Helena Independent, Cornish Wrestling Rules (1899)

CORNISH WRESTLING RULES.

Will Govern Between Rowett and Hali Adali, the Turk.

For the benefit of those who are not posted on the rules governing the Cornish style of wrestling, the following is published. It is the standard governing wrestling matches in Cornwall, England, which has been approved and adopted by Cornish wrestlers in all parts of the world:

1. Each contestant shall wear knee-breeches, or trunks, and shall wrestle with bare feet. Each wrestler shall wear a jacket, which shall be made of canvass very loose and strong at the collar and cuff, and sleeve to be 18 to 22 inches long from shoulder seam.
2. Each wrestler shall shake hands with his opponent before each bout and shall let go and catch-as-catch-can in the jacket.
3. Any hold is allowed except cross collar, or two collars in one hand; and each wrestler shall change his hold as often as he sees fit.
4. If any wrestler let either hand touch the ground to save himself from falling, it should be considered a foul; and he must be cautioned that should he do it again the referee shall declare a fall in favor of his opponent. If either or both wrestlers fall on one or both knees, they shall break holds—and shake hands and catch again.
5. No kicking above the knee, and any wrestler so kicking his opponent after one caution by the referee, shall forfeit the match and stakes.
6. To decide what is considered a fall at this style of wrestling a contestant shall throw his opponent fair on his back so that two hips and one shoulder or two shoulders and one hip shall strike the ground at the same time, to constitute a fall. Under no other circumstances shall the referee decide a fall, for instance. If a wrestler falls and is rolled on his back by his opponent, it shall not be considered a fall.
7. Each wrestler shall choose one umpire, said umpires to be impartial men, and the umpires so chosen shall the wrestlers choose the referee, and all disputes or fouls claimed by the umpires shall be decided by the referee, who shall also be an impartial person.
8. Any wrestler who shall butt, scratch, strike or offer to strike his opponent, during the contest, shall forfeit all claims to the stakes or gate money.
9. No wrestler shall be allowed to rest between bouts without the consent of his opponent, unless he be injured by his opponent; nor shall he rest more than two minutes between bouts, and five minutes between falls.
10. All contests to be decided by best two in three or three in five falls.

Duncan A. McMillan, Jack Rowett, Jack O’Neill and several local athletes will go up against Hali Adali, the great Turkish wrestler at Ming’s opera house this evening. The Turk is considered the best wrestler in the world to-day, and has never been known to throw off a match. McMillan will tackle him with his favorite style, catch-as-catch-can; Rowett will show him what he knows of the Cornish style and O’Neill will give him a taste of Graeco-Roman. Ral and Hugo Sontag and Charles Weisenhorn, of the local turn verein, will also go up against him in an effort to win some of the tempting purses which the Turk offers. He agrees to give $1,000 to any man who succeeds inth rowing him one fall; $500 to any man he fails to throw in 60 minutes; $250 to any man he fails to throw in 30 minutes, and makes a special offer of $1 a minute as long as any man can stand without being thrown after one minute.

Illustration captions

HALI ADALI, Champion of the World.

DUNCAN A. McMILLAN, Champion Mixed Style Wrestler.