Muscles That Spell Money

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 809, 1 November 1929, Page 7

Muscles That Spell Money

Sidelights on the Wrestling 800m —Colourful American Exponents Give Mat Sport Big Boost in Auckland Rapid Development of Promising Amateur Talent Controversy Over “Crucifix” Hold Gives Piquant Touch to Next Big Bout.

from the States, Vance faced Alley at the Town ldall. " ; The house was not big, but that 1 made no difference to the spectacular exhibition that was given by the two men. Alley had made no secret of his ! favourite hold, which ho told interI csted sports M'riters mus deadly in the j extreme. If any doubt was left in j the minds of those interested. Alley i demonstrated conclusively that what ■ lie had claimed for it Mas true. There : was one man who had no doubt. That i was Vance, for he fell a victim and ! was so badly injured that he was I “easy meat” for Alley after he had | submitted to the first fall. There was no doubt that the men had the goods to offer. The size of the houses increased ur.ti. there were larger crowds going to the wrestling than those which attended the performances of worldfamed artists in other walks of public life. With performances and the ability to mix with people and talk on subjects other than wrestling, the Americans found themselves labelled jolly good fellows. They made friends quickly, and they continued to give the public good value for its money. More cheers and hoots have been heard in the city’s main hall in the past few months than ever before in its history. The moments M'hen quiet has reigned have been few and far between. The escapes from terrifying holds when all seemed lost, the do-

DOR over four months, M’restling has , 1 boomed in New Zealand, partieu- j larly in Auckland. The indications are j t.lmt there Mill be still greater interest i taken in the sport next year M'hen a number of wrestlers who have not been j pected to pay a visit to New Zealand. In a previous article the difference j between the offerings of the modern j wrestler and the old-timer was dealt j with. It mus pointed out that there ! Mas no doubt from tile public stand- j point Mliich Mas the better of the two. i It is some years since the sport was I first started under proper control in J New Zealand. Until this year, wrest- < ling did not enjoy a prosperous existonce. The arrival of the famous j Stanislaus Zbyszko gave a badly needed fillip in 1926. without giving the New Zealand Wrestling Association the money for future contests. Then last year, John Ivilonis and Pat McCarthy gave a sample of the M’restling that had become popular in America and later in Australia. After a poor house for the first match, there was a large attendance for the second. It Mas the beginning of the boom. Tho association realised the possibilities of the new style of wrestling between men of skill and strength. No time was wasted in getting into touch with the authorities in America. Tom Alley arrived and he looked the part. Walter Johansson, Maracci Gardini and “Farmer” Vance also arrived under contract to the association. A M-eek after the arrival of this trio

I meanours of the contestants and the , | attempts to obtain match-winning j j holds have draM n cheers, hoots and j cat-calls from the enthusiastic crowds. : The arrival of Naranjan Singh, Clarence Eklund and George Walker lent further colour to the galaxy of wrest ling ta.ent. Such was the success of the firstnamed that he drew the largest crowds. Two M-orld championship matches i were staged. Eklund retaining the light-heavy-weight championship of the M'orld on two occasions against Vance. From what could be heard here and there, many people thought that Eklund was not the genuine ■ world’s champion, arguing in support of their contention that if Eklund was the champion, he would not risk his title in Auckland. These people forgot that Eklund had not been wrestling for 20 years without picking up a slight knowledge of the wrestling art. and failed to take into account the man’s belief in his own ability to defeat Vance. His optimism was justified, for he won both contests, although to appearances sorely pressed in the first. Eklund is one of the cleverest wrestlers ever seen in Auckland, and Alley runs him a close second. The season was to have ended last Monday, when Walker and Alley were the contestants.

This was the best wrestling match staged in New Zealand this season, but the public did not realise it before the match, and the attendance was small. Alley was defeated for the first time this season. For the first time in manv years, he was the loser by two straight falls. Alley was not satisfied with the result, and issued a challenge to Walker for another match on a winner-take-all basis. Walker was quite agreeable, and the question of whether the season was to be extended for another week was before the association. It decided to give Alley a chance to wipe out the defeat. So Walker and Alley meet at the Town Hall on Monday evening. Although the proposed special test of Alley’s much-discussed hold ,“The Crucifix,” will not now take place, there is nothing to prevent the Mormon mat man from trying it on Walker during the match. Alley has indicated that it will be vigorously attempted, and Walker is equally determined that. “Crucifix” or no “Crucifix,” he is going to prove that his victory over Alley last Monday was no fluke. It is expected that this will be the last bout of the 1920 season. The season in Australia has reached its end, and the sensational winner of matches there, undefeated John Pesek. will be sailing soon for America. He will probably pass through Auckland on his Avay home, and the New Zealand Wrestling Association is keen to get him to wrestle at Auckland on his way through. If this can be arranged, a bout will be staged, and Auckland wrestling fans will have a chance of seeing the sensational Bohemian in action.

The wrestling boom has not only benelitted the themselves, but has fostered the amateur side ol' the sport. The professional bouts have called for a large number of amateur preliminaries, and there has been no dearth of amateur talent. Some of the amateurs show great promise. Given a good season next year, when these boys will have further opportunity of adding to their Knowledge, New Zealand should have some good wrestlers of its own. rne New Zealand amateur championships are to be staged in Auckland on November 11. This will give the boys ample opportunity of demonstrating to the public their ability to put on a good show without the backing ot piofessional bouts. If they can do this, there will be further proof of the benefit of the visit of overseas wrestlers, and the wrestling boom that has taken place in Auckland this SG3-SCII. q j.j