Two Shooters Work a Match
On Tuesday, December 12, 1916, local favorite, John “The Nebraska Tigerman” Pesek wrestled fellow shooter, Al “Dutch” Mantell, in a worked match. Pesek recently trained with fellow Nebraska wrestler and recognized World Champion Joe Stecher prior to this match.
Pesek developed a notorious reputation for shooting with other wrestlers. However, Pesek was a 22-year-old up-and-comer still learning to wrestle, when he wrestled Mantell, a 35-year-old veteran. “Dutch” Mantell trained many future shooters such as Roy Welch.
Photo of John Pesek from the Public Domain
While Pesek proved a handful for most wrestlers later in his career, Pesek was on his best behavior for Mantell. Instead of a contest, the men worked a match for the fans in Shelton, Nebraska.
Mantell employed a “new” wrestling style by leaping from one side of the ring to another. Pesek did not respond to these unorthodox tactics and waited for his opportunity.
Pesek, who weighed two hundred five pounds for the match, outweighed Mantell by only eight pounds. However, Pesek appeared much stronger. When Mantell got close, Pesek took him to the ground.
Mantell tried to escape but Pesek applied leg scissors to Mantell’s waist. After struggling for several minutes, Pesek pinned Mantell at fifteen minutes, twenty-five seconds for the first fall.
The men rested the customary fifteen minutes before returning for the second fall. Pesek looked fresh. Mantell looked discouraged.
The second fall was a repeat of the first fall with Pesek catching Mantell, putting Mantell in the leg scissors around Mantell’s midsection and forcing Mantell to submit at eight minutes, seventeen seconds. Pesek won the match in two straight falls.
Pesek told reporters he still felt fresh. To prove his words, Pesek wrestled an exhibition with his brother Charley after the match with Mantell.
Mantell did his job by helping to build Pesek’s reputation for future matches and help draw bigger crowds. Mantell put Pesek over in two straight falls even though Mantell could beat Pesek in a shoot at the time.
Photo of the Original Dutch Mantell (Public Domain)
In the late 1910s, wrestlers worried more about making money than proving who was the best shooter. Wrestlers competed in contests behind closed doors in training matches with rare exceptions from this point forward.
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Source: The Grand Island Daily Independent (Grand Island, Nebraska), December 13, 1916, p. 2
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