WRESTLING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 106, 6 May 1936, Page 4

WRESTLING

1 (By

"HEADLOCK")

The Wanganui wrestling season ofli•cially opens this evening when the local association will stage a prolessicnal contest between Jack Eorsgteu and “Cowboy” Reb Russell. As this will be the lust meeting of these two matmen in the Dominion it is hard to forecast a decision, but Forsgren has the odds slightly in his favour. Taking the recent suowings of these two men the public should be th rilling] v- entertained lor an hour and a-half. Harry i’ursgren came to New Zeaj land with a reputation of having won lb bouts on end in the United btates. This he has fully borne out in his bouts to date in the Dominion, his defeat of £ Harry Kent on Monday night, being impressive. Forsgren’s meeting with Russell and McCready promises to be two of the big bouts of the season. j “Cowboy” Reb Russell is a real dyed-in-the-wool, sure ’nough cowt puncher. He smiles and wise-cracks , spontaneously, and finds this world a good place to be residing in. He has .. bevij wrestling lor abc-ut eleven years, , the last live as a professional, and he f graduated as a grappler under the j charge of John Pesek. ii Su fur ihe present season in NewZealand 'has produced a really unpreecdented high standard of wrestling. e There has not been a single dull or dis--1 appointing bout. On hand at present e we have Pete Mchringcr, Lc-fty Blomn field, Jack Forsgren, Harry Kent. Earl □ McCready, Glen Wade, “Koepack” Joe . Woods and “Rebel” Russell, all fast, 3 hard and spectacular wrestlers. L‘ The local amateurs have been doing s considerable road and mat work to lit e themselves for the season, and some - good, hard, scientific wrestling should i. be the outcome. Every week-end the 3 Dublin Street school is well patronised a and some good try-outs have been wit--1 nvssed. ! • 3 There is talk of the Y.M.C.A. open- ? iug up their school again. 1L is to be hoped they do, and the local association should give them ex cry encour- ? ag-ement. - The star amateur bout this evening t at the Opera House will be between ? “Bren’’ Sheppard and A. Tucker. 1 Tucker hails from Wellington, and down r there be lias been reported to have • acquitted himself well, and has vicf tories over some of the best amateurs 1 in that city, including Peter Razos. He is, at present, in splendid physical condition and should be seen to advantage. ? Sheppard is well known to Wanganui t fans and he never fails to please them. s Ho is a belter matman than most peo- ‘ pie give him credit for. When he ’ steps into the ring to-night no doubt the usual roar of welcome will be heard. The draxv for the amateur bouts ' which are scheduled to precede the professional contest is as follows; • J. McFarlane v. A. Girvine. I'. James v. C. Cripps. N. Northover v. L. Willcox. A. Reeves v. J. Dowdell. B. Sheppard A. Tucker. ’ Heli liussell and Pete Mehriuger are both willing io wurk-out any time with amateurs in whatever town they visit.; “I’ll work-out with anybody who thinks he’s a near champion or anybody else,” said Russell. “1 like doing r that and I guess it migiht he helpful 3 to them.” Wrestlers brought to New Zealand , ' by the Dominion Wrestling Union this ' j. season are required to work at least one 3 day a week in gymnasiums, and they 1 are under contract to take all possible I precautions to keep lit. r Ray Steel is stated to be coming io New Zealand. Both the Wrestling .. Union and the National Sporting Club claim him for their teams. Who will get him remains to be seen, but the 1 mam thing is he is coming to New . Zealand. He has always been within t grasp uf tire world’s title, and although f he has never won it he has prevented many others from doing so. He is xated as one of the first four in the world to-day. s It was reported at the annual meetig of the Waikato Wrestling Association last week that during tile season s seven bouts had been held, the average receipts being £lO6. The membership t amounted to J 5, but the committee '-ow v recommended that it should be ins creased to 65. Before Dick Shikat went to America :< on his successful quest of tne world - title he was wrestling in Paris in com r pany with Dan Kuloif aud Herii Deglaue. 4 The disadvantage at which a wrestler I is placed when he eaters the ring ais most immediately after stepping oil the boat is not generally oppreciated. In addition to finding his land legs—easier 1 for sonre than for others —the newcomer ’ requires a chance to become acquainted s with local conditions, particularly as a they apply to what is and what is not e allowed by New Zealand police officials and referees. * * * * '• The “death lock bug,” let loose last t season by Jaget Singh, is apparently • still active. At Oamaru recently Blom- '• field gained a submission fall of Glenn e Wade with what was called the “BlomI’ field death lock.” On® would be interested to see it. e Quite a variety of nexv holds will be seen again this season. The two H men featuring in this evening’s content e at the Opera House have specialty » holds. The “suplex,” Russell’s favourd ite, is reported to be very severe, and r if his opponent does not submit quickly I’ he is looking for trouble. Jack Forsi gren’s application of the Boston crab J is exceedingly painful, and he has won most of his matches in this country. l ! On the Pacific Ocean at present, and bound this way, are Paul Boesch, one n of the really outstanding wrestlers in “ America at present, and King Elliot, . who was working here last year, and ’ Joe Hansen, who is accompanied by Savage. Boesdh and Savage will proy t was, and Waverley is looking forward t to him holding its last line this year n with a touch of brilliance. n Knox Welsh is the makings of one of c Wanganui’s most useful backs. He has a sound sense of anticipation, and Technical Old Boys have made good use a of him, both as a five-eighth and a