A BIG PROGRAMME TONIGHT

It is certainly a big night tonight, for there are no less than eight contests in all. This is due to the fact that in addition to the eight-man tournament, which consists of seven bouts, and usually has the programme to itself, wo have made a special heavyweight contest, and "special" is the right word for it.

In this special contest, we have the opportunity of seeing the British Heavyweight Champion, SHIRLEY CRABTREE, in action, which is a rare event and one that will have been eagerly awaited, for so many are the calls on Shirley's time, what with defences of his title, special appearances for charity, and tending the family business, that he rarely travels far afield these days. He is in truth a very busy champion, and never scorns a chance to prove that he is our best heavy­weight. His opponent is the burly West Country kingpin, ROY "BULL" DAVIES from Redruth, a seventeen and a half stone grappler of great strength, who prefers to wrestle men bigger than he is. He says that the bigger the target, the easier it is to hit it, and he may be right. Anyway, he is after Shirley's gore, for a title match is a great incentive.

The eight men selected for the tournament, out of the large number of men who put down their names, caused no little difficulty to the selectors. The final eight came out as follows.

BRUNO ASQUINI, the rugged French-Italian, is a Continental who has appeared in Rushden before. He is one of the strongest welterweights in the game.

BOBBY BARNES, the fair-haired young man from Lewisham, has been in very good form of late, and is due for an up-grading any time now. Maybe this tournament will the reason for such promotion.

FRANK HUGHES is a man who was a good amateur, and can always be trusted to put up a hard and lively fight against all comers.

KEN JOYCE, the local man who holds the European Welter title, needs no introduction—his name is enough!

MEDICO, who has dropped his own name of Cantiglione owing to the length of it, is an Anglo-Portuguese of great merit.

PETER RANN shares with Hughes a strong amateur background, and has a very fine record in the paid ranks, too. He is wiry rather than musular, and a very powerful young man.

BILL TUNNEY comes from Preston, and is probably the heaviest man in the eight. His wrestling is active and strong, and he is tipped for the top before long.

Last for mention is the BENNY VAN DEN BERCH, the South African who has made his home in Bedford. A brilliant wrestler, Benny is also gaining fame as an interior designer and decorator.

With eight such first-class men in the entry, this should be a very lively set of contests.

NEXT TIME HERE

Our next programme at this ground is on Saturday, 29th July, and the programme is more orthodox in length, but every bit as star-studded. The great judo master from France, GABY CALDERON, famed as "Professor Atewaza" is here to wrestle the man who is his counterpart in British matdom, "JUDO" AL HAYES. This will be a mixed match, with the first fall, or the first twenty minutes being in the Judo style, with jackets, the second fall in wrestling style, and the third optional. This should make for quite a bit of interest. The Tag-team boys are out again, with the EUROPEAN TAG-TEAM TITLE at stake, holders EDDIE CAPELLI and KEN JOYCE defending against SPIKE O'REILLY and FRED VAN LOTTER. MAX CRABTREE will be on the bill—and his opponent is the colourful Yorkshireman, STEVE BENNETT, who sometimes looks like jack Doyle and sometimes like Jack Pye. The date? SATURDAY, 29th.

EXTRACT FROM THE RULES OF WRESTLING THE STANDARD HOLDS The standard holds, throws and modes of defence and attack permitted and recognised for the purposes of international competition in the British Isles, are as follows: — Any combination of grips, with one or both hands, and/or one or both legs, taken for the purpose of throwing an opponent, for the purpose of gaining a pin or submission fall. The use of the forearm for offensive and defensive purposes, the use of the sole or side of the feet, the shoulder charge, and the leg dive shall be permitted. The principal holds recognised by name are: — 1.  The standing and ground half nelsons, quarter nelsons, three quarter nelsons and full nelsons. 2.  The standing or the ground, front, side or reverse head chancery. 3.  The waist holds. 4.  The standing or the ground, arm up the back, arm up the back with elbow press, arm up the back with bar. 5.  The standing or ground, wrist lever, wrist bend, arm lever or double arm lever. 6.  The crotch hold. 7.  The single or double leg holds, back heel, leg stroke, knee stroke, single or double leg hank. 8.  The wrestlers' bridge. 9.  The scissors. 10. The flying mare, ground or standing arm roll or double arm rolls. 11. The buttock, cross buttock, locked arm buttock, crossed arm buttock, locked arm back drop. 12. The stomach throws Definition of a Fall. A fall is deemed to have been obtained when a wrestler's shoulders have been pinned to the mat for a count of three, to the satisfaction of the referee. A fall may also be given by an opponent submitting from a hold out of which he is unable to escape. A fall shall terminate any round in which it occurs. Decision by Referee. A match is decided in favour of a wrestler who obtains two out of three falls, or the only fall of the match, or whose opponent faile to beat the referee's count of ten when thrown to the canvas or whose opponent is disqualified by the referee or whose opponent is ruled by the referee to be in an unfit condition to continue the match. Duration of Rounds and Marches. Contests shall be divided intc rounds of 10 minutes' duration with one minute interval between rounds. Matches may be decided upon over four or six rounds. By special agreement rounds of 1 minutes' duration are permissible. Responsibility of the Referee. The referee shall have sole and entire charge of the contests and of the wrestlers whilst they are in the ring, and his decision shall at all times be final.