AMATEURS ON THE MAT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20039, 11 September 1939, Page 14

AMATEURS ON THE MAT

WILLING CONTESTANTS WRESTLING PRELBIIN A RIES S>. " V READ TURNS THE TABLES Preliminary contests on Saturday s wrestling bill in the Opera House comprised four willing bouts, the most attractive being the return engagement between. A. Read and M. Smale, light-heavyweights, Read had a defeat to avenge, and devoted himself more to solid wrestling, though he found opportunity for some amusing by-play. A foxy bit of work gave him the advantage in this match, which he won on a single fall. Smale put up a workmanlike performance, and again showed improvement in his methods.

A weight difference of 141 b. between W. Steele, 9.10, and L. Holder, 8.10, was not a decisive feature in the opening match. Steele was up against a wiry opponent, who, moreover, knew a little more than he did about work on the mat. Holder dumped him three times in the course of the contest, and had a lot the best of the first and second rounds. Steele evened up a bit in the last round, but it was rather surprising to see him get the decision. Hard-Fought Draw

K. Third, 12.0, was a quick victim for G. Bell* 11.0, y/ho dumped him several times in the first round and quickly softened him down for a body-press fall. Third came out aggressively for the second, and essayed a drop-kick, which Bel! avoided, and lie-followed it up with swings to the head, Bell responding willingly. Falls were evened when Bell slammed his opponent, but was held half-way and found himself pinned. They kept the referee busy in the third round, in which Third continued to carry the battle to his opponent, and the decision of a draw was reasonably popular, though Third was in the crowd’s bad books for the tactics he employed. Introduced as “Tiger” Ratcliffe, a newcomer who met I. Buscke, 10. G, was quickly in trouble. He essayed elbow-jolts at the outset, and Buscke took liim in a jack-knife hold and pinned him within half a minute. “Tiger” got plenty of encouragement from the crowd, but the second fail was registered against him almost as quickly, this being by way of a bodypress, which he resisted with determination but in vain.

The return bout between A. Read, 12.0, and M. Smale, 12.3, was as full of action as their first meeting last month. Smale was full of aggressiveness, and worked on his opponent steadily through the first round, exploiting a .variety of spectacular holds and having a good margin of points. Opening the second round, he went for Read with halches and dumps, and seemed to have Read troubled, but when he picked his wily opponent up near the ropes he paved the way to his own defeat. Read grabbed the top rope, and, as Smale strained away, let go suddenly. They, went down in a heap, with Smale underneath, and Read scored a fall without trouble. It was a fine example of timing, and was decisive, for though Smale worked harder than ever to even up, he could not do it in the third round. Read was the winner. Mr. E. Burton was the referee for the amateur bouts.