Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-04-02
WRESTLING.
TOURNAMENT
 A BIG SUCCESS
Three Good Contests on Thursday Evening.-Cnaki Punished Young Tomp- kinS-Other News.

utlL OI 1uUISSluy 6NGu1IE WASh lhS Sdmonsville Athletic club carried out the tournament as advertised. Eight hundred people were in attendance when the first preliminary was called and from the start of that first match until the end of the main contest the spectators were given an exciting and interesting feed of clever wrestling. Right here it might be said that Man ager Joe Lawlor is entitled to all the credit for the success Of the tourna- ment, and despite the tough luck that seemed to attach to tho enterprise he pulled himself and hds club out of the hole safely and surely.
 The first preliminary brought to- gether Arthur Perigard of the South End club and Dan Pickett of the Washington Hill club. 1t will be re- membered that in the last match be- tween those two sturdy young fellows, each secured a fall. but Perigard was so badly used up that If the match had been continued longer than the pre- scribed half hour he would certainly have been beaten. Thursday night, however, be reversed the former condi- tions and had the match gone beyond the thirty minutes Perigard would certainly have won. As 1t was he came very near to getting a fall. There were those who believed he did get a fall. but it must be remembered that pin falls are to count and pin fall Is constituted by having both shoulders pinned to the mat long enough for the referee to ascertain that such ig the case. That did not happen on Thursday night. although dt was close to a fall at one time. Perd- gard displayed far and away the best science and evidently had Pickett wor- ried The latter tried several times to get Perigard's head in chancery, as he did on their last meeting, but the South Finder proved too clever to be caught. He was on top almost all of the thirty minutes and had there been a decision on points he would have been given the decision As it was, the referee declared it draw.
 The second preliminary developed a new wrestler, in fact two new wrest- lers. but one of them in particular is destined to shine as a mat artist and that one is Dave Cronin of the Brook lyn Athletic club. He possesses the strength, litheness. and build of a wrestler, and under good instruction he should make any of the leaders hustle to beat him. Ray Guernsey, who had the bout with him, showed a good smattering of cleverness, but he was outclassed in strength and agility and was quickly beaten. As soon as time was called Cronin went for his opponent ''hot foot and the specta- tors awoke to the fact that there would be things doing presently and there were. Cronfn rushed his man around the ring and in trying to dash him to the mat sent him head first be tween the ropes. Guernsey proved that he was no sloIch as an athlete, for a man without some ability would have been injured by that toss. Guernsey, however, Handed on his hands on the floor while his feet rest ed on the platform. He was back on the stage in a tiff and at 1t again they went. Guernsey fought his man back wS*na plenty of pluck. but the strength was not there Cronin had the ad- vantage Or weight and after wrest- ling three and three-quarter minutes he secured a quarter Nelson and arm lock and quickly pinned his man to the floor and held him there until the referee could plainly see and feel that both shoulders were on the mat. Al ter rest of ten minutes they went at it again and in two and one-half min utes Guernsey was again forced to take to the mat by a further Nelson and arm lock.
 Before the final match of the even ing which was scheduled between Billy Cnaki of Bridgeport and Pechin- ski. the 130-pound champion of the world, Charley White of New York was introduced and explained to those present that Pechinski could not comes because of it being a Jewish holiday, but that he had secured Young Tomp7 kins of New York. who would fill the bill just as we'll if not better. John E. Kelly was also introduced and was stripped to show the injury he had with Cnaki A letter was also read from Dr Galley, telling of the injury which Kelly had sustained.
 When "Yonug Tompl1ins," as he was called, stripped for action he sur. prised all who had seen him in street attire He was trained to the min ute and notwithstanding Charley
 Whites statement that he was not in condition it looked las though White had tried to run in q ringer Tomp- kins was tattooed all over his body with ships, crosses and other decora- tions He was beautifully built and looked a veritable athlete. White had announced him as 125-pound
 man, but even in his trained condition
 he must have weighed att the very
 lowest 40, Cnaki had weighed in in the afternoon at 145 and was trained to the hour for the match and perhaps
 it was just as well that he was Tomp-
 lcins was upended soon after the
 match started and from that time un-
 til the contest ended he never was on top but few seconds. Cnaki gave
 him terrible gruelling, grinding his
 nose and face with face locks and twisting his arms and legs into all
 kinds Of shapes. It was wearing
 punishment and had not Tompkins
 been in the best of condition he would
 have given up long before he did Try
 as he would Cnakl could not get the
 right hold on Tompkins. He secured severaI hammer locks, but after des-