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| April 20, 1932
Reprinted from the Atlanta Constitution Title: Lewis Defeats O'Shocker In 55 Minutes Author: Ralph McGill Atlanta – Old Doctor Ed (Strangler) Lewis' sovereign specific, the headlock, was the final weapon which eliminated Pat O'Shocker at the auditorium last night in the main event of a splendid card staged by Henry Weber. Pat O'Shocker came diving out of the ring to land right at the feet of John A. White, chairman of the boxing commission, just before the finish in a fall which did him no good. Mr. White sprang to his feet just in time to keep his arches from being flattened. "My goodness," said Mr. White, "sitting on the front row is almost as bad as being in the ring." When O'Shocker went in, after the fall, he was visibly hurt. And no one doubts Pat O'Shocker. His reputation for sincere grappling is too well established. He was hurt. And Ed Lewis had no mercy. He rabbit-punched him and then nailed him with a series of headlocks which the scientific journal some years ago estimated applied a pressure of 2,000 pounds. The fall came in 55 minutes and O'Shocker was too exhausted to return. The crowd, which must have exceeded 5,000 people, cheered for almost three hours as the wrestling went on. Lewis, who is past 40, is not as fast as he once was. But he is still so smart defensively that O'Shocker never really got a hold on him. He is rated as the smartest defensive wrestler the game has ever seen. He is an old-fashioned grappler in a way. He gets those holds and he holds them. He used a great wrist lock, a fine grapevine and his leg trip to advantage. Lewis went after O'Shocker scientifically. He literally wore him down. He used his weight to advantage. After about 15 minutes of wrestling he used a series of seven headlocks. From then on, until the finish, he had O'Shocker doing all the work. O'Shocker was either escaping or trying for a hold. And when the time came for the finish O'Shocker had worn himself to a frazzle. And Lewis showed the fans a headlock that is a headlock. He doesn't merely hold it. He pulls the head up with a yank that stretches and twists the neck and nerve muscles. After the fall O'Shocker, when interviewed at his hotel, said, "I felt myself getting weaker and weaker. When I went out of the ring I was shooting all I had in an effort to get him down. He ducked me and I went out. I barely remember coming back. And when those headlocks went on it was something like taking ether. Lewis may not be as flashy as some of us younger wrestlers, but he is smarter. Don't let anyone tell you he isn't good yet." It was Lewis' first appearance in Atlanta in a number of years. He is admittedly out to run Jim Londos out of the ring. I would be interesting to know the opinion of Atlanta mat fans on his chances. The semi-windup was a real feature. Paul Jones and Roy (Father) Lumpkin put up a wonderful matche before Jones obtained a "figure four," or a hook scissors, and forced Lumpkin to surrender after 43 minutes. Lumpkin made a great impression. He showed a wider knowledge of holds than did Jones. This match had them on their feet all the way. Lumpkin was injured early in the match by being tossed from the ring to the floor some five feet below. It did not seem to handicap him any. The match was the first one staged by Henry Weber in a month because of inability to obtain the auditorium and the fans packed the house for the match. There did not seem to be any vacant seats in the auditorium.&127; Dr. Horace Langford refereed. |