On April 10, 1917, Plestina's manager Pete Loch challenged new heavyweight titleholder
Earl Caddock or Joe Stecher on his behalf.  Since Caddock was the champ, Plestina
preferred to meet him at the earliest possible date.


In the Wednesday, January 21, 1920 edition of the Wichita Eagle, Billy Sandow refuted
the championship claims of Marin Plestina, saying that he "has not defeated a
top-notcher for two years.  And he has been beaten by several average wrestlers.  He
claims that the Big Four won't meet him but he has refused steadily to wrestle men that
have been easy for Lewis and Stecher.  His reputation on the mat and elsewhere isn't
anything to be proud about."

Plestina was claiming the World Heavyweight Title, according to the March 4, 1920
edition of the Wichita Eagle, and offered up a $25,000 forfeit "to prove good faith in his
claim that" he was the best wrestler in the sport.  His manager J.C. Marsh wanted to pit
Plestina against Karnloff, Martinson, and Linow, and said that Plestina could beat of them
two fall each in 90-minutes.  The offer, with a $500 forfeit, was made to promoter Tom
Law in Wichita.

The claim of Plestina is an overlooked historical fact, and most wrestling fans have little to
no knowledge of Plestina's wrestling past.  Interestingly, as noted in the Tuesday, March
16, 1920 edition of the Wichita Eagle, a legendary wrestling figure also backed Plestina
as the World Heavyweight champion - over and above Stecher.  On Monday, Farmer
Burns appeared in Wichita on his way to Omaha, where he lived, and backed Plestina as
the "real champion wrestler of the world." Plestina was trained by Burns and the former
was a veteran of 3,000 matches.  Plestina was said to have been a rival of Frank Gotch,
and the traveled all "over the country giving exhibitions."

Burns claimed that Zbyszko, Caddock, Lewis, and Stecher (The "Big Four") wouldn't last
long against Plestina.









Research by Tim Hornbaker
Marin Plestina Wrestling History
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