Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/782

* WREN. 666 WRESTLING. standard of taste by the refinement and pro- priety- of all his designs. His work exerted a strong influence on the nascent architecture of the American colonics, especially that of the churches, though it is doubtful whether he de- signed any of the American buildings attril)uted to him. He is buried in Saint Paul's, where on a tablet is inscribed the well-known epitaph, "Si monumentum requiris circumspice" {It thou seek his monument, look about thee). Consult his biography by Elmes (London, 1852) and by Phillimore (ib., 1883) ; Clayton, Churches of Sir Christopher Wren (ib., 1848) ; Loftie, Inigo Jones and Wrni (New York, 1893) ; and the authori- ties referred to under Saixt Paul's Catheukal. WREN-TIT, or Ground-tit. A small, long- tailed, brown, wren-like bird (Chamwa fasciata) of the coast region of southern California, which keeps close to the ground, searching for its insect food, and uttering a low. trilling, titmouse- like call. It nests in low bushes and lays light- blue, unspotted eggs. It is set apart in a family (Chama?id,Te) by itself, and is regarded as inter- mediate between the gnateatchers and the tit- mice. WRESTLING (from u-resUe. AS. irrcestlian, uraxliiin, to wrestle, frequentative of icrcestan, Icel. reista, to twist, probably from AS. url]'an, Icel. r'lla, OHG. rUlan, to turn, twist, wrest). A sport in which one person tries to throw another to the ground. The rule with the Greek wrestlers was to secure three throws before the victory was decided. The wrestlers were accustomed to rub their bodies with oil in the belief that they secured a greater pliancy of limb, and doubtless also to check any excessive perspiration. In order to obviate the difficulty of grasping each other with firmness owing to the coating of oil, the wrestlers were required either to roll in the du.st of the Stadium or to be sprinkled with the fine sand kept for that purpose at Olympia. Should one of the wrestlers in a match fall and drag his adversary with him, the combat was continued on the ground. The Greek method of wrestling subsequently passed to the Romans, and by them was introduced throughout Europe. Graco-P.oman wrestling of to-day must not be confused with the ancient Greek method of wrestling, for it is neither a variation of the ancient Greek or Roman, nor even a compound of the two. The Grteco-Roman style was adopted in France about the middle of the nineteenth century and is now the only recognized mode in that country. It was introduced into England in 1809 and 1870. In America it has become popular. The style proper does not begin until both men are on the ground. 'Triiqiing.' which is the essence of the English game, is l)arred in the Grseco-Roman. Of the distinctive English style of wrestling, the fol- lowing points are the most important. In the Corniciill and Devon style, the wrestler is required fairly to throw his opponent fiat on his back before a decision can be won. In order to secure the throw, two shoulders and one hip must be on the ground, or two liips and one shoulder. This is called 'three points down.' The various arti- fices used in this style of wrestling lire called 'trips' or 'chips.' They include the following: The flying mare, the inside lock forward, the inside lock backward, the double-lock, the fore- hand play, the after play, inside and outside clamp, the pull under, and the (aoss-heave. In the Lancashire style, or catch-as-caich-can, unlimited action is permitted. It is the roughest of the English methods and is also one which most appeals to the athlete. Throt- tling is forbidden by the rules, but it is in- variably resorted to. Tripping and catching nold of the legs are permitted, and in the floor woik the style comes nearer the French or Grsco-Roman than any other method of wres- tling. The most important trips are the double- Nelson, the half and three-quarter Nelson, the lock, liam and leg, the flying mare, heave and leg-holding. The cleanest style and the one pos- sessing the most simple rules is the Cumberland and Westmoreland style, in which the wrestlers on taking hold stand up chest to chest, each com- batant placing his chin on his opponent's right shoulder, at the same time grasping him around the body, one man placing his left arm above the right of his antagonist. When both men have secured their hold and are reckoned as fair- ly on their guard, the struggle begins. If one of them breaks hold, i.e. loses his grip, if yet on the ground and his opponent retains his hold, the one who has lost his grip is declared the loser. Similarly if either man touches the ground with one knee or any other part of the body, though he may still retain his hold, he is not permitted to recover himself and is declared the loser. The Irish, or collar-a nd-elboip, style is as interesting as it is peculiar. The contest- ants seize each other by the neck with one hand, and by the elbow with the other, and when one of them touches the ground with his hand, knee, back, or side, the fall is won. In Burma and throughout the East Indies wrestling has reached a high degree of development. The wrestlers are nude, and skill rather than strength is made to count. .Iapanese Wrestling (.Jiujutsu or Jiu- JuTSO). A method of self-defense without weapons; the modern form of the old samurai weaponless combat. It first became popular in .lapan in the sixteenth century, its origin being traced to Akiyama, a learned physician, who at that period lived at Nagasaki. He is said to have brought it back from China. Before he died, Akiyama had elaborated the Chinese system to the extent of discovering 303 methods of seizing and throwing an opponent, or otherwise disabling him. Jiujutsu, owing to its semi- secret character, is usually taught in night ses- sions, and although the majority of the pupils pain considerable skill in the system, only a few ac(|uire a complete mastery of it. It is ex- tremely difficult to penetrate the secrets of the higher playing, owing to the jealousy with which it is guarded by its professors. The rank and file of the police deiiartmonts of Tokio, Kobe and Yokohama are coiiiiielle<l to attain a cer- tain degree of efficiency in the art. although no pupil receives a lesson before pledging himself on oath not to reveal the methods. When it is realized that the master of this science can by a slight, swift movement benumb a victim's brain, dislocate his hip or shoulder, burst or twist a fendon. or break an ankle, there is excel- lent reason for the .lapiincse system of confining the proficiency in the higher degrees of the art (inly to men of perfect self-command and good moral character. The Japanese wrestler does