The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-03-27
NASEM DOWNS DOWNS
BATTLE ROYAL ON THE NORFOLK
WRESTLING MATCH.
1T WAS A VERY CLOSE CONTEST

Wa6em won AFTER CloSe uSSIe.
Match Was Lively From the Start
and Finished up Fast and Furious.
Lucky Bill" Challenges Winner,
In battle royal on the wrestling
mat at the Auditorium Tuesday night
| Oscar Wasem proved better man
than Jack Downs, middleweight cham
| pion of Canada. After losing the first
| fall in 26:50. Oscar Wasem got the
second fall in 11:2O and the third and
| decisive fall in 1920.
| Nearly an hour of actual wrestling
was afforded. The match was lively
from the start and towards the close
waXed fast and furious. 1t was not
a fancy match and did not smack OF
| the exhibition contest. 1t was in fact
declared to be the best wrestling
bout ever held in Norfolk and good
sized house saw it.
| Wasem is a Lincoln wrestler and a
Norfolk favorite. Broad shouldered,
muscular and deep of chest, he still
falls a little short of Frank GotCh and
the other top.nOtChers but in his class
he need ask no faVors. Wasem had
an especial advantage over Downs
in the matter of wind
kid" Jensen of Norfolk refereed
the contest The entertainment was
opened with preliminary between
the Housh brothers. Claude Housh
drew the first fall in two minutes,
while Earle Housh gathered in the
second and third falls and the match
in nine and five minutes.
The main match early developed
that the two men were evenly match
ed. 1t required Downs five minutes
and half to get behind Wasem.
Down on the mat two minutes the
men were up and down again. They
broke and again for five minutes spar
red for an opening. They went down
again, Downs on top but soon to ex-
change places with Wasem for a few
seconds. The men were on their feet
and then for two minutes worked on
the mat. The work fell to Downs who
had held the aggressive all through
the early evening. Both men were
clever but Wasem was beginning to
show confidence. The men were at it
again on the mat, Downs working at
the Germans wind. Another tussle
and Downs had Wasem on a bridge
j and the Canadian'S stock went up
l Downs tried for hammer lock but
+ failed He had a head scissor anC
then slipped into a straight body hold
l. The arch in Wasem's body flattenet
5 out and the shoulders touched. One
5 of Wasem's arms was locked.
y On the next opening Downs got be
e hind Wasem in less than two minutes
q Downs got a scissor leg hold OF
& Wasem. The German turned out o
l. the hold, almost getting Downs on ;
crouch. Again they were on the mat
Wasem this time on top and meaning
2 business. Downs smiles as he wrest
1t les but Wasem is always serious. J
y few turns and Wasem won the fal
a. with a crouch hold and an arm lock
!: The match now became sensational
n The men opened cautiously. Their
S, was applause when Wasem shifted OF
IS top. Twice Referee Jensen had t.
a bring the men back on the mat, one
lie when they rushed against scene i
lively skirmish and once Whe
Wasem went part way over the foot
u lights in trying to pull Downs fiat o.
the mat. The fall was won on hal
% Nelson and a crouch. Wasem got nj
hold quickly as he let Downs turn.
u The match was over. 81 guess h
s. won" said Downs to the crowd,
re guess he is a little bit the bette
IL man
IL Wasem was called for and spoke c
Is the challenge from Lucky Bill" tn
NJ Geddis. S. D., wrestler, to the WHINE
IN of the match, the challenge havin
g been read at the opening of tn
ct match. Wasem said that he wa
Of ready to meet Lucky Bill" Waser
rs also declared that he was given
rs wrestling rather than talking and tina
the South Dakota man mad only
lg insure a match. This match may b
es pulled off in Norfolk.
IN H. f. Barnhart went to Pierce MOI
w day.
H. Father Tevis went to Omaha Tue
W day.
ry Mr.. and Mrs. Duke Hill, who hav
been the guests of Mr.. and Mrs. Elto
i'd Sherdeman, left yesterday for Lii
w coin.
Sc Mrs. Connolly, who was taken yer
IN i'll Sunday, is much better.
he E. P. Olmsted left Sunday to Wis
We his farm near North Platte.
he Miss Maude Wark of Stanton wa
in, the guest of Mrs l.. A Simms.
he NJ. B. Ayers of Stanton is in II
nd city.
m Mrs. ]. Schwartz is able to be abol