There was something to see at the St. George Parish Hall last Friday: the hall was full of people, a large number of wrestlers were present and, brother, the wrestling matches were such that, at times, the audience almost split from laughter. There was even a scandal. In other words, there was everything, from nuts to peppers.

But wait, let's take everything in turn--and we shall cover everything. At a banquet the delicacies are served at the end; here, also, the very best wrestlers were left for the last.

The youngest wrestlers began the program. K. Slesoraitis and V. Simkus, both young men, wrestled for ten minutes and showed the audience what health and physical vigor our youth can develop. It was pleasant to watch these 2two young men, as flexible as willows and as strong as young oaks, show their strength and flexibility in a good, humane wrestling match. They were so nearly equal in power and skill, that after ten minutes of wrestling a draw was declared.

A Czech in Sympathy With Lithuania's Freedom

The second match brought Norkus against Propotnik. Propotnik is a Czech, "but is married to a Lithuanian and gets along well with the Lithuanians," announced J. Kulis, the master of ceremonies. "He is donating his services in these wrestling matches, for the Czechs are in sympathy with freedom for Lithuania," Mr. Kulis concluded.

Otto Propotnik has a clothing store at 3840 South Kedzie Avenue--and he is a good, well-trained wrestler. Young Norkus is also a strong man. He had an 3accident not long ago, the master of ceremonies announced, and his fractured rib was not yet entirely healed. Propotnik stated that he could defeat Norkus in fifteen minutes but, according to Kulis, "even if all of Norkus' ribs were fractured, Norkus would attempt to stay in the bout the full fifteen minutes."

Their match was very violent from the beginning. It was apparent that Propotnik was too good a wrestler for Norkus. In a few minutes Norrkus got himself into several tight spots, from which he escaped somehow. After seven minutes, however, he kissed the mattress with his shoulders and Propotnik was declared the winner.

The match of Acas and Karolius Sarpalius, also, was very interesting to watch. They were to wrestle fifteen minutes, and the master of ceremonies explained, Acas expected to defeat Sarpalius. Acas was a big, strong man; Sarpalius, while well-developed, was much leaner and generally smaller. Acas gave one 4the impression of a strong oak, Sarpalius--a pliant willow. Acas, who began the match violently, showed that he was confident he could defeat Sarpalius with little effort. The audience was of the same opinion. But both Acas and the onlookers soon learned that Sarpalius was not the soft nut everybody had imagined him to be. Acas could "bend" Sarpalius, but could not "break" him. As soon as Acas got a hold on Sarpalius, Sarpalius would squirm out of it and be on Acas' back before the latter knew what had happened. Acas attempted to put all his weight on Sarpalius, but the latter was too smart a wrestler to be defeated by such tricks. During the fifteen minutes Acas did not succeed in pinning down his opponent. The audience was apparently very much pleased with this pair and applauded vigorously.

Simkus A Good Wrestler

The much publicized Joseph Simkus proved himself to be a good and lively wrestler. He undertook to defeat three men, Deckov, Leveckas and Jaras, within one 5hour. Deckov was the first of the three, Leveckas followed; each lasted only seventeen minutes with Simkus. Deckov and Leveckas, however, should be given credit, since both of them really tried to win and at least succeeded in working Simkus into a sweat. Deckov was an especially bitter pepper to bite. While it was apparent that Leveckas was very careful, he did not hesitate and the match was lively and even violent. If they were both pinned to the mattress in seventeen minutes it was not their fault. Simkus is too experienced a wolf for them and they, as we have mentioned, were good sportsmen; the public acknowledged this fact.

The same cannot be said of Simkus' third opponent, Jaras, a well-developed man with a chest like a barrel, a man of about the same size and build as Simkus. In the wrestling match Jaras proved himself to be a "slacker"; he was on all fours most of the time, defending himself from Simkus; it never seemed to enter his head that he should attack Simkus as the first two had done; it was clear that he was afraid to get off of the mattress and sought 6only to last the twenty-six remaining minutes of the hour. Simkus rolled him around like a log. The twenty-six minutes passed and Simkus, although he was not given the opportunity to get a good hold, was enthusiastically applauded.

"Tiger" Versus "Lion"

Probably the most comical match was between P. Katauskas, called the "Lithuanian Lion", and D. Dulinskas, whom Mr. Kulis introduced as the "Lithuanian Tiger". They wrestled only ten minutes, but during those ten minutes the public had more interest and laughed more than they usually do during an hour and a half.

Both were as nimble as cats. This match, from beginning to end, was like a fireworks exhibition. Sometimes it was difficult to distinguish heads from feet because the men were as fast as lightning, flitting about the mattress like squirrels. They exchanged friendly banter and jokes, but when they grappled the dust flew. The public laughed heartily. This, of course, was an exhibition match.

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Lifts Several Hundred Pounds

Stanley Poskevicius and his protege, V. Raubunas, also, were on the program to add variety to the affair. Poskevicius conducts a men's clothing store at 1719 West 47th Street, in the Town of Lake district. Though he clothes his customers beautifully, the way he "clothed" himself Friday night drew gasps from the audience.

After showing a few tricks with weights he lay down on his back and raised his legs; a four-hundred-pound weight was placed on his upraised feet; a hundred-and-fifty-pound weight was placed in his outstretched hands; three men added their weight to his legs; and two men hung onto the weight in his hands. He held up all this weight, about thirteen hundred pounds, with his legs and arms.

Poskevicius' protege, Raubunas, promised to be worthy of his teacher.

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During the intermission, Mr. Kulis announced that the wrestlers not only donated their services for the benefit of Lithuania's freedom, but that they also wished to go out among the audience and take up a collection for the same purpose. This was done and $35.36 was donated.

The total receipts (with the above donations) were $264.21. The expenses for the evening were $96.50. The profit was $167.71, which sum was entrusted to the Lietuva. (We received the above-mentioned donation.--Editors of Lietuva.)

A Scandal

Something which could be called a scandal took place during the intermission. When Kulis, in introducing Simkus to the public, referred to him as the Lithuanian middleweight champion, the well-known wrestler, J. Bancevicius, rose from his seat and told the audience that Simkus was not a champion and that he, Bancevicius, would bet fifty dollars that he could defeat Simkus. "Who will put up the same amount for Simkus?" he asked.

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Kulis explained that when he was inviting wrestlers for this affair he invited Bancevicius to oppose Simkus, but Bancevicius declined, apparently because he feared Simkus. Later, when Bancevicius began to argue, J. Kulis made the following speech to the audience:

"Honored public! I promoted these wrestling matches not for somebody's personal gain, but for the cause of Lithuania's liberty. All of the wrestlers here tonight willingly agreed to serve without charge, as is becoming to good Lithuanians. But when I approached Bancevicius, he refused, for he will wrestle only when he is paid. So let him go and wrestle for the Jews, who will pay him instead of for the Lithuanians. In the first place, he is afraid of Simkus. In the second place, a Lithuanian who refuses to perform a service for the cause of Lithuania's liberty is a poor sort of Lithuanian."

Katauskas then asked for the floor and said: "Whom does Bancevicius think he is fooling with his offer of a fifty-dollar bet? For more than a year I've been challenging him to a match with a bet of a hundred and fifty dollars, but he always refuses and does not want to wrestle."

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The public, which was evidently against Bancevicius, began to boo him. Before the wrestling matches began Bancevicius was heard to state that he would not wrestle this evening because "there is no money in it." The crowd was scandalized when it was learned that a Lithuanian wanted profit for himself at an affair where even a person of a different nationality was donating his services for the cause of Lithuania's independence. Bancevicius revealed himself in a very poor light and the public wanted to have nothing to do with him.

In closing, it should be mentioned that, besides a word of thanks to the wrestlers, much credit must be given to John Kulis, who, all by himself, promoted and publicized this affair. He has performed a great service and should be thanked for it. John Kulis is probably the only Lithuanian who engages in the promotion of wrestling matches. He is acquainted with all of the Lithuanian wrestlers and gets along well with them.

Finally, thanks also to all those who, in one way or another, helped to make this affair a success.