Omaha daily bee., 1917-04-11
STECHER TO RETIRE
FOR TIME AT LEAST
Injury to Neck Will Keep Joe
Out of Game for Two or
Three Months.
RETURN MATCH EXPECTED

His defeat at the hands of Earl
Caddock Monday night marked Joe
Stecher's retirement from active par
ticipation in the wrestling game for a
time at least. Stecher has called off
all matches ahead and will forget
wrestling for a time.
The Dodge lads neck was pretty
severely injured in the joust with the
Iowan and it will probably be two or
.hree months before it will become
sufficiently strong to justify attempt
ing a strenuous match.
Stecher was scheduled to meet Ma
rim Plestina, the big Omaha wrestler,
here on April 27. That bout was
called off yesterday. PIestina was
willing to go through with it, but
Stecher said it could not be done.
Plestina now wants to meet Cad
dock on that date. Pete Loeb, Pies
tina's manager, offers to give Cad
dock guarantee of $l,500 when the
articles are signed and says any kind
of a division of the gate is satisfac-
tory to him. He also offers Caddock
a side bet if he wants it.
Taylor Also Loses Out.
Stecher also had a date in Kansas
City this month and Jack Taylor
wanted a match in Lincoln this
spring, but Taylor, like Plestina, loses
out with the Dodge lads defeat.
The big match was the ever pres
ent topic of conversation in Omaha
yesterday. Stecher's failure to ap-
pear was the feature of all the after.
math chatter and many conjectures
as to the reason were made.
Caddock returned to his home in
Iowa yesterday afternoon. He in.
tends to take short rest before de-
tending his title.
The new champion declares that he
will be ready to defend his title
against all comers. He also says he
stands willing to give Stecher a re-
turn match. Stecher also said yes
terday that he was ready to meet
Caddock any time, so it is probable
that an effort will be made to get the
two men together again.
Dispute Arises.
A dispute has arisen between Joe
Stecher and Joe Hetmanek as tc
whether Stecher refused to go on tol
the third fall or not.
Hetmanek declares he was called tc
Stecher's dressing room. At the door
he met Anton Stecher. vino, he says
told him Stecher would not continue
and that nobody could make him con
tinue. Then | hurried to the referee
and told him Joe would not continue
the match" said Hetmanek.
Stecher insists he did not say he
would not continue, but that he was
waiting for word from Melady or the
referee that the rest period was up
Il should have been notified" he said
but nobody did so. | was ready tc
go back"
Stecher admits, however, Caddocl
won the match fair and square.
"Caddock was the winner" he said
The referee awarded him the mattel
and the referees word goes. | had {
bad cold and also had running
ear. am not offering this as an alb
ior my defeat, but just as statemen
of the facts. Caddock was the winner
and ! haven't any excuses to make.
Found Stecher Easy.
Earl Caddock says: 81 founc
Stecher even easier than | expected
though he put up game fight. If
hadn't been dazed by striking my
head he never would have gotter
even one fall. l am going home tc
Anita this afternoon and take a rest
but l expect to be ready for mor'
matches very soon and will defent
the title against all comers."
Frank Gotch, retired worlds cham
pion, who was in Caddock's corner
said: 81 was greatly pleased to Sc,
Caddock win and make another cham
pion for Iowa. Caddock proved him
self the better man and deserved t.
win. | was disappointed a little il
Stecher. As good wrestler as he il
should have more consideration TO
his patrons. hope that | neve
wrestled match as Stecher did las