HACKENSCHMIDT AND SCOTT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 739, 11 February 1910, Page 6

HACKENSCHMIDT AND SCOTT.

'■■■ :■::..-, '■'■.. -1 .',;::■:;... I\HE-'CHALLENGE.

; Mr. e1 ! F. Baker,' representing Hackenschmidt,: the 'Bussiah' wrestler, writes; to The 'Dominion, as follows;;—i. 1 . • . ~'.■,, ;A challenge', -to George'..Hackenschmidt, the ; world's ,;champion wrestler,' has - been issued "by.-Eobert.J. Scott,''of Stratford, who - has. come;'- to'.,■ Wellington with ; the intention', of endeavouring ,to -wrest the : championshp -honours frbm'; the;.E.ussian .'Liorii- Scott has putiip iESO to his good- ; faithv.in-the' matter.'.'-.- The- writer, who-brought- Hackenschmidt-. from -England Vfcr. a tour, of. (Australia, and 'New Zealand;- has accepted,-- on- '.behalf, of Hackenschmidt.' -.- After ■>. a.', lot •. of argument, I agreed,, on. the behalf, b\ bar the "strangle -hold,""''also r tho ".bamnierlbck." . This gives Scott :-a' bigadvantago,, as Hackenschmidt's'.'"hammerlock,'' once • applied,'. , a ■', lot of ■shifting.'-.-The wrestling, will .be catch-as-catch-can—best -. two 'falls out of three; -' a ■ referee. .to •■ bo chosen. as-soon as possible. The:contest .will-take place on Wednesday next." Hackenschmidt .'has gone 'to itdtorua;,' to' take ■-' advantage ;, of the sulphur, baths, and is going -to,-train with ißaih-.up ; there, ,so i as/to ;,be .per-' fectly-:fit ■ when.the New Zealander (who, by. the' way, ; : bolds all the Australasian and!. Now 'Zealand , championships. 'for .wrestling) meets him on the mat. .;..

'"v:/v-' ! '/SCOTTS• TAST..v..:;. //°/• „ /With" reference to' the: foregoing*'letter,, 'it'" may; be ' mentioned' that- : considerable, interest-is .being,manifested, in the 'contest; ■'; This 'is -the' second time that Scott has issued a'.chrillehge. tp,;Hackehs.chmidt, the negotiations on:the',' first,, occasion .having- failed through : no' fault on either.-' 'side.'. iFor'. -many':' years ..Scott resided: in Southland,- but for the past! two; or three years he /has lived at .Stratford." Standing /Oft.'' Sin'.-: in. height,;•and';weighiug' oyer throughout the ; colonies, as/' a.- successful,perfprinei in .'all .styles' ■ of/!wrestling/(but .'particularly at' catch-as-catch-can) .: and -' other field- events'.'. The - stake will be' ;£SO, -and both inen '.have 'deposited' that amount Scott; having l done-so' Hackenschmidt yesterday. /•/. „V ' In 'conversation'.'.''with"''a Dominion: reporter..; last'..1 J nigh'v"'.Sc6tt. : 'y stated that,..,if a' hall 'was' hot. .available -for Wednesday evening,-. the contest -'would take place in ,the,,open^,p'rbbabry : on'.the Basin Wednesday-: afternoon. .The' New Zealahder,/who:;is, putting 1 the finishing; touches '.'.to -his .-training here/ fancies that' -he... ..may. win,; and' .is' con-', fidc.nt; that, at/any' rate;>he:,wilV'extend ; Hackenschmidt..to'the-.utmost. It is provided' in ■■■ tho ; agreement 'that .the winner must secure .two out- of- three? "pin"- 'falls;

>"A : .MpST.'EESPECTABI,E 'EVENT." .- '/Little. demur, was - made/by/ the,' City: Councilin granting the use'of'the Town Hall - .for'-, a -wrestling j match. - between Hackenschinidt'and.Scblt-.-fpr the World's Championship.v ■■'■'-' ; ---'■•>//■;:/'■ '■;";"!'■.■/ • ■: ; The : Mayor, (Dr. Newman) .intimated that -he/had,;received: an', assurance; .from the "manager of, tho: Hackenschmidt' Cohipanjvthat:the .match'.'would/npt-be a disgusting thing/ -It/would not; be' what' was Called -'fall-in"-wrestling,- nor/would there be.any strangle holds,, and: the' whole 'performance : vfould be 'quite; respectable,'..if' theicouncil!gfanted permission for: it '• to be/held'in,': the 'hall."-// ' '■'.■'. ■''•'■" ...■.',•:.' . /Councillor;!' .Fletcher '! promptly, movedthat 'the "application/for/the ,!useof.-the, "hall' should-' be" 'granted/! and'" Councillor Cohen seconded., ~,t-,, ,'«.;, ;■/•,-"■. ,-■: - ,-', v •.'"Coancillor.'L'ike'rbw to;make sore that it v;as-'hbtto'be a'boxing exhibition.; v" i Councillor.; Fletcher-; said/that.'; there would, be; ho bjl. used, as ;was 'reported l in the case of'Gotcb.;, ':/'':;•/:, -'-i" '■"/•",'•■ ; ~''lt/is. really ;gbihg/-'to;,he .'a/imost: respectable ovettt,' •;said.,.the' -Mayor; .■ and the motipn.tb.:grant .thelallsfbr the purpose' was carried. (."■ •,"//:'-:.'.':.'.'..' ' ',