FAST WRESTLING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 136, 10 June 1937, Page 5

FAST WRESTLING

BOUT AT WANGANUI SPELLMAN AND KIRILENKO DRAW LARGE CROWD ARENDS In one of the fastest and most spectacular bouts of wrestling seen in Wanganui for years, Matros Kirilenko (Russia), lost. 81b., and John Spellman (United States), lost. 121 b. drew. Each man secured a fall, Spellman in the fourth round and Kirilenko in the seventh. Everybody was satisfied. It was a great bout. The bout was witnessed by the largest crowd which has ever been seen in the Wanganui Opera House. It was originally arranged that it was to be between the Russian and Lofty Blomfield (New Zealand), but Blomfield was reported sick and could not get a medical certificate. Speilman turned up in Wanganui in his stead and did his job well. The pair turned on a fast and exciting tussle which went the full eight rounds. Spellman got his fall in the fourth round, two minutes 33 seconds after it opened and Kirilenko in the seventh, one minute 13'seconds after its beginning. Mr. Alex Anderson, of Palmerston North, who was referee, said afterwards that it was the best bout he had over had jurisdiction over. Mr. Jim Broad was announcer, and Messrs. TC. Grogan and W. J. Feeney, timekeepers. The Bout Opens In the first round the pair sized each other up. and the first hold developed was a head scissors, applied by Spellman. Kirilenko had to do some hefty kicking to get clear. The Russian demonstrated a reverse wristlock to some purpose, bringing Spellman down to the mat where the hold was quickly converted into a Japanese arm cross. Spellman’s countering hold was a head scissors, which the referee broke, ruling it a strangle. Spellman displayed his quickness a moment later when his opponent was grappling for a hammerlock. The American suddenly developed a lying splits, which the Russian countered with an arm strangle increased to a short arm scissors. Spellmen’s tenacity in defence led him to roll the Russian round the ring. Some agile and clever wrestling was displayed in the second round, the Russian eventually coming back to his short-arm scissors. An elbow smash was resorted to by Spellman and Kirilenko came back with a semirabbit killer. Spellman picked the Russian up and attempted to aeroplane spin him, but Kirilenko countered by locking his arms round Spellman's middle. Kirilenko’s favourite short-arm scissors was testing Spellman towards the end of the round, but the ability of the man from U.S.A. was used to roll the Russian over and very nearly get a fall, Twice in the third round referee Alex Anderson broke Spellman’s headlocks, deeming them strangles. Spellman remonstrated. “Don’t you strangle your man,” warned the referee. Both wrestlers displayed speed in countering attacks, Kirilenko finally getting home a hammerlock. Spellman took his opponent over into a flying mare, but the Russian’s hold was maintained. Spellman got to his feet and worked the Russian to the ropes, finally throwing him over. A series of elbow smashes to the jaw by Spellman livened the Russian, who came back at the American’s own game. The referee broke them and earned the Russian’s displeasure twice.

“Get up,” he yelled at the prone Spellman, near the ropes. A fall came in the fourth round, following the referee breaking another of Spellman’s apparent strangles. Spellman flashed in and elbow smashed the Russian’s jaw, then picked him up like a sack of wheat, aeroplane spun him, and dumped him three times, gaining a fall with a booy press. In round five Kirilenko, who seeded to be a favourite at this stage, gave Spellman some worry with an arm stretch, but the American still remained the aggressive wrestler. He dived for a tackle, but the Russian anticipated it, jumped high and clear, and the American hit the ropes. The Russian laughed at him. Again the referee broke Spellman’s hold and the American took it badly. “Do it again and off you go,” said the referee. “Let him put it on if he wants to,” the Russian intervened and the crowd cheered. Kirilenko had a full nelson on his opponent at the end of the fifth round and was prodding him round the ring with a knee applied to that part of his anatomy which bore the brunt of whatever disciplinary action his father sought to inflict in far away boyhood days. Spellman, in the sixth round, back-loop-slammed the Russian, who bridged splendidly Qnd got out and come out with a hammerlock. Spellman sought to dump the Russian after another aeroplane spin, bu't missed, and both came to the mat, Kirilenko establishing a semi-crucifix. Thrown with a flying mare Spellman once more found himself in the grips of the Russian’s short-arm scissors. Russian Equalises Round seven produced a Russian out for a squaring of accounts. He threw Spellman six times with reverse headlocks and then followed his advantage up with a body press to gain a fall. The final round gave the Russian a hammerlock, which he lost rather easily. An aeroplane spin was attempted by Spellman, but lost its effectiveness in the final application. The American had the Russian in a hammerlock and a further nelson with a leg. Kirilenko threw the American three times with headlocks, but Spellman unexpectedly put in a hard smash to the stomach which floored the Russian. After a sharp scuffle on the mat the Russian came out with a standing splits. The match was a draw. AMATEUR BOUTS The following amateur bouts were decided:— Catch-weight— D. Kennedy (Wanganui Amateur School), 7.7, beat A. Vernon (Apollo School), 8.0, on points. Light-weight.—H. Northover (Wanganui Amateur School), 10.0, beat W. Mete Kingi (Wanganui Amateur

School), 9.9, by a fall gained in the second round. Light-weight.—J. Phillips (Wanganui Amateur School), 10.1, got a points decision over Mat Tonga (Apollo School), 9.12. Light-heavyweight. J. Galbraith (Wanganui Amateur School), 10.0, was awarded his bout on points against M. Apollo, 12.6. The winner made the pace all the way. This was a lively bout, at one stage Galbraith lifting his opponent over the ropes.