Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08
DECLARES It
A BRUTAL SPORT
Hugh Leonard, Famous Wres-
tier, Says That 1t is Worse
Than Prize Fighting.
Special Dispatch 10 The Star.

Special Dispatch 10 The Star.
NEW YORK. April T.--Hugh Leonard, one
of America best wrestlers, who is in
structor at the New York Athletic Club.
considers the sport more brutal titan prize
fighting. On the mat he has had his ribs
torn loose. In the ring the worst in
juries he sustained were broken bones in
his hands.
"A well-trained man can be almost I'M
conscious in a boxing match said Leon
ard; yet minutes rest between each
round reyives him In wrestling there is
no such thing as rest L have tried both
boxing and wrestling, and for punishment
and pain / think there is no comparison
between the two.
Consider a toe and bar-arm hold in COM
parison with IA wallop Oh the jaw Sup
pose you have all your money wagered that
you will defeata man. He suddenly catches
you unawares and gets that arm and toe
hold. You try to fight to save your money:
but he twists your ankle and nauseatinS
pain shoots through your leg. Then ne APP
plies force to your arm and you feel your
self going down to the mat.
your friends cheer for you frantcally,
and you make another final effort your
opponent simply. turns on little more
power, and the pain becomes so great that
YOU forget everything else for the moment
to escape the terrible grinding that seems to
be shooting through your whole body Your
opponent, the instant you relax, pins your
shoulders to the mat with thud For
moment the relief is so great that you lie
like one stunned. Then, amid shouts for
the victor. you are picked up and dragged
to your corner.
THE most dangerous holds possible in
wrestling are not employed in ordinary
matches. In fact one of these, the strange,
is almost always barred. Another the ham
mer lock, is frequently ruled out IN the
articles of agreement.
..Rut many of the matches which are
wrested practically in private for big side
stakes and with only the hackers and
officials in attendance, are brutal ana ire
quentIy result in remarkable exhibitions OF
endurance and fortitude and, too frequently,
of mishaps in the way of breaks and
sprains.
lations in the articles of agreement are
generally such as to define positively what
the contestants may do. Were II not Tor
that there would be nothing left for the
referee but to permit everything To GO
strangle hammer-lock, neck wrenching ana
the whole category of muscle-wrecknS
practices. Thus, as a general rule. eNhlpl-
tons for the title are reasonably clean.
Even in this case, however. the amount
of punishment administered during Cruel
ling contest is almost uncomfortable Pun
ishment is employed here, however not
with the idea of forcing submission at once.
1t Is rather tie object of the wrestler 10
happens to get on top of him on the mai
he tries TO stay there. The reason Is pam
IF he weighs 290 pounds his opponent i
bearing that weight all the Time re 5
down. If the latter happens to be on MS
hands and knees for fifteen minutes he sup
ports 700 pounds for fifteen minutes, mak~
ing exertions at the same time
This is no chld's play-even supporting
the dead weight. How much more wearini;
is it when the man atop OF you IS using
every opportunity to wrench your muscles
shut off your wind. strain your neck by
making fakes at getting half-Neisons ana
other tricks of the trade,
This is punishment that Will tell n man
caught out of condition is ruined III nVe
minutes by the constant hammerlng or ms
opponents locked hands against his stom-
ach. AT the end of fifteen minutes OF
hard match the contestant feels as though
100 pounds have been added to the weight
on the lungs, while the elasticity of the
muscles flags to such an extent that one
has to assemble all his activities before
making an effort.
.'The strange hold is usually barred, the
hammer-lock is perhaps the most terrible of
Furnishing holds. The hold once placed, the
unfortunate In the tolls faces broken arm
to a certainty unless ne rolls over and sub
mits. A strong forearm may frequently
break this hold, but, If well placed. IL means
almost certain surrender.
Several other holds that are perfectly
legitimate, but which. when secured, might
either cause a man to surrender through
sheer pain or run the chance of broken
bones are what | call the flying mare
arm lock and toe hold-a catch and half
Nelson or half-Nelson and Il hammer
lock worked together.
with the crotch ho,d you stand a man
on his head and with your let hand secure
a half-Nelson. When | get this hold on
man it is almost useless for him to resist"