Oldest Pro Wrestling on Film: Caddock vs Stecher, 1920

Rare footage from the second Earl Caddock-Joe Stecher match for the professional wrestling world title, January 30th 1920. The match took place at the second Madison Square Garden in New York City. Stecher pinned Caddock in 2:05:00 using a wristlock and his finishing hold, the body scissors.

This is perhaps the earliest professional wrestling match of which film survives. Some have said that Caddock-Stecher was the last great "shoot" (real) match for a world title, but others argue that this style was simply a more traditional way of "working" (performing) than what would soon follow. While it is impossible to determine when professional wrestling became purely performance, clearly by this point in its history match outcomes were largely predetermined. In the coming months, "Toots" Mondt and Billy Sandow would reshape the sport into a style of performance virtually identical to what we know today.

The copyright of this work, registered or published prior to 1923, has expired. As a result, this work has entered into the public domain.