THE MAT GAME

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 124, 27 May 1936, Page 4

THE MAT GAME

BOESCH-WOODS CLASH TO-NIGHT

By

"HEADLOCK"-

Joe “Kopa<-h” Woods, who still has not made up his mind whether to be a gentleman or a rough-house artist in the wrestling ring, makes his second Wanganui appearance of the 1936 season this evening at the Opera House. His opponent will be none other than the long-awaited Paul Boesch, the wrestling Adonis who drew with the world’s champion, Dick Shikat and out-drop-kicked wrestling’s great dropkick star “Jumping” Joe Savoldi to gain a decision over him. Coming nearer home, only last Monday night, at Wellington, Boesch drop-kicked New Zealand’s champion for a fall. Boesch who is ranked high up on the wrestling list, is regarded as one of the candidates for top place among the younger school of matmen. Hailed as the greatest drop-kicking wrestler in the world Boesch received his wrestling training in New York —the hardest school know’n to the sport. Boesch, in his initial New- Zealand appearance, scored a convincing victory over Russell and, incidentally, established himself a firm favourite with the Dunedin fans, in whose city the match was held. To-night’s bout should develop into a spectacular and scientific exposition of the wrestling code, and those who are lucky enough to be present, will get the thrill of their lives. The amateur bouts scheduled for the first half of the programme at the Opera House this evening, point to some i interesting contests being staged. The contestants, and the order in which they will appear, are as follows: L. Smith v. G. Cornford —three JL minute rounds. T. Garland v. P. Roberts—three 3minute rounds. L. Willcox v. J. Dowdall—-three 3minute rounds. Cy Marshall v. N. Nortbover —three 3-minute rounds. R. Jones v. B. Sheppard—three flminute rounds. These two boys put on a great show’ at the amateur tournament last week. The bout ended in a draw, and the contestants were desirous of coming to grips again, hence the bout to-night.

The a mat cur tournament held last week in Ihe Dublin httreet .gymnasium was a great success. The hall was packed and a substantial sum wasraised for a. worthy cause. Results were as follow; - Lightweight: J. Dowdall (10.3) beat L. Nori hover ( 10.0). Welterweight: P. Roberts (10.10; drew with E. Garland (10.6). Bantamweight: A. Vernon (7.0) dn?w with I). Kennedy (6.6). Welterweight; A. Reeves (10.3) beat F. Serra (10.3 . Featherweight; C. Cox (8.7) beat. W. Joyce (8.6). .Middleweight: N. Northover (12.0) beat Al. Boyd (12.0). Bam lam weight: T. Stains (6.0) drew with N. McNamara (6.0). Flyweight: L. Smith (5.0) drew with G. Corn ford (5.5). Featherweight; P. -lames (8.13) drew with D. Anderson (9.0). Middleweight: B. Sheppard (11.0) drew with R. Jones (10.0). This bout, was full of excitement from the gong and was fought hard for a fall. The competitors were not satisfied with a draw and the bout is to be wrestled again at the Opera Bouse to-night as a preliminary to the professional contest. The night was most, successful and further evenings are likely to be arranged in the near future. Some of the boys are shaping most promisingly ami the enthusiasm they have in their training indicates Ihat' the sport will soon be on a very strong footing among the amateurs in this district. • • • * Earl McCready’s New Zealand record for last season (up Io the end of January) was 48 contests, 45 being won and. three drawn. Steve Savage has expressed his willingness to work out with anyone at. any of the centres he may visit during his stay in New Zealand. Auckland is getting a bad reputation among the overseas wrestlers, and in future it would not be surprising to find them evading the northern centre. Last Saturday at Taumarunui McCready dumped King Elliot to gain the i decision after six round. But this does not convey anything, as private advice , states that King was wrestling exceedingly well, and was forcing- the pace all the way. In the sixth round he was at McCready all the time, and then commenced to launch a series of flying tackles. Unfortunately, he misjudged the distance and landed on his head, and was momentarily knocked out, and McCready had no difficulty in picking him up for the deciding dump. Before his departure for Australia Glenn Wade said that he had enjoyed his stay in New' Zealand, and that he hoped to return at some future date. Last season Wade had 5.1 contests with 25 wins, 16 draws, and 10 losses. This season ho has had eight bouts, for two wins, four draws, and two losses, Earl McCready, the British Empire champion is to visit Australia in about two months’ time. After a short stay , in the Commonwealth he is returning to Canada and America to have a tilt at the world’s wrestling crown. t

Quite a band of niatmen whn were in New Zealand last, season passed through Auckland last week on their way from Suva to Australia. Included in the passenger list were Jagct Singh, Harban Singh, George Hopkins, Tony La Maio, and Wong Buk Cheung. There must have been some easy pickings in Suva. It. is rumoured that George ..a‘.r will shortly be leaving for Suva. Dick Shikat, the recently-crowned king of wrestlers, is to stake his title in a match with another so-called world’s champion, Everett Marshall, at Denver, on Friday of this week. << Dctton is a big noise in New York wrestling circles,” states Paul Boesch, “and is looked upon as a great championship prospect. The only fly in the ointment is that the champion wtfn’t meet him.” « Joe Steelier started wrestling when 19 and at 21 had won the mat crown. Joe Savoldi says that five minutes of professional wrestling is harder on a man than sixty minutes of football. To-day three stars are to leave Honolulu on the Auckland-bound Aorangi. They are Bob Kruce, George Zaharias, and Sam Leathers. All are famous niatmen, and it seems there is going to be some great wrestling ahead. • * • ♦ A feature of the ring career of “Lofty” Blomfield, the Aucklander who must rank as the leader among the New Zealand-born wrestlers at the present time, has been his ability to profit from experience. Repeatedly he lias shown that he is able to adapt to his own use measure employed against him, while he has also demonstrated that he is capable of perfecting attacking moves of his own. In some of his matches this year Blomfield has used a hold which is peculiarly his own and which he styles the “octopus clamp.’’ Whenever he has used it he has left no doubts as to its effectiveness.

Some referees do not hesitate to use physical force when endeavouring to secure obedience from the men under their control. This has led to trouble in the past and will continue to cause trouble until an end is put to it. Jt is uot necessary ever to have been in a wrestling ring to understand the feelings of a contestant when, in the course of a strenuous match, he finds two meu struggling with him instead of one. The blames for any display of violence which might follow can be laid with much more justification upon the referee than upon Ihe wrestler. Referees have the penalties in their own hands if their orders are not promptly obeyed, and it should never be necessary for them to make the-bat-tle a three-cornered affair in order to enforce their rulings. A record for wrestling in New Zealand since the establishment of the New Zealand Wrestling Union was created by the British Empire title match between Forsgren and McCready at Wellington. The gross takings amounted to £540, compared with £535 on the occasion of the Walker-Koloff fixture two years ago. Will this sum remain a record or will the advent of Steele, Savage, Lewis, and others result iu a new maximum being established* - • • tt When Earl McCready dumped Jack Forsgren in their British Empire title wrestling match at the Wellington Town Hall, the crash of Forsgren's falling body seemed to shake the arena. What the public did not know was that, so severe were McCready’s dumps, two ring floorboards were shattered. Forsgren was not seriously hurt. Steve Savage relies very largely on toe holds for dealing out punishment and a toe bold when emnloved by a powerfu Specialist can be very effective. as Hank Oswald will agree. Oswald as a result of Savage’s special hold, will be on crutches for the next two months. In using the toe hold it is common for the foot to be grasped in the vicinity of the little toe and pulled •in towards the body. As applied by ! Savage, however, the toe hold is a different matter, and the only “give” I can come from wrenched muscles or I broken bones. He runs his arm under | the calf of his opponent’s leg, rests his ‘ wrist across the front of the other man’s ankle, and grasps the side of the ; big toe. ; Jack Forsgren and King Elliot clash lat Taihape to-night in a scheduled j eight-round contest. This should de- | velop into a hard, yet spectacular, match, with the pace on all the way. ; Taihape followers of the game are 1 lucky indeed, to be able to witness such a contest. The writer cannot I understand why the first meeting of I this pair was not staged in one of the centres. When Blomfield applied his new hold on Boesch in Monday’s contest at Wellington, the men were in an almost inextricable tangle, and Boesch’s right leg had to be freed by the referee after ( several ineffectual attempts. Mr. Jem