The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-03-06
TRICKS OF THE YRESILERS
RUSES EMPLOYED By CRAP
PIERS TO DECEIVE.
The Sport is Easier for Takers Than
PugiIism-spurious Opponents who
Help Their Masters--How a Graeco-
Roman Expert Defeated Many Cham
pions. r.

Roman Expert Defeated Many Cham
pions. r.
There is no sport on the card to-day
in which it is easier to fake than
wrestling, and this is one of the rea'
sons why it is not as popular pastime
as boxing In some instances wrest-
ling is just as exciting, just as nerve
racking and just as absorbing as pugil-
ism, but it is more susceptible to trick
cry and artifice. A wrestler can give a
spectator the impression that he is do
ing all in his power to win when at the
same time he may be only humbug-
ging. He can fall on his back in a
graceful way without creating any
suspicion, unless his movements are
too brazen or transparent. Even then
the spectator may be deceived provi-
ded the man on top accomplishes the
fall in a skiTful manner.
A hold that is the favorite grasp of
the dishonest wrestler is the half Mel
son and hammer lock. In a fair and
square match, provided that both men
are equally matched, these ocks are
hard to obtain. A wrestler is invaria-
bly, taught how to avoid and how to
get them. If he is apt he will become
| adept in applying the holds and execu-
| ting a good counter. So in a match, il
a grappler has his man in such posi-
| ton, especially If there is a previous
understanding, the upper man can
= h. ~ L a.,
| striving with might and main to win,
and the under man that he is trying to
escape. The aggressor will endeavor to
force his opponent down and so
through a lot of movements that APP
pear to the uninitiated to require the
exercise of all his strength and muscle.
| The under man will squirm, wriggle
| and toss until he is finally conquered.
| The spurious efforts of both work up
the onlookers, and to the uninitiated
the struggle has all the earmarks of
being genuinely decided.
| If boxer wants to fake it, he has
either to go down from light jolt on
| the jaw or on the stomach, quit from
| a supposed foul or get one Of his Sec
onds to enter the ring while the bout Is
| in progress, which is sure to invite i'm
| mediate disqualification from a referee
| who understands his business. But all
| this must be artistically done before
| the spectators will be convinced that
| there is nothing amiss, a difficult pro-
ceeding at all times in the ring, for
the least false movement will give i'm
| mediate rise to suspicion and cause a
howl.
Wrestlers who strive to win by hook
or crook have various devices to fall
| back on. For instance, there is the old
method of employing confederates or
| ready made opponents. These are men
prepared to fill any gap in case a
champion calls upon a rival to meet
| him when the former is tackling all
| corners at some theatre or hall. The
premier wrestler usually has two or
three such emergency men on his staff
at a good salary. They travel around
| the country with him, but are shrewd
| enough to cover their track, so as to
| avoid any sign of wrong-doing. These
confederates as rule appear in adj
vance of the champion and at once win
| the confidence of some of the leading
sports of the city where the "champi-
on is to appear. If the confederate
is suave and clever enough to induce
the sport to back him, well and good.
! If not, he at least succeeds in proving
that he is capable opponent, bit of
information which the confederate sees
becomes public property. This helps to
advertise him and incidentally increase
| the box office receipts.
On the night of the performance the
confederates take position near the
stage, and when the Champion ap.
pears and makes the announcement
| that he is ready to meet all Corners and
give anybody fifty dollars or one hun