Omaha daily bee., 1916-06-11
LEWIS is CERTAIN
OF WINNING;MATCH
Kentucky Lad Sure He Will Be Able
to 0utlast Stecher in Match
Here.
NOW TRAINING FOR FOURTH

The graphing championship OF the
world will be at stake when Joe
stecher, the Nebraska phenomenon,
and Ed Stranger" Lewis, renowned
strong-man from Kentucky, get to-
gether in finish mat encounter the
afternoon of July 4, at the Douglas
County Fair track near Benson. The
commotion provoked by the posi-
bility OF Gotch-Stecher match has
practically petered out; Gotch has
strangely side stepped all offers from
The Stecher camp, even turning down
proposals in which the young Her.
Jules from Nebraska expressed will
ingness to concedc to his opponent
he lions share Of the purse, and it
las become conviction In the Stech-
sr camp that Gotch has no intention
Of risking his chances in fray on the
padded mat. Gotch still is travelling
with circus and gathering in the
kale from exhibition bouts, but in
view of his failure to affirm the more
han reasonable terms offered by
Promoter Gene Melady and Stecher
md his manager, popular interest,
quite naturally, is turning to the stu
, pendous sporting soiree which Pro-
moter Mclady has booked for Fire
Cracker day in Omaha,
WORTHY Opponent.
Lewis looms up as worthy oppon-
snt for the spectacular Nebraska boy
and the wise birds are fightfully look
ing forward to an intensely thrilling
combat. A survey of Lewis record
should impress even the most ram
pant Stecher adherent that the Me-
braska wonder has undertaken the
most trying task Of his career. The
rise to fame by the Kentuckian had its
start when he placed his managerial
affairs in the hands Of Billy Sandow
VI Rochester, N. ", two and q half
years ago. Although Lewis was only
youngster in the graphing game,
being barely past the q year mark,
Sandow speedily realized that Lewis
presented championship possibilities
and he has piloted Lewis on a career
which has been almost as spectacu4
lar as that which has featured the
dazzling climb OF Stecher to the peak
of the heavyweight wrestling pile.
If there are any doubters concern
ing the ability Of Lewis let them re-
fleet that this Kentuekian has not
lost single fall during the entire
period Of Shadows tutorship. Today
he stands as the only heavyweight
grappler now before the American
public who apparently possesses the
strength, the speed and the skill to
cope with the famous Stecher scissors.
Stecher and Lewis, in fact, exchanged
grips last October, at Evanville, Ind,
and the contest was waged upwards
Of two hours without fall. Lewis fell
through the ropes and off the plat
form, sustaining al injury which pre-
vented him from going on with the
bout. The first decision by the referee
awarded the victory to Stecher, but
this ruling later was reversed, the
same referee deciding that the match
was . draw.
Lewis is now or the scene Of the
com. at which Is to b.. the big SPORT
ing event Of the summer season in the
middle wesk The match is to be
wrestled out Of doors, so Lewis has
established artraining camp at Carter
lake and will prepare himself to make
his bid for the championship by
training in the open air. The Ken
tuckian is an exceptional athlete on
the score of physique.
The Kentuckian has firm faith In
his ability to out-stay Stecher and
pin the latter's shoulders to the pad
4 trick which never has been turned.
Whether or not the confidence OF
Lewis Is well grounded, the fact re-
mains that the Kentuckian believes
in himself; having foi.cd the Nebraska
marvel once, Lewis Is confident he
can do more the next time by up
setting the dope and administering to
Stecher the first tefeat Of the latter's
career.
Promoter Melady mapping out a
program of fancy preliminaries for
the big bout on the Fourth and an
nounces that Owen Daily, a Nebraska
boy who has wrestled his way into
the worlds lightweight champion.
ship, ID to be one Of the prelim per-
formers.