The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1909-12-21
HANCOCK
KARL lFHTO ASPIRfS TO
CHAMPIONSHIP MAT HONORS
Well Known Copper Country Wrestler
Expects to Participate in at Least
Fifty Matohes-Aeeount of
~ Recent Bout.


The Marquette Mining Journals
account OF the wlrtanen- Kangas
wrestling match at Ishpemlng is as
follows:--
Followers OF the catch-as- catch-can
and Graeco-Roman styles OF wrestling
were given treat at Ishpeming thea
ter Saturday evening, when Matt Kan
gas, said to be the champion of Fin
land In the Graeco- Roman style. de-
feated X. j. Wirtanen of Hancock
Kangas won the first fall in Graeco-
Roman In twenty-one minutes and
Wirtanen won the second-catch- AS
catch-c an-in twenty-three and
three-quarters minutes. Kangas, hav-
ing won his fall in the quickest time.
had the right to choose either STYLE
for the third bout, and he promptly
named Graeoo-Roman. He won the
last fall in sixteen minutes
Preliminary bouts in both styles of
wrestling were given by Karl Lehto
and Otto Grunlund, both of South
Range They wrestled for ten min
utes in each style. Their work was
fast from start to finish neither get
ting fall.
Kangas and Wirtanen are evenly
matched, though the former is the
stronger and heavier of the two. He
tipped the scales at $50 pounds. and
Wirtanen weighs ten pounds less. The
contest was exciting and the wrestlers
were frequently applauded. When
Kangas finally put Wirtanen down on
his back in the final bout there was
much cheering for the Negaunee man.
Both wrestlers did clean work and
fierce to caution them, or ask them to
break n hold
hangas seemed to have the better
of the argument i'm the Graeco-Ro-
man style, but Wirtanen was the ag-
gressor most of the time In the catch
as-catch-can bout. The latter is as
quick as a cat, and he wiggled out of
some mighty tight places in both of
the Graeco- Roman bouts. Kangas
showed great skill I'm bridging and
spinning on his head in getting out
of tight places. In the catch-as-
catch-ean style he repeatedly tried to
down his opponent with foot and
leg holds but Wirtanen kept out of
trouble. Several times before Kan
gas went down i'm the catch as catch
can bout he was held in a bridged posi-
ton for more than minute, with his
head locked in his opponents arms.
He was finally thrown by one of these
wicked holds.
Kangas threw Wirtanen the first
time while theyNwere struggling on the
mat, after some fast twisting and
hold-breaking, but he secured his
second fall by giving Wirtanen des-
perate heave while they were i'm
standing position, He landed Wirtan-
en- squarely on his back on the oppo-
site side of the mat Kangas was
strong on his feet and Wirtanen found
him a hard man to- throw.
A. w. Jurma acted as master of GER
emonies. Otto Grunlund was referee
and ID. ID. Randall was time keeper.
Lehto Challenges kangas.
At the conclusion of the match Karl
Lehto challenged Kangas for a match
i'm either straight catch-as- catch can
or in two styles, as Kangas prefers,
and the latter accepted. The challenge
was for a side bet of 800 and divis-
lon of the door receipts The terms
of the match, date, and place where
It is to be pulled off, will be decided
i'm a few days.
Lehto aspires to championship hon.
ors. He is now conceded to be by far
the best catch -as- catch-can wrestler
in the copper country, where the Is a
director of physical culture work, and
he has several matches pending. He
said Saturday evening that he expects
to participate in at least fifty matches
during the coming year. He viii
wrestle any style. He is five ponnds
heavier than Kangas, and as they ARE
about the same build, their match
should be n good one. Lehto has
been wrestling since he was boy I'm
the old country but his work in TINS
country did not begin to attract an
tention until few months ago. He IS
to meet Jack Rowett in a mixed match,
including Cornish style, some time
next month. He won second prize IN
the Cornish wrestling tournament at
Hancock last Fourth