Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-10-30
HAND WRESTLING.
A New Fad That Is Now Popular
with Etude nta
evrn the Htsrn Professors Of fhiiAoeE
pbls University Yield TO the Fssss~
~saoes OF the Game-How
1t 10 Played

An athletic fad Of recent birth bat
verv remarkable growth In popularity
has replaced football in the affections
of a host of University of Pennsylvan
students. 1t is indifferently classed
under a whole dictionary OF titles,
such as hand, India and Malay wrestr
ling; but no one seems to know JUST
exactly what is the proper WORD Dy
which to designate the sport. 1t was
arst introduced to the college boys
few months ago by an ex-Amherst stu
dent in the Engineering school, and la
. very few days there was hardly
single undergraduate who had NOS
tried his hand at the game.
Not satisfied with the capture OF the
affections Of the students, the hand
wrestling fad has made its inroads
into the ranks Of the faculty itself.
Those professors who are too old or
too dignified to take part in the fun
content themselves with being very
much interested but passive spec
tators. But many Of the younger In.
structors are not proof against the
Vaccinations Of the new game, and al.
most daily contests between the
Younger and more active members OF
the teaching corps and the students
are held in the various halls and class
rooms.
1t does not take many words to de-
scribe this apparently irresistible sport,
saws the Philadelphia Record. The two
contestants take tight grip with their
right hands, each advances his right foot
to meet the right foot of his opponent,
and then they brace themselves hard
with the left leg. At given signal
the struggle begins, the object being
to prevent your opponent from moving
you from your feet. and at the same
time compel him to shift from his posi-.
ton. The man who moves either foot
first is the loser.
The rules allow one to move the foot
up and down on the toe or heel, but not
to slide, roll or lift it from the floor.
The right hand is allowed to touch the
floor, but not the left, as that would
serve to steady one contestant at the
expense OF the other. Neither contest
ant is allowed to use the body or head
to assist in the overthrow OF his oppo-
nent.
From the description It might be TN
agined that the game allowed = very
slight development of skill, but that y
not the case. The present university
champion is a small fellow, but the way
he can topple over heavy opponents Il
. lesson. He has number OF very
clever tricks, one Of which throws hi
rival off his feet and down on his shout
ders with thud ever after to be re
membered.
The most amusing side Of the new
game comes from its surprising popu
larity, and the lack Of preparation re
quired for a contest. Does a professo
fail to put in his appearance on the me
ment, or leave the room, and it is ten +
one that the entire class will be on foo
In an instant, and when the represent
stive Of the faculty returns he will fin
the room occupied by struggling
couples. All the spare time betweel
hours is employed in the same way
frequently with professor or so q
part of the interested audience.
1t was only few days ago that bi
crowd gathered in the gymnasium t
see the champion Of the Engineering
school try his skill against w. D. o.
good, the great halfback. Owing I
, some misunderstanding, Osgood did nc
appear, but, lest he should finally com,
q very busy professor, who had taken
moment from his work to see the fra
: and did not wish to miss it on any a,
} count, left word that he was to be ser
for in case Osgood did finally arrive.
I If you see any university studer
, whose wrist or hand is painted wit
iodine, and whose knuclles are badl
: skinned, you NAV place him down as
devotee of the new gam Of ham
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