McShain Clashes With Bob Gregory

The Knockout – January 27, 1940
By Dean Snyder

Being a world’s champion is not always what it is cracked up to be.

For instance, when Dangerous Danny McShain stuck out his chest — and he really can do that — after defeating Jesse James, glamour Greek, he bumped into Bob Gregory.

McShain won the undisputed recognition by the National Wrestling Association which controls 36 states and the sanction of California, Illinois and New York that he was the world’s light-heavyweight wrestling champion.

But up pops Gregory and made a speech. It was “How about me?”

Gregory is not only the lightheavy and junior heavy champion of England, but Europe as well.

“You are only the champion of America,” said Gregory. “I’m the champion of Europe, where all the good wrestlers really are.”

McShain is a strutter. He is also a big bluffer. But he is also a great wrestler. And he is Irish.

A genuine Irishman wouldn’t bend a knee to an Englishman under any circumstances.

McShain’s “high command” may be short-lived.

About nine out of every ten mat followers think that Gregory can make a pretzel out of McShain or most anyone else in the grinding game of bones and muscles.

Gregory has a way about him.

His sportsmanship is only equaled by his ability.

Last week when he injured Silent Rattan with a hip lock instead of giving him another push in the face, the Briton helped the guards to take his victim to the dressing room.

The audience appreciates good fellowship along with hard competition and rivalry.

One night Gregory was pitched out of the ring. He injured his ankle and the back of his neck struck a chair. He was packed away on a stretcher while his conqueror patted himself on the back but didn’t make a move to aid the man he had injured with a maneuver that is really a foul and not wrestling.

McShain, in spite of his victory over James that gave him the championship, is in an embarrassing position.

A few weeks ago Gregory beat him in a one-fall bout.

A championship when some other fellow holds a decision over you is hollow.

Styles have much to do with the dealing of the cards in wrestling, as well as any other sport.

James beat Gregory for the California title because he is an expert on defense. He claims he can block any hold. But he specializes in leg leverages. And Gregory specializes in leg leverages.

McShain, on the other hand, is at his best against arm leverages. Leg grips puzzle him.

Critics, who saw Gregory beat McShain in the one-fall contest, predict that the Englishman will win in straight falls if McShain is curbed from slugging.

Gregory isn’t rugged. He is all science.

It is said McShain plans to retire and go into pictures with his manager, Richard Lane, if he loses to Gregory.

McShain owns his own home in Beverly Hills and has a sizeable trust fund established. He is an exceptionally good actor.

Outside of the ring he is handsomer than most of the movie actors. But when he climbs into the ring he becomes a roaring harlequin.

Promoter Hugh Nichols bridged the split between the California commission recognized champion and the N.W.A. sanctioned titleholder by staging the James-McShain bout.

But the winner of the international bout will be the real world’s head man of the 175-pound division.

Hollywood fans will welcome the return of Don Sugai Matsura, who wrestles under the name of Matty Matsura, to the Legion again.

Matsura wrestled at the film capital arena two years ago.

He proved to be a sensation. Efforts to rebook him failed since he left the next day for Japan where he had bouts scheduled.

Ever since then Hollywood has wondered what became of the brilliant Japanese ace.

Matsura makes his first start in the mixed team match Monday. He will work with Red Lyons against two other Japanese stars, Taro Ito and Sugy Hayamaki.

Hundreds of Japanese fans will be on hand to see Matsura in action.

Regardless of how the team match ends Matsura will be a strong challenger for the Gregory-McShain survivor.

In mixed team grappling the Japanese have the advantage in jacket falls while Americans have the edge at catch-as-catch-can falls.

To make a mixed match fair, a coin is dropped before the bout starts. This will decide whether the four men will start with or without jackets. If each team gets a fall the one with the shortest time has the choice of style for the deciding fall.

Ito and Hayamaka defeated Lyons and Duke Pettigrove two weeks ago.

With the crafty Matsura working beside Lyons the result may be different.

Last week’s show featuring the McShain-James bout attracted the largest crowd the club has ever had in the new $250,000 stadium for wrestling.