The New York herald., 1921-02-13
HEADLOCK NOT THE
ONLY DEADLY HOLD
Continued from First Page.

pressure Caddocl has been unable to
use this hold effectively on any OF the
leading wrestlers of the present time.
The toe hold Is unquestionably one OF
the most painful locks known to the
wrestling world, and its application is
attended with keen suffering on the part
OF the victim. who writhes in agony and
groans as he struggles to escape. The
effect on the spectators is much the same
as that produced by the deadlock. Cries
of protest come from all over the arena.
and the onlookers manifest their relief
by hearty applause when the hold Is
broken
Usually the toe hold is taken, when
both men are on the floor, and the ope-
ration is simple. The first movement
consists in getting clutch on one pf
the big toes of the subject. The next
move is TO get one leg over that of the
opponents and pin the limb to the floor.
With this leverage the toe is pulled hard.
thus bringing the lower leg forward
from the knee joint.
If the wrestler whose toe is held waits
till he hears the bone snap he is in for a
season in the nearest hospital. Most of
the victims OF the hold struggle desper-
ately for a time and II unsuccessful in
escaping from the clutch prefer surrender
to broken ankle.
Vladek Zbyszko has used the toe hold
with telling effect on opponents. but In
recent years the head lock and body
scissors have proved too formidable for
the Polander
Elder Zbyszko's Toe Hold.
His brother, Stanislaus. who is now
trying to get a match with champion
Lewis. has employed toe hold in a most
original manner which is shown In the
accompanying illustration. Having Sc
cured a body hold Zbyszko dumps his
man on the floor and once on top gets a
hold on his opponents left foot Then
rising to hrs feet and holding the right
leg of the victim under his left arm,
libby begins to twist the left ankle. The
possessor of the ankle has the privilege
of quitting or having bone broken.
Possibly one of the most dangerous
holds ever used is the combination ham
mer lock and body hold as applied by
Alexander Aberg, formerly Graeco- Roman
champion of the world. Aberg obtained
the hammer lock while on top of his
man. This lock, which is quite as pain
full to the victim as the toe hold. is quite
apt to break the arm unless the subject
manages to escape. 1t is obtained by
seizing a wrist of the opposing wrestler
and twisting the arm upward behind the
back.
When Aberg gets the hammer lock
securely affixed he seizes his oppo-
nent about the body and lifts him
from the floor. The next move OF
Aberg is to toss his opponent on his
head, and If he is not knocked sense
less, Aberg then falls on his man and
pins his shoulders to the mat.
The double Nelson was also used by
Aberg with discouraging effect on his
opponents. This hold Is secured when
the subject is on his knees and under
meath. Aberg gets the lock by slipping
his hands underneath the arms Of his
opponent, bringing the hands up over
the back of the neck and locking the
fingers. 1t is a difficult matter for the
victim to escape, and If the pressure
is exerted till the subject turns com
plately over, his neck may be broken.
Tried 1T on Henderson.
Aberg applied the double Nelson to
Mort Henderson, the Masked Marvel.
during the Manhattan Opera House
tourney, and as Henderson declined TO
be turned over, Aberg merely bumped
his forehead on the mat till the Masked
Marvel was nearly unconscious
There is on record but one instance
in which wrestler who has perfected
hold has been defeated by his own
system of attack. Evan Lewis of Chi
cago. who used the strangle hold with
deadly effect on his rivals. eventually
was beaten by the hold. Yousouf. the
Terrible Turk. who had tossed Ernest
Roeber and other we'll known wrestlers
about like bags OF oats. had succeeded
in frightening most American grap-
piers to point where the Sultan's
Favorite was unable TO get matches.
Gotch had not at that time reached
championship form. and Tom Jenkins
and the other leaders refused to meet
the Turk. averring that they did not
care to wrestle elephants.
II was claimed that while the Turk
was strong and aggressive he did not
know the science of the game. This was
disproved by Yousoufs performances
against the best men that could be in
duced to meet him.
Evan Lewis was past his athletic
prime but he still knew how to strangle
an opponent. and it was suggested that
the Turk be matched with the Stranger
and thus be disposed of. Yousouf was
more than willing. and the patrons of
wrestling in Chicago prepared TO see
Yousouf humbled.
Lewis lost no time in getting throa t
hold on the Turk. but to his astonish-
ment Yousouf broke the lock by quick
and vigorous shake of the head.
Lewis. thinking the Turks escape was
accidental, got the hold a second time.
but to his amazement the Turk again
broke It with consummate ease.
Before the astonished Lewis recovered
from his surprise tho Turk took a
strangle hold on the Stranger and held
II TIL Lewis dropped senscless to the
floor.
After that performance Yousouf got
no more matches in America. He there
fore changed all his earnings into gold
COIN put tho money in n leather belt
about his waist embarked for Europe
and went to his death. gold and all.