Wichita Wrestling Results

*In the Tuesday, January 6, 1920 edition of the Wichita Eagle, promoter Tom Law
announced that he wanted to bring scissors expert Joe Stecher for a match against Paul
Martinson on January 31, which was the final day of the Kansas National Livestock
Exposition. The show could generate the “largest crowd that has ever attended a match
here.” Law’s next promotional effort was planned for January 19, 1920 with Ed “Strangler”
Lewis taking on Tom Draak in a handicap affair. Lewis was originally scheduled to meet
Tom Freberg during the first week of January 1920, but the show had to be cancelled
“because of an inability of Freberg to appear.” The Stecher-Martinson bout had not yet
been finalized.

Wichita, Kansas: Monday, January 19, 1920
(The Forum) … Ed “Strangler” Lewis b. Ivan Linow (headlock) (Linow suffered a strained
neck) … one preliminary match … (promoter: Tom Law) … (referee: Rev. Blakeman)
Notes: The newspaper claimed that “Lewis has never worked in Wichita before and his
initial appearance should attract a record breaking crowd.” The wrestling mat was going
to be in the center of the Arena, “slightly elevated” to allow everyone from the seats to
see the match, according to the Wichita Eagle. Linow reportedly held two wins over
Lewis. Linow first wrestled Lewis at Macon “five years ago,” and Law was in attendance.
Linow was victorious in that bout, taking two-straight falls. They wrestled again in
Lexington a short time later, and Linow was again declared the winner. It was claimed
that Lewis had a falling out with Walls after the second loss, and took up with Billy
Sandow. After that, Sandow made Lewis into one of the best wrestlers around. The
Wichita Eagle on January 16, 1920 stated that Lewis was “now a full-fledged Kansas
stockman with a large mule ranch near Cherryvale.” Linow was coming to Wichita from
New York City. Blakeman was the “Fighting Parson” of the 35th Division. Lewis agreed
to put up $500 to wrestle any wrestler in the world, and there was initial talk of him facing
Pesek or Caddock in the near future.

The Wichita Eagle printed the challenge of George Strausbaugh in its January 30, 1920
edition. Strausbaugh was a 175-pounder from Wakita, Oklahoma, and he was in Wichita
looking for matches having gained a reputation as a good wrestler while in the Navy. He
was managed by Charles Vance.

Wichita, Kansas: Wednesday, February 4, 1920
(The Forum) … World Heavyweight Champion Joe Stecher b. Paul Martinson (2-0) (1:04:
00, 6:30) … Bert Onstad b. Wood (20:00) … (promoter: Tom Law) … (4,000 fans)
Notes: This was Stecher’s first appearance since winning the World Heavyweight Title
from Earl Caddock. Stecher arrived on February 3 with his brother, Tony Stecher.
Stecher reportedly looked “much younger” than his 26 years, and was a “worthy”
successor to Frank Gotch. Results of the show were featured on the front page of the
Wichita Eagle.

Wichita, Kansas: Thursday, February 19, 1920
(The Forum) … Ed “Strangler” Lewis b. John Olin (2:05:00) (body scissors) … Ted Beard
vs. Charles Whitten … (promoter: Tom Law)
Notes: The results of this match were torn from the Wichita Eagle on microfilm. Ticket
prices were $3.00, $2.00 and $1.00. The February 28, 1920 newspaper stated that Olin
was defeated by Lewis, and that Olin blamed it on his slipping on the mat, causing an
ankle injury.

*Marin Plestina, through his “local representative” T.R. Peck, challenged Joe Stecher for
the World Title on March 3, 1920 in Wichita. Promoter Tom Law already had a match for
that date between Stecher and John Olin.

Wichita, Kansas: Wednesday, March 3, 1920
(The Forum) … World Heavyweight Champion Joe Stecher vs. John Olin … one
preliminary match … (promoter: Tom Law) … (referee: Paul Sickner)
Notes: Stecher had an old score to settle with Olin going back to 1917 and their match in
Massachusetts. No results were found in the Wichita Eagle.

Wichita, Kansas: Friday, March 12, 1920
(The Forum) … Wladek Zbyszko b. Paul Martinson … “Swede” Larson vs. Chet Whitten
… (promoter: Tom Law)
Note: This show was originally slated for March 19.

*The Wichita Eagle, on March 20, 1920, stated that Nick DeCourt of the “Pacific Coast”
wrote to the newspaper looking for matches. He wanted to meet Ed “Strangler’ Lewis and
was presently in Houston, Texas.

Wichita, Kansas: Monday, March 29, 1920
(The Forum) … John Pesek vs. Ivan Kasloff … (promoter: Tom Law)
Note: Kasloff reportedly has won all of his matches since coming from Russia.

Wichita, Kansas: April 6, 1920
(The Forum) … World Heavyweight Championship claimant Marin Plestina vs. Charles
Howard (2/3)
Notes: Plestina was being brought to town by Wichita businessmen Fred Noel and T.R.
Peck. Howard was the “Canadian champion.” Initial reports were that Farmer Burns might
be in attendance and may referee the bout.

Research by Tim Hornbaker
October 16, 2010

Wichita Wrestling Results - 1920