The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-17
STECHER HAS WON
BOUTS FROM LEWIS
AND THE MARVEL

New York, Jan. 17--WrestIing, TIL at
sport that has descended to US from.
times of ancient Greece, and has re-
Gently been undergoing a revival in
this city, seems due to receive the,
Ersatest boost it has enjoyed in years
fareugh the arrival here at the end
at this month of Joe Stecher, a farmer
boy from Nebraska
Stecher is only % years old and his
Wrestling career extends over a period
of about three years, yet today he is
recognized in the West as the marvel
of the age on the mat and the great
est wrestler in the history of the
game.
Here in the East Stecher's name
has only lately come into prominence.
but so glowing were the accounts Of
the farmer boys prowess that plans
were quickly made to bring him to
this city Efforts are being made to
have Stecher meet either Ed
(ssStrang1er''1 Lewis Zbyszko or THE
Mysterious Masked Marvel in a
finish match at catch-as- catch-can
style at Madison Square Garden, with
the winner to face Frank Gotch, of
Humboldt, Iowa, for the champion
ship of the world.
Gotch has not been on the mat for
several years, having retired as the
uudefeated champion of thew orld at
L4llAI style Oh Inc graphing SdI4c.s LUZ
ing his active career the Iowa farmer
was recognized as the greatest CATCH
aszcatch -can wrestler in the world,
and it was lack of opponents that
finally drove him into retirement
Joe Stecher. however, is declared
mat to be a far more formidable man
than the invincible Gotch ever was,
hence the desire to see him meet the
retired champion and decide the Ques-
ton of superiority.
The raw-boned Nebraska youth has
taken part in more than so bouts in
the last three years, and has never
None of his opponents, no matter
what his bulk or strength, has been
able to stand against Stecher, and
where q fall was not scored by Joe,
the other man has either been so
badly disabled that he could not con-
tinue or else refused to face Stecher
after samp1ing his skill and strength.
Stranger Lewis, of the same age
as Stecher, and one of the most per-
fectly developed men in the wrestling
game has been one of the sensations
at the present International ,tourna-
Opera House. Many who have
watched his work believe he is des-
tined to be the champion of the world
at catch-as-catch-can wrestling.
Let US see how Lewis and Stecher
compare, for they met last October
IN Western city. According to the
records, Stecher and Lewis wrestled
for two hours and two minutes, the
match being fiercely contested every
step of the way. Lewis had Fever
been known to ask quarter of any
man so great is his strength md so
apparently unlimited his endurance;
yet at the end of the two hours and
two minutes the mat with the
marvellous Stecher the STRANGER
fell over the ropes and out of the
ring.
Etecfer paced the mat and waited
claimed he was so seriously injured
such it was; and after waiting a rea-
match to Stecher.
who is said to be the Masked Mar
veI' now wrestling at the Manhattan
Opera House, met StecEer at Fremont,
Neb., last August. and was thrown
With ridiculous ease by the farmer
boy, the first fall requiring five min
utes and the second only two. That
in itself speaks wonders for the
prowess Of the German-American
from the Middle West ttAmericus' .
George Turner, Jesse Westergaard
and Charley Cutler are among other
wrest1ers of the first rank who have
fallen before the might and skill of
Etecher.
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