PRE-WAR WRESTLER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 63, 1 April 1937, Page 3

PRE-WAR WRESTLER

— Own Correspondent)

Drew Thousands, Now Has 39/? a Week STILL A STRONG MAN

(By Air Mail-

LONDON, Feb. 28. Showing he how he used to stand in the rine when he was earnine £17,000

"on the mat," ex-world wrestling champion George Hennington looked down at a pair of shoes that had'cost him sixpence jn a rag shop. He . had just pulled off his sweater to prove that at 46 despit© eight years' unemployment, he preserves the physique that made thousands of fans roar themselves hoarse in the days of the pre>-War wrestling boom. "l^ou won't find a better triceps than that in the wcrid/' he declared, squiuting round at his arm-muscles. George Hehnington to-day has 39/a week to keep bjs wife and six children, but he has not lost his fighting spirit. He has written to Lord Aberdare offering his services in the Government's physical training scheme. Meanwhile, voluntarily, he teaches local boys how to keep fit and devel'op their muscles. "Yes, I had £17,000," h© told me. "But I didn't have it all at once. It was spread over years, and there were a good many snags in being a cham-

pion in the days of the wrestling boom. "A chap would go into the ring knowing that he was the idol of thousands, and that thousands . of pounds in bets wer© laid on him'. At tlie same time he would be hoping nobody would 'snaffle' his last sixpence from his unguarded trousers, left in the dressing room. "Expenses were big. Wrestlers had to bet, entertain, keep in with the right people. There were managers to pay. travelling expenses. "Men who, in tliose days, would draw crowds of thousands are now standing on the street corners, wondering how they can earn the price of a bed in a doss-house. "Men 1 fought included Peret Gotz, world light-weight championj Henri Irslinger, middle-weigkt champion ; Yukio Tani, the great Japanese jiujutsu fighter ; Willie Moores, of Lancasbire. "The War interrupted my wrestling career, and I served for the duration as physical training instructor with rank of sergeant-major. "Aftervvards, I ran pbysical culturo schqols In1 the West-End, trained- a good many Mayfair people and sporting men. The depression killed my last one. But I'm still as fit and strong as ever."