WRESTLING NOVELTIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 3, 4 July 1939, Page 15

WRESTLING NOVELTIES

"SPRINGBOK'S" DEBUT

LARGE CROWD ENTERTAINED

The - first glimpse' of Frank Forster (a visiting South African heavyweight), a" professional preliminary, amateur bouts decided under Olympic conditions (one six-minute and three three-minute rounds), and the referee announcing how and by whom falls had been gained, were some of the novelties which gave added interest to1 the wrestling bill at the Wellington Town Hall last night. The referee, on behalf of the police, also requested the owner of a car to shift the vehicle from the front of the hall. Apparently there was no response and, as a last resort, "Lofty" Blomfleld, Forster's opponent, was asked if he recognised the number. He didn't, but, if he had, interesting possibilities would have been opened up.* Also," as distinct from the novelties, there was the interesting fact of an almost packed house despite the most wintry weather of the season so far. The attendance.was»a tribute to Blomfield's drawing power, as his opponent had still to prove himself, but the bout had not been long in progress before it was obviqus that the "Springbok" would go close to stealing the show. He caught the crowd's fancy from the outset and, although •Blomfield's win on points after they had secured a fall each was popular, la victory by Forster would probably ihave been just as well received. j Beautifully built, Forster is tough I enough to take a succession of jolts and just shake them off with a smile; [lively enough to skip out of danger jiat times and also use fall-winning dropkicks (called mulekicks in his country); and clever enough to be able to control most of the proceedings. He ceritainly slipped up a bit in the two deciding rounds, but since he arrived only on Sunday morning after a. non-stop journey from Africa, his lack of a finishing burst was not altogether surprising. There is no doubts that he is going to be popular in this coun--1 try. His weight was given as 17st and Blomfield's as 16st 81b. | , USE OF TOUCHLINE. i" Forster made a lively but illegal I start by twice rushing Blomfield against the ropes and tipping him out of the ring. The referee then stepped in and explained that it wasn't done in these,circles, so Frank twisted "Lofty's" head back with a fate bar. He was on his toes all the time, dancing about like a flyweight, and it was possible to watch Blomfield's respect j growing. A couple of digs in the ribs made Blomfield loosen wrist locks and hammer-like blows on the back of the neck bowled the New Zealander* off his feet. "Lofty" / tried jolts and chanceries but they were no good and he was dropped by some useful cracks on-the ear/followed by a couple pf dropkicks. . The crowd shrieked when "Lofty" rtiade-a grab at Forster's sparse thatch and came away-"empty-handed. The Springbok received a great hand at the end of the round. Encouraged thereby, he came out briskly for the second round and, although he was in disfavour for pulling hair, and went for a spin when Blomfield grabbed him by the ears and gave him a stomach i throWi'- f he sticceeded with his dropkic-is. ~ Apparently out of, respect to Benny Ostler they . are not known by the football term in SQuth Africa. He pinned Bdmfield's shoulders at 2rain Bsec.and the referee explained through the loud-speaker system just what had'happened. The third round was evenly contested. The Springbok was applauded for resisting a barred' toa hold—and reprimanded for more hair-pulling. The men, w,ent out of the ring together only to return with increased vigour, and there was y something doing all the time. A general warning, against punching was given in the fourth round land another against tipping out of the rTrig. Forster came to light with a new -kind of head scissors; but "Lofty" paid him back with" some toe-twisting and face-hammering.' Further pleasantries resulted in the hostilities being halted for a chat by the referee. Some hefty jolts punctuated the closing stages of the round but, Forster took his share with an ironic'bow to the referee. "tOFTX" HANDICAPPED. ; Both men punched, and then used toe holds in the -fifth round—and so to jolts, in which Frank was as good as "Lofty." The former's lack of hair was still 'a decided handicap to Blomfield. ; Forster did some handy work with a hammer lock and he was ready all the time to take what was coming and reply with plenty more. Jolts and punches opened the sixth round but it was not long before Blomfield applied the octopus clamp, Forster submitting at lmin 33sec. The crowd regarded the i-eferee's announcement as somewhat redundant. Blomfield tried for the clamp again in the seventh round but Forster wasted no time in rolling free. He" iput on a death lock applied with the I arm but was soon tied up with toe ; holds and a splits. He nearly responded, with Kirchmeyer's python clutch, but didn't. -The referee had a full-time job v breaking the men free from the ropes. Forster came out like a Springbok pack in full cry in the last round, but matters soon developed into t even scrummaging in midfield. Blomfield gave Forster a rap on the top of the head, only to hurt his fingers. Much of the round'was occupied with Blomfield holding a short-arm scissors and Forster trying to stand him on his shoulders. "O-oh!" moaned' "Lofty" when he was caught with a hammer lock. "It's a pleasure," replied Forster. The final gong came in the middle of a jolting exchange but did not interrupt it. Mr. Alf Jenkins was the referee. THE PRELIMINARIES. In a professional preliminary bout of five five-minute rounds between two local boys, Alf Bloomfleld (list 21b) I beat S. Scott (list 31b) on points. Bloomfleld secured a fall in the second round with a dump, and Scott scored in the fourth round with a flyihg body scissors off the ropes. Bloomfleld had a distinct advantage in the last round. Mr. Ray. Allen was the referee. Two amateur bouts were decided Under Olympic conditions. The results were:— B. McColl (Kilbirnie), 9st 31b, beat A. Craig (Petone), 9st 71b, on points. There were no falls. H. Cook (Koolman's), 12st 91b, beat J. McDonald (Koolman's), 13st 91b, by one fall. Mr. J. H. Thompson was the referee.