South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-02-05
HARD MATTER TO
BRING A RETIRED
CHAMP ION OUT
Promoters Will Find This True
in Attempting to Get
GOtCh to Meet
SteCher.

NEW YORK. FEEL. 5.-ro bring
out OF retirement a champion in
any line OF sport who has held the
ttular honors for some years, in
order that ne may test his strength
and skill against a younger and really
formidable opponent is an expensive
operation. A champion with the lust
for battle dulled by years OF cOmpeti-
ton and secretly doubtful Of his
ability 10 hold his own with a more
youthful challenger. considers such
"A match a business proposition in
which ne risks his hard-earned
laurels for SO much money. and the
sum is usually so high that il is an
excellent balm in case the title passes
from his possession.
The promoters who are planning
TO bid for the Gotch- Stecher wrest-
ling contest are going 20 discover
this fact when the time comes for
the making OF bids for the match.
While the Iowa champion and the
Nebraska challenger are far from
being matched at this time, there is
no question but that they will meet
on the mat for the worlds Catch-as-
chatch-can championship within the
next year. Gotch has already begun
training and will soon start upon a
country wide tour meeting all Corners
in short-time bouts. Stecher is rap
idly increasing his reputation and
popularity by meeting opponents in
various big cities i'm accordance with
lengthy schedule prepared before
ne left his home in Dodge, Neb.
Expect Record Purse.
IL cost Tex Richard 100000. in
addition To bonuses, 10 bring Jim
Jeffries and Jack Johnson together
at Reno. New. and while wrestlers
have never received as much as
pugilists in the general run of cham
pionship matches, Il is certain that
"a new record in wrestling purses will
be made when Gotch finally signs
for his grapple with Stecher.
Whether the match will prove as
disappointing TO those that witness
10 as the JohnsOn-J efries battle did
20 the spectators who gathered at
the Nevada ringside on July 4, 1910,
only time can tell
As a general rule wrestlers hold
their graphing ability for a number
Of years beyond the point where
fighters begin 10 slip back Jeffries
was 33 when Johnson. at the age of
30, wrested his title from him. GOtch
is IS and Stecher %. and. while the
latter has had a remarkable record
20 date. many think that Gotch's
long mat career and wrestling eX-
perience will offset the advantage Of
Stecher's youth. Tn fact. some
wrestling experts figure that the Ne
brasla grappler is too young TO
tackle GOtch Certain IL is that a
study Of the latter's mat record i'm
presses one with the formidable per-
formances of the man when taken
in connection with the weu-known
fact that he has ways been mod
crate and methodical in his habits
and training
SteCher is Taller.
Gotch. who is feet II ID inches
tall and weighs about 21O pounds.
i'm condition. has won more than 100
OF the 172 time handicap or finish
bouts. in addition 20 throwing more
than 200 opponents in I5-miuute ex-
hibition or invitation bouts i'm this
country and Canada During his
foreign tour ne met and conquered
about half that number Stecher
measures 8 feet I inch i'm height and
strips at about geo rounds. He has
wrestled more than SO matches and
has never lost d decision. although
held 10 a no-fal match by Stranger
Lewis and George Turner.
The first baseball schedule Of the
1915 professional season has made
IT'S appearance. The Texas league
has the honor Play viii begin on
April . and end on Sept g.
Plans are under way FOR the stag
ing Of a series OF races To decide
the amateur auto racing champion
shin OF the United States during the
coming season IL is proposed TO
hold races at various speedway
distances In the south. east. middle
and far west. with the winners 10
meet in a national title race late i'm
the fall Entrants must drive their
own cars and be amateurs nm the full
sense OF the word
Moe than 100000 automobiles
are registered iu 81 countries of the
world. over two-thirds are used
within the United States.