New Britain herald., 1916-02-01
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There is now, in polite sporting circles, the case of one Joseph Stecher, of Dodge City, Neb., and one Frank Gotch, of Iowa and the ex- tended zone maintained by any hrst class circus
 Sooner or later-or in the interim these two, Joseph and Frank, west ern born and bred, are to meet In a wrestling match that will. decide the championship of the world and will attract something over $1OO,OOo at the gate So, as a sporting spectacle, 1t is worth early consideration.
 The Case Of Frank Gotch.
 We first saw Frank Gotch wrestle back in 19O5-11 years ago. He was then 27 years old, the American champion, with only Hackenschmidt in his way to world title.
 Gotch at 27 and Stecher at 23 stand as entirely different types. Stecher's face is almost expression less. Whatever emotion may dwell in his manly breast, the same doesn't show through his frontispiece. He gives one the impression of being wonderfully perfected machine.
 dOlCH was, dIlo IS, d OlllSIelI ly pS. Gotch is the Doc. Jekyll and MT. Hyde Of wrasslers. With a pleasing, open face, an attractive smile, a bundle of magnetism, he might be figured as the best natured man in the game. But his heart is the heart of the jungle. No limit of cruelty would ever stop him from beating his man the quickest possible way. Kid Mccoy, smilingly cutting an opponent to ribbons, had nothing on the Iowa grappler.
 Age has undoubtedly slowed Gotch UT and has taken something away, hut even if Stecher should win he would be quite willing to testify that 1t was the toughest evening of his young but spicy career. Gotch asks no mercy-and gives none-not even to the beaten. The old Spanish In- cuisition could have gathered in some valuable stuff by watching Gotch at work
 Tn the Way of Speed.
 Stecher at 23 may be some faster than Gotch at 3S But Stecher at 23 isn't as fast as Gotch was at 27 He isn't as fast as Gotch was six years ago at 32-the last time we saw him work.
 For while Stecher is abnormally fast, a marvel with his quick leg movement and his shifting body, Cotch some years ago was a human streak, so cat-like that it was almost Impossible to follow his movements with the eyes. You saw him shift from one spot or from one grip to another, and yet the movement was more blur than an actual operation.
  few could tell just what happened.
 The Gotch Ingredients.
 Gotch carried these main ingredi- ents: Unusual speed; great physical power, both in his arms and legs; a high order of courage and cunning, unlimited stamina, complete know ledge of his game through hard and intelligent study.
 For Gotch has as much brain as he has muscle, so far as his game Is concerned, anyway, and he has al- ways been blessed with an athletic instinct that only belongs to the champion.
 In meeting the Russian Lion for the first time he soon saw that here was an opponent too powerful to be thrown, for Hackenschmidt was the ol. So Gotch switched his tactics and literally tortured his man into sub mission, as the big Russian quit after two hours punishment.
 In Stecher's Favor.
 If Stecher had come along ten years ago, just as good as he is to- day, we would have esteemed it much pleasure to have had our last shirt On Iowa against Nebraska in the Wrest- ling Sweepstakes
 But 1906 and 1916 are a decade apart In meeting Stecher, Gotch will face the best man he ever met He will tackle a man who has beaten most of the best-one who has both speed and power to a champions degree.
 Judging from what those say who have wrestled Stecher, who have seen him work and what he had to show against the Masked Marvel, the Nebra skan is we'll worthy of the throne. He has all the stuff there Is.