IRASCIBLE WRESTLER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 17 January 1931, Page 12

IRASCIBLE WRESTLER

EDWARDS IN LIMELIGHT

STRUCK THE WRONG MAN

The cable news that Billy Edwards had tried his “rough-house” tactics when Jack Dempsey was refereeing, and had suffered in consequence, recalls the extraordinary performances of Edwards in Australia and New Zealand last year. He had been in Australia previously, but had not adopted the fight tactics he showed last year, lie drew the biggest gate in Australia, £llß6 in his return match with Tliye.

His extraordinary display in his first match with Thye in Sydney, in August, drew attention to his tactics. On that occasion he kicked the referee, Tom Banner, unconscious. Tom Lurich, tho wrestler, was then called upon to referee. Edwards attacked him, and Lurich retaliated, both indulging in a little boxing. Thye then intervened and the match proceeded to end in a draw. The return match attracted 8000 people, but it grew so rough that the police intervened. Their third sensational meeting was at Melbourne. Edwards set the ball rolling by kicking Thye who replied by laying Edwards flat on his back with two uppercuts to the jaw, resulting in his disqualification. Edwards had previously hit the referee behind the ear. It was a most unedifyin~ match. When he reached New Zealand, Edwards commenced the same tactics, but he drew the censure of the promoting body in Wellington on his head and his match with P. S. Gregorian, better known as Kara Pasha, was cancelled. Edwards was advertised in a southern centre as the world’s roughest wrestler and at Wellington against Alley he did his best to justify the title by using all manner of illegal tactics which caused his disqualification by the referee, Alex. Lundyn, a wrestler whom he assaulted. This led to a police court action and a fine, and Edwards was also barred from wrestling in the Wellington Town Hall. He subsequently appeared in Auckland, but, under special conditions imposed by the police, it proved a tame bout.