22 June 1949
The Akld Wrestling Assoc through its sponsoring of the Dominion Wrestling Union of a revised set of rules allowing a greater variety of holds, has initiated the most progressive step made in the interests of NZ Amateur Wrestling in the last 15years.
CHANGES : 1.The abolition of the rolling fall & its replacement with a full 2 second one.
This will give the attacking type of wrestler opportunities to exploit his methods without risk of being beaten by a fluky fall.
2.The legs may now be used to apply holds.
Offers an almost unexplored field & as the instructors instil this phase of the sport some really scientific bouts should result.
VISITS: The recent visit of Napier amateurs also marked the beginning of something approaching a new era-or, more correctly the revival of the pre-war era. Such interchanges of visits were quite frequent prior to the war, the war years took their toll and amateur wrestling suffered a setback from which it is now just starting to recover.
This visit will, it is hoped, be the forerunner of others which will give our boys the opportunity to wrestle against different styles and thus improve the local standard.
Arrangements are in hand to bring boys from Waihi, Hamilton and Rotorua.
Last weeks trip to the Town Hall, Awhitus team resulted in locals taking most of the limelight. H.Andreson was too wily to be caught with J.McRae’s favourite flying mare. McRae gave a lot of weight away, but being constantly on the offensive piled up a steady points advantage.
1949 Fire Brigade made fine showing at the inter gym Contest
by Jack Wright
The present boom in amateur wrestling reached a new height in the annual inter-gym contest. Over 40 boys, all fit and well trained, competed and well over 200 spectators were present on each of the 2 nights.
Fire Brigade won easily, taking 6 of 8 weights. YMCA 2nd with 2 wins. Full credit must go to Van Hammond for the fine physical condition of his charges. All the Fire Brigade boys performed creditably and it is no wonder that this gym has won the inter-gym tournament since its inception 4 years ago.
Stars were Pat Rawlinson and Ken Gilligan. Notable absentee, John Armitt was nursing an injury.
Unlucky performer was Roy Meehan, who after having a god win over Warren Reinsfield, was re-examined and was found to be running a temperature and had to withdraw. Meehan in my opinion, is more than a promising wrestler. He is powerful, competent and intelligent, featherweight and quite capable of causing a major upset in the Championships.
Featherweight: with Armitt, Merriott, Sakey, Meehan and Reinsfeild – this class is hot.
NEW SETUP PROMISES WELL 1950
By Jack Wright
New rules, referees and judges are this season’s big news. Under the skilful and benign direction of Mr H.J.Ashby, amateur wrestling has gone from strength to strength in the 4 post-war years. This new setup just about rounds it off.
Welcome return as 3rd mans is Mr Fred Murphy, 1937 lightweight title holder as Auckland Assoc. referee before the war, he was very popular with wrestlers & officials.
Appointed as 2nd referee, Trevor Harvey a many times bantam weight champion pre-war, by way of encore, featherweight champion in 1948. He takes a wealth of experience into the ring. Starting way back in the days of wallop & bulging ears.
Two of the 6 judges have been named. Charlie Curtis, old time crowd pleaser & Doug Harding, 1940 lightweight champion. Doug Harding has made a considerable sacrifice in terminating his active participation to serve as a judge. Such spirit keeps this sport alive.
1950
by Jack Wright
Good improvement & Novices noticed by Judge Doug Harding.
Novices: Andy Reece, Bruce McKenzie, Leo McRae, “Chick” Nicols.
Improvers: Up & coming Meehan, Reinsfield, the Wi brothers,Naylor, Giltrap & Bloomfiels to name a few, the future of amateur wrestling in Akld looks very rosy indeed.
His pick as best bout of the season, was a really first class bout between British Empire featherweight John Armitt & J.Merriott. Another fine exhibition was John McRae in a bout with Lester McKenzie.
WRESTLING VERSUS BOXING
Wrestling & jui-jitsu are superior to boxing as a means of self defence. This is the assertion of Dr Arthur H. Steinhsua, chief of the Division of School Health & Physical Education, USA. He further urged that boxing be removed from all high school athletic programs.
All blows to the head are dangerous & each knock-out caused definite & irreparable damage to the brain which explains a great deal of unrecognised ‘punch drunkenness.’
Most of the body building exercise claimed by boxing, was achieved in training not in the ring, while wrestling & jui-jitsu are superior self defence systems.
He cites a test at the Illinois University, with 10 matches between boxers & wrestlers. 9 bouts were won by wrestlers. The lone victorious boxer, he declares was also an experienced wrestler.
THE EMPIRE GAMES – NZ AMATEURS WENT WELL
by Jack Wright
Experience was to be the reward for the (internationally) untried NZ wrestlers. So 18 of the country’s were selected to train. To Mr Vic Rawle fell the Unenviable task of coach 7 trainer. He did an excellent job sparing neither himself nor charges. By keeping hard & fast to a rigid training schedule( which incidentally cost Mr Rawle a stone in weight) NZ was able to enter the tournament with 8 wrestlers, each of whom was the fittest man in his weight.
The results were beyond expectations:-
GOLD J.ARMITT Featherweight(62kg)
GOLD D.MUDGEWAY Bantamweight(57kg)
SILVER P.O’CONNOR Heavyweight
SILVER A. SNEDDEN Light-heavyweight
SILVER E.MATTHEWS Flyweight
BRONZE G.HOBSON Lightweight
Can another NZ sport claim to have equalled this record? Well may wrestling officials, amateurs & supporters exult!
OUTSTANDING
Outstanding NZ competitor was featherweight Johnnie Armitt, An AKLD trained boy from Waihi. Defeating the Australian & British entrants in the elimination rounds, Armitt met the formidable Milford, “Champion of all Canada” & 1948 Olympic Games entrant, in the final.
Although troubling Milford with his characteristic, low, back-moving stance, Armitt saw the flags raided against him at the end of the 1st 6 minutes. Gritting his teeth & oozing determination, Armitt tore into Milford from the gong & gave a grand exhibition of sheer courage & grin tenacity to wear Milford to a frazzle.
The next bout Doug Mudgeway, bantamweight from Hawera, was too strong for Australian J.Chapman. Chapman tried some neat, quick moves, Mudgeway wretled on cooly & competently to win comfortably on points.
O’CONNOR UNLUCKY
In the heavyweights Pat O’Connor was, a shade unlucky to lose by a quick, uncertain fall in the 1st few seconds of his bout with the eventual winner, Jim Armstrong (Australia).
After his initial setback the burly Wellingtonian went on to defeat both Overdon (Canada) & Richmond (England) by falls, which was more than Armstrong could do. Given half a chance o’Connor will go far.
Arthur Snedden, also of Wellington,caused the Major upset of the tournament by defeating on points, the highly rated T.Trevaskis, from Australia. Snedden crowded Trevaskis, giving him no time to think & piled up points with a neat arm-throw.
Althought beaten by the winner, P.Morton (Sth Africa), Snedden rose well to the occasion & should feel justly proud.
16yearold Eric Mattews (Wellington), baby of the tournament, was not old enough, strong enough, nor experienced enough to go with tough little B.Harris (AUS). Eric tried hard & fought to the finish, but it will take a few years to develop his undoubted promise. It was a pity Bobby Lousich did not get a chance in this weight. Still, his chance is coming.
WORLD’S GREATEST
In lightweight, enthusiasts were able to see one of the worlds greatest wrestlers in action – Australian Dick Garrand, 3 x British Empire Champion, 2 x Olympic Games 2nds and considered by many experts to be the greatest English-born wrestler of al times. Not an overly-muscled freak with inborn wrestling genius, but a man nearing middleage (42). Who thru years of hard training, intelligent approach & love of his chosen sport, has developed into a wrestling juggernaut.
It is of credit to George Hobson (CHCH), last minute substitute, that he went longer than all others. It was a good showing & to Hobson, just out of novice ranks, most encouraging.
Peter Fletcher (Akld) was unlucky to draw Maurice Vachon(Canada), runnuer-up in the 1948 Olympics, a well taught strongman. and in the Games only to Garrand.
NZ Wrestlers have physique, intelligence & determination second to none. Experience will take them to the top.
AUCKLAND’S LEAD AMATEUR
By Jack Wright
John Armitt, British Empire featherweight Champion of 1950, is NZ’s leading amateur. Born in Waihi 24 yrs ago Johnnie learnt his basic wrestling from Harry Cowan. Coming to Auckland in 1945, he joined the YMCA gym, then under the direction of Vic Rawle, who was quick to notice Armitt’s potentials & after intensive training, entered him in 1946 Auckland Champs(held since 1941).
In a day of upsets Armitt won through defeating outstanding opponents & showed flashes of that dogged determination that was to stand him in good stead later.
At the NZ Championships he was defeated, on points by K.Ruby & J.Genett, both ex-NZ Champions. He was however freely pointed out as a coming boy by the experts.
The following season Armitt was strongly challenged by Norm Sakey, who defeated him on points in a town hall contest. At the 1947 championships Armitt turned the tables & pinned Sakey to win his 2nd Akld title.
The NZ Championships were a repeat of the following year. Although beaten, he showed vast improvement & the points margin, was slight.
Half-way through 1948 season, Armitt had his cartilage removed. Which kept him out of 1948 Champs & chances of wrestling again were pretty slim. But 1949 saw him regain his Akld title & won the NZ crown soon after.
Armitts stand at the Empire Games is wrestling history. Fighting back from a losing position, he battled on to claim his title in a grandstand finish.
Armitt is not just sitting back wishing for a place on the Olympic team. To him training is a 7 day, year round job with a special weight-lifting course, as advocated by the manager of the Canadian team, as part of the grind.
Of good character & personality, a good winner & as good a loser, a better representative of his country would be hard to find. And ‘the big trip’ would not be too big for John Charles Armitt.
Brighter Amateur Wrestling is the aim for 1951
Auckland’s defeat at the 1950 NZ Championships was far from rout.
The high hopes for the Akld team was not entirely unwarranted but what local supporters did not reckon on what was the fact that the standard of amateur wrestling in NZ has reached a level undreamed of a few years ago.
Star of the Auckland team was Roy Merriott who wrestled brilliantly against strong opposition to win Akld’s first fly-weight title.
However,1950 is history & Akld will hard at it to regain wrestling premeiership in 1951.
August 1958
Aucklands boys, YMCA took the team shield again at Otahuhu last Thursday.
RESULTS….
The highlight of the night was undoubtedly the Middle-weight bout between B.Courtney YMCA & Basil Hooker Otahuhu, who was last years welter weight champion. Courney home from the Britsih Empire Games, won a split decision, but showed his usual high standard of form. Hooker lost only the decision.
LAST WEEKS RESULTS: Judges were Johnnie Armitt & Ray Jones, referee Bert Walker, matchmaker Roy Meehan.
Keith Breeze Pukekohe 5-8 drew with McDoddrill 4-12.
k.Brewer Otahuhu 9-6 beaten by a fall by Nolan Parker Pukekohe 9-8.
R.woods Pukekohe 12ts was beaten by a fall by E.Gawler Saints 12-7.
K.Middleton Pukekohe 11-5 retired hurt in his bout with R.Meehan Otahuhu 10-8
