Cornish Guardian, Cornwall Wrestling Association: a year’s good work (1927)

WRESTLING RECORD. INTEREST IN THE GAME SPREADS. A YEAR’S GOOD WORK.

Mr. F. J. Jago, secretary of the Cornwall Wrestling Association, at a meeting of the Management Committee at Truro on Monday, stated that a very gratifying feature of the season had been the number of ladies who had witnessed the various tournaments. This tended to show that the efforts of the Association had not been wasted. He had been asked to arrange for eight prominent wrestlers to go to London for a fortnight and give exhibitions, this being apparently the outcome of London competitors being thrown at Camborne. During the season 38 competitions, in addition to the championship finals, were held, the average number of wrestlers in the open events being 19. The wrestlers taking part were 146, exactly one half of whom won prizes. Approximately £1,000 was the value of prizes.

The Newquay challenge belt had been won outright by F. Richards, and the donor, Mr. A. A. Bennett, had offered to replace it. Two wrestlers attended all open tournaments, J. C. Brewer and H. Gregory, and as they tied they agreed for one to receive the Esdaile Shield and the other the President’s Cup. The latter, won for the first time, went to Gregory. He suggested that a medal should be given to this wrestler, who had wrestled throughout the season in a manner that had secured the admiration of the public, and he had taken his defeats, mostly from heavier men, as a sportsman.

Twenty-seven men competed in the eliminating competitions, which should be a popular feature in the future. The holding of all the championships on the same day was a decided success. The Lyons Cup competition for boys attracted 40 entries, and B. Chapman was to be congratulated on being the first winner of the trophy. The way Chapman disposed of his opponents in the final reminded them of his father, when he was at his best 20 years ago. The wrestling as a whole had been good during the year, and the behaviour of the wrestlers was all that could have been desired.

AMENDMENT OF RULE SUGGESTED. It would be advisable to consider amending the rule about the best of two falls after 20 minutes’ wrestling, as it was not having the desired effect. Often the wrestler who had shown little or no play during the 20 minutes had obtained the verdict by getting two out of three subsequent falls.

Mr. Jago mentioned the great efforts being made to revive and improve wrestling in the Falmouth area. Apparently they had there a lot of young enthusiasts and an energetic honorary secretary. They had held a number of evening tournaments, and it was hoped that in the near future the committee would be rewarded by producing an outstanding competitor in the open tournaments. The report was considered highly satisfactory, and it was remarked that the season was perhaps the most successful in the history of the pastime, and that with the enthusiasm everywhere the future was assured. Hearty thanks were accorded the London local Press for the publicity they had given to the sport during the season.

With regard to the visit of wrestlers to London, a letter was read setting out the terms, expressing the hope that when the public saw the style of wrestling it would be taken up by all the counties. A club had been started in London to popularise Cornish wrestling, and it was hoped next year to bring a number of men from Cornwall to take part in the competitions. The championships were formerly held in London, the last being at Camden Town. It was stated that those who had accepted the invitation were F. Richards, J. W. Fish, and F. and H. Gregory, and it was hoped that Hawley, Warne, and J. C. Brewer would also go. The action of the secretary was endorsed, and the arrangements were left in his hands.

KEENNESS FOR THE PASTIME. Mr. Richards mentioned as an instance of keenness of men for wrestling that a deputation of working men at Treverva, Falmouth, had waited on him asking him to assist in arranging for a meeting there, and the men themselves were willing to subscribe small sums each week during the winter towards the expenses. If visitors to Cornwall wanted to see happy and contented people they should see the faces around a wrestling ring. The community were clamouring for old sports and pastimes, which would do much to take people’s minds from grievances imaginary and otherwise. It was agreed to circularise secondary and public schools in the county with a view to wrestling being encouraged among the boys.