Sacramento Union – January 26, 1937
It was an old-fashioned wrestling match, plenty scientific and lacking completely in the modern-day tactics of punching, gouging and kicking – and Dean Detton won over Ed (Strangler) Lewis by a toe hold.
That sort of a match seems quite out of place under present-day grappling, but that’s exactly what Detton, the recognized world champion, and Lewis, the former champion, did for the mat fans last night in Memorial Auditorium. It was so surprising, it was good.
Detton did no butting, for which he is noted and settled down to a thorough battle of grips with the hefty Strangler. After 28 minutes, 23 seconds of numerous applications, Detton grasped the shoeless toe of the former titleholder and big Ed hollered quits.
When the gong sent the men back for the second fall, Lewis could not continue and Detton was awarded the match.
The prelims were the best offered in a long time, especially the semi-windup between Dr. Freddy Meyers and Red Vagnone. Vagnone won when Meyers was disqualified. This bout made up in roughness what the main event lacked. It lasted 26 minutes, 51 seconds.
Other bouts ended as follows: Mexico Marvin pinned Harry Carlson in 10:28, the Red Phantom beat Rudy Stromberg in 16:31 and Ernest Petersen and Jack Spellman started the show with a draw.
Classic Wrestling Articles 