December 10, 1920
The wresting events which were concluded by a special wresting contest between Barney Votypka H. A. C. champion, and Frank Pilakov of New York, champion of Serbia held in the Opera House Friday evening under the auspices of the Hicksville Athletic Club, proved one of the greatest sporting events of the season. The Opera House was packed to the doors.
Almost every village in Nassau County was represented, as were delegations from villages in Suffolk County and Queens Borough. A large portion of the assembly was composed of women who fully enjoyed the wrestling bouts.
At 8;30 o’clock sharp the curtain rose for the first event with both contestants in their corners and ready. They were John Johannson, 145 lbs. vs. Hans Wagner, 150 lbs. best two in three fails. Wagner took the place of Ernest Pickwick, who was scheduled to oppose Johannson but was suddenly called to England last week. After a considerable amount of hard work and exertion Wagner finally succeeded in getting his man down with both shoulders on the mat in 21 minutes. After a rest of 5 minutes they went at it again. Finally Hans manages to get his opponent’s shoulders pinned to the mat second time with a headlock and toe hold in 28 minutes. John Puyogel acted as referee and William Braun Jr. time keeper.
Bill Rogers of New Jersey, 164 lbs. and Young Fabian of New York, 158 lbs. were the next contestants. After 15 minutes of hard work Fabian finally got his man down with a head and arm lock. Following a 5 minutes rest they went at it again. After 15 ½ minutes Rogers got his man down with a headlock and scissors and the crowd almost went wild. After another 5 minutes rest they went at it again for the final fall and match. Fabian tired rogers and threw him for the record time in 26 minutes, winning the event. Oscar Johnson, of New York was referee and William Braun Jr. time keeper.
Then came the main event of the evening. This event was the star being a special match to the finish between Barney Votypka H. A. C. champion and Frank Pilakov of New York Serbian champion. Joseph Kraus of Manhattan an ex-soldier and himself a wrestler was agreed on by the contestants as referee. Oscar Johnson, a wrestler of the Swedish-American Athletic Club, challenged the winner. Then the two big fellows went at it, Votypka, the farmer boy weighed 192 pound, while his opponent looked like a mountain beside him at 216 lbs. The two gladiators worked each other out in an endeavor to secure a good hold when both clinched and went to the mat. At the end of 18 minutes Pilakov got Barney over with one shoulder down on the mat and the left shoulder was fully 6 inches above it; when the referee declared Pilakov the winner of the fall. Then the crowd when loose. All on the platform saw an unjust decision. Oscar Johnson also on the stage saw the position that there lacked at least six inches of the shoulder touching the mat and gave it us his opinion that the decision was unjust. The house and committee demanded another referee. The house full of people demanded that Mr. Johnson referee the balance of the match. The Farmer Boy, to show his confidence in himself and the sort of sports the Hicksville people are, conceded the fall to Pilakov. Before the start of the bout, by agreement between the two contestants, it was deft to the audience to decide as to whether the contest should be to a finish or the best two out of three falls. The majority being in favor of the latter it was agreed to be best two out of three falls. After a rest of 5 minutes the two gladiators went at it again. Barney, with the full intention of turning the tide this fall, while his big husky antagonist endeavored to repeat the performance. After 17 minutes of hard work the local champion suddenly got a head and leg lock on his opponent and forced his two broad shoulders squarely on the mat. This gave each a fall.
Finally, in the third bout, the Farmer Boy, after ten minutes put his big antagonist down for the second time with a head and arm lock and a scissors hold, winning the match. Mr. Jolinson then challenge Barney the victor, for a wrestling match which was promptly accepted. The event will be put in the Opera House by the Hicksville Athletic Club at an early date.