First Caddock-Stecher Match

I took a second look at this match after listening to the Shut Up and Wrestle podcast interview with Mike Chapman, one of the foremost experts on Frank Gotch. Mike Chapman put forth a convincing argument for his belief that both Earl Caddock vs. Joe Stecher world title matches were “shoots” or legitimate contests.

After reviewing the accounts of the first match, Caddock wrestled Stecher in a legitimate contest in Omaha, Nebraska on April 9, 1917, at the Auditorium. The match did not end without controversy.

Caddock and Stecher pushed each other around for the first hour, where they never left their feet in a boring stalemate. While wrestlers drew matches out to maximize bets on the outcome, the wrestlers did not bore the spectators to death while doing so.

Caddock broke the stalemate with a single leg takedown that dumped Stecher to the mat. Stecher prevented any offense from Caddock, stood up two minutes later, and broke Caddock’s grip around his waist. Stecher tried a takedown of his own but both men tumbled from the ring.

After the men reentered the ring, Stecher took Caddock down with the leg scissors. Stecher combined the leg scissors with a straight armlock for the first fall in one hour, twenty-two minutes.

After the intermission, the wrestlers continued to wrestle defensively for the first forty-five minutes of the second fall. Fans booed the lack of activity.

Finally, Caddock secured another single leg takedown dumping Stecher to the mat. As both men laid close to the ropes, Caddock secured a head scissors and appeared to win the second fall. However, the referee said both wrestlers were too close to the ropes. The referee ordered a break before Caddock secured the head scissors.

The referee’s refusal to recognize the fall had the fans near rioting. Omaha Police surrounded the ring to allow the match to continue.

After a long delay, Caddock and Stecher returned to inactive, defensive wrestling. Finally, after another hour, Caddock executed another single leg takedown. Before Stecher could stand back up, Caddock secured a reverse nelson to turn Stecher to mat for the second fall at one hour, forty minutes. No one in the arena could remember the last time Stecher lost a fall.

The match ended controversially when the referee disqualified Stecher to start the third fall. Caddock returned to the ring at the end of the fifteen-minute intermission. Stecher remained in the locker room and asked for more time.

The referee decided to disqualify Stecher for not reporting to the ring in a reasonable time. Since Nebraska did not have guidelines about how long the intermission should be, newspaper reporters and fans saw the decision as controversial.

Stecher took exception to the referee’s action but did not complain about Caddock being champion. Stecher said, “I have but few excuses and no complaints. I was honestly defeated in so far as the fall I lost is concerned.” Stecher did not like the referee’s decision and complained that no notified him to return to the ring. However, Stecher said he had an injured ear and chest cold, which slowed his return to the ring. Stecher said Caddock was a worthy champion to replace him.

I have changed my mind and believe this match is a legitimate contest. However, it would be  one of the last for the world title.

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Sources: Evening World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska), April 10, 1917, p. 10

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