WRESTLING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 763, 20 October 1904, Page 15

WRESTLING.

Car keek, the American wrestler, who, however, really hailed from Cornwall, left for the States by the outgoing mail steamer on Friday. * * *

Harry Pearce, the well-known wrestler, arrhed from the south on Monday. In the coarse of a chat he stated that though feeling very well bodily, his hands were in a very bad state, three fingers being almost useless. THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF AUSTRALASIA.—H. PEARCE V. ARTHUR SKINNER. The match between these two wellknown athletes for the Championship of Australasia, which had been looked forward to by lovers of wrestling for some time, was brought off at His Majesty’s Theatre, on Tuesday evening. In making the match Pearce gave Skinner his choice of the particular styles of wrestling, and the three chosen by the Aucklander were Cumberland, Caten-as-catch-can, and Cornish, the best of three falls in each style to decide the championship. Pearce turned the scale at 13st Gibs, while Skinner’s weight was list 31bs. Professor Potter controlled the meeting, while Mr J. Fagan acted as referee. The Cumberland' style was first chosen, Skinner giving his opponent a fall directly after the start. Pearce, whose damaged fingers told very much against him, broke his hold a few seconds after the start in'the second bout, and thereby had the fall given against him.

Next came the Catch-as-catch-can, and the result was a very even display of wrestling, both men showing thorough proficiency at the game. After forty minutes’ solid work Pearce gave Skinner a fall, but Skinner turned rhe tables after a thirty-two minutes’ struggle using a half-Nelson. This necessitated another go, and Pearce took it after thirteen -and a-half minutes, with a half-Nelson and heave. The Cornish style was the last to be tried, and another long struggle was the result, Skinner’s jacket being completely torn off. Just on midnight the referee announced that the proceedings must terminate, neither man havin'g secured a fall. Skinner and Pearce will finish the contest in the Domain in the Cornish style, and the winner will take the charrnicnshin.