THE WRESTLING MATCH.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 388, 30 December 1897, Page 10

THE WRESTLING MATCH.

The match between J. W. Sutherland and Arthur Skinner duly came off on Friday evening last. Twenty pound a-side was the wager, and the winner also took the gate. Three styles were specified in the articles, viz., Cumberland, GrrecoRoman, and Catch-as-catch can. Mr Donald Dinnie acted as referee, while Mr G. Raynes and Mr W. Hudson seconded Skinner and Sutherland respectively. There was a capital attendance when the contestants commenced. Sutherland won the toss, and selocted the Catch-as catch-can as the first style. This is his special forte, and he succeeded in quickly gaining the two falls necessary for victory in that particular style. Skinner then choose the Cumberland style, and in tbej first bout butticked Sutherland in very rapid time. In the next bout Sutherland tried the hank, but ineffectually, as Skinner lifted and threw him with the hype. Each had now gained two falls, so the match would go to the winner in the Graeco-Roman style. In the first bout, which lasted over ten minutes, Sutherland at length got Skinner on all fours, and gradually forced his shoulders to the ground by the aid of the off-half-Nelson and hammerlock. Skinner got a good body-hold in the second bout, and secured the fall. In the final bout, which lasted for over forty minutes, Sutherland again carpeted Skinner witn the off-half-Nelson and hammerlock. He thus gained the style and the match, being successful in two styles out of the three. Skinner was not satisfied with his defeat, and challenged Sutherland to wrestle a five-style match. Sutherland was in no way loth, and the men met at the the Sporting Review office on Tuesday, and sianed articles for a match of five styles for £2O a-side, A deposit of £5 a-tide has been placed in the hands of the Editor, the balance having to be deposited not later than the day previous to the date of the match which takes place at the City Hall on Monday next.