Bull fights may be exciting and the war in Europe may stir some people up to the point where they want to yell, but when it comes to real downright excitement and lots of it, Japanese wrestling is big stuff.
     The old Vernon Arena, scene of many a championship boxing match, hardly recognized itself yesterday, filled half-way to the brim with a host of gay Japanese, here and there a white man, all gazing at thirty husky wrestlers, where once trim boxers held forth.
    The contrast to the prize fight days was remarkable. In the place of trim boxers there were fat wrestlers half as big again as the biggest man who ever appeared in the ring before.
    In the place at "Fat Al" with the gong and Referee Evton. there were three silk-garbed functionaries representing the Tokio Wrestling Association.
    The crowd of probably 7000 or 8000 was orderly, but tremendously enthusiastic and the Japanese pop seller's hustled through the audience dispensing their wares. There were a great many women present.
    Umegatani, the present champion, a cute thing weighing only 375 pounds and boasting a stomach that makes William Howard Taft look like a famine victim, hustled around the ring showing a tremendous amount of energy and agility for a man of his heft and had little trouble disposing of his opponents in the early practice.
    At a few minutes after 3 o'clock the affair was opened by the entrance of the three judges, who looked over the ring and then went through the religious ritual with which the tournaments are always opened.
    Immediately after this a little diversion was caused by the invasion of the ring by a bare-footed and mighty agitated Japanese, who addressed the audience in impassioned tones. A kind interpreter vouchsafed the information that he was much annoyed that he had not been presented with a badge by the management.
    He was allowed to proceed amid the howls of the crowd for a while, but when he refused to leave, the fat Vernon Sheriff was called upon to eject him after considerable excitement he was calmed down and taken out.
    The wrestlers, a fine husky lot, then took possession of the ring for a sort or preliminary warming-up practice, which lasted for over an hour. One wrestler took the ring and continued there until defeated, whereupon his conqueror would defend it against all comers.
    The big men, such as Umegatani and Kyushuzan, stayed out of the proceedings and let the lighter wrestlers do most of the work.
    The local champion, Wakanoura, was persuaded to don his "G" string and appear, but was rather easy for the trained champions from Japan.
    About 6 o'clock the matches commenced, preceded by a parade of the wrestlers and officials all dressed in Japanese costumes of silk.
    The first match was between Wakanoura, the local champ, and Sanoukiyama of Japan, and the local man was gracefully heaved twice in succession. Hakushuzan took two falls out or three from Iwaminada. Kinryu two straight falls from Tazimayama.
    Onishiyama took two straight falls from Konobori and Satushuzan took two out of three from Raigaura.
    The remainder of the matches were for one tall only.
    Chinzetzan beat Chibagasaki, Tsunenohana beat Edozakura, Shiunryu beat Tamatubaki, Tamateyama beat Koshitaohi, Nishinoumi beat Chakagatake and Champion Umegatani beat Kyushuzan.
    The programme will continue today, tomorrow and Tuesday, starting at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and ending about 7:30 p.m. All of the wrestlers from the champions down will appear every day.