WRESTLING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1045, 17 March 1910, Page 11

WRESTLING.

BIG WRESTLING MATCH AT STRATFORD. BAIN EASILY DEFEAT'S SCOTT. When it was announced a few weeks back that a match had been arranged between Bob Scott, champion wrestler of the Dominion and Alex Bain, Hackenschmidt’s wrestling partner, in which the New Zealander agreed to forfeit £2O if he failed to throw Bain three times (catch-as-catch-can style) within the hour, followers of wrestling expressed grave doubts regarding the local man’s ability to do so. Whereas Bain always proved troublesome to Hackenschmidt when the pair engaged in combat on the mat, Scott fell an easy victim to the big Russian, being thrown twice in two minutes, so that matters certainly looked favourable for the Scotchman, who was able to justify the confidence which he has expressed in himself ever since the match iwas mooted, when they met in the Town Hall, Stratford the other evening. A large attendance assembled to witness the match, and Mr. Jas. Sexton acted as referee and Mr. R. H. Burrell, as time-keeper. When the men made their appearance it was seen that Alex Bain, whose weight was 16st 91b, was much heavier than Bob Scott, who scaled 14st 31b, and 1 those present were able to realise the 1 task the New Zealander had taken on. THE FIRST BOUT. Two minutes had gone before the men got to the mat, and as the timekeeper called “four minutes” Scott was doing some very hard toil trying to shift his huge opponent, who knew too much to be moved a great deal unless he felt like it, and at eight minutes the big fellow was reclinging face downwards, while the Stratford man

pulled and tugged without producing much visible effect. Tiring somewhat of head, arm and body holds Scott next turned his attention to his opponent’s legs, but the result not being very encouraging returned once more to the upper portion of Bain’s anatomy, and as the timekeeper called “eleven minutes” was sitting well Lack while endeavouring to pull his foot away from Bain’s affectionate clasp. At twelve and a half minutes the big man appeared in trouble by reason of a Scott leg lock under the arms and over the neck, but managed to wriggle out of it, the same thing occurring as fourteen minutes was recorded.

3 “ HARD WORK MR. SCOTT?” s queried Bain, and as “fifteen minutes” , was called added in a tone of con--1 viction: “Thank goodness: One quartr er gone.” At eighteen minutes both ’ men were again on their feet, whence a Bain fell composedly to the mat, face ' downwards, leaving Scott to resume the heart-breaking task of endeavour- > ing to turn the Scotchman’s massive f bulk on to its shoulders. At twenty , minutes Bain suggested a “breather,” which the conditions provided for after twenty minutes wrestling. Scott consented, but expressed his opinion ’ that the agreement signed (which un- ' fortunately had not been forwarded ’ from the “Dominion” office in Welling'l ton) only provided for a ten minutes I spell after each fall. “You’re a toff,” , j quoth Bain, and the men arose from the mat. THE SECOND BOUT differed but little from l its predecessor, Scott strenuously tugging and hauling at his bulky opponent without, for the most part, producing any particular effect. On two or three occasions, however, the big man appeared to be somewhat in trouble, but each time managed to escape being thrown, though a peculiar leg hold under the arms and over the neck practised by Scott at intervals throughout the match, seemed to cause Bain a certain amount of puzzlement. Shortly after seventeen minutes had been called excitement ran high in the body of the hall, as Scott appeared to have his opponent all but over. To those on the stage, however, it was apparent that Bain’s position was not one of particular danger, and the big fellow finally .rolled himself back into safety, time being called shortly afterwards. THE THIRD BOUT was then begun, the men taking four minutes to get to the mat. A minute later Bain reminded Scott that he would have to gain three falls in that spell, and advised him not to overexert himself. “Three falls in thirteen minutes, Robert,” said the big fellow as seven minutes was called, a remark which he repeated at intervals until eight minutes was recorded, when he changed the tune to “Three falls in twelve minutes, Bobby.” Just as “ten minutes” was called Scott, with the leg hold mentioned previously, gained what the referee declared was a fall, though many of those on the stage were of an entirely different opinion; and even Scott said that he did not consider it was a pin fall. After a spell of ten minutes, wrestling was resumed for the remainder of the stipulated hour, but the Stratford man was unable to again throw his opponent, who when time was called was declared the winner of the match. It is probable that another match will take place between the pair, this time on level terms, soon after Scott returns from the championship meeting, which is shortly to be held at Greymouth.

LOSER CHALLENGED BY ROBERTSON.

During the evening Louis S. Robertson, addressing the audience, offered to deposit £25 to say that Mr. R. J. Scott could not throw him (Robertson) three times in one hour under the same conditions as those granted to Mr. A. Bain for the forthcoming match. Mr. Scott then stepped forward, stating that in arranging matches heretofore he had been in the habit of giving way on certain points, but that after that evening he would insist that anyone at all making a match with him should wrestle under New Zealand rules. The rules of the Affiliated Caledonian Societies of New Zealand, continued Mr. Scott, had been in force since 1889, and provided that immediately both a man’s shoulders touched the mat he was down. These remarks brought Robertson one more to the footlights, whence he was understood to express wonderment that although Mr. Scott had not objected to pin falls when meeting the great George Hackenschmidt, he yet was unwilling to wrestle a 10st:

41b man (Robertson) unless flying falls were allowed. Robertson has thrown out a challenge to Scott to meet him under the same conditions as he (Scott) allowed Bain, and has offered to back himself for any sum up to £IOO. Should Scott be unwilling to meet him under those conditions Robertson offers him a match to a finish, strangle hold barred.