FIRST WRESTLERS ARRIVE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 86, 13 April 1940, Page 12

FIRST WRESTLERS ARRIVE

SEASON TO OPEN SOON FOUR FORMIDABLE PROFESSIONALS, Seventeen-stone men of ferocious as- ’ pect with cauliflower ears will again make their appearance in the Dominion in the next few weeks. With the approach of winter, the annual migration of professional wrestlers from the United States to New Zealand has already begun. Advance guard of the team to entertain wrestling “fans” this season, a party of four, will arrive at Auckland within a day or two. The first four wrestlers to visit New Zealand this year will be John Katan, Dick Raines, Joe Corbett, and Chief Little Wolf. All are under contract to the New Zealand-Wrestling Union. The season will probably open with matches in Auckland and Wellington on April 22. Katan is acclaimed by critics as one of the live best wrestlers in the world. He is one of the only three who have gained decisions over Earl McCready in the past seven years; a hectic match distinguished by clever, scientific matcraft, ended in a fractured arm for McCready. Raines was very popular on a previous visit to the Dominion, and recent matches indicate that he is even better now. He recently beat All Baba, former world champion, at Minneapolis, this being Baba’s first defeat in 150 matches in that city. He then drew with Bronco Nagurskl, another ex-world champion. Many sporting writers, however, disputed the dicislon, claiming that Raines should have had a points win. Joe Corb |t, Boston, is under 30 years old, 6ft. in height, and 17 stone in weight. He is celebrated as most handsome American mat-man, but is tough as well as pretty; he has defeated Ali Baba, Ed Don George, and Guw Sonnenberg. Chief Little Wolf, picturesque and formidable Red Indian, has also been here before. He attracted attention among the supporters of the sport, as a notable exponent of the Indian death-lock. Last season he wrestled with great success in Australia.