New-York tribune., 1920-02-21
Catcher With Yankees for 1920
Stecher Downs
Little LondOs
I'm Two Hours
Wrestling Champion Scores
Victory in 2:13:35 With
a Simple Wrist Lock
By w. O. Mcclellan

Joe Stecher, champion wrestler OF
the world, threw jim Londos, champion
of Greece, at the list Regiment Armory
last night after 2 hours 13 minutes
and 35 seconds of rough and hard
wrestling. The Greek. who has 60
rilla build, gave Stccher the hardest
battle he has had in his career. The
struggle ended with Stecher's nose
bleeding from tho humping it had re-
ceived. The Greek was pinned to the
mat by single wristlock.
Three times Londos was in the coils
of the scissors hold, and three times
he broke it by main force. The long
struggle told on him, and when Stecher
got the final wristlock the Greek, after
bridging vainly twice, was crushed
under Stccher's weight.
About 5000 persons saw the bout,
1000 Of whom seemed to be Greeks,
Judging from the shouts that rose
when the Greek champion secured an
world. Once it looked very bright for
Greece. About 1000 were turned away
when the Fire Department ordered the
gates closed.
Stecher had the pudgy Greek on
the floor after seven minutes, but Lon
dos, lifting himself from a squatting
position, hurled Stecher aside The
Greeks in the gallery cheercd. The
gents from the land where burning
Sappho used to warhie became noisy
again when Londos almost got a toe
hold.
Greek Becomes Rough
The Greek had Stecher on the mat
for few seconds, but the champion
Wri tad f>oo 1ittIo lotor C+orb or.
was tossed again and the classic Greek
cheer of "Attaboy" once more re-
sounded through the arena. The Greek
then annoyed Stecher with a rough
head hold.
The industrious Greek again tossed
Stecher by use Of the intricate "grape-
vine" hold. Then he bounced the
American against the floor by applying
plenty Of leverage to leg hold.
Greek hoorcd him with q crotch no d.
Once more the farmer boy" sat down
abruptly as the Greek yankcd him by
bot', knees.
Stcchcr had the Greek on the mat
for Il lew seconds as bo.h furtively 1elt
for toe hold, but the Greek wriggled
out. The bout was halted here when
Joe Humphrics tried to introduce
Stanislaus Zbyszko, but the crowd re-
sented the innovation and became so
noisy that the introduction was in
definitely postponed.
Stecher then foored the Greek for q
brief session. but Londos avoided being
gripped by the scissors. The American
then forced the Greek down with an
armlock Escaping from another arm
hold, the Greek threw Stecher over his
head. The bout got faster here.
I.0ndos on Offensive
Again on the floor the Greek cured
up like little hedgehog to avoid the
clamp of the scissors. Just when j.
seemed that ne was trapped the Gree.
heaved upward and broke the hold.
The Greek then held head lock for
twenty seconds. There was plenty Of
action at this stage.
Stecher got head hold on the Greek
and held it for a minute and forty-tive
seconds, until it seemed that tho
Greeks shoulders would iatten against
the mat. Just as it was about all over
Londog wrenched himself free
Londos Iad Stecher on the mat feel
ing for holds till Stecher, who seemed
bit bored, hurled him aside The
Greek BEGAN to Aow signs of peevish-
ness at the easy fashion in which
Stecher evaded the holds. Londos made
q flying leap and seized head hold
which Stecher broke easily, causing the
Greek to shake his head in Discourage
nent.
Slaves OF Defeat
The Greek again doubled up and
escaped the scissors hold just as he
seemed trapped. Again the hold seemed
to have and again ne wriggled free.
Then the scissors clampcd on the
Greeks chest, and 81 death battle began.
Like little gorilla in the coils of q
python the stocky Greek gasped and
fought. The coils held for FIVE min
utes, until it seemed that all of the
Greeks ribs would be crushed. Then
the coils slipped upward, and the gasp
ing Greek sprang free.
For tense moment OR two, near the
two-hour mark, it looked as though
there might be Greek champion. Lon
dos got a head scissors hold and had
Stecher on the defensive. The Ameri-
can finally wrenched free and got the
scissors and wrist leck hold that fin
ished Caddock. For nearly seven min
utes the coils held again, but the
stocky Greek fought his way free again,
only to succumb few minutes later.
In prelimary Salvatore Chevalier.
champion Of France, threw Jack Daw-
son with a half nelson and armlock in
3 minutes and 80 second Sailor Will
lard won from Young Muldoon on a
foul. Mudoon was nrussy. Demtmus
Tofalos threw Otto Samson with a fiy-