Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1917-04-12
CADDOCK IS THE
new CHAMPION
Many Audubon People Witness the
Wrestling Match at Omaha in
Which Stecher is De-
feated by Iowa Boy.


What promised to be the most stu
pendous sporting event ever perpe-
trated in the midwest was the Joe
Stecher-Ea.l Caddock wrestling
match at the Auditorium in Omaha
Monday night. However, while Earl
Caddock, the Anita wonder, is today
wrestling champion of the world,
there was much dissatisfaction over
the manner in which the title was
won.
This was on account OF near riot
which took place after the men had
been wrestling fifty-five minutes in
the second bout. Stecher took the
first fall by his famous body scissors
and wrist lock in one hour and
twenty-five minutes. The first hour
of this time was occupied by the men
in an uninteresting struggle on their
feet, pushing, hauling and doing
everything but wrestling.
Both men seemed timid and dur
ing this first hour. while Stecher
made several attempts to get hold of
Caddock's legs, he failed in each
instance, and finally on one of Stech-
er's dives for his opponents legs,
high up to his shoulders and throw
ing Joe over backwards.
Stecher arrived on all fours with
Caddock behind. After a few mo-
ments rest Stecher rose TO his feet by
mere bodily strength and whirling,
grabbed Caddock in his arms and
ran backwards with him toward the
western side of the ring through
which Caddock was unintentionally
pushed, falling among the spectators
and striking his head against the
back of one of the chairs. He was
momentarily stunned, but in no wise
out of commission, but when Stech-
er rushed him, threw him TO the mat,
clamped the scissors around his body,
he fought with grave fury. broke
loose and both men were on their
feet within two minutes.
CaddoCk Works Furiously
With the two men again in the
center of the ring it looked like easy
picking for SteCher, who tore into
Caddock furiously and soon had him
on all fours on the canvas. After
much fierce struggling Stecher sue
ceeded in rolling his opponent over
again, clasping the scissors in tran
sit. Caddock was game and fought
heroically and furiously. but all to
no avail, Stecher gradually forced
him PROSTATE on his chest. worked
his way to wrist lock, extending
Caddock's right arm straight from
mis- head, when the fall was an easy
one.
Caddock was the first back after
the usual intermission. Frank Gotch.
his principal esquire, was in his cor
ner and earnestly advising him until
Stecher made his appearance. The
second bout was a repetition OF the
monotonous stuff of the first session,
up to the forty-fifth minute.
At this point Stecher tore into the
Iowan and for a moment or two there
was as beautiful rough and tumble
fight as was ever seen in London
prize ring Finally. in a fierce rally.
they went to the mat. Caddock was
on top. He was unable, however. to
profit by his advantage and in an
other second they were both on their
feet again. but Caddock feeling he
had victory within his grasp. would
not be denied. and tore into Stecher
and in a jiffy they were on the mat
again. with Caddock behind
The men were close under the
north ropes, and Caddock fighting as
if for his very life. first secured a
half Nelson. which was broken again,
with Stecher the under man, strugg-
ling valiantly, but unable TO ward off
the head scissors that Caddock champ
ed upon him. 1t looked like fall,
but that is question that can never
be peremptorially settled.
Fail Is Debated
Thousands adhered one way, and
thousands another. and when the ref.
cree mentioned the men back to the
center of the mat il looked much like
war He said that while Caddock
did put Joe down, il was after he had
been warned to get back on the mat.
consequently the referee refused to
recognize the fall.
After long delay, in which hun
dreds of men took excited part, the
wrestlers were finally brought face
to face again. And again they went
through that same old, tiresome riga
marole. but finally got down to bust
ness. Stecher missed halfhearted
dive at Caddock's legs. but Caddock
was more successful in returning the
effort. and again grabbing Stecher by
the foot, pulled him over on the mat
and was quickly astride of him.
Both men took their time. with
Caddock hugging close to the cham
pion's body and alert for any move
ment. and then suddenly like a flash
out of the clear sky. Caddock worked
the half Nelson. got Stecher over on
his back. and in fierce rally sue
ceeded with reverse Nelson and a
head lock, in gaining fall.
This was the first fall that Stecher
in all his career as a wrestler, ever
lost
There was ten minutes of deafen-
ing uproar. which continued for the
full intermission that the men We're
in their dressing rooms. Caddock was
back in the ring on time. but Stecher,
not showing up, the Caddock adher-
ents clamored for the referees de-
cison on default. Frank Gotch led
the insurgents in their demands.
With the eloquent aid of countless
friends of the youthful lowan. the
referee was quickly induced to decide
the match in Caddock's favor.
Official time, first fall, | hour, 22
minutes; second fall, hour, 40 min
utes; third fall. default at fifteen
minutes.