New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-17
Title Holder
Is Victorious
In Three Hours
Picks Up Challenger Bodily
and Throws Him for Sud
den Fall With Scissors
By w. O. Mcclellan

By w. O. Mcclellan
Dazsd and reeling himself. after over
three hours OF the most terrific wrest-
Ing ever seen here. Joe Stecher, the
CHAMPION CO the world, picked up
"Straug err Lewis and dropped him to
the mat IN the list Regiment Armory
massive man in inter collapse,
stecher fell upon him, would his mas
sjve legs around his man and pinned
the heavy Lewis with a wristlock.
This all happened after about FIVE
minutes OF wrestling that was more
Ike the last desperate battle of two
wild things. Sensing the end, the
crowd surged towarn the ring. men and
women pressing forward growing. 1t
looked and sounded like the closing in
Of the wolf pack in that dim light and
the smoke haze.
The verdict is that Champion Joe
srecher retained his title after hours
minutes and 80 seconds of wrestling
The verdict of the crowd. experts
and laymen was that it was the most
dramatic meeting of two humans that
thev had ever seen, supreme test OF
human endurance.
Winner Dazsl at Finish
When it was ended Lewis still lay
gasping on the padded floor. Stecher
rose and was Keeling about the ring
with a little stream Of blood trickling
from his nose. He might have col
lapsed. too. but the little bit of
strength that always is left to the vic
tor held him up until they placed a
chair under him.
For three hours the match had been
even. though it was desperately fought.
Twice before Lewis had wrenched him
self loose from the body scissors. the
hold that could not be broken Those
who saw do not yet know how he did
it. There he lay, pinioned like a bear
caught in huge trap that pressed in
his abdomen until he could not breathe.
He paved the air like huge bear, and
suddenly he would wrench himself free
as though by main strength and fury.
Both of them seemed entirely spent
when the closing act of the drama
came, and 1T came with incredible
swiftness. Three times Lewis leapeo
at Stecher, clamping his head with his
arms TIE champion. had been showing
signs OF WEAKNESS and the blood had
been trucking from his nostrils.
The deadlock of the "Strangler"
pressed around his temples like an
iron ring that was being drawn in by
screws. Three times it bore Stecher
20 the mat and three times he twisted
free from It.
Escapes Deadly Scissors
Then Stetcher, springing upon Lewis,
claHped him with the body scissors
hold-not high upon the body where
the ribs are, but where the hold would
press in the diaphragm. The legs
frightened this time deliberately, as the
coils Of python construct and
strangle. For three minutes this hold
he'd as Lewis, grunting with agony,
twisted to get himself free.
And he did wrench free from that
hold. For the third time he had broken
the body scissors hold of the cham
pion-the hold that they said never
could be broken. Not only that, but
he felt that the champion was going
that he was spent and his breathing
labored.
In sight OF victory he sprang three
times at Stecher, who was very weary
now, and three times bore MIN to the
mat. circling his throbbing temples,
with those iron bands. Closer and closer
pressed the crowd, smashing their
seats, for the circling pack expected
for a few brief seconds to witness the
passing OF champion.
Fhen came the finish. Stecher, twist
ing his head free, rose and those mas
sTe lees Of his seemed shaking. Lewis
rose and reeled forward. With the
last effort Stecher raised him and
thrust him back. The champion gath
cred himself unsteadily for the last
spring and made it. The greatest
match ever seen here ended
Eight thousand saw this climax TO
me wrestling season. George Bothner
the veteran referee, declared that it
was one OF the best and cleanest bouts
ne had ever seen. George was a bit
PIT out before it began, because his
omclal white fannels did not arrive
and ne Rad to referee in his "cits."
Lewis Takes Aggressive
The "Strangler" entered the ring
first. locking bit serious and worried
stecher came Immediately after. wear
ing that serene. confident half-smile,
half-sneer. Beside Lewis, the typical
wrestler, the champion looked like a
ciean-limbed young college athlete.
Inc bout started at 9:15. Lewis took
the aggressive and made a dive for
stechsr's knees. Stecher eluded him
cody. On his second attempt Lewis
seized Stecher By the knees and threw
nira 20 the mat. Joe squirmed around
ard rolled the "Strangier" ever. and
fn- second the air was full Of legs
and arms. Stecher deity evaded a
deadlock. Lewis's most deadly hold.
stecner got an armlock, and Lewis des-
peraiely broke it by pushing the heel
o. MIS- palm against Stecher's face.
Again Stecher got the armlock and
brought down Lewis. There was a
RAPID exchange of flying holds that
etatted the crowd TO screaming.
s1ecner was down about thirty sec
onds when Lewis got a bodyhoid.
Inc ~. champion snapped himself free
IKE loosened spring. Suddenly
stecher threw Lewis heavily with an
sr'niock and held him.
stscner began to crush Lewis TO
me mat slowly and deliberately. The
hoase went silent as the massive
,noIaers OF the "strangler' wen. down.
Le|is morked free suddenly and the
1pafrng vas resumed until Lewis
otoqgns Stecher down with a BODY
noid- The champion rested deliber-