(JAPAN PRO) Watching the public practice
15th August 1955
On the afternoon of July 13th, Primo Carnera and four other American wrestlers visiting Japan held an open practice session for members of the press at the newly built wrestling center in front of the former Rikidozan Dojo in Naniwa-cho, Nihonbashi.
The midsummer sun shone down, making it a sweltering 36 degrees Celsius, and the 550-square-meter gym was filled with the breath of fans who had poured in, ignoring the warnings of not only the press but also the staff. Boys with bell-like voices could be seen peering into the gym with excited eyes from every window around.
The American wrestlers, along with Rikidozan and Endo, had three-minute and five-minute matches against each other.
Primo Carnera, a towering 6'6" and 36 kan (approx. 11.5 lbs), Jesús Ortega, a raging bull who is a couple of inches shorter than Carnera but weighs three or four kan more, Bud Curtis, a small man who moves energetically, quickly and nimbly, and Hardy Kruskamp, a man with a bald head like a monk - all of them seem to be enjoying wrestling, displaying their special skills to their heart's content.
Carnera was born in 1906, making him 49 years old. In terms of age, he should be past the prime of his career, but judging by his glossy body and complexion, he is by no means inferior to a young wrestler. His vigorous fighting spirit and stamina as he torments his opponents with headlocks, body slams and more make it hard to believe he is even halfway through his life. "As wrestlers, we travel all over the country, fighting all year round, so we can't afford the luxury of being in bad condition. We have to be in good condition, wherever we are, at all times," he said, revealing his serious attitude. He was said to have weighed two kan at birth*, so he was already endowed with the qualities of a superman from that moment on. Carnera, "The Moving Alps", has the greatest physical agility of any professional athlete, but what about his "strength"?
During an open practice session, Ortega, a former weightlifter, was easily lifting and lowering a heavy barbell weighing 24 or 25 kg. Carnera, who had come to see this, said, "Okay, I'll try it too," and took over, picking up the barbell himself. Carnera picked it up to test its weight, then gave up with a look of disapproval that said "this isn't good," shaking his right hand and head from side to side. A muscular body trained through boxing may be excellent for striking power and balance, but lifting heavy objects is another matter.
Of course, if someone with Carnera's stamina pushed himself, lifting an iron bar would be no problem. Just from this fact alone, it feels like we're seeing the boxer in this man. It's important to note that these factors have helped him rise to the top.
Ortega was born in Mexico and was a former Army boxing champion and weightlifter. He uses his superhuman strength to inflict pain on his opponents with headlocks, body slams, wrist locks, and more. At 6'2" and 40 kan, he's a size larger than Azumafuji. His rock-solid body, with what Azumafuji, (who beat him once when he moved to the US), described as "wire-like" chest hair, and his shaggy face gives him the air of a villain. His strength is boundless, as he handles heavy barbells with ease. I was also impressed by his instincts, which allowed him to hit a punching ball without missing for over three minutes.
Whether it's Carnera or Ortega, just seeing them get angry and ready to grab you would be enough to intimidate the weak-willed.
Curtis is the smallest, standing at 5'8" and 27'8", but his agility is the best of the four. This is because he has been involved in amateur wrestling since he was a boy, and was an all-around athlete in various sports during his time at high school and the Naval Academy. He is also said to have won the 1949 U.S. Military Weightlifting Championship and two other World Junior Championships, and now he effortlessly lifts the barbell over his head, which Ortega uses to his advantage with his large body. His wrestling technique is truly skillful. For example, even if he is thrown to the mat by a neck throw or a hip throw, he instantly moves on to the next movement as quickly as a cat getting up.
Even when attacking, he uses detailed techniques, but he sets up his opponent so that they have to fall hard. It is an attacking method that achieves maximum effect with minimum force. It's no surprise that he was eligible to challenge Lou Thesz (USA), who was the long-time world champion, three times. Curtis's physique is similar to that of Japanese wrestlers, so I think his offensive and defensive techniques will provide a great deal of material for study.
Kruskamp plays three roles: he is Carnera's manager and also serves as a referee for international matches. He is a completely bald, experienced wrestler, and although he didn't show it in practice, in his younger days he was a master of the flying tackle and even won the Central American tag team championship with Ortega. He was known for his dedication to training, always the first to arrive at the gym, willing to partner for anyone, and sweating profusely as he was beaten up by the giants.
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