Knockout Feature Of Bout

Sacramento Daily Union – February 3, 1912

Demetral, the Greek Champion, Has Easy Time With His Canadian Opponent, McDonald.

A wrestling match with all the variations of a genuine knockout was the headliner on the card which drew the largest crowd that ever witnessed a wrestling match in Sacramento to the Clunie last night. William Demetral, the Greek champion, threw Dan McDonald of Montreal in straight falls, the first in 7 minutes and 50 seconds and the second in 4 minutes.

Vanquisher Of Red Smith To Appear As A Wrestler

Sacramento Daily Union – February 2, 1912

Brandt, the San Francisco Heavyweight Pugilist, Slated to Meet Italian.

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HOW THE BIG FELLOWS WILL LINE UP TONIGHT

Demetral               McDonald
26  ……….  Age  ……….  32
6 feet……  Height  …6 ft. 1 in.
73 ¼ inch…  Reach  …….73 in.
185  ……..  Weight  ……..  210
17 ½ in…… Neck …..17 ¾ in.
44 in……. Chest, nor…..45 in.
48 in…..Chest, expan…..48 in.
24 in…….  Thigh  …….25 in.
16 in……..  Calf  …..16 ½ in.
10 ½ in…..  Ankle  ……11 in.
16 ½ in…..  Biceps  ….16 ½ in.
13 ¾ in….  Forearm  ….13 ½ in.
8 in………  Wrist  ……8 ½ in.

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With two finish wrestling bouts and one bout limited to thirty minutes on his program at the Clunie theater tonight, Otto Ross, the San Francisco promoter will start things moving at 8:30 o’clock and local followers of the game are promised what they have not seen here for several years — a real wrestling card for the next two hours or more. William Demetral, the Greek champion, and Dan McDonald, the Canadian champion, will meet in the main bout of the program; Piombo, the Italian wrestler, and Cazeaux, the Frenchman, will meet in the special event; and in the preliminary Buzukous, the Italian lightweight wrestler, will meet Brandt, the San Francisco heavyweight pugilist, who toyed with Red Smith, the local aspirant, before the Sacramento Athletic club last month.

Demetral Training For His Bout With Dan M’Donald

Sacramento Daily Union – February 1, 1912

Greek and Canadian Champions Will Battle for Supremacy at Clunie Tomorrow Night.

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FAIR SEX MAY ATTEND WRESTLING MATCH

Promoter Says ‘Suffrage’ Rights Should Be Exercised

Above are shown two of the “holds” well known to wrestlers as they are being explained by William Demetral, the Greek champion, to local enthusiasts.  To the left is shown the “arm bar and head chancery.”  This is a hold that is seldom broken.  In fact it is a dangerous hold, for the reasons that the men are still on their feet and are liable to serious injury unless they are experienced.
To the right is shown the “referee’s hold.”  This is the usual way of starting a wrestling bout, and from this position any one of a thousand different holds can be secured.

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“IT’S UP to the women of Sacramento to introduce a novelty for the Capital City by showing that their new suffrage rights also give them the right to attend wrestling contests,” said Otto Ross, who is promoting the wrestling match at the Clunie theater tomorrow night between William Demetral, the Greek champion, and Dan McDonald, the Canadian champion.

Offers $5 Minute To Any Athlete

Sacramento Daily Union – January 31, 1912

Greek Wrestler Will Pay That Sum to Man Who Stands Before Him.

William Demetral, the Greek champion wrestler, who is to meet Dan McDonald, the Canadian, at the Clunie theater Friday night, arrived in this city yesterday. He has made arrangements to condition in the Sacramento Athletic club and is desirious of meeting any local amateur wrestler in practice. Demetral won from his opponent in Stockton Monday night in straight falls, and he feels that he will be able to do the same with McDonald.

Illinois May Put Ban On “Pro” Wrestling

Pawtucket Times – June 7, 1927

CHICAGO, June 7 (United Press) – Professional wrestling may be barred in Illinois as result of an investigation being made here by a legislative committee.

Representative Claude Rew of Harrisburg, Ill., after yesterday’s testimony, announced he would father a bill to that effect before the lower House of the Legislature.

One of the chief witnesses yesterday was Bill Demetral, a former wrestler. Among the charges he made were:

Sports Of All Sorts

The Day Book – March 6, 1916

Frank Gotch looks enough like Jim Jeffries did in his prime to be his twin brother. His mannerisms and even his voice are like the former heavyweight champion’s.

Gotch, who recently came out of retirement and announced that he would wrestle all comers, is training at the Los Angeles Athletic club in Los Angeles for a match in San Francisco with Demetral. The Chicago Greek will tackle Gotch on March 10. Demetral claims to have lost but one match in the past four years, and is considered a high-class man for Gotch to dally with.

Frank Gotch in action. The world’s champion is warming up with Dan McLeod, instructor at the Los Angeles Athletic club. He has a crotch and half-Nelson on Dan.

Crack Wrestlers Being Signed For Marieville Shows

The Pawtucket Times – June 18, 1921

PROVIDENCE — Rival wrestlers and aspirants for the heavyweight title will be matched for a bout at Marieville Arena in the near future. William Demetral, the Greek heavyweight champion of the world, of Chicago, and Giovani Mazani, the heavyweight Italian Hercules of Canton, will be the principals if the match can be arranged. Negotiations are being conducted by M. Charleston, an old-time promoter. An offer of a $500 purse to the winner was wired Giovani’s manager, who accepted the offer. It only remains for Demetral to attach his signature to the contract. Jelinski, the Polish wrestler of Attleboro, and Carl Pons, a Frenchman, will also be matched, for the same night.

Wrestler Zbyszko Throws Pilakoff

The New York Times – February 24, 1911

Polish Grappler Gains the First Fall in 53: 13 and the Winning Fall in 18:00.

Stanislaus Zbyszko, the Polish wrestler, won the catch-as-catch-can finish match with Pilakoff, the Finnish champion, at Sulzer’s Harlem River Casino last night, gaining two straight falls. The first was secured in 53:13, with a crotch and scissors hold, and the second came in 18 minutes with a scissors and bar hold. The big Pole showed himself Pilakoff’s superior at every stage of the contest, and the only thing in doubt after the first few minutes was the length of time before Zbyszko would secure two falls. The Polish champion gave Pilakoff no chance to do any aggressive work, and gradually wore him down to submission.

The men shook hands at 10 o’clock and Zbyszko quickly secured a leg hold and forced Pilakoff to the matt. The latter was soon tide up in a half nelson and crotch hold but broke away and jumped to his feet. Zbyszko again put Pilakoff down and secured another half Nelson, but the Finn was able to break. Five minutes had been used up before Pilakoff assumed the aggressive, but it was only for a few seconds. At 7:30 Pilakoff again surprised Zbyszko, but the latter had no trouble in getting away.

Newsy Gossip Of The Sports

The Day – January 27, 1908

Charles Olsen has about decided to give up the grappling game and he says that when he gets a good steady job planning joists or shingling roofs he will forget all about his aspirations to be a champion.  He has also discovered that he doesn’t know as much about the game as an experienced manager.

Will Hold Mammoth Wrestling Tourney

Associated Press – January 18, 1908

CHICAGO – By terms just closed with the Florida State Mid-Winter Fair Association, Fred M. Barnes, of Chicago, will handle and promote the biggest wrestling tournament ever attempted in America. The tourney will take place at Tampa, Fla., for eight days, February 8 to 15 inclusive. At an estimated expense of not less than $20,000, mat artists from all parts of the world will be invited to participate in these events.