Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-27
THE ATHLETES. ENCOUNTER.

THE ATHLETES ENCOUNTER.
The scotch Champion Wins the Match
4 Splendid Exhibition of skill aud
StrenCth-The Frenchman Accepts hls
Defeat with III Temper.
The Gr4cO- Roman encounter between |
Duncan c. Ross. champion wrestlero oil the |
world whose record recently appeared in |
this naper. and Theibaud Bauer, late Of
the French army and champion wrestler
of France. took place yesterday at Base
Ball Park before large audience.
Early in the afternoon the cars on the
Whitaker street line began to carry peo-
pie to the park, and by o'clock. the hour
announced for the beginning of the match,
fully a thousand spectators were gathered
within the enclosure.
At 3 O'Clock, when the final arrange
meuts had been completed. the referee,
Mr.. :. smith. and the judges, Messrs. W.
T. Burch and W. :. Cherry appeared on
the platform. The athletes were intro
duced TO the audience and stepped upon
the canvas at the corners, diagonally OPP
pOsite each other, walked lightly and
gracefully forward, shook hands and
Dassed on. changing corners. They then
wheeled quickly about and approached
each other for the struggle.
Both men were stripped 10 the waist
and stood clad only in white cotton tights
or drawers. with velvet trunks and cotton
socks, In the rules for the GrecO-Roman
contests the wrestlers are only allowed TO
take hold from the head and not lower
than the waist.
Taking hold Of the legs is strictly for
hidden.
The wrestling is with open hands, and
the wrestlers are not allowed 10 strike, TO
scratch. 10 trip with the feet, or to clasp
hands. tClasping hands means that the
wrestlers shall not clasp one Of their own
hands within the other, nor interlace their
fingers. but they are allowed to grasp their
OWE wrist to tighten their hold round
/ their opponents body or otherwise
If the wrestlers roll over each other,
the one whose shoulders shall touch the
/ carpet first is deemed conquered.
To be conquered it is necessary that
/ both shoulders of the fallen shall touch
I the ground at the same time, so as TO be
/ fairly seen by the public
All matches to be best two ont Of three
/ falls. each fall to consist of either two
/ shoulders or two hips being upon the
! ground at one and the same time, and II
1 but one fall is gained after three hours
I wrestling the contestant winning that fall
! 10 be declared winner of the match. If
/ two falls We're got, one by each, at that
time then the contest to 20 on until
/ second fall was Won by either wrestler.
! If each contestant wins fall the match
must continue until decided.
/ The great physique of the athletes as
/ they stood ON the carpet waiting for the
word was a splendid sight. Every mus
! Gle was strained and stood out on their
/ p0werful bodies, and they were met with
| loud applause. The word was given by
/ the referee and the match was begun by
/ Bauer grasping Ross tightly by the wrist.
| They made several changes, handling
each other in wary manner, until, by
/ series of holds, Bauer grasped
and threw him TO the carpet. Then
/ the tussle began in earnest. Ross finally
/ got Bauer by an arm lock, and threw him
/ completely over his head. 1t was a
! tremendous throw, and "a fall was only
/ avoided by the wonderful agility of the
/ Frenchman, who sprang 70 his feet.
| Finally. after a struggle of twenty-six
! minutes, Bauer seized Ross in his power
/ full grasp, and with a half Nelson and
/ body hold Won the fall. The decision was
/ announced, and the cOmbatants retired 70
! sest for the second bout.
Many of the spectators were unfamiliar
with wrestling and We're struck with the
T thickness with which the wrestler aban-
Z dOns catch. hold or lock when he finds
| that ii he finds the effort guarded against
I he wastes strength in trying to effect his
object which is a gain TO his opponent,
They get a lock. try il and if impractical
. BILE let 90 and seek another. The strength
exhibited is not more noticeable than their
skill and perhaps not as much.
After an infermissiOn of fifteen minutes
the cOmbatants again faced each other on
the canvas and the second bout began.
After parleying Ross got Bauer on an arm
hold. and threw him over his head. The
plucky Frenchman struck on his feet aud
the top of his head, but kept from the car
pet by bending his body upward and FORM
ing GrecO-ROman bridge. After work
ing for some time Bauer got out of the
bridge. and both men were again on their
feet. The Frenchman was powerful
antagonist, and quick and agile in his
movements, but the ScOtchman's skill was
too much for him, and by half Nelson
slipping one arm from behind and under
the opponents arm and reaching upward
behind the neck }, he threw Baur, and
twisting his arm behind his back, won
the second fall.
The third bout lasted but ten minutes.
Both men were cautious at the start, and
BaueT's magnificent displays of strength,
his brilliant mauRuyering and marvellous
feats won loud applause. But the Scotch
man watched his opportunity, and in a
moment, when his antagonist in fierce
temper struck and shook his neck,
seized him by the body and
lifting him from the carpet, threw him
fiat on his back. Bauer was in a bad
humOr, but accepted the fall. After leav-
ing the platform he offered TO wrestle
Ross for purse of 5000, but failed to put
up the money. After some words the
match was decided and the Frenchman
left the field in a genial humOr, gener-
rs.7r ~Trasrt hi az
After the wrestling brief exhibition of
some of the feats of Strengthens given, but
as there were no entries for the games
that part Of the programme was omitted
and the audience dispersed, A pleasing
feature of the exhibition was the appear
ance of the celebrated Scotch piper, Nc
Innis, in full Highland costume, and his
performance Of varied selections OF Scotch
national airs on the bagpipes.
Last night there was a special meeting
of the st. Andrews Society for the pur-
pose of giving a reception 10 AlesSrs. Ross, I
McInnis and Professor Bauer
The ScOtchmen were unanimously elect
ed honorary members Ofthe society, and
Mr.. Ross was presented with handsome
Prince Charlie bonnet by Captain VIM.
VI. Davidson, on behalf Of the Organiza-
ton. i
The recipient of the gift replied in an
appropriate speech, and remarks were
also made by Messrs. McInnis and Bauer
and by Alderman Samuel Smith, of New
port, K. l., who is at present on a-visit TO
Savannah (his former hOme) and the
South.
The health Of the party was toasted, and
several hours were most pleasantly spent
in social entertainment.
An effort is being made to secure an
other exhibition, and if a purse Of 5000
can be raised a second match will take
place as soon as the arrangements can be
completed. The canvas upon which the
exhibition was given yesterday was
padded with a soft material and did not
afford a sufficiently frm foot hold for a
full display of the YrestleEs' strength and
skill.
AN ANNUAL FESTIVAL.