KEEN WRESTLING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 210, 5 August 1937, Page 14

KEEN WRESTLING

BLOMFIELD WINS. WESCOATT HURTS SHOULDER. Unable to continue when the seventh round commenced, having strained a shoulder when he fell heavily outside the ring at the beginning of the sixth round, “Rusty” Wescoatt had to concede the decision in his professional wrestling bout frith “Lofty” Blomfield at the Opera House last night. Each had secured a fall, Wescoatt in the fourth round and Blomfield, with his octopus clamp, in the sixth. A doctor, after attending Wescoatt, said the shoulder had been strained and partially put out. Wearing a black dressing gown with the silver fern monogram, Blomfield entered the ring at 16st 101 b, and Wes-' coatt, of Hawaii, who was attired in a maroon gown, weighed 17st 21b. All the while the spectators waited for Blomfield to use his well-known clamp hold, but Wescoatt showed he had not only a healthy fear of it but also con--1 siderablc knowledge of counters and of the application of the hold itself. Grimacing and threatening Blomfield on many an occasion, Wescoatt’s demeanour in the ring was one of untamed aggression at times, while Blomfield was quiet, even smiling, but always quite willing to exchange elbow jolts or other such “pleasantries.” After a brisk exchange it was Wescoatt who appeared to emerge the loser, but it was when seemingly subdued after rough treatment tiiat he unleashed a flying tackle and a drop-kick that led to Blomfield being pinned with a body press. Many intending spectators were turned away, so large was the attendance, and for those present added interest wgs given to the evening with the introduction of a. number of the touring Springbok side, who were the guests of tho Manawatu Wrestling Association. Each of the visitors was called by name through the announcing system and he then stood up. The South Africans received a most cordial reception and were cheered. THE’ BOUT DESCRIBED.

Leaping into action at the initial gong, Westcoatt threw himself in a flying drop-kick a.t Blomfield, who neatly evaded' it. The American snapped on a leg scissors and Blomfield had to suffer it until he was able to pull the other’s hair. Blomfield had Westcoatt in a Japanese arm lock and the other allowed extraordinary agility in swinging his whole body from a. standing position to 6eize a head scissors. Blomfield eventually worked loose to make 'Westcoatt struggle frer.ziedly to the ropes in fear of an octopus clamp. Blomfield commenced to put on the clamp again and AVestcoatt seized on a foot to use a double barred toe-hold and then tried to stand up to make it an octopus clamp. Next, Blomfield was within an ace of putting it on, but the other knuckled his way out. Blomfield punished Westcoatt in a series of jolts and cross buttocks to find himself, at the end of the round, in an arm bar.

Squirming in a head scissors at the opening of the second round, Westcoatt soon put on an arm stretch and wrist-lock. He moved within range of a kick on t)ie head eventually, and was then punished in a short, arm scissors. Elbow jolts by Blomfield and threats of flying tackles by Westcoatt warmed the spectators' interest, after the referee had three times called on Westcoatt to release strangle holds. ‘ Treating Blomfield to a flying mare at the opening of the third round, Westcoatt then held the New Zealander in an arm bar. From that he proceeded to work on ta bandaged wrist. Blomfield took a lot of punishment and then swung a leg to the other’s head. Elbow jolts and other close exchanges of that nature kept the crowd interested for the remainder of the round, apart from definite holds.

Forcing Westcoatt on to the. ropes, then into a corner, Blomfield jumped on the other’s prostrate body at the outset of the fourth round. Westcoatt came gingerly out and, when seemingly groggy, shot off the rop&3 with a flying tackle, off them again with a dropkick and took Blomfield to the mat with an arm bar to secure a. fall on the resulting bodv press. Westcoatt was tossed out of the ring in the fifth round and, when he came back, was again “very subdued,” but Blomfield took no chances. Blomfield applied 'the first section of the octopus clamp and the other lost no time in going under the ropes. After being in a crucifix Blomfield secured a Japanese leglock. Westcoatt put one on, too, and the pair were locked with legs entwined. Blomfield at length freed the other’s feet sufficiently to give promise of a clamp. Westcoatt, then against the ropes, lost no time in going through them. Blomfield, in a short arm scissors, became the aggiessoi with a standing splits, but Westcoatt had tho advantage of another splits hold at the gong. ' Again adopting shock tactics, Wescoatt flew through the air in a flying tackle at tho inception of tho sixth round. He went through the ropes horizontally to land on the bare boards of the stage at the feet of the spectators. The impact was heavy and lie hurt a shoulder, showing signs of pain in it until the end of tho bout. After the pair had moved about, two elbow jolts by Blomfield dazed Woscoatt who was well tangled in a complete octopus clamp in a trice. The submission was immediate. . A doctor made a brief examination of Wescoatt’s shoulder and when the gong went for the seventh round the decision was left to him as to whether lie would continue or not. Blomfield approached, but the doctor waved linn off as the American leaned, dazed, on the ropes. The New Zealander’s hand was raised as the winner. THE PRELIMINARIES. Four preliminaries preceded the main bout, the last of tho quartet proving the most interesting. W. Woodham (Palmerston North), 9st 41b, gained a. fall over B. Kuiti (Levin). 9st, in the first round with a deadlock and crutch hold. Most of the second round was spent in referees’ holds, but in the third Kuiti appeared to be about to become aggressive with a body scissors and an arm bar, but Woodham broke out and won with a body press. J. Eckersley, 9st, and W. Weston, 9st 21b, both of Palmerston North, provided a quiet opening, and in the second round, although both were triers, the only incident of note was Eckersley’s escape from a back-loop slam. The last round was also quiet, Weston, who had been the more aggressive, being adjudged the winner. Greater action was seen in the commencement of the meeting of J. McConachy (Palmerston North) .and E. Pinker (Feilding), both weighing 12st. The former took a fall with a body press on the gong at the end of the first round. The second round was much quieter and the final session like the second. McConachy was on top for most of the time and won.

T. Waldron (Rata), list 121 b, a.nd J. Walker (Levin), 12st, soon camb to grips early and the spectators enjoyed an exchange of pleasantries in the form of hail' pulling, kicks and elbow jolts. Walker caused amusement with a steady smile and was still * smiling when Waldron took a fall in the second round with a body press. In the last round Walker put on a head scissors and then a rocking chair splits. He

sent Waldron through 4 two back-loop slams and a couple of charges, but was a.ppj#uded when he remained smiling as the decision went against him. Walker had all the best of the last round. The officials were as follow : —Announcer, Mr C. N. Rabone; referee, Mr W. Nicliolls; stage manager, Mr J. Purves; time-keepers, Messrs Weston J. Smith and R. Hopwood. It was announced that in a fortnight the Manawatu amateur wrestling championships would be held, and that “Strangler” Lewis would be wrestling in Palmerston North on August 19.

LEWIS BEATS SPELLMAN. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 4. Ed Lewis (18. C) beat John Spellman (15.12) to-night with two consecutive falls in the fifth and seven rounds. A packed house loudly voiced disapproval both of the bout and the final result. Lewis relied on his great advantage in weight and strength, and the headlock was almost the only hold he used. The fall in the fifth round followed a series of dumps with headlocks, and in tho seventh round Spellman laid himself open for a second fall when he misjudged a flying tackle, and, missing Lewis, threw himself through the ropes. After the count of 18 he returned to the ring obviously groggy, and Lewis easily pinned him with a body press.