GREEK GLADIATOR

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 231, 19 December 1927, Page 13

GREEK GLADIATOR

PERGANTES ARRIVES WILL TRAIN ON THE BEACHES The fact that “all handsome men are slightly sunburnt” has nothing to do with Mr. Louis Pergantes’ expressed intention of spending a week or two on Auckland’s famous beaches. Louis Pergantes, the Greek wrestler, who is easily recognisable in a crowd, is scheduled to meet Ern Anderson, the New Zealand champion at the Town Hall on Boxing night, and Auckland’s beaches are going to help him to prepare for the contest. “I like to get a bit of colour on,” he told a SUN man this morning, when the Aorangi berthed from Australia. “Although, too much swimming is inclined to make one languid I like to work in the open air.” Pergantes. who originally hailed from the sunny land of Greece, is now an American citizen, and he has just completed a series of wrestling engagements in Australia. Providing other encounters are forthcoming he will make New Zealand his home for the remainder of the summer. Questioned regarding the recent wrestling controversy in Australia, he said that although some of the oldtime wrestlers occasionally lost their heads and were inclined to kick and fight and scratch, he did not think that wrestling was unduly rough. Certainly it has not harmed Louis Pergantes. Excepting for his ears which bear the marks of many a contest he is what ekie coukl term an ablebodied man. A little over medium height and of broad proportions, it would appear that his task of getting down to 121 stone, which he considers a .“nice weight,” will be rather difficult. He is confident that it can be done. “I have been having a little rest,” he said, “and of coufse have put on a little weight, but when I get to work it will come off.” Pergantes stated that wrestling was not losing any of its popularity in Australia, and at one of the bouts in Sydney recently, despite the fact that there was tin-hare racing the same night, a crowd of 13,000 had attended. With good bouts staged, he considered the sport would become equally as popular in New Zealand.