New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-25
Hundreds i'm 42d Street
Watch NebraSkan Per-
form on Mat.
LEGS THE STRONGEST
OF HIS WEAPONS
Joe Opens and Closes Them Like
Giant Shears and with
Deadly Effect.
By FRED HAWTHORNE.

% many WoUutIlui tioIIts HhFt h'tN
told about Joe stecher. the Nebraska
farmer boy, who IS 20 meet WlaGek
Zbyszko In a finish match at Madison
Square Garden on Thursday night, that
We were beginning to doubt that any
such person existed In tho flesh. Even
the eloquent and persuasive Jack
Curley and Harry Pollok. who are pro-
noting the match and who dropped
into The Tribune Office the other night
still further to impress US as to Joe's
capabilities. left Us in doubtful frame
OF mind
Blu, It's all true Stecher appeared
In the flesh yesterday afternoon at
George Bothner's gymnasium. on West
Forty-second Street. FOR q workout"
with his brother, Anton.
We have seen the Masked Marvel"
at the Manhattan Opera House, Hobey
Baker on the ice at the st. Nicholas
Rink, and Jem Driscoll, when the little
Englishman was al his fastest in this
country, but we have never seen any
thing faster than Joe Stecher on the
wrestling mat
Most wrestlers do the greater part
of their effective work with their arms
and hands, using their legs only in
cidentally. From what was seen OF
the Nebraskan yesterday he would be
almost as dangerous with his arms
tied behind his back as when they
SWINE free ct his sides.
Stecher has marvellous control Of
his legs. They are his chief weapons
of offence and defence when IN a
match. lie reminds the onlooker of
nothing so much as japanese Jug er
who losses barrels and men about on
his feet Where you would expect him
20 use his arms IN securing holds on
an opponent. Stecher does the trick
with his long, sinuous legs, aad his
neither limbs possess more strength
than the arms Of any living man.
The flying mare fail holds no
terrors for the young Ncbraskan. jesse
Westegarde once thought he had Joe
going with such hold, but as Stecher
wen flying over Westergarde's
shoulder. he suddenly opened AMI
closed his legs, like a pair OF giant
shears and closed them about Jesse's
body. That was the end for Weste-
garde and in few minutes he was
pinned TO the mat.
Anton, who is bit Of a wrestler
himself went at Joe hercely. but
brother" skipped out OF harms way
with wonderful speed lie showed the
crowd gathered about the mat just how
he WORRIED with his deadly body scls-
sors. and although he only put on the
second speed" yesterday, even novice
could see the tremendous power he was
capable Of exerting when necessity
arose.
As we watched the slender Nebraska
boy tossing his brother about on the
mat Jack Curley poured a steady
stream Of information into our ear.
Joe gets 'em all with that body
scissors, and he'll get Zbyszko on
Thursday night, just as sure as ! IT.
talking 10 you said Curley. GU u
notice that he takes hold WIN ms
leg, up around his mans chest, Just
under the arms lie used 20 get EN-
around the waist, but doctor eN-
plained 20 him once how much more
furnishing the hold would be with the
legs around the lungs, and Joe mas
done IL that way ever since.
The expression on AntOn's face az
that moment amply bore out all that
Curley was saving Stecher rs very
debberate about his work, once he has
secured his scissors hold. Little by
little he adds 20 the pres ure' turning
his victim over every few moments ID
see what effect 10 Is having some
times he uses wrist lock 10 connec-
ton with the scissors, or shoEes tne
palm of his hand under his opponents
chin. adding to the latters dlscom-
future.
4 crowd Of several hundred person,
stood on the sidewalk in Forty second
Street, looking through the plate glass
show windows, at the Stecher boys on
the mat. Il was like watching
pvthon slowly crushing Its prey 10
death in its folds, and everybody
seemed fascinated.
After half an hour Of foollng about
demonstrating his different holds, Joe
slapped Anton playfully Oh the back
and skipped off the mat and back TO
the dressing room, where he received
"A massage and rundown. Again II
was Curley's voice that spoke:
DO YOU know how it was that Joe
took I'd the 'rasseling' game profes-
sionanv? When the boy was only
seventeen years old, mind you. one Oh
the greatest 'rasslers' IN TINS country
III don't want 10 mention his name
lust now, but ri tell YOU later },
landed I'm Dodge City. Neb. and Of
fered 10 meet any five wrestlers IN the
town, one after the other, and throw
them all within an hour.
Joe had only 'rasselled' with has
brother. but he went on with this guy
and made him look foolish for seven
teen minutes. The fellow finally got
sore and whispered in Joe's ear: See
here. daddy, you've done good. but I've
only been fooling with you. and n you
don't turn over now I'm goin' to
break your arm.
Joe was only "A kid and didn't know
no better. so he Topped. and that ended
the match, but We could never get
that guy 10 meet Joe again, although
all kinds Of terms were offered 10
him"
Stecher il anything but the profess
sional wrestler In appearance when on
the mat and In his street clothes.
Above SIX feet In height and OF slender
phvsidue, he might be taken for a
drummer on the road. His arms and
chest are far from bulky, and even ms
powerful legs have not the bulging
proportons Of Zbyszko or stranger"
Lewis, but the power lies beneath the
smooth exterior and il will be seen IN
action on Thursday night.
Pirates Are Great Actors.
The Pirates at present have more