MAT KINGS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 16, 11 September 1931, Page 4

MAT KINGS

WRESTLING NOW FINDS FAVOUR ALL QVER WORLD BIG SUMS EARNED Wrestling is registering strongly in all parts of the world, particularly in America. One h'undred thousand clamouring, yelling wrestling fans is nothing extraordinary at a championship match, and the din is deafening. Following are a few notes on wrestling, telling who's who and what's what among the mat kings, who earn as much as £15,000 a bout. Formerly out of favour, wrestling has staged a comeback and is fast replacing boxing. In New York weekly wrestling shows have been drawing crowded houses. Jacques Curley is said to be responsible for the new interest in wrestling, and puts on fortnightly bouts which | have been highly successful from a j { box-office point of view. At one of his bouts thousands of would-be spectators were turned away. The majority of wi'estlers come from ahroad, and are much more entertaining than boxers. They give more thrills in a second than the aver- I age boxer in an entire round. Weigh- I ing from 200 to 250 pounds, it is nothing extraordinary for a wrestler to drop his opponent among the ringside seats, and the consequent excitem'ent is great. At a boxing show the ringside chairs ' are usually joined together, but at ! wrestling bouts the chairs are move- i able, as it is sometimes necessary for anyone sitting close to the ring to move quickly.

Jim Londos and Don George are regarded as the two eliampions, and the former is a member of the New York Stage Athletic Commission and the latter of the National Boxing Association. There have been several attempts made to match the pair, but it seems unlikely. Londos is usually to he found in New York, while George wre'stles in New England. Londos' promoter is Gurley; and George wrestles for the Jack Herman group. Curley is very popular in New York and Herman has been successfully

trying to end his popularity. Curley reeently apeared twice in the metropolis and drew big audiences, but Herman's bouts were 'unsuccessful. Curley's stars are Londos, Jim McMillen, Hans Steink, Ference Holuban and others, while Herman's ace attractions are Don George, Riehard Skikat, former heavy-weight champion, and Strangler Lewis, who was reeently in Australia. So popular is wrestling.in New York that many boxers have tried to become wrestlers, spending their time tbrowing sparring partners around instead of training for fistic combat.