Lewis Avoids Stecher

Why do wrestlers work matches instead of wrestling competitive contests? The second legitimate contest between Joe Stecher and Ed “Strangler” Lewis at the Omaha, Nebraska Fairgrounds on Tuesday, July 4, 1916, can answer the question definitively. The contest bored the fans to tears as Lewis avoided Stecher for the duration of the match.

Go into the match, fans expected to see the two best wrestlers in the United States battle for the title of the best. Lewis also wanted Stecher’s world title. 18,000 fans filled the Fairgrounds to see the much-anticipated match.

Ed Smith, the Sporting Editor for the Chicago American, and frequent referee for Frank Gotch’s title matches, started the match at 4 p.m. For the next hour, Stecher tried to tie up Lewis’ legs, but Lewis kept stepping away from Stecher. Lewis made no attempt to engage with Stecher.

After an hour of Lewis’ inactivity, Stecher dropped onto all fours and let Lewis get behind him to tempt Lewis into the match. Twice Lewis tried to apply the toehold. As soon as Stecher pulled his leg free, Lewis stood up and backed away. Lewis did not allow Stecher to get behind him for the entire match.

Fans booed Lewis from the end of the first hour on. After three hours, the fans started throwing their seat cushions at Lewis. Despite Lewis being the target, fans accidentally hit both Stecher and referee Ed Smith with the cushions as well.

At the four-hour mark, Smith stopped the match and suggested that they pause the match. Smith suggested restarting the match on Wednesday, July 5^th, 1916, at 10:30 a.m. Stecher agreed but Lewis insisted that he and Stecher wrestle the match to the finish.

As the sun was setting, Smith had selected fans and mat side attendants drive their automobiles to mat side. The car headlights illuminated the mat. Smith restarted the match. By this time, only the diehard fans remained. Most of the crowd left after throwing the seat cushions.

After another hour of inactivity, Smith had enough. Smith tapped both men on the back at 9:05 p.m. after about five hours of wrestling. Smith declared the match a draw. Lewis started to protest but Smith walked off the mat. The match was over.

The newspaper reporters criticized Stecher for not making Lewis pay for his inactivity. However, the reporters excoriated Lewis. The reporters said Lewis clearly did not intend to risk losing to Stecher and avoided the match. The reporters called Lewis a coward and a charlatan for ripping off the fans. The match hurt Lewis’ burgeoning national reputation.

The match also shows why wrestlers worked matches. No matter the skill level of the wrestlers, legitimate contests were often long, boring, and inconclusive.

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Sources: Evening World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska) July 5, 1916, p. 11