In the early 1920's, Ed "Strangler" Lewis was the dominant force in professional wrestling. Along with athletic superstars like Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, and Red Grange, Lewis' exploits were front-page headlines in the sports section of the major newspapers. Lewis, along with his partner/manager Billy Sandow, maintained a powerful headlock on the heavyweight wrestling crown. Along with their associates, they were cleaning up at the box office. They kept "Tigerman" John Pesek on call as a "policeman" to ward off unwanted challengers and the so-called "trustbusters." The trustbusters were maverick grapplers who refused to "play ball" with the promotional alliances and wanted to wrestle on their merits.
The most ballyhooed trustbuster was big Marin Plestina, the "Tarzan of the Mat." Plestina was a Farmer Burns/Frank Gotch protege who relentlessly demanded a shot at the heavyweight title. The sportswriters took up Plestina's crusade. Bernarr MacFadden, the famous physical culture guru, backed Plestina's claim with $50,000. Plestina was told that if he could get through Pesek, he'd get a championship match. Strangler Lewis could hold his own with anyone, but in those "wild and wooly" days, anything was possible, and Billy Sandow was extremely cautious. Double-crosses, gambling coupes, and the use of ringers and paid-off referees were common occurrences.
John Pesek had justifiably earned his "Tigerman" monker. He was ferocious, fast, agile, powerful, and a master "submission-style" wrestler. The deadliest weapons in his arsenal were the double-wristlock and the toehold, both bonebreakers. Pesek also had a reputation for slamming opponents so hard onto the mat that they were knocked out cold. His prime fighting weight, 185-pounds, was light for the heavyweight division, but it never affected his prowess.
Pesek and Plestina locked horns on November 14, 1921 at Madison Square Garden. The Tigerman's fury was unleashed upon Plestina to such an extent that the referee disqualified him after repeated warnings. Plestina, a bulky defensive grappler, stalled throughout the bout. Pesek taunted him to "mix it up" and proceeded to give him the beating of his life. Plestina needed hospitalization after the contest. The state athletic commission withheld Pesek's money and banned him from wrestling in New York, but the mighty Marin Plestina had his claws pulled.
Pesek took the fight out of another "trustbuster," Armas Laitenen of Finland and left him with a broken arm. The Tigerman once remarked about his years as a "policeman," "The bigger they were when they tried to get by me, the further they wanted to get away from the Lewis camp after the match was over."
At the 1920 Olympics, a new wrestling sensation burst on the scene ... National G. Pendleton. While grappling for Columbia University, Pendleton won three Eastern Conference titles and two AAU national titles. Supported by the prestigious New York Athletic Club, he represented the U.S. at the Olympic Games held in Antwerp, Belgium. He competed in both the freestyle and the Graeco-Roman heavyweight competitions. The final freestyle bout was between Robert Roth of Switzerland and America's own Nat Pendleton. Roth was awarded a very controversial decision. Pendleton actually won the referee's decision, but the judges overruled it. Nat settled for the silver medal, despite all the ensuing objections and protests.
Nat turned pro under the auspices of New York promoter Jack Curley, but was unable to get the top matmen into the ring. Strangler Lewis, Joe Stecher, and Earl Caddock all turned a deaf ear to his challenges. As Pendleton's star rose, the services of the Tigerman would once more be called into action.
Curley distributed a circular in which Pendleton guaranteed to beat Lewis and any other wrestler on the same night. It further stated that Nat could defeat Jack Dempsey in a no-holds-barred fight within ten minutes. Curley and Pendleton sought to invade Boston, a hotbed of pro wrestling under the control of Paul Bowser. Bowser was a veteran wrestler who was in cahoots with Lewis and Sandow. Curley agreed to have the Olympic medalist "shoot" with Bowser's "Unknown" for side-bets and a winner-take-all purse. Bowser boasted, "If my man doesn't give him all the wrestling he wants for the rest of his career, then I will take him on two weeks later."
Pendleton and Bowser each posted $2,000. The management of the Grand Opera House, where the contest would take place, kicked in $2,000 and the whole sum was deposited with a local sports editor. The winner was to receive the entire purse plus fifty percent of the gate. The loser got nothing ... not even carfare home.
The rules of the match stipulated that the "Unknown" had to gain two falls within 75 minutes and could not weight over 190 pounds. Pendleton's regular weight was a little over 200. Bowser was so confident of his mystery man's abilities that he agreed to cover a $2,500 bet with $25,000. As the arranged date, January 25, 1923, drew near, speculation abounded as to the identity of the "Unknown." Tickets sold like hot cakes with large requisitions from New York City and Philadelphia.
Nat Pendleton had never had his shoulders pinned to the mat in either the amateur or professional ranks. His only loss was the controversial Olympic point-decision. He was arguably one of the finest wrestlers of his time. To defeat the "Unknown," whom he would outweight by at least ten pounds, all Nat had to do was remain on the defensive. The rules, "Police Gazette Catch-As-Catch-Can," would be strictly enforced by wrestler Cyclone Burns. No foul tactics would be tolerated. A disqualification would occur after two warnings. If the combatants rolled into the ropes or off the mat, the ref would re-start them in the ring center.
Two days before the big match, Bowser announced the name of his "Unknown" -- none other than John Pesek. Pesek was under the management of Max Bauman, who just happened to be the brother of Billy Sandow. Pesek's task was a formidable one. He had to throw his adversary, a world-class wrestler, twice in one hour and fifteen minutes.
Pendleton trained hard for weeks in preparation. Pesek had a private gym on his Nebraska ranch and was always in tip-top shape. Fans, wrestlers, and promoters alike, flocked to the Opera House to witness the epic battle. Pendleton was the popular favorite. When time was called, the Tigerman charged right into the Olympian, forcing him against the ropes, getting behind him, taking him down and going after his trademark double-wristlock. Pendleton desperately tried to escape the hold and thrashed about the canvas. Pesek stayed calm, wrapped his legs around Nat's head and continued working to secure a wristlock, now in a combination with a head scissors.
About thirty-five minutes into the action, Pesek hooked Pendleton's right foot. Nat responded by latching onto Pesek's foot. The Tigerman kicked free, doubled his opponent's leg over his own and put on the pressure. In agony, Pendleton called "Stop! Stop!", thus forfeiting the first fall. Another few seconds and his ankle would have snapped. Pendleton limped to his corner and the two warriors took a ten-minute rest.
When the fray resumed, Pesek again plowed into Pendleton. They rolled about the mat, grappling furiously, but the Olympic champ was done-in. Pesek again quickly hooked the right foot and forced a second and final submission. The total time of the battle was just under 41 minutes. Another challenger had been declawed by the Tigerman.
It was a hard fought battle with both men feeling its effects afterwards. Pendleton was nursing his right arm and ankle. It turned out that the ligaments had been torn loose in his leg. Pesek's right thumb was ripped open and bleeding. Bauman defiantly stated after the match that Pesek "can throw all challengers ... any man that Curley can find." Pendleton said, "I knew what I was up against ... However, I did not fear him. I guarded against his pet holds and ... broke his wristlock several times ... I forgot my foot and that cost me the match. I am satisfied that Pesek is not my master on the mat and later on will challenge him for another contest."
Pesek walked away with $8,000. It's said that Sandow and Bowser cleaned up a whole lot more in bets. Pendleton continued wrestling throughout the 1920's, then traded his mat career for Hollywood. He appeared in 103 films. The Tigerman stayed active in pro wrestling into the early 1950's.
