Montana labor news., 1936-04-23
Referee AL Lee Holds
His Ground
Wrestling Umpire Awards $500
Side Bel to Eddy Meyers In
Face of Rszzing By Crowd.


A rather unusual piece Of strategy.
won the main event for Eddy Meyers
at the weekly wrestling card at the
Miners Union hall last Monday. The
Canadian champion, Demchuk, had Sc
cured a crab hold on Meyers and APP
parently the match was over as each Of
them had secured one fall prior to this
time. Demchuk, always c%onsiderate.
after he had gotten Meyers into this
deadly predicament didn't appear to ex-
ert much pressure on Meyers back
and Eddy, taking advantage Of this,
slapped Demchuk on the back, which
is the usual expression OF an umpire to.
declare a winner.
The Canadian boy thinking that Al
Lee, the official referee, had done the
patting in token that he was the vic
tor, Immediately released Meyers and
walked away. While his back was
turnedthe Great Falls lad jumped up,
hit Johnny a clip on the back, knocked
him down and pinned his shoulders to.
the mat.
Demchuk was as surprised as many
Of the spectators and greatly mortified.
His chagrin at being outwitted then
turned to evaporation and he attacked
Meyers. The two boys were then
separated by some of the other wrestl-
ers getting into the ring and assisting
Lee, although Lee didn't require any
aid from either of them. The spec
tators~ apparently didn't know what had
happened and naturally presumed that
Demchuk had won the match. In
credit to Meyers it must be said that
he uses his head at all times. Some
of the fans began to take their spite
out on Lee after the 500 side money
had been handed over to Meyers, but
as in many other types of sports there
are two umpires. One in the ring and
the other representing the fans in the
bleachers and the grand stand.
From the ringside it looked like
Demchuk had all the best of the match.
Some little %aggravation was shown by
the fans because he refused to pull
Meyers hair or to use any other I'M
lawful tactics.
Tex Hager and Art Belcher were
both given quite a hand at the conclu-
sion Of their set-to. Both Of these
boys are clean, scientific and a pleasure
TO watch. Hager won the match.
Skaarda and Olson went the limit Of
five rounds to a draw. Skaarda aroused
the admiration Of the house for his
belhgerent attitude after his big op-
ponent rubbed his eyes, punched him
in the belly, and irritated him in other
ways. It is going to take quite a man
to defeat Olson. This preliminary be-
tween these two big boys put a fight
ing spirit in every member OF the au-
dience and it was apparent at the close
that the people wanted more Of it.
The piece de resistance Of next
weeks wrestling card will be the sec
ond Of a series of five man wrestle
royals which have become popular all
over the country.
A crowd Of over two hundred were
turned away at the first five man royal
and the same is anticipated this week,
especially with five such men as Dem
chuk, Meyers, ~Spendlove, Mcclure and
Eku. An in the ring at the same time,
the rivalry will be keen as only one
man wins the entire purse SO there
should be much ganging up to elimi-
nate such men as Meyers and Spend
love as rapidly as possible, but no one
ever knows just what may happen.
Johnny Demchuk, who has lost twice
to Eddie Meyers, hit both times on
fluke falls or c%leverness on Meyers
part is out to avenge his defeats and it
may be expected that he will help to
assist him, but we can be sure that this
Meyers lad can absorb pltnty Of pun
ishment. He is game, clever and very
seldom gives up.
Tex Hager, one Of the classiest
wrestlers to have ever appeared in
Butte, will have an equal in scientific
honest to goodness wrestling when he
tackles Hugh Whiskers Adams, the
bearded beauty from the House Of
David Wrestling Team Of Benton Har-
Dor, Michigan. Adams has been in
some real contests and while is not Of
the dirty type, he car become plenty
%villianous. In Hager it will not be
necessary as Tex never disobeys any
Of the rules and regulations. In all
Hager's matches he has been practi-
cally outweighed, but nevertheless his
opponents always realize they have
heen In a hattie.