Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-07-06
A POST MORTEM OF
THAT big RASSLE"
Melady Suggests Grapplers Be
Compelled to Finish Bout
Before They Collect.
DECIDE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
BY FRED S. HUNTER.

clared winner, two falls out Of
three, as per the articles of agree
ment, was a suggestion made yester-
day by Gene Melady, who promoted
the event which proved so unsatis-
factory to the large assembly of fans
who paid out their hard-earned coin
to see the grapplers engage in a slow
and tedious five-hour draw.
Melady made his suggestion yester-
day noon at two-hour conference
between Melady, Referee Ed Smith,
Joe Hetmanek, Billy Sandow, Stran-
gler Lewis and the three Omaha
newspaper men who covered the
match.
In making his suggestion, Melady
explained he wanted to do that which
would please the public.
II live in Omaha" said Melady.
THE match was disappointment.
And while it was no fault of mine,
I may be made the goat. l have
earned reputation as q promoter Of
clean sports. It Is up to me to pro-
tect my name; it's the only thing I
possess. And in order to protect my
name l must protect the public, and
that's what l intend to do, no matter
what the cost.
IF It is the consensus OF opinion
here" continued Melady, that this
match should be continued, it shall
be continued, or ! will not give the
wrestlers a penny. 60
Charge No Admission.
II will stage the continuation at
the fair grounds tomorrow or the
next day and I'll make them wrestle
until one or the other wins. And |
won't charge cent of admission. All
I want to do is give the public fair
shake. It's the public I'm thinking
of, not the wrestlers, nor the merits
of the match"
For two hours Melady's proposition
was discussed pro and con by those
attending the conference. Joe Het-
manek declared he and Stecher
were willing to do whatever Melady
thought was right, and that they
would grant the proposed continue
ton. While he disapproved of the
suggestion, Lewis also said he would
continue.
Smith Disagrees.
But Referee Smith took the other
tack. He declared Melady's propo-
sition was too fair. IF ball game
goes eighteen innings to a tie, no.
body wants to see the continuation
next day, and If the game is played
over they pay again." said Smith.
Also the match was ended Tuesday
night. Every added minute jeopar-
died the health Of the wrestlers. And
neither one could wreStle further.
I do not believe a resumption Of the
match advisable" #4 .&.
Public Had Enough.
The three newspaper men had
other ideas on the subject, "The
world has had enough and couldn't
digest any more was the verdict of
the scribes,
Therefore, the belief being the re-
sumption would be OF similar char
acter to what had gone before, it
was decided to write thirty and ring
down the curtain on the whole
doings.
Referee Smith, explaining his &C.
ton in calling the bout a draw, made
the following statement for the
press:
Regarding the present controversy
over my decision of a draw in the
wrestling match yesterday afternoon
between Joe Stecher and Ed Lewis
at the Melady stadium at the Douglas
county fair grounds, wish to make a
brief statement.
Violation Of Articles.
"My decision of draw at the end
of nearly five hours of wrestling by
the contestants was in direct violation
of the articles of agreement drawn
up by Promoter Gene Melady and
signed by both contestants, inasmuch
as there is clause in those articles
which stipulates distinctly that this
contest shall not terminate in q foul
or draw, but must be wrestled to a
finish" t&.....
THAT clause, generally speaking
and under ordinary circumstances
would be all right, but an unusual
condition developed at the close oil
this contest and that condition called
for unusual action. To my way oil
thinking this match was to all intents
and purposes finished when both
contestants became so exhausted thai
further wrestling would have devel
oped nothing and might possibl,
have terminated in permanent ane
possibly fatal injury to one or thu
other.
I'm the name of all humanity thu
match was over and in this view tina
/ took was upheld by several promi
nent physicians who noted carefully
the condition of the men. They wert
for having it discontinued some tim,
before I disregarded the articles O
agreement and took arbitrary action
They completely approved and upheld
my action.
Melady's Fair Offer.
"Mr. Melady has made to me AM
the contestants one Of the best AM
fairest sporting propositions | eve
saw or heard of. He is willing Il
stage a continuation of the match a
the same place and under as nearl,
similar conditions as possible and ad
NIT the public free to see it. Nothin,
fairer could possibly be suggested
but personally can see little in
continuation of the match. 1t woul,
be the same thing over again.
"As / have said, as far as | am con
cerned, the match was finished at