The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-10-22

| YCung 0'COnnell of Greenfield Wins from
! joe Thomas of Worcester in Prelimi-
nary - Second Fall Goes to Loser i'll
! Each Match.
! First honors come to Brattleboro in
! George w Bailey's quest of the worlds
heavyweight wrestling championship,
Farmer Bailey having taken two falls
from the United States army champion.
Frank s. Leavitt of New York, in
match in the Auditorium last night.
Like Bailey. Leavitt is worlds cham
pionship contender, and in height and
weight he has the advantage, being about
three inches taller and weighing some 40
pounds more than the Brattleboro man.
1t was the biggest match ever staged in
Brattleboro. and the largest crowd that
ever saw a mat contest here was present.
The local gladiator was given tremen-
jouS ovation as he put his opponent
shoulders down in the first and thlrd
bouts and Leavitt's ability was rCcog-
nized when he pinned Bailey to the can
vas cushion for the second fall
! Previous to the match Young OConnell
/ of Greenfield, Mass. defeated Joe Thomas
of Worcester. winning the first and third
bouts. This was an Interesting prellm-
mary with most of the crowds sentiment
/ i'm favor of Thomas who looked to be 70
! mounds lighter than Greentield'S hope.
/ In the last bout between Bailey and
! Icavitt with hOn0rS even, the contend
! crS had been at work nearly three MN
utcS when they worked off the mat and
were ordered back by the referee. Then
Lcavitt made fatal bunder. Instead
of keeping himself guarded he turned his
back on Bailey while walking toward his
own corner. Bailey was quick to take
advantage of the opening and like flash
seized Leavitt from behind and threw
him for the final fall with a head chancery
and arm lock. thereby winning the match.
IPavitt acknowledged his defeat in
statement to the fans. saving 1t was hlS
own fault and that he should have been
on the alert He said he had taken part
in 1874 matches recently and had been
riding all day with no chance to sleep,
coming from Baltimore. Bailey also
made brief remarks. saying he might go
? all over the United States before being
seen i'm the game here again. lie SAID he
! always wrestled to win and that If
Leaytt failed to guard himself after get
ting on the mat it was his own fault.
| Jimmy DcvenS of Springfield acted as
lrrfcrer being sent here by Jim Barnes
Of Springfield. who found at the last
minute that he would be unable to come
4 Devens is the lightweight champion OF
! New England and offered to meet all
comers at 49, pounds.
\ In presenting the big fellows Dpvens
referred to Leavitt as the winner OF the
Kings tournament IN 1917.
Within FIVE minutes after the big forms
had clinched Leavtt lifted his antagonist
bodily about three feet and dropped NM
Then ne began digging his thumbs into
Railey'S arm muscles. which was not at
all pleasing to the fans. 1t was not long,
however, before Bailey got the advantage
and gave the army man severe punish
ment with a hammerl0Ck hold. They
tRgsif VAFsaa-
vented George from winning a fall then
Leavitt'S left arm plainly was tired. but
he was game aud soon had a toe hold on
George which he held until they were oft
the mat again. With his foot singing
with pain Bailey became more aggressive
and with startling SuddPnnesS got the big
fellow in a body lock for the first fall in
- minutes and 10 second.
Bailey was in a number of tight places
i'm the second bout. but squirmed out of
them until finally caught in body sclS-
Sors and double arm lock in seven minutes
and % seconds. after getting off on the
floor several times.
Referee DevenS in announcing the pre-
! liminary said that the strange and toe
holds were barred but both Thomas and
O'Conncl said they wanted to use the
toe hold so the ruling was changed, only
the strangle hold being ruled out. This
applied also to the big match.
Both young men displayed considerable
\ skill. Thomas showing more science than
4 his heavier opponent. but O'COnnel's mus
cular neck stood him in good stead, en-
aiding him to bridge when otherwise a
fall would have been scored against him
II O'ConnclI got the first decision in rs min
/ utes and 20 seconds with an arm scissors
7 and arm lock.
Thomas secured the second fall in one
minute and 10 seconds with a double
j wrist lock in the third bout he seemed
to be getting O'Connell windPd, but the
latter after nine minutes secured an arm
scissors and arm lock and was awarded
. the fall.