club of New Zealand. George Walker, Peter Venter, Harban Singh, Ole Andre sen, and Jaget Singh. King Elliot, and Sam Burmister are also in the country, but the former has been laid up with a poisoned leg and the latter does not seem to be in demand.