New York City Wrestling Results

Manhattan, New York: Monday, January 5, 1920
(Madison Square Garden) … Jim Londos b. William Demetral to capture the Greek
Heavyweight Title (1:49:30) (after the match, Londos challenged Joe Stecher) … Ivan
Linow b. Sulo Hevonpaa (49:50) … Wladek Zbyszko b. George Strambol (7:18) …
(referee: George Bothner) … (announcer: Joe Humphries)

*On Friday, January 23, 1920, Jack Curley had lunch at the Hotel Claridge with World
Champion (claimant) Earl Caddock and his manager Gene Melady. Caddock also
trained near Curley’s home in Great Neck, Long Island. Stecher was a 6-5 favorite going
into the match.

Manhattan, New York: Friday, January 30, 1920
(Madison Square Garden) … Joe Stecher b. Earl Caddock to unify his claim to the World
Heavyweight Title the latter’s to become the undisputed championship (2:05:30) (Stecher
was accompanied by Tony Stecher) (Caddock was accompanied by Gene Melady) …
(promoter: Jack Curley) … (referee: George Bothner) … (in attendance: Joe Coffey, Ed
Smith, James Barnes) … (10,000 fans) … (gate: $75-80,000+)
Note: There were seven motion picture cameras filming the wrestling match. The bout
was attended by judges, Wall Street workers, and representatives of New York’s upper
class. Promoter Jack Curley brought out his entire stable of wrestlers prior to the match.
The amount of money earned by the two featured wrestlers has differed according to
reports. Caddock was said to have made anywhere between $15-20,000 and Stecher
made around $25,000. Because of the purse, promoter Curley raised ticket prices, and
seats were from $5 to $20. Initial predications put the gate at over $100,000. The match
began at 9:13 p.m. This was said to have been the largest gate in wrestling history,
reportedly topping Gotch-Hackenschmidt.

Manhattan, New York: Friday, February 20, 1920
(71st Regiment Armory) ... World Heavyweight Champion Joe Stecher b. Jim Londos (2:
13:34) ... Salvador Chevalier b. Jack Dawson (3:21) ... (promoter: Jack Curley) ...
(referee: George Bothner) ... (sellout crowd)
Notes: According to the New York Times (2/21/20), Londos "gave Stecher the hardest
battle of his career," and he "came out of the battle a popular hero." After the match, the
"crowd forgot the champion and cheered Londos to the echo for his great battle." "No
grappler has ever given Stecher such a tough argument as the sturdy Greek. With a
little more weight on his side, he might have taken the title." Thousands were left outside,
unable to buy tickets. Stanislaus Zbyszko was introduced from the ring. Londos was
able to break out of Stecher's famed scissors hold, giving the crowd something to cheer.
Chevalier was making his American wrestling debut. He was from France. Dawson was
from Kansas City. Chevalier reportedly was victorious at the AEF tournament in Paris.
He had been awarded the Croix de Guerre. It was said that Londos "jumped into fame
when he won the Greek crown from William Demetral after a terrific match."

Manhattan, New York: Tuesday, March 2, 1920
(Madison Square Garden) … Earl Caddock b. Salvatore Chevalier (58:11) … Ed
“Strangler” Lewis b. Jim Londos (2:04:43) … Demetrius Tofalos b. Alex Jarvis (14:05) …
Raymond Cazeaux and Ivan Linow drew (15:00) … (promoter: Jack Curley) … (referee:
George Bothner) … (capacity crowd)

Manhattan, New York: Monday, March 15, 1920
(Madison Square Garden) … Ed “Strangler” Lewis b. Earl Caddock (1:35:45) (Lewis
earned a future match with World Champion Joe Stecher) (Caddock suffered a splintered
collar bone in his right shoulder) … Jim Londos b. Salvatore Chevalier (36:22) …
Orlando Lupo b. Raymond Cazeaux (4:40) … (promoter: Jack Curley) … (referee:
George Bothner) … (11,000 fans)

Brooklyn, New York: Thursday, April 1, 1920
(Prospect Hall) … John Freiburg and Stanislaus Zbyszko wrestled to a no contest when
the former was unable to continue (Zbyszko refused the victory) (1:19:14) (Freiburg was
not seriously injured in the match) … (promoted by: Viking Sporting Club)

Brooklyn, New York: Friday, April 9, 1920
(47th Regiment Armory) … World Heavyweight Champion Joe Stecher b. Fred Pilakoff
(22:04) … Jim Londos b. Jack Sampson (54:57) (Sampson was a substitute for John
Grandovich) … (referee: Mike O’Dowd (Middleweight Boxing Champion)) … (4,000 fans)

Manhattan, New York: Friday, April 16, 1920
(71st Regiment Armory) … World Heavyweight Champion Joe Stecher b. Ed “Strangler”
Lewis (3:04:15) … (promoter: Jack Curley) … (referee: George Bothner) … (capacity
crowd)

Bronx, New York: Saturday, April 24, 1920
(2nd Field Artillery Armory) … World Heavyweight Champion Joe Stecher vs. Ivan Linow
… Harry Bruce vs. Young Hackenschmidt … Cyclone Ress vs. Mike Mattlick … Will
Bingham vs. Peterson … (promoted by: Bronx Catholic Club)

Manhattan, New York: November 22, 1920
( ) … Ed “Strangler” Lewis b. Wladek Zbyszko (1:25:00) … World Heavyweight Champion
Joe Stecher b. Leon O’Donnell (11:40)

Manhattan, New York: Monday, December 13, 1920
(71st Regiment Armory) … Ed “Strangler” Lewis b. Joe Stecher to capture the World
Heavyweight Title (1:41:56) (Lewis was accompanied by Billy Sandow) … Charles
Carnieo and Tom Draak drew (15:00) … Nat Pendleton b. Frank Yesko (9:53) (Pendleton’
s professional debut) … John Olin b. Raymond Cazeaux (8:53) … (promoter: Jack
Curley) … (referee: George Bothner) … (8,000+ fans)

Research by Tim Hornbaker
February 22, 2011

New York City Wrestling Results - 1920