The Helena independent., 1890-02-27
Wrestling the Best Mode Of Defense
Against an Attack in
the Dark.
The Skilled Professional Can Tell
by Touch How TO Grasp
His Opponent.
A Demonstration Of the Fact that wrest
lers Can Work scientifically In
the Dark.

nothing TO compare Win wresthnR
The speaker was a brawny professor OF
II the most exacting Of athletic sports.
''But suppose the assailant uses a pistol
or knifei" suggested.
"The chances are that in the dark, except
| at very close quarters he will miss with
revolver. Even against knife the chances
are better for the wrestler than any one
else. Let me illustrate: II is not so many
years ago since duels with bowie knives,
in dark rooms. where occasional episodes
in the west. Sometimes, for yariety's sake,
| suppose, shotguns OF derringers were used.
II is difficult to see just where the science
was in such encounters. You can hardly
imagine fight between two skilled pupil-
lists under similar conditions. Wrestling is
the most scientific of all athletic sports, and
the skilled professional can tell, by the
mere touch, how TO grasp his opponent even
' if the darkness be Egyptian. You can
readily understand what an advantage he
would have over an unskilled man, no mat
ter how strong the latter may be-"
"lf attacked in the dark 10y a powerful
man, how would YOU defend yourselfy"
would seize him in such way as TO pinion
both hands until he dropped the weapon.
should try to throw him at once. IL un-
armed, simple lock would settle the busi-
ness: if not, and he happened 10 be unusu-
ally ugly, would give him the strangers
hold, which would end him in twinkling.
There would be very little fight left in him
after being half choked. you may believe.
That is the advantage of wrestling in the
Il So hc nf lf.Hq
fense. The beat evidence of this is that
the leading pugilists all learn wrestling
nowadays"
had novel ocular demonstration of the
fact that wrestlers can work AZ scientifically
III the dark as in the glare of the footlignts
YESTERDAY afternoon. says n writer in the
Brooklyn Eagle. With the instantaneous
camera and magnesium light as umpire and
referee, Ernest Roeber, the Grnco- Roman
champion of New York state, and Jack Car
keek the champion catch-as- catch-can
wrestler stood stripped 10 the waist in Il
darkened parlo on West Twenty fifth
street. Roeber is a Hanoyerian. - years
old, aud limbed like Hercules. He weighs
1% unds, while Carkeek, who is native
of Michigan, ~ years of age. and somewhat
taller than Roeber. weighs ISL pounds Both
men wore dark trunks. Roeber began wrest-
ling at IL and has successfully encountered
Sebastian Miller. the strong man of Munich;
Sorakichi, the Jap; Strangler Evan Lewis,
Greek George and score of Others. Car
keek, who has been fourteen years n prCfes-
sional. has competed IN over 100 matches
here and in England.
Sufficient light was admitted TO permit of
posing the camera, after which the room
was again obscured in darkness, and the
men went TO work TO illustrate the intricate
and dangerous holds, including those that
are forbidden by the rules and claimed ~
foul. At the signal the fash light revealed
Roeber fast in the deadly strangers hold,
with Carkeek's right arm over his neck and
his left arm under his throat the knuckles
of both hands being pressed relentlessy on
ROBBERS diaphragm, while the latter vainly
strained and struggled TO escape from the
choking embrace.
A second fash disclosed variation of the
same forbidden hold. Carkeek was on his
knees, with ROBBERS right arm hugpng
his neck and his left encircling the Michi-
gan mans throat IN vice-like grip. This
is the hold which Evan Lewis introduced,
and which made him feared by all who met
him. Most referees declare il foul hut
some are latitudinarian enough TO allow
wrestiers 10 use almost any tactics they
please, although they are distinctvely
barred by the rnles.
This hold" painted Roeber, as the men
paused for breath, lis simply choking n
man TO death. When wr stled with Lewis
he tried it on me twice broke away the
first time, but could not wriggle out the
second trip We were wrestling cateh-as-
catch-can. All the professionals have got
the hold now, bat they rarely use it,"
Again the men set 10 work in the dark
ness. A third flash showed Roeber in the
throes Of the double Nelson lock-a neck
breaking. crushing hold, from which there
is no escape, unless the ctim's strength is
greatly superior TO TINT of his opponent.
4 he double Nelson is used in both Greco
Roman and catch -catch. can wrestling.
Carkeek stood Immediately behind the
Hanoverian, with his arms under ROBBERS
nrmpits around the back ( his neck and
clasped behind the latters head. which was
forced forward on his breast. ROBBERS
arms were apparently powerless in their
terrible hold.
In this hold. which il barred in England
and Canada, but allowed here, although
many judges consider IL an unfair one, as
liable TO lnfict serious ininry. the fingers
must not be interlocked. Clasping the fn-
gers is barred as foul at all times. for the
reason that such clnsp cannot be parted,
and IL enables the owner of the stronger
wrist 10 bend back and even break the i'm
gers of his rival. The moment such clasp
is observed II is the duty of the referee 10
award the match to the other man on the
foul.
The next rift in the darkness showed re-
markable sight. Roeb.r WAS standing on
his head. bracing himself on his hands. both
feet straight in the air and describing n
curve outward 20 the floor. Carkeek, on
his knees, had Roel er's right arm and neck
partly in u single Nelson lock. from which
The latter was breaking away. The only
way 10 escaps from the single Nelson effect
lively is by bending down low, jumping on
your head and turning somersault TO the
floor. This is called the spring, and should
not be attempted by any man who has not
the strongest kind Of neck. Otherwise the
chances are even that he will be picked up
with a broken neck.
One of the most dangerous Of all holds,
the back heayc, was next illustrated by the
athletes in the dark. Carkeek had grasped
Roeber by the right arm and shoulder, and
with the aid Of the reverse henve-a conibi-
nation movement of arm and hip 20 elevate
an opponent-had hoisted him on his back.
When the camera caught the pair Carkeck
was straining TO throw Roeber over his
head, but in vain, for the Hanoyerian had
secured q hold on Carkeek' sleft leg with his
right foot that efectually stopped the lat
ter's tactics. A back heaye at the hands of
a strong wrestler would place his rival hors
de combat IN twinkling and might disable
him.
"lhe mos, effective hold" said Champion
Carkeek. ''is tie neck lock. 4 here are
Others that are very useful aud which every
wrestler has 10 learn. These are the palm
lock. body lock and hip lock. These are al-
lowed under the rules. The double Nelson
is a very hard lock to acquire. In Graco-
Roman wrestling you are not allowed to
catch the legs or to clasp hands so as 20
break fingers. In making the bridge-that
Is, nrching the back and resting ON hands,
elbows, head and feet. so ms 10 ave fall
the man on top is allowed 10 press mis- fore
arm against the under mans neck, but he
must not press his fingeTsH
Would not the forearm pressure choke a