April 8, 1921
The Central Park Basket Ball team has completed all necessary arrangements for the all-star wrestling events to be held in Roosevelt Hall, Central Park, Friday evening, April 15. The committee have succeeded in securing the following popular well-known mat artists: Barney Votypka, H. A. C. champing vs. Leon Franz Zola: return match and star event. Zola claims he was not in the best of shape and somewhat inexperienced at catch-as-catch can style the last time he met and was dedicated by Barney.
March 25, 1921
About forty members of the Hicksville Athletic club accompanied Barney Votypka, the H. A. C. wrestling champion and his manager. Happy Jack Puvogel to Lindenhurst on Saturday night last to witness several wrestling events. The first pair to take possession of the mat at the National Theatre at Lindenhurst were Cyclone Peterson and Young Stotcher. The latter substituted for Young Hackenschmidt of the H. A. C., who filled a like engagement at Bridgeport, Conn. The men, Peterson, 160 pounds; Stotcher, 155pounds; Barney Votypka, referee; A. Moazolillio—timekeeper: best two in three falls, catch as catch can. This event was fast and some fine work in the wrestling art was displayed by both contestants. The event was won by Peter in two straight falls. The first fall in 7 min. 45 sec. and the second fall was 7 minutes and 30 second.
The next pair to appear were Martin Luteka and Harry Price.Llight heavy weights, Luteka weighing 164 lbs. and Price 157 lbs. After struggling 18 min. and 45sec. Luteka finally succeeded in pinning his opponent’s shoulders to the mat with double arm lock. After a 3 minutes rest the pair went at it again and for arm locks, scissors, head locks and body holds this round was a repetition of the first, only toe holds were more frequent. Luteka also won this fall and the event with a leg and arm lock in 5 minutes.
Then came the star event of the evening. When Barney Votypka, the H. A. C. champion and Otto Sampson appeared on the mat they received a great ovation. This event was to best 2 in 3 falls; catch as catch can.
Young Stetcher acted as referee with Tony Monzolilio timekeeper. Votypka weighted 195 lbs. and Sampson 185 lbs. Both men spent several minutes jockeying for a hold and feeling each other out when they both suddenly went down in a close embrace. Then all kinds of holds were resorted to. After struggling out of many dangerous positions both men got savage holds on each other, but Barney’s proved the stronger hold and finally pinned his opponent’s shoulders down in 19 minutes and 40 seconds with a head lock and arm hold. After a three minutes rest the two gladiators renewed the struggle and at the end of 7 minutes 25 second Sampson secured a powerful hold on Barney “game” arm and twisted it all it lucked about 6 inches of pinning both shoulders to the mat, which Barney refused to allow, although suffering excruciating pain until the referee and crowd insisted that he allow Sampson the fall rather than have his arm crippled. Great excitement prevailed, while Sampson continued to increase the pressure on the tender limb when the referee insisted the he concede the fall and save his arm when the Farmer Boy finally gave in. this gave each a fall. After resting up for three minutes, during which time the H. A. C. boy’s arm was rubbed with liniments and massage, the two went at it again, and this time it meant the fall and event. It was short but exciting. Sampson played for another grip on that tender left arm of Barney’s and just when he thought he had it within his powerful grasp, Barney—suddenly dropped down, grabbed Sampson by both legs swinging him around several times and then suddenly slamming him down on his back and dropped on him, pinned his shoulder firmly to the mat securing the fall and match in 9 minutes and 30 second amid great rejoicing by the H. A. C. delegation not alone because of their man winning but to know that Barney again has excellent use of his left arm.
The committee of the H. A. C. are completing arrangements for a set of three wrestling events to close the season to be given to the Opera House possibly on Friday evening, April 10. They will be all-star bouts with Carl Johnson and Young Hackenschmidt as the contestants in the main event, which is a special match.
A large gathering of baseball fans assembled in Grand Central Hall Saturday evening and witnessed an exciting basketball match between the H. A. C. team and the basketball team from Queens. The local team surprised the fan by their rapid improvement in playing the game by vanquishing their opponents. A dance which was largely attended followed the game.
The Hicksville Athletic Club will not connect in any way this year with the baseball team playing under the name of the Hicksville Baseball Club.
January 21, 1921
All is in readiness for the three big wrestling events to be held in the Opera House this Friday events under the auspices of the Hicksville Athletic Club. The bouts will be best two out of three falls. The first bout will be return match between young Fabian the Bohemian champion vs. Bill Rogers of Jersey City. They will be followed by John Johannson. Swedish middle weight champion vs. Romanoff, the Russian Lion. The final event will be between Barney Votypka, the H. A. C. champion, 196 lbs., vs. Loon Franz Zolar, 208 lbs. Greco Roman champion.
December 31, 1920
Barney Votypka, the H. A. C. champion 196 pounds wrestler, has decided to become a regular and has placed himself under the management of that good old sport, John Puvogel. Mr. Puvogel is planning to take this charge on a tour of Long Island in the near future and if the tour proves successful he will take his charge further.
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.
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