ONE FALL EACH

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1931, Page 5

ONE FALL EACH

WALKER AND PINTO. AMERICAN ANNOYS CROWD. SHOWMANSHIP AND JEERS. Two arms were raised aloft at the conclusion of the professional wrestling match between George Walker (Canada) and Stanley Pinto (America) on Monday night at Auckland. Each man scored a fall, and the referee could not see his way clear to declare anything but a draw. The Town Hall was not big enough to hold the crowd that wanted to see the match, and thesale of tickets was stopped half an hour before the start of preliminaries. So large was the crowd that clamoured for admission, that even ticket holders had to do a bit of strenuous wrestling themselves to reach the doors, and some were delayed for the best part of an hour before they could gain admission. As aii exhibition of bright wrestling the match was not exceptional. In fact it is doubtful whether any match which has lasted into the eighth round has produced a smaller variety of holds. But this is not to say that the bout was not entertaining. It was, exceedingly so. Right from the start Bittfco was the showman, and his gallery play Was at its best at the end of the Seventh round, when lie got into his dressing gown ahd threatened to leave the ring because he did not agree with the referee’s ruling, The gong put an end to this piece of by-play, and the American was out of his gown in a flash. Pinto displayed all he knew in the. way of ring pleasantries. He clenched his fists, made good use of his elbows and at various times tugged at hair, ears and nose. On' one occasion he showed something new by getting a fmgei' inside Walker’s cheek and pulling him off by the mouth. For the first, half of the match it appeared as if tile American was determined to get the 'whole house up against him. Some wrestlers regard unpopularity as the best form of publicity, and profit by it John Kilonis did. Later in the bout Pinto attempted to converse with the crowd by gesticulations, but instead sympathy he received hoots and catcalls. Probably they were what he wanted. Walker Chases a Slam.

Walker's one aim all through was to pick his opponent up and slam him to the mat. Time and again he tried it. but not once was he able to execute the move effectively. But if .Walker’s unvaried attack was monotonous, Pinto’s method of combatting the Canadian was wearying. As soon as Walker got near him the American would seize the ropes by both hands and hold on foi i grim death. When the rei'eree would warn him that that line of defence was illegal the American would open his hands wide as if to show tiiere was nothing in them, and ihimediately grab the ropes again. Appki'eiitly Pmto- was of opinion’That the Canadian intended to dump him outside the ring, u practice which is not allowed.

Til the opinion of a big section of the spectators the referee, Mr Val Dunne, could have been very much less lenient in his control of the match. He certainly allowed Pinto to make a joke of his rulings about holding the ropes. The official also acted strangely in the sixth, when Walker secured a Boston crab. It looked certain that the Canadian would obtain a submission fall, but before he could sit back on his hold, Pinto, by the clever use of his elbows, had reached the ropes and had wriggled his head and shoulders off the mat. As the referee said nothing Walker sat back on his hold—and soon had Pinto banging outside the ring as if to admit defeat. When Mr Dunne put a hand on Walker’s back the Canadian naturally thought that be had won a submission fall, and be went, back to his corner. No fall bad been awarded, however, and Pinto rushed over and grabbed his opponent as be sat on his chair. When the referee did not intervene Walker realised that be had not been awarded a fall and he kicked the sawdust trav across the ring and defended himself as best be could until lie was clear on bis corner. As things turned out no damage was done, but with the chair in the ring one or both of the contestants might have been seriously hurt. Pinto the. Heavier. With an advantage of 61b, Pinto, 14.3, made things lively at the start of .the first round, but immediately fell into a defensive role when Walker attempted to pick him up for a dump. The American got the crowd hooting by hitting his opponent sharply on the hack of the neck with the side of bis band, but Walker evened the score by sitting on bis opponent’s back and roughing bis face. Time and again in tile opening round, and in rounds that followed. Walker cornered bis man for a slam, and Pinto saved himself by grabbing the ropes. Had the referee awarded a penalty fall acainst the American for the offence the bout would probably have been much brighter. At times the men threw each other all over the ring with hend.locks and reverse bead locks. Several times Pinto deliberately went through the ropes to get away from bis opponent and shook his fist —from the outside. Tt was good gallery play, and the crowd hooted loudly.

Walker opened the fifth round with great dash, but Pinto got on top and tried bard for a fall. Tt was early in the sixth round that Walker secured liis Boston crab, and the liiisnnderstnnding over whether a fall had been allowed or not followed. After this mix-up the gong ended the round, although it appeared it bad not been in progress more than five minutes. Walker opened the seventh round with a series of headloeks, but was then caught off bis guard and picked up and slammed heavily, Pinto seem-

cd certain to take a fall, but Walker managed to lock both his. opponent’s arms and .to roll over to take a luekv fall. Pinto argued loudly with the referee, protesting that bis shoulders bad not been on the mat With the goinr for the commencement of the eighth round Pinto decided not to leave the ring as he had threatened, and rushed at his man. Walker was still suffering from the effects of his slam, and in quick time Pinto had secured a full Nelson with the legs. After converting the hold into a crucifix Pinto changed it back to a full Nelson with the legs again, and grabbed one of bis opponent’s legs. Tn this position Walker had no chance of escape, and he soon submitted. Hoots and cheers greeted the verdict of a draw.