New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-18
By | ,ouis I.ee Arms

By Louis Lee Arms
Weakened BY I'd stranger Lcvis's
repetitive head holds, Wladek Zbyszko.
the giant Pole, was defeated after
hour, % minutes and p seconds OF
wrestling at the Lexington Theatre last
night
Il was an exciting finish. Lewis had
previously slipped ten Of the punish
ing head locks on Zbyszko which the
Pole had wrigglcd free from. II was
long after midnight when Lewis lespcd
At Zoyszko and locked his head be
tween his folded biceps, carrying him
to the mat
The powerful Zbyszko struggled to
free himself, his legs worked like fails
and he attempted 70 stop Lcwis's
breathing with his extended arms and
hands6 1t was TO no avail. Gradually
Zbyszko weakened, and at the end OF
five minutes he signslled Referee
George Bothner that he resigned"
Bothner was not certain OF Zbyszko',
intent, and Billy Ssndow, manager OF
Lewis, rushed from the theatre wings
TO the mat, attempting to force Lewis
70 quit. Lewis chung 10 the Poles head.
unaware that he had won, and when the
men were pried apart Zbyszko lay un-
conscious on the stage. lie was carried
into the wings, where he quickly re-
viyed, and the crowd, which had been
obviously for Lewis, cheered the victor.
Sensational Mat Match
IL was in many respects the most
sensational wrestling match ever seen
in New York Hundreds were turned
away, unable to get seats, long before
the main event was called. Before 10
O'Clock the darkened house, smoke
filled and lit only by the exit lights, re-
sembled London on a foggy night.
When the men walked TO the centre
OF the mat Ibyszko appeared the hesv-
Ter. Eecn man il hugely muscled above
the waistline, but the Poles underpin-
ming was the heavier.
In anticipation OF Lewis's Furnishing
deadlock Zbyszko had clipped his hair
tight. and the shape of his tapering
head made 1t matter of speculation
whether Lewis could operate his head
hold on the European. At the end OF
the first ten minutes Lewis demonstrat-
ed that his fsyorite hold could be exc.
cuted against his opponent.
With both mon standing, the "Stran-
gler' leaped at the Pole. folded his
head between his powerful arms and
carried him n the mat Zbysxko strug.
gled free from this bold after one
minute and Fifteen seconds and worked
into a beautiful scissors that almost
pinned the Southerner to the mat.
Thereafter the match resolved itself
into matter Of deadlock against body
scissors. and the further half" which
the Pole combines with mis- leg hold.
Lewis Breaks Scissors
A. least twice during the first hour
Ybyszko threw a scissors on Lewis
which looked conclusive. but the aston
ishing activity Of the Southerner per
mitted him on each occasion to break
the hold. His head locked between
Zbyszko's legs Lewis bridged and
twisted so viciously that the Pole
could not hold him.
At the ninth head lock il was sppar-
ent that the Pole was weakening he
had broken other locks by pushing
Lewis off the mat, at which il had been
previously agreed that the men would
meet in the centre OF the mat on their
feet.
After the eighth deadlock Zbyszko
was too weak 10 further carry Lewis
before him while the Southerner had
this Furnishing hold.
As he came out of the tenth deadlock
Zbyszko secured toe hold on Lewis
which almost wen him the match. lie
crasped the strangers" right foot IN
both hands and almost bent il double
Lewis was in great pain. and IL seemed
that the hold which the deceased Gotch
had used in making so many wrestlers
resign" light beat him.
But Lewis kept working toward the
edge of the mat. and with a final and
desperate lunge he threw himself free
on the board stage. Under the rules
the men returnd 10 the centre of the
mat and renewed hostilities on their
feet.
IL was two minutes after this that
Lewis again took the final and winning
nedulOCh. LDFbLhO Willtu uHutE H. anu
the match was over.
Hevonpaa IL Disqualified
Sula Heyonpaa put on his nightly
show for the crowd. He was disquali-
fed after % minutes and 50 seconds for
foulng Charles Pospishl. Sula was
trying a new-fsngled strange hold that
didn't jibe with the rules. and he re-
fused to give ear TO Referee Bothner's
injunction against il.
In the other finish match George
Manich tossed Soldier" Lesvitt after
% minutes and 81 seconds with a body
hold and head scissors.
Yusiff Hussane and John Freberg
wrestled TO a draw in the Commute
elimination matches, while Harold
Christensen, the neatest wrestler In
the tournament, turned Pierre lie Beige
ovr in IL minutes and 4s seconds with
halfnelson and crotch hold.
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