Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-08
WITH THE WREsTLERs.
Jim Parr and Tom Jenkins are
 Matched.


 Matched.
 George Fischer, wrestling instructor of the New Polo A. C.. has signed to meet Frank Herrick of New York and formerly of Providence, at the New Polo A. c. the latter part of this month. The struggle will be under catch-as-catch-can rules. >s -.:.. Representatives of Parr and Jenkins got together again Thursday afternoon and articles were signed for catch Ias-catch-can match, to take place De cember 19, the place not determined. The articles provide that while rolling and flying falls are barred, a flat fall will be allowed: That is, if both shoulders of the men touch the mat at the same time, even for an instant, it 1 is a fall. This will somewhat favor Parr. It will be a catch-as-catch-ca match, best two out of three falls.
 Friday night John J. Reagan made another match. He is hunting trou- ble these days. His old friend, Bert Ford, of Whitman, is his latest antag- onist. They met about a year ago. Ford won, but it was months before he got a hammerlocked shoulder into
 
 however, it is all right, and he has agreed to give Reagan a chance to get square for the loss of the famous bat tle in Village hall. The pair will come together in Whitman December IS if they can make the arrangements they want to in regard to place for the battle. The winner is to get the gate money. The strangle hold is | I,o ,rof5 y>iy, foII and 5bn SfV1a is of course catch-as- catch-can. Louis Hostrasser of North Abingdon will be the referee. Reagan is also out to wrestle any 135 or 138-pound man, and if he is a Boston wrestler Reagan is willing he should weigh as much as 155.s He has sent letter to Fall Riv- er,. offering to throw Jack Simpson three times in the hour, or he will take | on Ed Bibby, the veteran who was once champion of England. . Wrestling, the popular athletic pas time of many countries, is nowhere | more popular than it is in Japan, where it is considered a national sport. Possessed of wonderful strength, the Japanese athletes are fine specimens of physical manhood. They follow the l sport from childhood and there are few
  1 not handle themselves cleyerly on the mat. Tn championship tournaments which ares held irregularly, however, only the giants have chance to carry off the 1onors, as they are so over- whelming with strength it would only be folly for the little fellows to tackle them. These athletes are the only big things in Japan, everything else being small in comparison. They certainly are large, the most famous ones being perfect mountains of flesh. But they are usually so 1.-the and active that when in action there is no suggestion I of weight or clumsiness. Just what these fellows look like can be imagined when it is known that the present crampion of the empire is about seven l feet in height and weighs 400 pounds. l His name is Yokodzuma, and he is only 30 years of age. The pride of the Jap- anese wrestIers is that they are born to their profession. They say their gi- I gantic bodies are gift from heaven. I The position of wrestlers in Japan has
 always been high, skilled strength being looked upon with great respect.
 During the feudal period those above
 a certain rank were privileged to wear two swords. At the championship tournaments only the best wrestlers i'll the empire gather. Sometimes they number POO. and there is as much en-
 shusiasm during the progress of a l match az there is in this country at a
 Yale-Princeton football game. The wrestlers are divided into the east and
 west. and each match contains a repre- sentative from each side. The compe- titions are generally in special build ing called a sumogoya. It is construct ed of upright legs of bamboo, support I ing framework of bamboo. the posts and crossing poles being tied with straw ropes. The sides and roofs are covered with a coarse straw mating.