BIG WRESTLING BOUT

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20891, 24 August 1939, Page 15

BIG WRESTLING BOUT

BLOMFIELD AND FORSTER MATCH IN HAMILTON TONIGHT South Africans are known mainly in New Zealand for their prowess as footballers, but Frank Forster, of Johannesburg, who is to meet “Lofty” BlonUield in the professional heavyweight wrestling bout at Hamilton tonight, is a Springbok who has also achieved considerable success in the mat sport. The fact that the wrestlers who now come out to New Zealand are in world class puts the Dominion men . to a severe test, and it is only in! recent years that New Zealand and the other Dominions have produced < wrestlers capable of standing up to the best of the Americans. Forster ; and Blomfield, however, can acquit j themselves well in any company and j their efforts against the Americans are always warmly encouraged by the J spectators in this country. It is when representatives of sister | Dominions clastc however, that inter- ! cst is at its greatest and the New J Zealand and South African champions ; are particularly popular, not only be- j cause they are leading contenders for j Earl McCready’s Empire title, hut also because they invariably provide the kind of displays that the spectators enjoy most. Made a Fine Impression Forster's mat career has been an extensive and successful one. Like Blomfield, he was an amateur champion before he turned professional except that he had an advantage that did not come Blomfield's way. That was, competing at the Olympic Games. He has been wrestling in open company for five or six years, in which time he has found time to visit Europe, where he had a number of important matches. He was selected to come to New Zealand because of the fine impression he had made on expert judges who had good reason to know the kind of wrestler who was most likely to be. successful in this country. His displays since he arrived have shown that the selection was a wise one. He is about the same age and size as Blomfield and. since he follows the same aggressive style, he has begun to rival the New Zealand champion in popularity. Some of his bouts have been among the best of the season and. no matter whom he has been matched with, he ’ has always given excellent displays. Apart from his spectacular mule- , kicks, he has many holds and manoeuvres peculiarly his own.