The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-03-26 00:00:00

WRESTLING EXHIBITION IN
LIVE KPOOL.

On Monday night the celebrated French wrestlers
encountered, in H engler's Circus. Newington, Liverpool,
some picked wrestlers from Westmoreland, Cumber-
land, and Lancashire. After the preliminary friendly
grip, the men watched each other keenly, and laboured
hard for the best position. Even in the severest
moment they never appearerilo allow an angry feeling
to come between them, and it was pleasant to see the
face of one antagonist, as it rested on the shoulder of
the other illumined with a smile at the time when his
physical powers were being taxed to the utmost.
Among the audience c suld be men many a Nestor of
the wrestling ring ; and the scientific knowledge and
great interest exhibited by them stamped these friendly
rivalries with a very different character to that which
too often attaches to the prize sing. So close were the
competitions at times that it required the most practised
eye to award the fall, the combatants touching the
ground almost together, but in no single instance was
a decision disputed. . -

In the enenunter between Graham, from Carlisle,
and Dubois, pin., one f the French wrestlers, the
former threw the Frenchman two clever somersaults,
but the latter prevented his shoulder blades meeting
the ground by a sharp wrench. Having both got upon
their knees, the one behind the other, Graham gripped
Dubois by the back of the head and threw him clean
over, and the latter, alighting on his knees, treated his
opponent in a similar way. The Frenchman had one
or two very geod chances, but the Cumberland man
placed himself in too good a position to allow him to
take advantage of them. The latter next threw his
adversary clean over his head, bringing his head and
feet in contact with the ground, his knees being up.
With a clever push and slight pressure he drew his
points of resietance from him, and succeeded in laying
the Frenchman flat, thus walking off victorious.
Jamieson and Leduc followed in the French style.
The Cumberland man was heavier than the foreigner,
although there was not notch to choose between them
in the matter of agility. Jamieson turned Leduc over
twice, but the latter on each occasion pitched upon his
head and feet, and so wriggled over on his side. The
Frenchman then placed himself in an excellent posi-
tion, standing almost upright with his arms round the
waist of his adversary, who was in a crouching posi-
tion. The greater weight of the latter, however, was
too mnch for the strength of his opponent, and thus
a favourable opportunity slipped from his fingers.
Presently the men exchanged a three-quarter back
with each other, and they then became somewhat
excited. Jamieson subsequently pulled Leduc over his
head, and for some seconds threw him about very like a
shu ttlecork. In so doing, however, he wasted his strength,
and during the interval of rest rendered necessary by
these exertions, it became evident that Jamieson was
too much distressed to continue the contest much
longer. He, however, managed to throw his opponent
over once more, and very nearly succeeded in securing
the victory, but in another instant the tables were
turned, he having been dexterously laid by the French-
man on the flat if his back, amid loud cheers from all
parts of the building.
The wrestling was brought to a close by a tussle in
the Euglish fashion between Le Hood and It. Wright.
The grip of the former seemed like the hug of a bear,
but the Cumberland man, calmly waiting his oppor-
tunity, gave him the hips, a feat which was enthu-
siastically applauded by the epectatore.