WRESTLING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 September 1938, Page 3

WRESTLING

REFEREE KNOCKED OUT THRILLING BOUT AT WELLINGTON. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Struck by a flying tackle Dean Detton had launched at his opponent, Lofty Blomfield, Mr A. Jenkins, referee of the professional wrestling match in the Wellington Town Hall last night, was thrown into the lap of a spectator in the second row of seats and badly winded. The wrestlers went on wrestlong, but as, according to the rules, a contest cannot be carried on without a referee, there was no course to pursue but declare ‘no decision.’ At the time of this incident, in the last round, the wrestlers had each taken one fall. Mr. Jenkins, a physical culture expert, soon recovered from his unhappy experience.

The bout was easily the most exciting contest of the season, and one of the most thrilling which has ever been witnessed in Wellington. It was marked by- much clever wrestling, the men being particularly quick in changing from defence to attack, and the crowded house was roused to enthusiasm. Blomfield took a fall in the third round by dumping his opponent with three crotch-holds, and then applying a body press. Detton secured a fall in the sixth round with a series of forward headlocks, and three heavy jolts, which placed Blomfield at his mercy. The last round was the most thrilling which has ever been seen in a Wellington ring. Detton started off by throwing Blomfield with a forward headlock. He repeated the dose and went for a flying tackle, but missed. They went through the ropes locked in a bear-like hug, and the referee went out of the ring to separate them. Just as he had regained the ring, Detton made another flying tackle, but, instead of getting his man, he struck Mr. Jenkins with his shoulder. As the police entered the ring after the referee had been knocked out, many people were under the impression that they had stopped the bout. This was not the case. The police entered the ring because they knew that the bout had ended when the referee was incapacitated. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. AMATEUR TITLE RETAINED. WELLINGTON, This Day. At the New Zealand amateur wrestling championships yesterday, the heavyweight championship resulted: — J. H. Dryden (Wairarapa) beat W. Norton (Auckland) on points; Dryden beat C. J. Puller (Canterbury) by one fall. Dryden retained his title. - In the bout to decide the runner-up, Norton beat J. Pullon.