OPEN AIR WRESTLING

Wanganui Chronicle, 22 February 1947, Page 6

OPEN AIR WRESTLING

JACK PRESTNEY DEFEATS CHESTER VERNON A record attendance for the carnival filled the main stand on Cook’s Gardens last night for the staging of four wrestling contests—two professional and two amateur. The professional bouts resulted in victories for Don Anderson and Jack Prestney, national welter and middle-weight champions respectively, over Gunner Cook, of Wellington, and Chester Vernon, of Wanganui. Both decisions were gained by one fall, in the case of Anderson being secured on a penalty. W. Anderson gained a points decision over R. Webby in the first amateur contest, and B. Weenink and L. Quillinan drew in the other. In his first contest after joining the ranks of the professionals. Chester Vernon, of Wanganui, well known as an amateur, put up a particularly good performance against the national champion. Jack Prestney, of Wellington. All the five rounds were fought hard by both men, Vernon’s creditable performance being apparent by the fact that it was not until the fourth round that the champion gained the upper hand. Vernon claimed first honours with a short-arm scissors, but his advantage was short-lived, Prestney retaliating with a figure four body scissors, which he converted into a head scissors. Vernon opened a fast jolt exchange with a series to Prestney’s body, sending him down to the mai twice. In retaliation, the Wellington man caught Vernon with a high drop kick and was looking for more opportunity when the gong for the end of the first round went. The second round was. for the most part, a grappling match on the mat. but just, as the round ended Prestney caught Vernon a hard rabbit-killer on the back of his neck which shook the Wanganui man considerably. Three drop kicks in quick succession in the fourth round rocked Vernon, but as the Wellington man came in with another to end the proceedings. Vernon dropped to the mat and Prestney crashed heavily. Vernon, however, was not quite awake to the champion, and did not expect the fifth attempted kick, which caught him full in the chest, and down he went for a fallVernon tried very hard to even the score in the concluding round, but experience told its story, and although Prestney was punished severely m a rocking chair splits, he maintained the edge of most of the exchanges. Vernon fought at list. 131 b, on* pound less than Prestney.