WRESTLING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 June 1938, Page 8

WRESTLING

BOUT AT THE OPERA HOUSE STEELE DEFEATS JENSEN. GOOD WORK BY BOTH MEN. In a good clean wrestling bout, remarkably free from showmanship, staged before a fairly large audience at the Opera House last night, Ray Steel, 16.2, defeated Leo Jensen, 15.8, by two falls to nil. Early in the fifth round, Steele, after a series of punishing elbow jolts picked Jensen up and dumped him heavily to the mat. Jensen was groggy when he came in for the sixth round and Steele wasted no time in applying an upside down reverse step-over toehold to secure his second fall and the match.

There was good work by both men in the first four rounds,of the bout, although Steele displayed a much superior knowledge of the game. An extremely well-built man, Steele is amazingly quick on his feet. Each move is well-planned and smartly executed, making his wrestling a treat to watch. Giving away six pounds, Jensen, however, provided plenty of opposition attacking gamely throughout the bout.

The ten minutes of solid wrestling, which comprised the first round of the contest won the approval of the crowd. Early in the round Jensen applied a good head scissors. Steel, however, was not long in breaking clear and countered with the same hold, together with an effective wristlock. Steele gave Jensen some trouble with a toehold, but a smartly-applied head scissors forced him to let go. The second round was more lively, the hard going on the mat being relieved by a brisk exchange of elbow jolts. Jensen held Steele for a time in a headlock, but the position was soon changed when Steele cleared and applied a sitting splits. After both men had dealt out some vigorous elbow jolts, Steele threw Jensen round the ring with a series of headlocks. Equally clever and entertaining wrestling was seen in the third and fourth rounds, both men applying a variety of holds. When the fifth round opened, elbows were flying freely. Suddenly Steele picked Jensen up, lifted him above his shoulders and dumped him heavily on the mat. Jensen was helped into his corner. At the bell for the sixth round he was groggy, but on his feet. Steel, however, did not allow him any time to regain his strength. With a remarkably speedy move, he applied an upside down reverse step-over toe hold, which spelt “Goodnight” for Jensen. The referee was Mr Alf Jenkins, of Wellington. AMATEUR BOUTS. There was some good wrestling in the amateur preliminaries, which took the form of a contest between Wairarapa and Palmerston North- representatives. Wairarapa secured three wins and Palmerston North one. The most entertaining amateur bout was that between Carroll, of Carterton, and Wickens, of Masterton. Although his opponent secured an easy fall early in the first round, Wickens remained unperturbed and carried on to gain a fall in each of the two succeeding rounds and win the match. Following are the detailed results: —W. Weston (Palmerston North), 9.0, beat D. Faulknor( Eketahuna), 9.2, by one fall. J. Searancke (Eketahuna), 9.10 beat J. Eckersley (Palmerston North), 9.9, by one fall. E. Norris (Eketahuna), IL2, beat W. Cudby (Palmerston North), 11.2, on points. H. Hill (Masterton). 12.12, beat R. Beaumont (Palmerston North), 11.J2 on points. R. Wickens (Masterton), 8.6, beat K. Carroll (Carterton), 8.4, by two falls to one. '