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| April 1, 1931
Reprinted from the Atlanta Constitution Title: Big Tiny Roebuck Outlasts Paul Harper Author: Walter Wilkes Atlanta – When bigger and better wrestlers are made, no doubt Paul Harper will meet them. The youthful Texan, who has repeatedly proved his courage by taking on any opponent from Londos on down that Weber might select for him, Tuesday night came to grips with Tiny Roebuck, 245-pound Cherokee Indian, and put up a gallant battle for more than half an hour before succumbing to a pair of crotch holds and body slams that seemed literally to shake the auditorium. He gamely came back for the second fall, but was too badly injured to offer any real resistance and a series of front headlocks and another body slam stretched him prone upon the canvas in just 45 seconds. John Paxos, the Greek sculptor's model, won a stirring match from Bill Middlekauf, ex-University of Florida fullback, in the semi-windup, requiring 30 minutes and 19 seconds to turn the trick. This bout kept the fans, most of whom seemed to favor the handsome collegian, in a frenzy of excitement from start to finish. Head scissors, split holds and toe holds followed one another in dizzy rotation, first one grappler and then the other supplying the pressure; and Middlekauf fully held his own until, in attempting one of his famous flying tackles, he dashed himself full tilt into a ring post. He was then easy prey for a front headlock and body block. Outweighed some 33 pounds, Harper opened against Roebuck with his customary dash, and before the match was a minute old had clamped on a front headlock and catapulted the colossal Cherokee through the ropes. The Indian merely grunted in mild surprise, and came back in for more. It wasn't long before it became apparent that his amazing strength was likely to prove too big a handicap for the lighter man to overcome. Harper was not prepared to surrender without a sturggle, however, and did considerable damage with head scissors, split holds and a particularly vicious variety of arm locks. Close to the half-hour mark, Roebuck succeeded in getting a combination body scissors and arm lock which seemed to weaken the Texan considerably, but the end which came about two minutes later arrived with dramatic suddenness. Coming in fast, Harper lifted the huge bulk of the Indian with two flying mares and crashed him to the canvas. Arising from the second of these, however, Roebuck finally got the crotch hold he had been trying for, whirled Harper in the air, and fell upon him. Just for good measure, he repeated the dose, and the Texan was left flat upon the floor of the ring. When he came back for the second fall, he was merely a papoose in the giant grip of the Indian. Young Rupley, of Tech High, added to his string of local victories in the opener with an 11-minute triumph over Bill Collins, of Lakewood. Another mat card was announced by Promoter Weber for next Tuesday night. |