WRESTLING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 143, 17 May 1940, Page 8

WRESTLING

McCREADY BEATS RAINES, LOCAL SEASON OPENS. Lasting the full eight rounds, a professional wrestling bout in the Opera House last night between Earl McCready (Canada) and “Cowboy” Dick Raines (United States) was won by McCready on points after each had secured a fall. The win was a popular one for the capacity gathering of spec tators, and tho last round was brimful of action. -For the opening night of this season’s programme the Palmerston North (Wrestling Association was fortunate in securing such a bout and in being able to provide three amateur bouts and an interesting minor protessional contest as well. Both McCready and Raines weighed 17st 21b, the contestants being two of the biggest men engaged in wrestling. They were evenly matched in height, both very versatile and quick despite their size, with the Canadian possibly a little the stronger. McCready cast aside any attempt at showmanship, but when ruffled by continued affronts lie was quite capable of going almost berserk for a period. Things happened then. Itaines, on the other hand, would slip in an elbow jolt for good measure now and again, particuarlv when he became warmed up. At periods lie jolted McCready, punched (lor which he was warned several times by the referee, Mr W. Nicholls), pulled his opponent’s hair and used a knee. McCreadv always took a good deal first and then sailed in .with elbows swinging. In every instance he came out best and had Raines on tho run.

At the close of the bout, when McCreadv’s hand was raised denoting his win, Raines wanted to continue, and there was a short scuffle between the pair which ended when McCready backed off as the orchestra entered on the National Anthem. The first fall went to Raines in the fourth round when lie forced MeCready’s submission with a key-locked forward toe-liold. In the sixth round McCreadv equalised with a -Japanese octopus hold, a variation of tlve crucifix. The seventh round went by normally, but the last was hectic. ROUND BY ROUND. The opening round was very nearly equal, Raines having* the advantage, if any. In the second round Raines’s partiality to clboiv jolts became apparent and lie then loosed a series of flying tackles. McCready was not hurt and Raines found himself tipped over MeCreadv’s shoulders from one of these and then Itaines cannoned off tho ropes into a vicious elbow jolt in the next. McCready failed to turn Raines over on the mat. In the third round Raines punished McCready in a barred toe-hold. Raines started jolting, and so McCready forced him into a corner and jolted and slapped him heavily until Raines was exceedingly pleased at the intervention of the referee. Raines held McCready in a short-arm scissors when the round closed. Quick action opened the fourth round, McCready slamming Itaines n.bout the ring with flyipg tackles, hut Itaines was eventually sent under the ropes. Coming back, he went in for elboiv jolts and then put McCready on his back with a forward key-locked toe-hold applied. He punished McCready heavily and Itaines Secured a fall by submission. Itaines had used his knee bn McCready’s stomach in the liext round. McCready then hammered the mat with Haines’s head. Itaines used an occasional elbow jolt but his opponent held off. Eventually Itaines put the Canadian down for an attempted body press and used his knee on McCready’s head. The Canadian worked up by sheer strength and was working toward an Indian deatldock when the gong went. The equalising fall came early in the sixth round, McCready going wild after Itaines had used further “bad-man” tactics. McCready opened a barrage of elbow jolts and when this lifted Raines was in the Japanese octopus hold which led to his submission. McCready put on the beginning of a crucifix hold, but claimed one arm to bend it behind Raines, and then upward, stretched straight. The next round was just as a prelude to the last, the two men working toward a final burst of energy. Raines tried to pull McCready’s mouth out of shape with a finger in either side. He tried it again, but this time McCready bit him. Three times McCready dumped Raines and went in lor the finale, but was kicked in the face. Next, he hurled Raines through the ropes. Raines came back to use three dumps, but McCready rolled clear and applied a body scissors. This led to a leg-splits by llaines and McCready whirled clear. The close of the bout followed, with McCready declared the winner on points. THE PRELIMINARIES.

The minor professional bout ended in a draw, the contest being between Bert Monastra (Kilbirnie Gymnasium) and Sid -Scott (Ivoolman’s Gymnasium, Wellington). Both weighed list 21b. In the first round Scott threw Monastra about, but then met a flying tackle. The second round opened with a reversal of the first but Scott had the ultimate advantage. In the third a series of dumps gave Monastra a fall. Scott was on top in the fourth, and in the fifth he equalised after treating Monastra to a series of lieadlocks and a dump. J. Eckerslpy (Palmerston North), 9st 61b, beat R. J. McQuillan (Royal New Zealand Air Force), fist 101 b, by falls in the first and second rounds. D. Janies (Palmerston North), 10st 101 b, beat J. FI. Walsh (Air Force), list, by falls in the first and second round also. Interest rail high in a bout between J. Thompson (Air Force), 12st 811>, and W. Cudby (Palmerston North), 12st 81b. Tho latter won on points, but the other, a Maori, was very popular. The officials were as follow; —Stage manager, Mr J. Purves; time-keepers, Messrs R. and F. Hopwood; announcer, Mr A. Haines; medical steward, Mr A. Scott; call steward, Mr Jack Purves; referee for all bouts, Mr W. Nicholls. An orchestra under Mr L. Smith played several numbers.