WRESTLING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 161, 7 June 1940, Page 4

WRESTLING

HONOURS EVEN. KATAN AND O’CONNOR DRAW. Wrestling for the full scheduled period in a professional bout at the Opera House, last evening, John Katan (Canada) and Dan O’Connor (United (States) secured one fall each and the match resulted in a draw. Both men weighed 16st 101 b. One of the beet features of the programme was an eventful display, as a minor professional contest, between B. Monastra, from the Kilbirnie Gymnasium, and C. Croskery, also of Wellington. They provided a bout which would be applauded in any centre of the Dominion and which would compare favourably with a first-class major contest. In the main bout there was not much between the contestants. O’Connor could use elbow jolts as well as the other, and showed that he ,is an exponent of the flying tackle and the flying drop-kick. Katan was not above using his fingers when the referee was looking elsewhere, and he was warned once for punching. In the early rounds action steadily became faster until, in the fourth, O’Connor thought lie had Katan groggy with flying tackles, but in the midat of one hurtled into a vicious elbow jolt which put him down to lead to a pin fall. In the seventh round O’Connor prepared the way for a body press fall with flying tackles and drop-kicks. THE. CHIEF CONTEST. , There was not much of the spectacular in the opening round of the main bout, being slightly in favour of O’Connor, but the latter opened the second with a flying drop-kick. He applied an arm-bar and punished Katan, but the latter broke away and there was a rapid exchange of holds on the mat. Katan held O'Connor in a hammerlock for some time. In the third round the pair met a stalemate with each applying a Japanese leg-lock and the referee eventually had to break them. O’Connor tried flying tackles, but went through the ropes. Elbow jolts were exchanged at the outset in the fourth round and the crowd began to get excited. Katan was warned for punching. The excitement heightened when the two became locked in close referee’s holds and traded elbow jolts blow for blow. O’Connor broke free to make a series of flying tackles. It appeared to be the beginning of the end for Katan, but he stood up and felled O’Connor with a perfect elbow-jolt, then taking a pin fall. . The fifth round opened excitingly and Katan went for toe holds. O’Connor shot away like a dodging rabbit and turned Katan round in a shortarm scissors. Katan punched O’Connor to get free and the latter was going for liis revenge when the gong sounded. In the sixth round a series of holds on the mat led to more open work, and after being tumbled through tlio ropes with elbow jolts Katan held the better position and finished the round with a long-applied twisted forward toe-bold which punished O’Connor. The latter was attacking in the seventh round, but again fell victim to the toe-hold. A well-aimed kick eventually broke it and the crowd sensed something coming when O’Connor sent in elbow-jolt 6. He followed these with three flying tackles and two flying drop-kicks. A fall was then relatively simple to secure. With everything depending on the last round the pair soon settled down again to serious business. Yet again Katan secured his toe-hold, but this time O’Connor reversed the position with a splits. O’Connor held the advantage until Katan gained top position with two forward barred toe-holds. O’Connor whirled away from both. The decision was a draw and there was no dissent from any part of the house. THE MINOR BOUTS. Clever and vigorous wrestling opened the minor professional bout, between C. Croskery (Wellington), list 41b, and B. Monastra (Kilbirnie Gymnasium), list 21b. In the second round Monastra gained a fall soon after the opening, a flying drop-kick leading to two dumps and a press. In the third round Croskery further displayed his wide knowledge of holds and in the fourth Croskery evened matters with a popular fall, secured after a giant swing. The last round was full of action, and the decision for Croskery was most popular. He used the giant swing twice in this round, but. could not pin the other. The amateur bouts resulted: W. Weston (Ohakune). 9st 21b. beat J. Eckersley (Palmerston North), 9st 61b, on points. W. Murrell (Palmerston North), 12st 31b, won on points from R. Wood (Shannon), 12st 71b. In a" hard boot W. *Cudby (Palmerston North), 12st 101 b. gained a points decision over It.- Newth (Wellington), 12st 51b. The officials were.—Referee for pro-

fessional bouts, Mr W. Nicholls; referee for amateur bouts, Mr C. Matson ; stage manager, Mr Janies Purves; call steward, Mr Jack Purves; timekeepers, Messrs A. Hopwood and R. Hopwood ; medical steward, Mr A. Scott; announcer. Mr A. Haines. An orchestra under Mr E. Smith played a number of selections.