Omaha daily bee., 1918-05-12
BIG MATCH OFF.

Earl Caddock, recognized IN most
quarters as the wrestling champion oi
the world, and Joe Stecher, former
champion, will not meet in Omaha,
July 4.
That is the knockout blow. Sew
eral minor developments center around
this bout.
Must Beat libby.
all, apparently, was lovely until las,
Wednesday night when Earl Caddock
won a decision over Wladek Zbyszkc
in Chicago. The match went two
hours without a fall, but Earl was
given the shade on points.
Until that time it was universally
believed Caddock- -Stecher match for
July 4 was practically made. The
prevailing opinion was that selection
OF a scene was the only remaining
step in the completion Of the plans
Omaha fans believed Omaha would be
the scene.
Then the bomb exploded.
Stecher, it apepars, went to Chicago
to see the Caddock-Z -Zbyszko match
and also to see Melady. But the trip
was profitless. Stechcr returned. to
Omaha. Here he called Melady over
the telephone. And the best of plays
began to 60 astray,as the old adage
says.
Melady Demurs. u
Stecher wanted to sign articles for
the July match right away. But
Melady wouldn't sign. More than that,
Stecher found Melady wasn't so keen
for the match. He suggested that il
would be good idea for Stcchcr tc
beat Zbyszko first. Melady argued
that Caddock had twice earned de.
cisions over libby, once in Dcs
Moincs and once in Chicago. Stechei
and libby wrestled draw in New
York.
ut seems to me-" Melady tcld Joe,
that it would be advisable il you first
cleared your record with Zbyszko. He
wrestled you to draw, Caddock beat
him twice. You go beat him."
Lewis Enters Scene.
So there the matter stood---fof 4 few
minutes. Then Promoter Jack Levi.
appeared on the scene
Lewis came to bat with an Offer
for match between Stecher and
John Pesek, Nebraska's newest wrest.
ling sensation, in Omaha July 4. Mart
Slattery, Pesek's manager. happened
to be in Omaha and he accepted the
offer in behalf of Pesek. Stechcr
said he was willing although, Of
course, he preferred to wrestlc Cad
dock. He said, however, he did not
believe it would be possible to wrestlc
Zbyszko between now and July 4, so
that if Melady insisted that he de-
feat libby before he would be given
match with Caddock, he probably
would accept the Lewis offer.
So, as matters now stand, a Stecher-
Pesek match is Omaha's Indepcnd-
ence prospect instead Of Stccher-
Caddock match.
Plans Double Bill.
Lewis also proposes the July 4
bill be made doubie-header with a
match between Clarence Eklund and
Tony Stecher for the light heavy
weight championship OF the world,
to share headline honors with the
,Stecher-Pesck duel. He has made a
flattering offer to Eklund and Tony
and it probably will lie accepted if
the big match goes through.
To pave the way for the Stecher-
Pesek match, Lewis has made another
switch in his plans. 1t was originally
planned that Pesek and Charlie Pc
ters wrestle here June 4. This match
has been called off for the time be-
ing and John Olin. the big Finn who
holds a decision over Joe Stecher,
substituted for Peters. Lewis wired
Olin yesterday. Pesek has agreed to
wrestle Olin here. If Olin agrees
and it is presumed he will-the match
will be staged here June 4.
To Acquaint Fans.
The idea of the Pesek- Olin match
is to acquaint the Omaha mat fans
with Pesek. Olin is one of the tough-
est birds in the game. He got de-
cision over Stecher and he ranks
right along with Zybszko and Lewis
He is 220-pound brute, as strong as
an OK and a pretty good wrestler. II
Pesek can defeat him decisively Oma-
ha mat fans know he is a fit oppo-
nent for Stecher.
The whole thing as it stands now
is something of a muddle. No def
mite agreements have been entered
into, but developments of the next
few days are expectd to tell the tale
SO the dope sheet reads that Omaha
will know just what the July 4 pro-
gram for this city will be by the end
of this week at least.