St. Louis Wrestling Results

St. Louis, Missouri: February 10, 1926
(The Coliseum) … World Heavyweight Champion Joe Stecher b. Jim Londos (2/3)
(Stecher won the first fall in 33:10, Londos won the second in 1:56:00, Stecher won the
third in 9:00) … Dick Daviscourt and Renato Gardini drew (43:00) … Stanislaus Zbyszko
b. Jack Brissler … Ray Steele b. Jack Roberts … (promoter: Tom Packs) … (referee:
George Tragos) … (12,000+ fans)
Notes: Joe Coffey of Chicago bid on this match. Londos trained at the Arcade
Gymnasium in Chicago before traveling in St. Louis. He worked out with Jim Mazzan,
Paul Martinson and others. One of Londos' main moves was the Oriental wristlock. Upon
appearing in St. Louis, he trained at the Red Ball Gymnasium. He claimed to be 29 years
old. On February 7, 1,500 fans were turned away from the gym to see Stecher work out
at the Red Ball Gym. His training partners were George Tragos, Joe Sanderson, and
Ray Pope. In the St. Louis Daily Globe (2/9/1926), Stecher's first pro match was
remembered, and it was reportedly against Warren Miller and Stecher received $12.
This is a different story of his first match in Iowa against Earl Caddock - where he was
also paid - and was his *real* pro debut. Stecher was said to have more than 500
wrestling victories and that even Frank Gotch couldn't "boast a list of conquests as
impressive as that which has carried Stecher to his present position." George McLeod
was from Duluth, MN. John J. Sheridan wrote a large piece on the match in the Globe.
Steele was billed as "Roy Steele of Seattle," and he was a protege of Lloyd Carter.

St. Louis, Missouri: March 17, 1926
( ) … World Heavyweight Champion Joe Stecher b. Ivan Lindow (Lindow was unable to
continue)

*On March 26, 1926, Tom Packs went to Omaha for a conference with the Stecher
Brothers. Among the others in attendance were Jack Curley of New York, Joe Coffey of
Chicago, Lou Daro of Los Angeles, Tom Law of Wichita, Gene Melady of Omaha, and
Ray Fabiani of Philadelphia. Packs was bidding on a Stecher-Pesek match for St. Louis.
According to researcher Steve Yohe, “seems every major promoter, except Paul Bowser
of Boston recognized Stecher as world champion over Ed Lewis.”

*The April 17, 1926 edition of the St. Louis Daily Globe Democrat stated that: “During
the time Ed “Strangler” Lewis held the title, Pesek was known as his “policeman” or
guardian. It was Pesek’s duty to protect the champion by disposing of dangerous
challengers who threatened to make trouble for Lewis. Stecher was the only contender
who was denied a match with either Lewis or Pesek while the Sandow-Bauman interests,
familiarly known as the “wrestling trust,” dominated the game.”

*Promoter Tom Packs offered World Heavyweight Champion Joe Stecher $30,000 to
defend his championship against John Pesek at the New Coliseum in St. Louis on April
29, 1926. Pesek was going to get 10% of the gate.

*In preparation for the big match against John Pesek, Stecher trained with Lloyd Carter,
Frank Nelson and his brother Tony at the Red Ball Gymnasium.

*John Pesek trained with Joe Zigmund and his cousin Joe Dus at the Red Ball
Gymnasium. He also made a point that he dropped Max Baumann as his manager
months prior.

St. Louis, Missouri: Thursday, April 29, 1926
(New Coliseum) … World Heavyweight Champion Joe Stecher b. John Pesek (2/3) (Pesek
won the first fall in 3-hours, Stecher won the second in 33-minutes and then won the third
fall by forfeit in 40:35) (4-hours, 13-minutes) (wrestling time) (from beginning to end, the
match lasted 5-hours) (referee: Harry S. Sharpe) (Pesek suffered a “slight” concussion
in the match) … Jim Londos b. Andre Castanos (25:31) … Roy Steele b. Dick Daviscourt
(21:56) … Joe Zigmund b. Jim Browning (23:57) … (promoter: Tom Packs) … (referees:
Harry S. Sharpe, John C. Meyers, Harry Cook, George Tragos) … (ringside: Jack Curley,
Ed Lewis (billed as the ex-champion), Joe Coffey, Al Haft, Eddie Holmes (Omaha), Frank
Schuler (San Francisco), Cy Mitchell (Little Rock), Lee McPherson, and Ray Fabiani. St.
Louis Major, Judges, and Police chief were also present) … (7,500-8,000 fans) … (gate:
$28,000)
Notes: Pesek’s injury, a “slight concussion,” was not considered serious. He was staying
at the Maryland Hotel. Joe Stecher was accompanied by his brother, Tony Stecher. Dr.
H.G. Dallas of Jefferson City attended to Pesek after the bout. Roy Steele was a protégé
of Lloyd Carter. There were “plenty of vacant spaces” in the coliseum. The newspaper
stated that “evidently the increase in prices to a maximum of $11 deterred many fans.”
The St. Louis Post Dispatch stated that: “The receipts were hardly sufficient to pay the
sum which it was declared Stecher had been guaranteed - $30,000.” Referee Sharpe,
after the match, stated that Stecher won by wearing Pesek down, using defensive
maneuvering.

*Stecher was arrested following the match, pending an examination of Pesek, but was
released.

*Promoter Tom Packs lost money on the title match between Joe Stecher and John
Pesek. Stecher had been guaranteed $30,000 for the match.

Research by Tim Hornbaker

St. Louis Wrestling Results - 1926