Stecher Busts a Trust Buster

February 28, 2022 Ken Zimmerman Jr. Early Professional Wrestling History

Joe Stecher wrestled during a transitional time in American professional wrestling. Prior to 1900, wrestlers engaged primarily in legitimate contests although wrestlers did work matches occasionally. After 1915, all wrestlers worked their matches. Wrestlers wrestled legitimate contests only to settle promotional dispute or to pull off a double-cross.

From 1900 to 1915, wrestlers engaged in a mixture of worked matches and legitimate contests. Stecher started wrestling legitimate contests after his debut in 1912 but by 1918, Stecher worked his matches.

Joe Stecher with his championship belt (Public Domain)

In 1914, Stecher wrestled Marin Plestina, another relative novice who debuted in 1910. Two hundred Stecher fans from Dodge, Nebraska traveled to Lincoln to watch the match.

Tex Rickard, the famous boxing promoter, hired Plestina to be the first trust buster. Rickard challenged Jack Curley’s promotional dominance of professional wrestling in New York City. Curley assigned John “Tigerman” Pesek to wrestle Plestina in a legitimate contest to settle the conflict.

Before he became a trust buster five years later, Plestina traveled to Lincoln to wrestle Stecher on March 26, 1914. Plestina regretted making the trip.

Stecher quickly showed his superiority. Only Plestina’s superior strength allowed him to survive.

Stecher stood a lanky six feet, one inch tall, an inch taller than Plestina. Stecher weighed 205 pounds, while Plestina weighed 220 pounds. Stecher utilized his superior reach to secure the body scissors repeatedly.

Plestina pushed Stecher off two or three times before Stecher secured a body scissors with an arm bar. Stecher forced Plestina’s shoulders to the mat at the 17-minute mark.

The intermission lasted longer than the second fall. After the 10-minute intercession, Stecher needed only three minutes to finish Plestina. Stecher secured another body scissors and arm bar combination to pin Plestina.

Photo of Marin Plestina (Public Domain)

Both men continued training in legitimate wrestling. Even though the profession transitioned into worked exhibitions in the upcoming years, Stecher and Plestina could beat most wrestlers in a legitimate contest. Stecher occupied the top spot amongst legitimate professional wrestlers from this time to around 1917, when Ed “Strangler” Lewis finally defeated Stecher in a legitimate contest. For now, Joe Stecher was the man.

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