THE "WILD MAN" OF WRESTLING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 125, 12 June 1937, Page 6

THE "WILD MAN" OF WRESTLING

Kine Kong Cox Drawt with Kirilinko LIBERAL "FIREWORKS" If proof were wanting that wrestling fans like to have "fireworks" handed out to them in liboral doses, tbat proox was forthcoming last night when an almost packed Municipal Theatre greet> ed tbe contest between "King Kong Cox, tbe American ",bad man" of tbe hompen ring, and Matros Kirilenko, the Eussian. It.was clear tnat the crowd anticipated something lively, and they were not disappointed. It was a lively contest; in fact, it was the most colourful bout staged for a long time, and it ended in a draw, one fall each. The crowd obviously _ had been "primed" to the Teputation oi King Kong and he sensed this immediateyl he came into the ring. With his eyes closed to mere slits, and adopting a ctouching pose, he bore a physical likeness to a gorilla, and a bungry one at that. There was a good deal of the wolf about him, too, but he lacked claws — fortunately for the Russian. Nothing suited him better than to be at his man with buzz-sawing jolts, rabbitpunches, clouts, strangles, ' one-finger work, hair-pulling, knee-bouncing, jumping and biting — particular ly biting. It was obvious that he liked meat-oating and. he indulged it so much that frequently the referee had to call off the repast by awarding a pe'nalty fall against him, when he. begun to chew one of the Russian 's f eet, boot and all. This was in the fifth xound. '• Tarzan the SeeonA But so much for' King Kong.. * His xival was of a different cut, and /he quickly had the crowd on his side. He struek an unusual note by leaping into the ring clothed in a lcopard skin. Physically he was a good xeproduetion of Tarzan — beautifully muscled ahd a splendidly-shaped athlete. In striking contrast to the "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf ' ' attitude.of King Kong j Kirilenko was at times^ very dignififd. His poses created . the impression that he was vety restrained in his. handllng % . of his opponent, ' and . he repeatedly po* litely xequested the xeferee to 4Let lum do as he pleases " when' the xef eree was expostulating-with King . Kong over some unruiy *playf alness. It was all enjoyed by' the crowd; who were noth* ing if not fone-sided ' in- their partisaw ship. Cox (17.2) carried the aetipa te Kirilenko (16.0) ' for the starvand employed some buzz-sawing. when they did come. together, on- the* mat -the Rus- ? sian was sitting on - top_ and promptly rose/to. his :f eet when' King Kong took his first mouthful of flesh:. For" a time after this little incident' they spatred round with clenched fists. Gox toolc his man to the mat with a nasty reserve wristlock ahd sought to improve it with a one-finger twist. Later he grabbed a good handful 'of hair to toss his man across the xihg. During the interval King Kong ealk ed for his "billy" of water and he proceeded to give a good.imitation:of an elephant "having a drink — drawing*it in and blowing it out. Tho resultant fountain from the latter action provided quite a good.shower-bath and - left a miniature lake - in the corner of tho ring. He had to dry himself off aftew wards, however; the referee ;saw :tO that, even though it did rnean using a ' dressing-gown as a toweL r Plenty of Actlom The succeeding Tounds, and the in* tervals too, were very much on a paf with the opening session. Betweea periods of wildness, there was plenty of even action, with headlocks, wristloclts, toe-holds and scissors featuring largely. Each man had to take a lot, but then, of course, each .gave a lot, and there was no complaint on this . score. They seemed to enjoy it, and certainly the crowd- did — particularly when Kirilenko was getting the better of the struggles. Up to the time that Cox lost a pen* alty fall for biting — a' habit which had repeatedly called forth warnings from the referee — the points were in favour of the Russian. After this Cox proceeded to give his man the "full works, " and the sixth session ' was a torrid affair for the Russian. Early in the seventh round Cox spent a busy three minutes dumping his man with headlocks, and finally wore down his r(v sistance to clap on a wristlock and body press to even up the falls. The final xound was full of action, with the Russian specialising in his two f avourite holds, the short arm-scissors and the full-nelson, while Cox indulged in all his fancy leg and wrist locks,-to say nothing of his "sidelines," but \ there was no. fall gained." The Axnateun The amateur bouts resulted as fiellow: — • C. Hawkes 9.4 defeated H. McAvinue 9.12 on points, there being no falls, G. Cudby (Palmerston North) ' 11.6, defeated G. Ellingham (Hastings) 11.12 on points, there being no falls. H. Hawkes 10.8 defeated J. Patterson 11.0 by two straigljt falls to niL A. Skudder (Hastings) 11.12 defeated J. McConachy (Palmerston North) 11.8 by one fall to niL Mr A. Anderson, of Palmerston North, refereed all contcsts.