Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-19
THE SPORTING NEWS.
WRESTLING. JOHN KELLY
 WAS HURT

In a Rough House Match
 Kelly and Cnaki Fall
 Off the Platform and
 Kelly Had to Quit.
 What, promised to be one of the toughest and f1ercest wrestling con- tests that ever took place in this city, and which while 1t lasted kept those present filled with excitement and in terest, was marred at the end of three quarters of an hour of hard wrestling by an Injury which put one of the con- testants out of the running, at City hall last night. What happened was just what was feared by many when they saw that platform had been built in the center of the hall, but there were no protective ropes around that platform. Consequently whs, John E. Kelly Of this city and Billy Cnaki Of Bridgeport got into rough house work and were trying every means to get the upper hand. the ref cree was continually warning them, as he had before they started the game, to be careful of forcing each other the platform, as serious results would follow. When, therefore, Kelly, at the end of three-quarters of an hour, saw good opening to put Cnaki from his feet to the mat, he seized the Bridge porter by the leg and tried. hard to throw LI1n over. The strength used by Kelly forced the two so quickly to the edge of the platform that the call Of rx YsrFxa wxra an% nraA went both wrestlers headfrst to the floor below. Cnaki, fortunately, land ed on his back. but Kelly dove head first over him and struck on his fore head on the floor, while. his body hit the benches close by. Cnaki quickly got to his feet, but Kelly had to be as sisted by those near. where he fell Doctors Poore and Crane were quickly by his side and made an examination of him. There were no bones broken, but Kelly was in a daZed condition. He was helped to his dressing room and there, after rest of fifteen min utes. Dr Poore again examined him, and then notified the referee that Kel- ly could compete no further, as it would be cruel to send him out to wrestle dazed and injured as he was.
 The decision of the referee that
 
 with favor by the majority of those present, but ..lere were some who were displeased and argued that the match should be called no match and that there could be, no winner when one maIl WAS injured and unable to go on. That is all wrong for both n1en took chances on the platform, there was no agreement before the match as to an injury sustained by going off the edge cnto the floor. and consequently the men who was on his feet ready to do hattle should be declared the winner. If two men are boxing and one is put oNf lolae knocked off the platform and injured, and many have been sent through the ropes, the man who is there ready to continue the battle must be declared the winner, and is, in all contests whether in boxing or wrest- ling. An instance similar to the one last night took place in Madison Square Garden some years ago, when Roeber. if the writer is not mistaken, lost his match in the same manner. The referee warned the men before they started that the platform had no ropes, that an accidental or uninten tional push from the platform would be overlooked but that the men must not try to force each other off to do i'm jury. or the man guilty of such a thing would suffer for it. The fall last night was not intentional, and if it had been Kelly would have been the loser for he it was who in trying to get Cnaki down sent both over the edge. However, 1t is all over now, Kelly lost by an unfortunate accident, Cnaki won by tirat same accident, and those who backed She Bridgeporter or. the Waterbury boy won or lost by that same fortunate or unfortunate fall from the platform.
 The Simonsville Athletic club had promised three good cards for their first tournament and the good sfzsd crowd of people present got all they bargained for in the three contests. The first battle, between Dan Pickett of the Washington Hill Athletic club and young Perigard of the South End club. was just as rough and fierce a battle as was the big match. Both boys had grudge to settle and they did about everything to each other that was allowable. Perigard was bigger and apparently more clever than Pickett, but the latter was pos sessed of more bulldog tenacity and before the end of the match he had Perigard twisted out of shape and so dazed he did not know where he was standing and but for the referee would have walked off the platform and taken header into the audience. Rough was a mild term to use for the tactics employed by both those young chaps and when after twenty minutes of roush house Perigard secured quarter Nelson and leg hold and forced Pickett over for the first fall, every body breathed a sigh of relief. The second meeting of the two was even more rough and Pickett went hot foot after his man. It was up and down and down and up every minute of the time. Tn seven minutes Pickett had secured a half Nelson and arm lock and slowly forced Perigard over for fall, and the cheers that shook the old building told the story of the many friends Pickett had present. There were only three minutes left for the two to work, but Pickett did more ex- ecution in those three minutes than had been done in ten minutes be- fore. Perigard was almost