UNIMPRESSIVE MATMEN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 244, 14 October 1937, Page 4

UNIMPRESSIVE MATMEN

NOLAN BEATS JUDSON DISAPPOINTING BOUT CLOWNING IN WRESTLING MATCH. In probably the worst exhibition seen in Wanganui since the advent of professional wrestling, Dan Noland, 16st. 12 lbs., beat Frank Judson, 15st. JOlbs., in the Opera House last evening before a fair house by two falls to one. The bout lacked interest from the start and orthodox wrestling holds were conspicuous by their absence. The last bout staged by the Wanganui Wrestling Association between Rusty Wescoatt and Earl McCready was an exciting affair so that last night’s encounter was all the worse in comparison. From the commencement of the first round it was apparent that neither man intended to wrestle seriously and was out to wile away the time by exhibiting as many foolish antics as possible. Showmanship if carried out well is appreciated by many wrestling patrons but. last night’s display was so poor as to be ludicrous. The greater proportion of the time between the gongs was spent in ear and hair pulling, eye gouging, kicking, biting, tickling and unnecessary appeals to the referee for alleged strangleholds and single fingerholds. A few orthodox holds were used in each round but they could be counted on the fingers of one hand. The audience soon tired of the tomfoolery and treated the matmen as a great joke. The bout was supposed to be /in elimination match in the contest to find a challenger for the world heavyweight championship, but Judson and Noland were so unimpressive that their chance of going far seems very remote.

As far as fooling was concerned, Noland was the worse offender and made little attempt to try and wrestle. Judson had the opportunity of opening up the bout but he did not appear to be willing to take a lead and was content to let his opponent take the initiative all the time. Had the referee, Mr. Alex Anderson, stopped the bout in the second round and declared it a no-contest the spectators probably would have appreciated the decision. When Judson was lying prostrate in the centre of the ring and the referes was holding Noland’s hand aloft, the spectators commenced to boo loudly and their voices did not subside until both men had retired to their dressing rooms. The feelings of the enthusiasts were demonstrated in no uncertain style. In the first round, Noland took Judson to the mat with a headlock, Judson countering with a splits which caused Noland to seek the shelter of the ropes. Another splits by Judson and a head scissors applied by Noland aroused some hope of a little wrestling but the grapplers immediately resorted to unorthodox tactics. The only other hold in the round was a shortarm scissors applied by Noland, who drove his foot into his opponent’s stomach. When the gong sounded the contestants were exchanging blows from either side of the ring. The next two rounds were devoid of wrestling and were marked by biting, kicking, slapping, ear and hair pulling and other tactics which drew loud laughter from the audience. Both men seemed to be out to see how much they could get away with but Noland was the chief offender. When either man got a head scissors or headlock on the other there would be an appeal for a stranglehold. Judson was awarded a penalty fall in the fourth round for Noland using his knee and clench fist after a warning had been issued to him. By the way, neither knee nor fist connected. In the fifth round, Noland tapped his opponent with what were supposed to be elbow jolts, and was awarded a fall after he had gently dumped Judson with a couple of piledrivers. The fall was greeted with laughter. Judson lay prostrate in the ring and had to be brought to his corner by his seconds. He walked into the centre of the ring in a groggy state when* the gong sounded for the sixth round and elected to go on with the bout. Noland had little difficulty in taking him to the mat to secure the winning fall with a press. Preliminary Bouts.

The results of the amateur preliminary bouts were as follows: M. Yunovitch (Apollo), 12.0 beat M. Thompson (Apollo), 12.0, on points. J. Phillips (Apollo), 9.13, beat M. Tonga (Apollo), 9.12, with a fall in the third round.

J. Davis (Apollo), 9.0, beat H. Ropata (Apollo), 9.0, by a fall in the third round.

M. Ruepcna, 9.0, beat L. Vine, 9.0, by a fall in the third round.

Mr. Alex Anderson, of Palmerston North, was the referee in all the bouts.