THE WAWLI PAPERS:

WRESTLING AS WE LIKED IT

by J Michael Kenyon

Volume 2, Number 60 Saturday, August 23, 1997

IN THIS ISSUE: Somewhere, Scott Teal Found a Tony Lawo Scrapbook -- And Now We're

Leafing Through It

LONDOS DEFENDS TITLE IN GO WITH O'SHOCKER

(Press Scimitar, Memphis, Tenn., July 2, 1931)

Jimmy Londos will go into warfare with red-headed Pat O'Shocker a favorite to retain his

heavyweight championship. They meet in a one-fall, no-time limit battle at Russwood Park.

Fans like Londos' chances because of previous wins he registered over O'Shocker. This will

be a third match between them. Last winter the titleholder was forced to go one hour and

seven minutes to beat O'Shocker at St. Louis. A few weeks ago he repeated here, in slightly

less than an hour. Both battles were thrillers and fans expect O'Shocker to put up another

stubborn battle with the champion.

Londos is in near perfect condition, as a result of a hard training grind he went through for

last Monday's battle with Pete Sauer (Ray Steele) in New York. It was a milk fund show.

Londos won after a hard tussle.

O'Shocker has worked hard for Thursday's match. He declares his condition is much better

than when he last tried to capture the coveted title.

O'Shocker is confident he'll pin Londos' shoulders to the canvas.

"I learned a lot in my other matches with the champion," O'Shocker wrote Matchmaker

D.F. Eastman a few days ago. "He tricked me each time to win. I'm a smarter wrestler now

than when I met him before, and he'll not trick me this time. I believe the third time is the

charm and I'll become champion."

Thursday's is the first wrestling show at Russwood in several years, or since Londos

defeated Renato Gardini.

The entire card is one of the best ever staged here. Three prelims support the main event.

Matchmaker Eastman was forced to make a change in the main prelim. Jim Clinstock,

Indian, broke his hand at Nashville and Wednesday night was forced to call off his battle

with George Zaharias. Patsy Flanagan, 212-pound Canadian, was in St. Louis and Eastman

signed him to meet the rough and tough Greek. Flanagan, like Zaharias, is a rough

performer, so this bout should produce its thrills. It will be Flanagan's debut here. The match

will be a 45-minute limit, one-fall affair.

Jack Zarnas, newcomer in local grapple circles, meets Marshall Blackstock, tough Atlantan,

in a 30-minute match. Zarnas made his debut here. He impressed fans, though he lost to

Zaharias in 57 minutes. Zarnas is a favorite over Blackstock.

The opening match sends Tony Lawo against Fred Knickles over the 15-minute route. They

are local amateurs.

Charlie Rentrop will referee the championship battle and prelims. The first bout starts at

8:30 p.m. __________________________________________

JENNINGS DEFEATS SPEER IN A HURRY

(Memphis Commercial-Appeal, December 1, 1931)

By Herbert Caldwell

Sun Jennings, an Indian, who learned the rudiments of wrestling on the gridiron at dear old

Haskell, and Frank Speer, just a year old alumnus of dear old George Tech, where he was

an All-Southern tackle, had a final settlement on the mat last night at the Auditorium and

Speer was completely sunk. Jennings rammed Speer so terrifically with flying butts that he

sank the first time in 26 minutes. Like a lost golf ball, Speer finished out of bounds.

Jennings had Speer floundering from another broadside attack of flying butts in less than a

minute on the second fall and then slammed him to the floor five times in succession before

Speer stuck. It took Jennings two minutes to flatten Speer and it took Speer about five

minutes to straighten up again. It was a settlement of an unsatisfactory ending of a match

here two weeks ago when they had a head-on collision on the third fall with Speer being

completely wrecked.

Gino Garibaldi, an Italian, who is one of the occupants of the king's row of grapplers,

defeated Long Willie Davis, former Virginia Poly tackle, two out of three falls, but Gino had

a tougher time turning out the job than the time it required indicates. Davis won the first fall

with a hook scissors in 14 minutes. Garibaldi won the second flop, with a series of punishing

headlocks in 14 1/2 minutes and took the third fall with a varied attack of headlocks, flying

mares, elbow jolts and body slams in 18 minutes. It was Davis' second defeat here and

further evidence that if he becomes a little more hardened to the knocks of the game he will

be difficult to handle. Davis can administer punishment but he can't take much of it.

The show was a resumption of popular priced attractions by the Legion A.C. and was

witnessed by another large crowd.

In a 15-minute warmer-up Tony Lawo and Billy Houston, local middleweights, toiled to a

flopless draw. Lawo probably had the better of the fast exchange of holds. Both displayed

considerable talent and strength for youngsters.

The Speer and Jennings match was a bit slow getting under way but when they warmed up

the going got rough. They swapped headlocks and flying mares and flying butts with things

about even and both failing to follow up opportunities. Both were rammed pretty hard

several times but blocked further attacks.

Jennings punished Speer about three minutes before he knocked him out of bounds. The

Indian weakened the Georgian with headlocks and then butted him out of the ropes. Hardly

had Speer gotten into the fairway when Jennings plunked him three more times, sending him

against the ropes. The Indian rammed again and Speer went almost into the laps of the front

row spectators. Charlie Rentrop, referee, tolled off the tenth stroke just before Speer parted

the ropes and staggered back into the ring.

Speer tore after Jennings with flying mares to start the second fall and Jennings started

butting. He hit Speer twice with the Georgian quickly weakening. He hit him three more

times and Speer went out of bounds again. He was barely in the ring at the count of 10.

Jennings then body slammed him five times before Speer rolled limp on his back. The Indian

dove on top but it wasn't necessary. It was a great display of grit and gameness, the

punishment that Speer took to climax each fall.

The victory was the fifth for Jennings in seven starts here lately. He drew with Pat

O'Shocker in two hours and lost the third fall of a match to George Zaharias on a fluke.

The match between Garibaldi and Davis was colorful throughout. Davis, who towers six feet

six, held Garibaldi off most of the first fall until he secured his hook with Garibaldi working

with flying mares. Davis had the Italian hooked about three minutes before he landed him.

Garibaldi began to get in close to Davis on the second fall and worked on him with

headlocks, flying mares and head spins. They exchanged a few flying butts and Davis had

numerous headlocks but the Italian was the more effective and finally headlocked Davis into

submission.

The third falls was rough, with Garibaldi being cautioned by Referee Rentrop for swinging at

Davis with a clenched fist. The fast exchange of headlocks and flying mares was about even

until Garibaldi butted Davis into the ropes twice and then started a head spin attack that

ended when Gino sloughed Long Willie on the back of the neck and straddled him.

_______________________________________

KARL POJELLO WINS MAT TILT FROM LEAHMAN

(Press-Scimitar, Memphis, Tenn., April 5, 1932)

By Walter Stewart

Karl Pojello, lithe Lith, returned to local mat warfare Monday after a prolonged absence and

celebrated the occasion with a victory over Charles Leahman before a fair-sized crowd at

Lyceum Stadium. The program inaugurated the mat promotive schedule of the Lyceum

Stadium Club.

Pojello, on the receiving end of most of the punishment meted out, outlasted his vicious foe

to triumph.

During the 50 minutes of grappling, Leahman kicked and battered Karl over the ring. Then

Leahman knocked Pojello over with a straight right to the jaw. He rushed into finish, and did.

Pojello drew himself into a knot and lashed out with both feet, catching Leahman on the chin.

Pojello rose, assisted Leahman to his feet and crashed him back to the mat with a terrific

back-body drop that stove in a rib or two. Leahman was unable to come back.

It was a rough affair from the first gong, with Pojello soaking up most of the roughness.

Leahman looked very good at times. At 39 minutes he put on five face lifts which had Karl

groggy, but the Lith backed into a corner and launched both feet in Leahman's face,

following it with a pair of head spins that did Charles no great good.

Leahman was continually throwing hard rights to Pojello's face and body. Referee Mike

Meroney warned him three times for nudging Karl with savage rabbit punches.

Leahman weighed 205, Pojello 195.

Monday marked the first appearance here of Pojello since he jumped to the Bowser

wrestling crowd.

Jim Browning, 230, took a lot from Bull Martin, 220, before he put him on the spot with a

body scissors. Martin is one of the wildest workmen seen in local rings in a long time. Once

when Browning tossed him through the ropes, he picked up a chair and prepared to continue

the argument with it.

Knocked groggy with a hard slam, Martin went to ground under the press box and had to be

smoked out. Just before Browning flopped him for the last fall, the Bull went into the crowd

and returned with a crutch which Meroney had to wrest away from him. Bull needed the

crutch a few minutes later, when Jim slammed him and concluded the argument with a body

straddle.

Irish Jimmy Morris, Lon Chaney's successor, took 19 minutes to polish off Tony Lawo with

a hook scissors. Morris weighed 185 and Lawo 170. A fair-sized crowd attended.

__________________________________________

MORRIS DEFEATS LAWO IN BOUT AT DYERSBURG

(Memphis Commercial Appeal, February 9, 1933)

DYERSBURG, Tenn., Feb. 8 -- Although hard pushed by his lighter opponent, Irish Jimmie

Morris of Memphis added another victory to his string by outwrestling Tony Lawo, also of

Memphis.

Lawo took the first fall in 25 minutes and was close to finishing Morris for the second when

Morris slipped a body scissor on Lawo. Morris took the third fall in five minutes with an

octopus.

In the semi-final, Paul Edwards of Little Rock won over Curly O'Neal of Birmingham.

Edwards took the first fall in 10 minutes with a series of flying mares and body straddle, lost

the second and then chalked up the third fall in the same manner he took the first.

_________________________________________

RALPH SMITH PINS TONY LAWO

(Memphis Commercial Appeal, April 20, 1933)

DYERSBURG, Tenn., April 19 -- Taking the first and last falls in a no-time limit match,

Ralph Smith of Jackson defeated Tony Lawo of Memphis in a colorful match that took more

than an hour.

Smith got the first fall in 23 minutes with a series of flying mares and body spread and lost

the second in 20 minutes by body slams. In the final fall Smith fell on Lawo by accident and

stunned him to such an extent that a body straddle ended the bout. The last fall came in 17

minutes.

James Disalvo of Iowa won over Pete Wright of Union City with straight falls and Jack

Rogers defeated Jimmy Dillon. ____________________________________

TONY LAWO IN DRAW WITH EVERETT JENNINGS

(Press-Scimitar, Memphis, Tenn., August 9, 1933)

BLYTHEVILLE, Ark., Aug. 9 -- The groan and grunt artists were here last night in the first

of a series of bouts to be staged at the Armory.

Tony Lawo of Memphis and Everett Jennings, of Ripley, Tenn., scrambled to a draw in the

oepning match with a one-hour time limit. The second match was awarded Tom Malloy of

Miami, Fla., on a foul after dividing falls with his opponent, Jimmy Morris of Memphis.

_________________________________________

DOLL-MARRS IN MAIN-GO TONIGHT

(The Republican, Caruthersville, Mo., Sept. 27, 1934)

Johnny Marrs will find a large job on his hands, in the opinion of mat fans here, when he

tries to wrest victory over the long, lanky Ray Doll, St. Louis 210-pound matman, in the

main-go of tonight's weekly Legion wrestlng matches. Marrs will weigh in at about 195.

In the preliminary, Tony Lawo, the clown, from Memphis, will appear again after a long

vacation from the local mat. Tony recently suffered a serious head injury, and for a time, it

was feared his mat activities might be brought to a close. But after taking a few weeks' rest,

doctors have pronounced him o-kay, and tonight takes up his ring work again. He has

proven vastly popular to a large number of mat followers here, as the Lawo is always pulling

the uncommon and highly ridiculous during his matches. None will forget the adeptness he

has shown at referee baiting, without injury to anyone, unless it was the sides of those from

the ringside who laughed to excess.

Tony meets a new boy tonight, one Joe Sanders from Tupelo, Miss. Sanders has no rating

over this section, but in the southern states, he is highly regarded.

In the main bout, one of the most promising affrays in the local ring, Johnny Marrs will meet

Ray Doll. Marrs has already been here a number of times, and has an enthusiastic following

among mat fans.

Doll made his first appearance here last week, defeating Parker. His smooth, calm mat

performance made him popular. Tonight will in all probability see his popularity increase,

especially so if he wrestles as cleanly and interestingly as he did last week. Usually, the big

boys are inclined to do a lot of slugging and other rough stuff. But Doll impressed fans as

being one large matman who verged more on the skill and scientific end of the sport, rather

than the knock-down-and-dragout phase, as many big boys practice.

The refereeing will be done by Floyd Byrd, and if either Marrs or Doll decide to get tough,

Byrd will have quite a job on his hands, he being considerably smaller than either of the two

huskies.

 

WRESTLING AS WE LIKED IT

by J Michael Kenyon

Volume 2, Number 61 Sunday, August 24, 1997

IN THIS ISSUE: Strangler Lewis Tries Hand at Jiujitsu And Jeemy Londos Tackles Mr.

Man Mountain Dean

(ED. NOTE--The Tony Lawo clippings -- and weren't those some interesting fellows with

whom he shared wrestling bills in the early '30s? -- were collected by his wife, who passed

the bundle onto former wrestler Billy Wicks. He, in turn, provided them to Scott Teal, the

Whatever Happened To.....? master, who has kindly loaned them to The WAWLI Papers for

reprinting, beginning with Vol. 2, Number 60 and continuing in future issues of this series.)

JIUJITSU BATTLE A DRAW AT THE ATHLETIC CLUB

(Los Angeles Times, Sunday, July 4, 1920)

Ed (Strangler) Lewis and Taro Miyaki, exponents of jiujitsu, the Japanese art of strangling

one another to a fall, wrestled to a draw at the Los Angeles Athletic Club last night. The

bout was staged in three sessions of thirty minutes each with ten-minute intermissions.

Lewis had the better of the third period, and was the aggressor for the last fifteen minutes.

He secured several dangerous head locks and head scissors, and it looked bad for the Jap,

but he always managed to wriggle out in time to escape disastrous punishment.

After appraising the show in a rough sort of way the bugs that packed the club gymnasium

voted it a tremendous success. Not being experts in the strangle-as-strangle stuff, some of

the holds went over their head, but they howled themselves hoarse as first Lewis and then

Miyaki squirmed out of each other's clutches.

The men came into the ring promptly at 9 o'clock. The Strangler was seconded by Bull

Montana, the handsome comrade of Spike Robinson. A sawed-off son of the Mikado was in

Miyaki's scorner. Little Tokyo rose up and screeched a welcome for Miyaki when he

crawled through the ropes.

When referee Pat Higgins called the men to the center of the ring for their instructions, the

great disparity in height and weight made it look like a crime to send the Jap against the

towering Lewis. It was said the Jap weighed 179 pounds and Lewis 250 pounds.

But once the wild action started, the ringsiders wasted no sympathy on the Jap. Miyaki

scrambled out of Lewis' pet holds with the greatest impunity. Head locks, arm locks and bar

locks all looked alike to the Jap. Lewis ripped the Jap's jacket to pieces in the first session

and time was called for repairs.

One of the Strangler's pet stunts was to obtain a good grip on Miyaki's jacket, hoist him in

midair, whirl him around a few times and bang him on the floor with much gusto. Nothing

gentle about this jiujitsu stuff.

The brown-skinned wrestler had the science of jiujitsu, but Lewis had the brute strength. The

Strangler has been studying the stuff for some time, but he has a lot to learn. It was no

trouble for him to get on top of the Jap, but it was another thing for him to make Miyaki cry

quits, which signifies a fall in jiujitsu.

The Nipponese pulled one good trick when Lewis had a dangerous head lock on him. He

insterted his fingers between the Strangler's ribs and tickled him. Lewis jumped up

immediately.

The first two sessions were about even, though it appeared that Lewis had a bit of the better

of it at the end of the second. The Jap went to his corner breathing hard.

_________________________________________

ZBYSZKO LOSES GRAPPLING DUEL IN TWO FALLS

(Los Angeles Times, Sunday, May 31, 1925)

By Associated Press

ST. LOUIS, Mo., May 30 -- Joe Stecher, Nebraska scissors marvel, who lost the

heavyweight wrestling championship to Ed (Strangler) Lewis four years ago, again reached

the pinnacle of the wrestling world by defeating Stanislaus Zbyszsko, title claimant, in

straight falls here tonight.

Stecher won both falls with his favorite hold, the first in one hour and twenty-three minutes

and the second in five minutes.

Zbyszko, a Pole, was taken to a hospital here this afternoon after his championship match

with Stecher. He was found to be suffering from internal injuries, several broken ribs and

injuries to his back.

Zbyszko, veteran of thirty years on the mat, fought gamely, but after the first fifteen minutes

was largely on the defensive and finally was forced to give up to full body scissor holds.

Stecher was declared the winner just as the sun was setting.

Time after time, Stecher was on top but Zbyszko pulled his arms and legs underneath so

effectively that Stecher was unable to complete the scissors.

Zbyszko used the flying mare as his chief offensive weapon, but it was not effective. The

match was staged in St. Louis University athletic field before a crowd estimated at 13,000.

The purse was $50,000, of which $10,000 was posted by Joe Stecher and his brother and

manager, Anton Stecher. Zbyszko was to get the purse, win or lose.

The Stechers announced yesterday that in the event Joe won today he would meet any

legitimate challenger except Ed Lewis whom, they asserted, had refused, while champion, to

give Joe a chance to regain the title. ________________________________________

WAYNE MUNN IS VANQUISHED BY STRANGLER

(Los Angeles Times, Sunday, May 31, 1925)

By Walter Eckersall, Chicago Tribune Sportswriter

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind., May 30 (Special)--Endurance combined with a superior knowledge

of the game gave Ed (Strangler) Lewis a victory over Wayne (Big) Munn, two out of three

falls here this afternoon.

Munn won the first fall in 24m. 55s. with his favorite crotch and half-nelson hold. In this fall

the former Nebraska football player outwrestled Lewis who only secured an offensive

position once. On several occasions he attempted headlocks only to be shook off with

apparent ease.

Lewis, however, came back with kindled determination in the second fall and finally whittled

the big fellow down to his size. He bided his time and at the end of three successive

headlocks, pinned Munn's shoulders to the mat after 32m. 12s. of grappling.

Strangler came back with renewed confidence for the third and deciding fall. He pulled and

tugged his opponent about the ring, tiring him as he pushed him about. He finally secured the

opportunity. Wayne had broken a headlock after a great effort. Lewis clamped on another

and brought Wayne's shoulders to the mat after 7m 15s of wrestling.

Lewis' victory was due to his wonderful condition and staying powers. He entered the ring

weighing 219 pounds, the lightest he has been for any match in five years. He relied mostly

on his headlock, although on a few occasions he secured underneath wristlocks mainly to

weaken Munn's arms. He did not even attempt a toe hold, but sent Munn to the canvas

several times by leg holds. On other occasions he tripped Wayne to secure the offensive

positions. __________________________________________

DEAN FACES LONDOS IN TITLE BOUT TONIGHT

(Los Angeles Times, Wednesday, October 10,1934)

By Bill Henry

Bellowing, trumpeting and pawing the earthlike peevish hippopotami squabbling over the

rights to an African water hole, eighteen head of assort behemoths will clash tonight at

Wrigley Field in the greatest program of assault and battery ever perpetrated locally under

a wrestling license. Some 30,000 customers are expected at the giant squirm.

The high spot on the card of nine encounters will bring together world's wrestling champion

Jim Londos, a Grecian statue of Hercules come to life, and Frank (Man Mountain) Dean, a

bearded Georgia hill-billy weighing 317 pounds, whose string of sensational victories on the

local mat has brought him a crack at the title.

The eight other bouts will feature a cross-section of the strange conglomeration of

pugnacious pachyderms roughly grouped together under the general head of "wrestlers."

They include college football players, acrobats, life guards, longshoremen, a bearded Hindu

and even a couple of regular old-time wrestlers who are on the card to justify the issuance of

a wrestling permit for the brawl.

It ought to be a large evening.

Champion Londos was a star when the boys really used to wrestle and is one of the few who

ahve been able to hold up their end in the modern free-for-all style which features butting,

kicking, choking and other parlor tricks. Not only is Jim a fine wrestler an an accomplished

showman but he can talk a college professor deaf, dumb and blind on such topics as

archeology and the classics and can do it in any one of nine or ten languages.

Man Mountain Dean, the bearded Samson, has squashed some eight or nine opponents in

succession and has attracted a huge following of enthusiastic rooters who hope to see him

pluck the champion's arm off and beat him over the head with it or do something equally

cute. The skeptics, on the other hand, claim that he's a big false alarm who can't wrestle a

lick. Mr. Dean himself dodges the issue and points out that he can pack the joint with cash

customers and it doesn't make any difference whether he knows the difference between a

half nelson and an oyster on the half shell or not.

Some mysterious authority, presumably the State Athletic Commission, has deprived the two

main eventers of their most formidable offensive weapons, according to an announcement by

Prof. Lou Daro, the well known scientist and collector of rare objects, who imported tonight's

performers.

Londos will not be permitted to use his pet "unconscious hold," by means of which he putsd

pressure on a nerve in the neck of his opponent and lulls him gently into dreamland. Londos

squawked violently at the ruling but was finally calmed by his manager, Ed White of

Chicago, who told him that the hold was no good against the Man Mountain for the reason

that you couldn't tell whether he was unconscious or not anyway.

Dean's chances were materially crippled when the commission refused to permit Daisy

Dean, his husky wife, to act as his chief second. Daisy has a quaint way of picking up a stool

or typewriter or other suitable missile and cracking her 317-pound darling's opponent over

the head with same. The commission ruled that she could demonstrate her wifely affection

and loyalty any place except at ringside.

The Man Mountain's chief offensive weapon in his local bouts has been what has been

referred to as a running broad jump. The Georgia Goliath hurls his opponent to the mat, then

takes a running leap into the air and lands, rumble seat first, on his prostrate opponent. It

seems to have a very quieting effect on the boys.

_________________________________________

BRONKO NAGURSKI WINNER OVER JOE SAVOLDI

(Los Angeles Times, Thursday, June 16, 1938)

By Matt Phan

Jumping Joe Savoldi, the Fullback of Notre Dame, no relation to the Hunchback, led with his

shin last night at the Olympic and that is why Bronko Nagurski, Minnesota's triple-sweat

man, is still the world's heavyweight rassling champion today.

Missing a flying drop kick, Signor Savoldi fell on his head, thus injuring his pride, among

other things, and giving the Minnesota powerhouse a one-fall victory after 29m 12s of

gripping grappling and football tactics.

As the result of the accident, Jumping Joe was pronounced unable to continue by the team

physician, Dr. Lloyd Mace, who ordered the injured man carried to the dressing room for

further observation.

Signor Savoldi has nobody but himself to blame for the catastrophe inasmuch as he

attempted a quick kick on fourth down with the ball, or fall, in his own territory, poor

strategy to say the least. Prior to the disastrous finale, Nagurski had been penalzied half the

distance to his own goal line for illegal use of the hands.

THE WAWLI PAPERS:

WRESTLING AS WE LIKED IT

by J Michael Kenyon

Volume 2, Number 62 Monday, August 25, 1997

IN THIS ISSUE: Another Of Our Mat Potpourris, With Most Material Gleaned From

World Wide Web Pages

WRESTLING CHANNEL'S NEWMAN HAS A TIP

Subj: Pics from The Early Years of TV Wrestling Date: 97-08-08 03:14:15 EDT From:

cnewman@mci2000.com (Chris Newman) To: oldfallguy@aol.com

JMK:

Here's the URL for a page at Solie's Vintage Wrestling which links to about 40 WAWLI

pictures from TV.

http://users.aol.com/Solie/oldays.html

Chris ____________________________________________

REMEMBERING: THE LATE LORD ATHOL LAYTON

URL--http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestling/layton.html

Lord Athol Layton REAL NAME: Athol Layton 6'5", 260 pounds BORN: Surrey, England

in 1921 DIED: January 18, 1984 of a heart attack

Fans in southern Ontario, northwestern New York state, Ohio and upper Michigan knew

Lord Athol Layton as the colorful commentator for thousands of wrestling shows.

Before becoming an announcer, he was a hugely successful wrestler around the world. He

may be best known for his feud with Whipper Billy Watson, and histag team with Lord

James Blears. Of course, Layton was not a Lord of any type. He was born in England, and

moved to Australia at 13, where he met his wife Leah.

After being discharged from the Australian Imperial Forces after World War II -- where he

was Australia's Heavyweight Amateur Boxing Champ for two years -- hesettled down with

his wife to run a pub. A troupe of travelling boxers and wrestlers came through the town, and

he became interested in learning more. Shortly thereafter, through a friend, he had his first

wrestling match in Singapore in 1949. He went to England to learn more about wrestling, but

it wasn't until Toronto promoter Frank Tunney called that he wrestled full-time. Layton was

a heel in the early part of his career but eventually grew into a fan favorite. His last match

was in 1976 at age 56.

He retired over concern for his injured eye. He did announcing pretty well right from the

start too.Layton was quite involved in the Toronto Shriners, and even had a go at local

politics, and became a Canadian citizen in 1958.

In April 1958, his wife Leah wrote an article for Maclean's Magazine describing what it was

like being married to a wrestler. Besides the obvious -- he's away from home all the time,

they travelled the world, and the funny ways which people react -- she ends with this gem

talking about Athol's role as commentator on a recent Buffalo show.

"Naturally we've always enjoyed the show, especially on a recent night when he interviewed

another wrestler who shall be nameless. Athol has a fairly extensive vocabulary and

unquestionably a gift for gab, but his questions elicited only inarticulate grunts and

monosyllables. At length the other wrestler opened up. 'Look here,'he said, 'I don't go for

none of this "lord" business' -- he'd obviously been consulting Burke's Peerage -- 'so to me

you're just plain "mister".'

"Athol didn't bat an eye. 'My good fellow,' he said, 'the longer you keep talking, the more I

sound like a lord.'" ___________________________________________

LORD ATHOL LAYTON LOOKS BACK

By JERRY GLADMAN -- Toronto Sun

He would have made such a good bad guy.

They called him the Lord of the Ring and he played the part beautifully. All six-foot-five, 260

pounds, posturing at centre ring in his purple coronation robes, white cape and ermine tails,

bowing with disdain to all four corners. He even kept the packed Tokyo hall waiting by

insisting on his usual spot of tea in the dressing room before entering the area.

But it wasn't in the cards. Right role, wrong country.

"My intention was to make my mark as a villain by kicking some of those Japanese fellows

around," says Lord Athol Laton, looking back almost a quarter of a century on a successful

wrestling career that is still remembered fondly around these parts. "But it didn't matter

what I did. I had forgotten their great love of pageantry. They loved the robe and tails. And

when I bowed to the four corners, they looked upon me as a gentleman." He came as a

villain and left three months later as a hero. And it reinforced a lesson he learned years

earlier when he arrived in Canada from his native Australia to try his skill against some of

the popular North American grapplers. Success in the ring was more often determined by

who you fought rather than what you did.

When promoter Frank Tunney secured his services in 1950, Layton reasoned that his ring

attire and hoity-toity manners would fit in nicely with Canada's ties to Britain and the

Commonwealth. But he didn't figure on a fella named Whipper Billy Watson, the goodest of

the good guys.

"I was doing fine here until I wrestled Watson," he says with a bit of a chuckle. "He made

me a villain. After a bit, I realized I wasn't only fighting Watson, I was fighting all of

Toronto. I couldn't win."

The message became even clearer when his eight-year-old son informed him his reputation

was garnering untold battles in the schoolyard. Most of the kids belonged to the popular

Whipper Watson Safety Club and they didn't take kindly to the offspring of a baddy trying to

trounce their idol.

"He asked me if it might be possible for me to join forces with Watson and become a tag

team. Things would be more comfortable for him at school. So after five years as a villain by

virtue of opposing the Whipper all over Ontario, I became a hero."

Like his partner, Lord Layton wore the mantle well. Week after week, for the next 20 years,

he drew the cheers of the frenzied Maple Leaf Gardens rassle fanatics by rendering

unconscious such wretched foes as The Shiek, Hans Schmidt, Bulldog Brower and the

despicable Love Brothers. His trademark was the judo chop, but more than one villain fell

victim to the crippling English Octopus or the old Australian Surfboard lock.

And even though he hasn't worked a hold professionally in five years, since the night in

Grand Rapids, Mich., when the hated Sheik detached the retina in his right eye, Athol

Layton still reigns as the Lord of the Ring down on Carlton Street.

"Apart from the occasional visit to the Gardens, I don't have much contact with wrestling

these days," says the incredibly fit 60-year-old, who confines his grappling to promotional

duties for Bacardi rum. "I had 30 years of it and I enjoyed it immensely. But I've given up

the ring for rum."

And none too soon because the grunt-and-groan game has fallen a long way since the days

when I full nelson meant something and a flying mule kick was what a kick should be.

Layton will be the first to tell you that the punching and booting administered by today's

heroes are a far cry from the exhibition of skill and science for which he and the Whip were

revered.

"The real problem is that there is a scarcity of characters. In my day, they were all

characters. People like Gorgeous George, Yukon Eric and Killer Kowalski. Apart from

Angelo Mosca, most of the younger crop are clones. They look alike and they perform alike.

"There's less wrestling today. When I first entered, it was 75% wrestling and 25% show.

Today it's the reverse. It sells because people have been conditioned to the style by TV,

which really dictates the type of entertainment we watch."

When Layton first began wrestling, there was only skill. A strappling 6-foot-three at age 16,

he was among the top amateur wrestlers in his native Sydney. He also had a 10-year career

as an amateur boxer and ruled as the Australian heavyweight champion in 1944-45. He

continued both sports during five years in the Australian Army and then decided to turn to

pro wrestling.

"What I really wanted to do was entertain. That was my fantasy. I even tried acting in

Australia, but my size limited me to roles as a heavy. I made up my mind to travel so I

turned to pro wrestling."

Influenced by fellow Australian Fred Atkins, Layton hooked into the pro circuit controlled by

North American promoters. He spent 10 months in Singapore where he picked up valuable

experience and then accepted an offer from Toronto's Tunny to journey to Canada. He had a

name, an image and a big future.

"Once I arrived here, I realized there was a radical change in the style of wrestling. There

was much more emphasis on entertainment. But I enjoyed it because I was able to fulfill my

fantasy of being an entertainer. I played the part of a wrestler and the arena was my stage."

The name Athol, which caused him nothing but grief as a school kid, was parlayed -- along

with the robes and manners -- into a top ring gimmick. Touring the U.S., the fans loved to

hate him.

"They hated an Englishman passionately if he got out of line. I played on that. They used to

do interviews in the dressing room before the bouts and I would take my time drinking my

tea and working up the crowd.

"I certainly saw my share of hostile crowds in those days. You had to pass irate fans and run

through gauntlets and we were always getting attacked physically. There were times that the

same fellows you wrestled had to come to your rescue."

And then Lord Layton made the wise decision. He became a good guy. Being a white knight

had other rewards to go with the cheers. With TV wrestling cropping up on most channels, a

fellow with Layton's suave good looks, articulate speech and genial manners was more than

suitable for the role of commentator. He had a program for three years in Cleveland,

another for 15 years in Detroit and spent five years on CFTO [Toronto] in the 60s. When

the calibre of wrestling began to deteriorate rapidly, Layton gave up the mike. "I wasn't

sorry to do so because it reached the stage where there was insufficient wrestling to

describe. There's a limit to how much you can talk about punching and kicking." Inevitably,

when talking to any wrestling personality, the discussion get around to the question of the

game being phoney. Although Layton admits to there being less skill and science than

theatrics, he believes the people got what they paid to see. "Wrestling is presented as

therapy. You must have good against evil to maintain attendance. I believe that a true

wrestling fan casts a deaf ear to any suggestion wrestling is phoney. And that is simply

because he is interested only in being entertained."

Layton has 30 years of fond memories, particularly his tag-team days with Watson. Their

partnership continued outside the ring with both gentle giants spending much of their time

helping handicapped children. Layton is a past Imperial Potentate of the Shrine and was a

director of St. Alban's Boys and Girls Club. He and Watson also sit on the Advisory Council

for the Handicapped. "There's so much to do for these wonderful children. I find great

satisfaction with the charities. I was treated so well by the profession. I feel the work I do is

putting a little back in." Can't argue with the main. And who'd want to?

___________________________________________

AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHIPPER BILLY WATSON

URL--http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestling/whipper.html

Whipper Billy Watson REAL NAME: William Potts BORN: June 25, 1915, East York,

Ontario DIED: February 4, 1990, Orlando, Florida WRESTLED:36 years FINISHER:The

Canadian Avalanche __________________________________________

(Memories by Ron Doner, ex-wrestler)

Whipper was about 20 years older than I am, however he did a lot for me. Getting me into

wrestling. He always liked close by me in the area, and we became very good friends. We

also did tag team matches in Buffalo and different areas. I had a lot of respect for him

because he was one of the real, genuine wrestlers in my vision, so I spent a lot of time with

him and appreciated his fellowship. _________________________________________

(Jack Tunney, ex-Toronto promoter to Earl McRae in 1986)

"The greatest wrestler I ever saw was Whipper Billy Watson -- clean, methodical, no crazy

antics." __________________________________________

(Jim Coleman in Maclean's Magazine, April 1, 1944)

Whipper Billy Watson "is the living embodiment of all the ideals of the Boy Scout movement

and the Legion of Decency. Watson is as handsome as Robert Taylor, as powerful as the SS

Queen Mary and as persistent and uncompromising as Dick Tracy in his efforts to

exterminate evil. In moments of supreme exasperation he is likely to mutter "Oh, fudge!"

but otherwise conduct is exemplary. He is a paragon of virtue in the ring. If his opponent

attempts to decapitate him with a tomahawk, misses and imbeds the tomahawk in one of the

ring posts, Watson will help him to disengage the weapon. If his opponent strikes him

illegally with a brass knuckle, Watson merely will smile a sad, brave smile and break his

opponent in twain, like a stick of dry macaroni. Watson destroys his opponents with the air

of Sir Galahad repelling scorpions, and the customers love him to pieces."

___________________________________________

WHIPPER BILLY WATSON, REST IN PEACE

By Kathleen Griffin & Frank Zicarelli, Toronto Sun

Whipper Billy Watson, well-known humanitarian and five-time world wrestling champion,

died yesterday. He was 74. He suffered a heart attack last Wednesday and was admitted to

an Orlando, Fla., hospital near his winter home in Sebring. He never regained

consciousness. "He died peacefully," said his wife, Eileen, in a statement. Funeral services

will be held in Toronto, she added.

Born William Potts in East York in 1915, the Whipper was one of Canada's most famous

professional heavyweight wrestlers. He spent more than 40 years of his life doing volunteer

work for Ontario's disabled children and was personally responsible for raising millions of

dollars for various charities. "From all the people who have related little personal incidents

to me, you'd swear no man could ever have lived that long," a teary Bob Rumball, Watson's

friend of 25 years, said yesterday. "We're going to miss him." A longtime supporter of the

annual Easter Seal fundraiser in Toronto, Watson often made his entrance with a Timmy or

Tammy -- a child chosen every year to symbolize handicapped children -- hoisted on his

broad shoulders. "It was always the highlight of the evening when he'd come out with Timmy

or Tammy -- or both -- on his shoulders," recalled Sun corporate sports editor George Gross

yesterday.

Gross was on the committee planning an honorary dinner for Watson's 75th birthday in

June. "It's a tragedy," he added.

"He made people feel better just being around him. He had that magical effect," said Al

Fraser, executive director of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Known in wrestling circles as

the Irish Whip, Watson earned the nickname in London after performing a manoeuvre that

saw him whip an opponent into his mid-section, bend over and throw the unlucky foe over his

back. He was forced to retire in 1971 because of an automobile accident. After stopping to

help someone on an icy Rogers Rd., another car skidded out of control and pinned Watson

against one of the stopped vehicles, shattering his left knee and nearly severing the leg.

Having already donated much of his time to charity during his career, Watson unabashedly

used his celebrity status to raise money for charitable organizations after he retired. The

World Wrestling Federation paid a solemn tribute to Watson during yesterday's matinee of

Hulkamania at Maple Leaf Gardens. The ring bell was rung 10 times in his memory as more

than 16,000 mat fans stood in silence. "Billy was a marvelous man and a great athlete," said

WWF president and longtime Toronto promoter Jack Tunney, whose legendary uncle, Frank

Tunney, was accorded the same honor at Maple Leaf Gardens when he passed away in

1983. Watson, who seldom broke the rules, was a box-office hit at Maple Leaf Gardens

during his illustrious mat career. Perhaps Watson's most memorable bout involved

Gorgeous George, a notorious villain whose showmanship is currently embodied in Hulk

Hogan. Watson pinned George, who was forced to cut his golden hair. "He was such a

tireless worker," said Tunney. "He was an all-around gentleman. He'll be greatly missed

because he was very unselfish." Watson leaves his wife, Eileen, and three children -- John,

Phil and Georgina.

THE WAWLI PAPERS:

WRESTLING AS WE LIKED IT

by J Michael Kenyon

Volume 2, Number 63 Tuesday, August 26, 1997

IN THIS ISSUE: Wee Willie Davis In Hollywood; Plus More Remembrances: Whipper

Watson and Red Lyons

FILMOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM "WEE WILLIE" DAVIS

URL--http://us.imdb.com/cache/person-all/a37134

To Catch a Thief (1955)[Actor (uncredited) .... Big man in kitchen]

Son of Paleface (1952)[Actor .... Blacksmith]

World in His Arms, The (1952)[Actor (uncredited)]

Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950)[Actor .... Abdullah]

Bodyhold (1949)[Actor .... Azusa Assassin]

Samson and Delilah (1949)[Actor .... Garmiskar]

Mighty Joe Young (1949)[Actor (uncredited) .... Strongman]

Red Pony, The (1949)[Actor]

Foxes of Harrow, The (1947)[Actor]

Bowery Bombshell (1946)[Actor .... Moose]

Beware (1946)[Actor .... Tympani Five Pianist]

Fool's Gold (1946)[Actor .... Blackie]

Night in Paradise, A (1946)[Actor .... Salabaar]

Wildfire (1945)[Actor]

Having Wonderful Crime (1945)[Actor .... Porter]

Pursuit to Algiers (1945)[Actor .... Gubec]

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1944)[Actor (uncredited)]

Ghost Catchers, The (1944)[Actor]

Above Suspicion (1943)[Actor .... Hans]

Johnny Come Lately (1943)[Actor .... Bouncer] ... aka Johnny Vagabond (1943)

Reap the Wild Wind (1942)[Actor .... The Lamb]

Arabian Nights (1942)[Actor .... Valda]

Gentleman Jim (1942)[Actor]

Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)[Actor (uncredited)]

______________________________________

SMALLER IN SIZE, EVER BIG IN HEART

URL--http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestling/whipper.html

By KEN FIDLIN -- Toronto Sun (January 24, 1984 ) The lunch crowd is into the main course

at Whipper Watson's favorite dining salon. Around us, scores of animated conversations are

in progress, yet besides the clatter of cutlery, the only sound to break the silence is

Whipper's voice. "There are no secrets in this room," he says, nodding at one smiling

admirer, waving to another. "I think that might be one reason why I enjoy it here so much."

The patrons in this cafeteria at the Bob Rumball Centre, where Whipper spends much of his

time, are deaf but their hands speak at the speed of light. Eavesdropping is a fact of life.

They are Whipper's friends, the kind of people he's been helping for 40 of his 68 years.

Over that period of time he has unashamedly milked his celebrity as the most famous

professional wrestler ever in Canada to make life a little easier for thousands of disabled

persons. He is personally responsible for raising millions of dollars for a variety of

organizations, most notably Ontario's crippled children. "People say I give a lot of my time

and effort but they don't understand that I get back far more than I give," he confides. It is

for precisely that outlook that Whipper will earn special recognition Thursday at the annual

Conn Smythe Sports Celebrities Dinner in aid of the Easter Seal Society. When Watson

speaks in that gentle tone or wraps a little child lovingly in his mighty arms, it is difficult to

imagine him in the ring rendering an opponent senseless with a gold that what was known, in

another era, as the Irish Whip.

Born William John Potts in East York, the son of a soldier killed in France by a sniper just

two weeks before the end of World War I, Whipper earned his nickname and his first

professional wrestling purse on the same memorable evening at London's Ring Blackfriars

in 1936. "I was wrestling a Scotsman named Tony Bear and I ended the match with the whip

hold. That is, I pulled him toward me, rammed my shoulder into his midsection and whipped

him up over my shoulder about 12 feet in the air. As usual, it knocked the wind out of him

long enough for me to get the pin. The next day in the newspaper, they were calling me

Whipper Billy." 'Watson' came from the fertile imagination of a British wrestling promoter

who liked the way the words Whipper Billy Watson rolled off his tongue. A star was born.

Watson, then weighing a lean mean 175, and four buddies -- Al Kormann, Tiger Tasker,

Tommy Nelson and Harry Joyce -- had left Toronto for the British Isles seeking their fame

and fortune on the wrestling circuit. They made a pact before they boarded a cattle boat in

Montreal for the crossing that for two years any money the group won would be divided four

ways. Once in England, their early lodging included three soggy days in a tent and another in

a chicken coup. They pushed on to London. "After our first matches, we were paid in cloth

bags full of half crowns. We went back to our boarding house and before we paid Mrs. Poole,

the landlady who had let us stay on the promise we would pay here when we got our first pay,

we went to our room and took turns rolling on the bed and let the others shower us in the

coins."

He was just 20 then and would continue to wrestle successfully in England for four years for

returning to Canada with a reputation, a bankroll, a wife and 40 extra pounds on his 6-foot-1

inch frame. A box full of clippings was send ahead to introduce this phenom of the mat to

Frank Tunney, the king of Canadian wrestling promoters. "Frank didn't even pick up the

box at customs," laughs Watson now. "Hadn't even heard of me. I had to show him what I

could do before I got anything but preliminary bouts." Watson showed and Tunney glove.

Whip became the No. 1 attraction -- the quintessential good guy in a world of evil villains --

with crowds at Maple Leaf Gardens swelling from "about 800 when I started, to 10,000 at

the end."

The end came 31 years and some 6,500 bouts later, on Nov. 30, 1971 when a car skidded out

of control on icy Rogers Road, slamming into Whipper as he loaded a fireplace screen into

the trunk of his Cadillac. His left knee was shattered, the leg itself nearly severed. It took 3

1/2 hours of surgery at Northwestern Hospital to repair the damage, but the leg never be the

same. It still gives him considerable pain. "As bad as that day was, I remember two funny

things that happened. They lady who checked me in took $500 out of my pocket and said,

'You should know better than to bring so much money to a hospital, as if I had been planning

to be there. And there was the anesthetist who said he'd be with me in just a second. He was

going to get a sandwich. I'm lying there with a leg that looks like hamburger and he's going

for a sandwich. "That night I remembered back to a time when I was assuring a disabled kid

that I knew what it was like to be disabled and he looked me in the eye and said 'Whip, you'll

never know what it's like to be disabled.' And now, in that one instant, I realized he had been

right. "I was 55 years old, probably the best-conditioned 55-year-old in Canada, wrestling

and still beating men half my age. And now I was disabled. "For 25 years I had been putting

my arm around kids and telling them things would be all right. I was wrong. For 25 years I

had been lying to those kids. "Now I'm straight with them. No sugar-coating. Because life

for the disabled is always going to be tough and I tell them that they'd better be good at

everything they try because, to be accepted, they'll have to be better than the next guy."

Whipper knows about challenges. His mentor in wrestling from the time he was 13 until he

set off for England seven years was Phil Lawson, a tough-minded instructor at the YMCA.

"He became like a second father to me. It is one of my regrets in life that I didn't realize

what a fine, understanding man my stepfather (his mother had remarried to a cartage agent

named Ernesto Chezzi) was until later in life. I resented him, I guess. Anyway, Phil was my

father-figure and he made me work. "He always told me that if I wanted to be a champion

that it would take years of dedication. When I wanted to quit, he was there to keep me going.

One of the training routine was me carrying him on my back up the Scarboro Bluffs. More

than once I wanted to dump him. "When I look back, I realize the profound effect he had on

my life." After the accident that ended his wrestling career, Whipper ballooned to over 350

pounds, a condition that continuously caused him concern. Typically, though, Whip doesn't

embark on something even as simple as a diet without making sure that somebody else

benefits. Hence his latest project: Pounds for People. Last July 7, under the scrutiny of two

of his longtime friends -- Harold Ballard and Lord Athol Layton, who died two weeks ago --

Watson weighed in at 352 and pledged to shed 50 pounds by July 6, 1984. He even put up

$50,000 of his own money and declared he'd forfeit $1,000 a pound to various charities if he

failed to meet the goal. Meanwhile he exacted pledges from the public for every pound shed.

The other day he tipped the scales at 297, down 55 from last July and five pounds below the

limit. The diet continues, however. He is still 25 pounds short of his own private goal. So he

sits and picks at the small portion on his plate and speaks in awed tones of the fine work

with the deaf being done by the tireless Rev. Bob Rumball; or of his sainted mother who

instilled in him a need to help others; or of the quiet generosity of people like Conn Smythe

and Harold Ballard; or of his favorite Canadian, John Diefenbaker; or of the overwhelming

need in any of a dozen organizations he's associated with. He may have conquered his

hunger for food, but his appetite for humanity remains boundless.

__________________________________________

HUNDREDS MOURN FORMER WRESTLER WATSON

By Paula Arab, Toronto Sun (Sunday, February 11, 1990) People in wheelchairs, the deaf,

former wrestlers, and fans were among those who said goodbye yesterday to Whipper Billy

Watson. Watson, a humanitarian and ex-wrestler, was "a true champion" both inside and

outside the ring, his son, John, told 400 mourners at St. James Anglican Church. "Today, we

want this to be a celebration of a life well-lived. He enjoyed life to the fullest.

"He was one of those guys who made things happen and had a special magnetism that made

you want to make things happen with him," he said, speaking on behalf of his mother Eileen,

brother Phil, and sister Georgina. Watson died Feb. 4 in Florida a few days after suffering a

heart attack. Among those at the service were Billy Red Lyons of the World Wrestling

Federation and former wrestler Gene Kiniski. Kiniski, who was one of Watson's greatest

competitors, flew in from Vancouver to attend the service. Watson was a five-time world

wrestling champion and an East York native. His career ended in 1971 following an

automobile accident. He used his well-known name to devote more than 40 years of his life

workingon behalf of numerous Ontario charities. "He had all the fame he wanted, but the

work he enjoyed most was when he was caring for the less fortunate," said Al Fraser,

executive director of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Fraser, a close friend of Watson's, was

a pallbearer. The service was officiated by Rev. S. Duncan Abraham, Rev.Richard Jones,

Rev. Robert Rumball and Rev. Arthur Brown. Watson was buried privately after the

service. __________________________________________

THE LAST BELL FOR WHIPPER BILLY WATSON

By Jim Hunt, Toronto Sun (Tuesday, February 6, 1990) The Whip, Teeder and King Krol.

They were a wonderful trio in Toronto in the late 1940s when the Leafs were Stanley Cup

champions, the Argos winners of the Grey Cup, and the Whip world wrestling champion.

Teeder, of course, was Ted Kennedy, the captain and heart of the Leafs, the most famous

team in hockey. Joe Krol teamed up with Royal Copeland to lead the Argos to three

consecutive Grey Cups with an all-Canadian lineup. No team since has dared challenge, let

alone win, the national championship without at least half a dozen American imports on the

roster. The Whip was Whipper Billy Watson, who died Sunday in a Florida hospital after

suffering a heart attack. To a later generation of sports fans, Whipper was best known as

the man who carried Timmy on his broad shoulders to the head table at the Sports

Celebrities dinner. When he was struck by a car in 1971, an accident that almost took his life

and ended his wrestling career, the Whip used his abundant supply of energy to work for

charity. Whipper, unlike so many sports stars, did more than just lend his name to a

charitable cause. No one on any committee he served on worked half as hard as the

Whipper. It was impossible to say no when he asked for a donation, a plug in your paper or

radio broadcast, or to take part in one of his charitable activities. Bob Payne, now a

columnist for the Sunday Sun, was working at CKEY in the 1970s. A city boy at heart, he

had never been on a snowmobile in his life. The Whip was organizing a ride for the Easter

Seals and persuaded Payne to take part. I asked Payne why he agreed. "When the Whip

asks you to do something, you do it," Payne said. The Whip won the world championship in

1947, beating Lou Thesz in St. Louis. The Toronto Star put the story on page one and that

had as much as anything to do with legitimizing the sport. The late Joe Perlove used to cover

the "rassles," as he used to call them, for the Star. What went on in the ring and what

appeared in the paper the next day had very little in common. Perlove was one of the most

entertaining writers ever to work in this town, and wrestling gave him the chance to let his

imagination run wild. After the bouts the newspapermen used to gather in promoter Frank

Tunney's office to lift a glass or two. Wrestlers, who'd been mortal enemies a few minutes

before in the ring, joined in the camaraderie. There was one subject that was taboo. No one

even questioned that wrestling wasn't as much on the level as hockey or football. We knew it

was more showbiz than sports. Who really cared? Certainly not the Whip, the man who,

more than anyone else, made wrestling accepted in this town. So long Whip. Thanks for the

memories of a golden age in this town. For my money, you belong with Teeder and the

football King as guys who made the sports beat a pleasure to work when we were all an

awful lot younger. ________________________________________

WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG: BILLY RED LYONS

By Frank Zicarelli, Toronto Sun (February 15, 1987) Sacrifice and dedication were his

hallmarks, but sports fans will forever associate William Lyons with those unmistakable red

locks. The color has changed to a hue of grey and white, a reflection of his age, but wrestling

fans still affectionately refer to his as Billy Red Lyons. A strapping 6-foot-2, 240-pound

dynamo, who was -- and still is -- a model of physical strength, Lyons was revered for his

scientific skills, but nonetheless had a vicious streak. The key to Lyons' success inside the

squared circle was basic hard work.

"I was a product of the school of hard knocks," reminisces Lyons from his home in Dundas,

where he and his wife Norma reside. In May of this year, Lyons will celebrate his 54th

birthday and second year of retirement from the mayhem of professional wrestling. Born and

raised in Dundas, Lyons attended Westdale High School and at 20 decided to pursue a

wrestling career. He travelled all over the globe and held various championship titles,

including the world tag-team belts in 1968 with partner Red Bass Dean. "Like anything else,

there were ups and downs. Naturally, when you get an injury you have second thoughts. You

wonder if you've done the right thing. Leg casts, ankles broken, back injuries that kept me

out for up to three months, all these pains are catching up to me now. "But you know

something?" adds Lyons. "I wouldn't trade it for the world." Promoter Frank Tunney was

one of the people who helped Lyons when his career was in its infancy. Immortal mat idols

Lou Thesz and Verne Gagne were the attractions in Lyons' era. The details are somewhat

sketchy, but Lyons believes his first match occurred in Kitchener-Waterloo.

"It was in a legion or it could have been at a high school." In the late 1950s, Lyons was one

of wrestling's biggest attractions in the southern U.S. and Asia. Lyons was a master of the

sleeper and figure-four leg lock, but his greatest ability was his sense of showmanship and

dedication. He's now employed by Jack Tunney and is seen every weekend on Maple Leaf

Wrestling interviewing today's wrestling and occasionally providing color commentary. Fans

may remember Lyons and partner Dewey Robertson as the popular Crusaders.

"No one like to grow old," continued Lyons. "I don't feel old but you're only fooling yourself

when you turn 50 and think you can do the same things you were doing at 40. "I knew when

to step down and make room for the younger guys. When you try to hang on too long, you'll

feel humiliated and depressed. I love wrestling. It's been my life and I wouldn't know what to

do without wrestling."

 

WRESTLING AS WE LIKED IT

by J Michael Kenyon

Volume 2, Number 64 Wednesday, August 27, 1997

IN THIS ISSUE: The Career of Paul Boesch: One Man, One Sport, One Lifetime -- 50

Golden Years on the Mat

THE CAREER OF PAUL BOESCH -- ONE MAN, ONE SPORT, ONE LIFETIME -- 50

YEARS ON THE MAT

(Pamphlet published by The Wrestling News, 1981)

By Paul Boesch

"Mr. Boesch, did you used to wrestle?"

I have been asked that question many times, perhaps that is one reason why this booklet is

being written: to provide the answer.

My career in wrestling spans 50 magnificent years; it touches six decades. Through the men

I wrestled, or those who have refereed some of my matches, I have had contact with another

century. My own contact with all phases of wrestling started in 1932.

I was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on October 2, 1912. About a dozen years later we moved to

Long Beach, N.Y. The move was a good one for me. It shifted my outlook from city streets

to the beaches that are washed by the Atlantic Ocean. When I was 14 I was a lifeguard and

got paid for it. I earned the pay, made some rescues. At 16 I was on the Long Beach Patrol

and won the annual swimming race in 1929. I was a proud kid.

Swimming, basketball (I was a pro, got paid as much as ten dollars one night; I played on two

different teams, five bucks each game!), but it was the lifeguarding that got me in contact

with Jack Pfefer who was matchmaker for Madison Square Garden. Jack was a

controversial character, probably the best . . . and the worst . . . thing that ever happened to

wrestling. But he was good for me. He gave me my start on October 25, 1932. By the end of

the year I was wrestling all over the East. I also had my first cauliflowered ear, a Christmas

gift from Herbie Freeman.

The toughening process of '32 paid off in '33. I battled my way into main events in all of the

major cities from Washington, D.C., to the dozen arenas all over New York City. I met men

who were already legends in the game: Ray Steele, Everette Marshall, Jim McMillen,

Sammy Stein, Jumping Joe Savoldi, and Dick Shikat. I met two world's champions that year,

Jim Londos -- "The Golden Greek" -- and rugged pig farmer Jim Browning. There were a

hundred other men who deserved to be mentioned. It was an era of wrestling giants.

The matches I recall best, because they were the toughest, happened in a period of about a

month against former world's champion Dick Shikat. I wrestled him first in Charley Grip's

open-air arena in Camden, N.J., for 90 minutes without a fall. Then, a little more than a

week later, in Baltimore at Carlin's Park, we wrestled for two hours, no fall!!! About a week

later in the Bronx Coliseum, in New York City, we went one hour, 47 minutes, no fall! The

match was ended by the 11 p.m. curfew. The very next week at the same Coliseum we

wrestled almost two hours and Shikat scored a fall. That adds up to more than seven hours

of stubborn, rough, grueling wrestling before a single fall was scored. All of this as my

cauliflowered ear grew bigger.

And I will never forget the Dusek "Riot Squad"--Rudy, Ernie, Emil and Joe; Dick Raines,

Jack Sherry, George Zaharias, and many others for similar reasons.

I parted company with Jack Pfefer in the fall of 1933. In the spring of '34 I took the

advantage of something unique to wrestling, the opportunity to travel. I went to Canada and

then to Los Angeles, spending several months in each place. The men seemed to get

tougher, but by then I had established myself a niche above a rookie. I met Man Mountain

Dean, Ted "King Kong" Cox (a wildman in that era), Sandor Szabo, Dick Raines and others

during 1935-36.

I made a hit in Seattle and got an offer to go to New Zealand, where I learned what solid

wrestling meant against Earl McCready and Lofty Blomfield. I went to Australia to face men

like Glen Wade and Tom Lurich. In 1937, I returned to the Pacific Northwest where the

tough Red Shadow, Pat Fraley, and Leo Numa made it a long hard year. I suffered a back

injury and finally had to take the doctor's orders and quit wrestling for a full year. So, I

bought a half-interest in the Seattle promotion and saw a new side of wrestling.

One bright idea that I had during the time I promoted in Seattle is one I would like to forget.

I invented "mud wrestling" and promoted the first one in this country. I meant it to be a

"Hindu Style" match with India's Harnam Singh and former world's champion Gus

Sonnenberg wrestling in a ring packed with dirt. Someone forgot to turn off the water!

My back injury responded to therapy and at the end of '38 I resumed wrestling. I went to

Los Angeles and then back to New Zealand. When war was declared in September I

returned to Honolulu and stayed for five glorious months. Then, a tempting offer came from

Manila, P.I. The war in Europe was in a quiet stage so I accepted and battled Pedro

Martinez (later promoter in Buffalo), Danny Dusek and Chief Thunderbird. In May they

asked me to return to Sydney, Australia, and I decided to go. So did the Canadian Indian,

Thunderbird. Martinez went back to the States. Dusek stayed longer in Manila than he

anticipated. He was there when the Japanese captured the city, and he spent three years in

a concentration camp.

I was on the boat to Sydney when the war in Europe erupted. It cut wrestling in Australia

short so I decided to go home to Long Beach and be chief of lifeguards. I also wrestled

around New York with the Dusek tribe and Warren Bockwinkel. Then Pearl Harbor

exploded and I spent three years, one month and 27 days in the Army.

When I was released from service I went to Texas, then to New Zealand, and then back to

Texas. I was there for about two weeks and after wrestling in San Antonio on October 23,

1947, I decided to drive to Corpus Christi. I never made it. At the outskirts of San Antonio

an oilfield truck shot past a stop sign. We collided and my tour and my career suddenly

changed.

The automobile accident confronted me with a nightmare I had often experienced during the

war: "What would I do if I couldn't wrestle again?" My injuries looked serious enough to

make me need an answer. I found one without looking.

I had wrestled in Texas in January, 1942, soon after Pearl Harbor. I stayed until May.

Immediately following the war I left Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri and headed for Houston

to pick up my career. I stayed about seven months. I liked Houston, and I liked and trusted

Morris P. Sigel, the promoter.

Houston had a long wrestling history going back before World War I. Between 1915 and

1923 there were matches at irregular intervals. In those days many wrestling matches were

often held for private bets between the contestants. Pet Brown was a tough middleweight

who won a lot of money in Houston. Men like Clarence Eklund, who came from Wyoming

and held the world's lightheavyweight title, traveled far to face him. Pet's name still comes

up when real oldtimers talk.

About 1925, Julius Sigel -- brother of Morris -- started promoting in Houston's City

Auditorium. Soon they had top wrestlers coming to Houston on a steady basis. Friday night

was the night they chose to hold the matches, and we still hold them on Friday night.

Morris joined his brother Julius as a partner and around 1929 Julius decided to leave

Houston and promote in New Orleans and Shreveport, La. Morris' strength as a promoter

lay in his ability to bring good business practices into the sports world. He paid his bills

promptly and had an unparalleled reputation for honesty. Matchmaking was not his strong

point, but he did surround himself with people who knew the mat game and could evaluate

the wrestlers. One of his earliest associates was a man who had wrestled in the early '20s,

Karl "Doc" Sarpolis.

In 1933 the state of Texas passed laws legalizing and governing both boxing and wrestling.

Morris Sigel received the first license issued in both sports.

>From the beginning of Sigel's promotion Houston fans saw the best wrestlers in the game.

The man who is remembered best, and was remembered gratefully by Sigel, was Leo

"Whiskers" Daniel Boone Savage, a bearded, colorful Kentuckian. Whiskers filled the

Coliseum almost every Friday night in spite of the nation's worst depression.

Wrestling prospered and became solidly established in Houston while many promotions

across the nation collapsed. It was a rare tribute to the Texas sport spirit, and the spirit of

Houston fans, which is still evident today. They are still the most knowledgable fans in the

country.

To say that I became an associate of Morris Sigel by accident might sound like a pun. It is

true. The accident in San Antonio and then, quite by accident, I was in his office one day

when he needed some newspaper stories changed. I sat at the typewriter and changed them.

A short time later he asked me to join him.

Doctors had said I should not wrestle again so I eagerly grabbed the chance to stay in

wrestling. Houston was an exciting city for wrestling in those days, as it is now. The city had

known champions and had developed men who were featured all across the nation. Gorgeous

George had gone from Houston to become a household word. Dizzy Davis, Jimmy James

and Ellis Bashara were following in the footsteps of Paul Jones and Juan Humberto, who had

made their names in the 1920s and '30s.

I was in a fortunate position. I learned much about promotion from Sigel and learned to

admire and respect Sarpolis' judgement in matchmaking. One of our earliest adventures

after joining Sigel was the importation of Antonino Rocca from Argentina. There were

others: Miguel "Blackie" Guzman and Rito Romero from Mexico; Duke Keomuka from

Hawaii; Lord Blears and Count Billy Varga gave the game a noble touch; Wild Red Berry

and LeRoy McGuirk added class and excitement.

Time turned out to be the best healer of my injuries and I returned to ring action. But it was

tough, the competition was capable. LeRoy McGuirk was the world's junior heavyweight

champion and Houston buzzed with challengers, who were capable of making him sweat.

Irish Danny McShain and Wild Red Berry were constantly at each other's throats for the

right to face McGuirk. And, to sharpen their tempers, they took on heavyweights and made

their lives miserable. I had my share of knocks and bruises in battles with Keomuka and

Danny Savich, a gravel- throated, tough competitor from Tooele, Utah.

Cowboy Carlson got his start in Houston when he came here for the Fat Stock Rodeo, got

hungry when he spent all of his money for entry fees, and then challenged all three Macias

brothers. It was a pleasure to help make a wrestler out of him.

I also had a part in starting Tiger Conway, and later his son, Tiger Conway Jr. I taught

Verne Gagne the sleeper hold with which he became so adept that he won the world's junior

heavyweight title, and then later the world's heavyweight title. Hogan Wharton, the

University of Houston's first football All-American, was another man with whom I sweated

on the mat so that he could learn to wrestle. He did and Hogan was good.

With the start of 1948 I took on a new assignment as a member of Morris Sigel's staff. I did

a radio broadcast, from ringside, of some of the matches. I was not exactly a stranger to the

microphone. In 1936, in Portland, Ore., I was interviewed between falls in the main event.

The announcer, Rollie Truit, handed me the microphone when the wrestlers returned to the

ring and said, "You broadcast the next fall." I stammered a protest, but he walked away and

I became a radio announcer.

I became a television announcer in much the same way. I did the radio broadcast for KLEE

for a full year. At the end of that year W. Albert Lee had the license for Channel 2 and had a

television station ready to go on the air. In the first week of January, 1949, I did my first

telecast. I hadn't even seen television and suddenly I was on it!

For the first nine months of telecasting we started with the Star Spangled Banner and wound

up when the lights went out. It is difficult to explain, 33 years later, when people are blase

and bored with the miracles the tube produces, that the early days were exciting. It is hard to

explain how people stood in front of TV sets placed in store windows to watch wrestling; and

how Friday night was wrestling party night in someone's home.

When the number of television sets increased and the sport was in competition with itself,

the broadcast time was changed from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The semifinal and main event

were not telecast and the box office, which had been adversely affected, improved. Channel

2 was bought by the Houston Post and became KPRC-TV instead of KLEE-TV. When

commitments with compulsory network programs took precedence, Houston wrestling

moved to a new station in town, Channel 13.

We stayed there until three months before Channel 39 came on the air. Those three months

are the only time Houston Wrestling has not been on the air, as I write this, for 33 years. In

January, 1982, we begin our 34th year.

I am as proud of that record as I am of my 50 years in the wrestling game. Early in our TV

career I recognized that wrestling, through television, could accomplish a lot of good deeds.

We started with the Elks' Mile of Dimes, which was a Houston tradition at that time. Since

then, through a polio epidemic, telethons for the March of Dimes and hundreds of other

worthy causes, we have been ready to help. We have not only provided action and

entertainment, but we have been a useful instrument for the betterment of nonprofit causes.

We intend to stay that way for the next 34 years.

On December 26, 1966, after a long illness, Morris Sigel died. Behind him he left a world of

friends. In January of '67 I purchased the Gulf Athletic Club from Mrs. Sigel. I had long

known the stress of promotion and was well aware of its possibilities and its promise. For 20

years I had been training for my new position without knowing it. I was ready. Now I could

put into practice my own ideas and I alone would bear the responsibility for their success or

failure.&127;

The early years were not easy. Channel 39 was a fine, hustling TV station but it was new and

unknown; UHF telecasting was not yet universally accepted. But Houston Wrestling took

hold and the program that had thrilled Houstonians at the birth of television regained its

strength and stature. It grew.

My contacts with wrestlers across the country and my friendship with promoters paid off.

Top wrestlers came to Houston and among them were crowd pleasing, hard wrestling

athletes. The recipe for success is the same in every sport: give the fans men who produce

action, make sure fans get their money's worth, and give fans what you say you will give

them. I tried.

Johnny Valentine had made a hit in Houston when he first appeared and then went on to

establish himself nationwide. He returned to Houston and was the foundation for fulfilling

fans' demands.

Wahoo McDaniels left the world of football to go into business for himself in wrestling and

Houston fans war whooped him into a world title contender. Boris Malenko and his manager,

Lord Montagu, became the hottest TV couple on anybody's channel. Malenko gave me a

nickname I still hear from fans of the early '70s when he insisted on calling me "Mr. TV

Announcer." Sports fans often ask, which is more important, the wrestlers or the promoter?

Well, they also ask, which is more important, the team or the owner? The only answer is that

they are both important. Each depends on the other whether they realize it or not.

It has been the response of the Houston fans that made it all worthwhile. It is the enthusiasm

of fans that has kept me interested in wrestling after 50 years of participation. I look

forward to the years that lie ahead, I look forward to the new crop of wrestlers that promise

to make being a fan, or a promoter, exciting during the rest of the 1980s. Wrestling will

expand, it will meet the demands of the fans in this rapidly disappearing decade just as it has

during the past hundred years in this country.

To prove that the future is here we have published this book. To insure it we have planned

something never before attempted here, a three-day "Golden Cup" tournament that invites

every claimant to the world's title to compete. Happy Golden Anniversary Year to all of you!

THE WAWLI PAPERS:

WRESTLING AS WE LIKED IT

by J Michael Kenyon

Volume 2, Number 65 Thursday, August 28, 1997

IN THIS ISSUE: Hooray for Hollywood: Matmen In The Movies Throughout the 1930s,

1940s and the 1950s

MATMEN IN THE MOVIES: A LIST OF FILMOGRAPHIES

URL--http://us.imdb.com/search

The Wrestler: Karl 'Killer' Davis

Date of birth:1908

Date of death: 4 July 1977

Height: 6' 2"

Combined filmography

1.Bonnie Parker Story, The (1958)[Actor .... Texan]

2.Apache Warrior (1957)[Actor]

3.Zombies of Mora Tau (1957)[Actor .... First Zombie, in roadway] ... aka Dead That Walk,

The (1957)

4.Creature With the Atom Brain (1955)[Actor .... Willard Pearce (1st creature)]

5.Matchmaking Marshal, The (1955)[Actor .... Abdul the Turk]

6.Pirates of Tripoli (1955)[Actor]

7.Timberjack (1955)[Actor .... Red Bush]

8.Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954)[Actor .... Macro]

9.Egyptian, The (1954)[Actor (uncredited)]

10.Salome (1953)[Actor .... Slave Master]

11.Lost Planet, The (1953)[Actor .... Karlo]

12.Siren of Bagdad (1953)[Actor] ... aka Siren of Baghdad (1953)

13.Young Man with Ideas (1952)[Actor .... Punchy]

14.Flesh and Fury (1952)[Actor (uncredited) .... Broadway character]

15.Fingerprints Don't Lie (1951)[Actor]

16.Mask of the Dragon (1951)[Actor]

17.Reckless Moment, The (1949)[Actor .... Wrestler]

____________________________________________

The Wrestler: Woody Strode

Real name: Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode

Date of birth: 1914, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Date of death: 31 December 1994, Glendora, California

Height: 6' 4"

Mini biography--An athlete turned actor, Strode was a top-notch decathlete and a football

star at UCLA. He became part of Hollywood lore after meeting director John Ford and

becoming a part of the Ford "family", appearing in almost a dozen Ford westerns. Strode

also played the powerful gladiator who does battle with Kirk Douglas in "Spartacus."

Played college football and broke color barrier at the same time as Kenny Washington. Met

his wife, an Hawaiian princess and stand-in for the swim sequences for Hedy Lamarr.

Woody played for the Cleveland Rams prior to their move to Los Angeles. He was also a

professional wrestler, wrestling the likes of Georgeous George. Woody lived in a modest

home overlooking Glendora and the San Gabriel Valley, east of Los Angeles about 25 miles.

Strode played several seasons for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League

before moving back to the United States and beginning his film career.

Strode posed for one of 2 paintings commissioned by Hitler for the 1936 Olympic Games in

Berlin.

Sometimes Credited As: Woodrow Strode

Combined filmography

1.Quick and the Dead, The (1995)[Actor .... Charlie Moonlight]

2.Posse (1993)[Actor .... Storyteller]

3.Storyville (1992)[Actor .... Charlie Sumpter]

4.Gathering of Old Men, A (1987) (TV)[Actor .... Yank] ... aka Aufstand alter Männer, Ein

(1987) (TV) ... aka Murder on the Bayou (1987) (TV)

5.On Fire (1987) (TV)[Actor]

6.Angkor: Cambodia Express (1985)[Actor]

7.Lust in the Dust (1985)[Actor .... Blackman]

8.Cotton Club, The (1984)[Actor .... Holmes]

9.Jungle Warriors (1984)[Actor .... Luther]

10.Black Stallion Returns, The (1983)[Actor .... Meslar]

11.Final Executioner, The (1983)[Actor .... Sam] ... aka Last Warrior, The (1983)

12.Scream (1983/I)[Actor .... Charlie Winters] ... aka Outing, The (1983)

13.Vigilante (1982)[Actor .... Rake] ... aka Street Gang (1982)

14.Cuba Crossing (1980)[Actor .... Titi] ... aka Assignment: Kill Castro (1980) ... aka Key

West Crossing (1980) ... aka Kill Castro (1980) ... aka Mercenaries, The (1980) ... aka

Sweet Dirty Tony (1980) ... aka Sweet Violent Tony (1980)

15.Jaguar Lives! (1979)[Actor .... Sensei] ... aka Felino, El (1979) (Spanish title)

16.Ravagers (1979)[Actor .... Brown]

17."Outside Man, The" (1977) TV Series[Actor .... Shaker Thompson]

18.Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)[Actor .... Walter Colby]

19.Oil (1977)[Actor]

20.Keoma (1976)[Actor] ... aka Violent Breed, The (1976)

21.Winterhawk (1976)[Actor .... Big Rude]

22.Noi non siamo angeli (1975)[Actor .... Black Bill] ... aka We Are No Angels (1975)

23.Colpo in canna (1974)[Actor .... Silvera] ... aka Loaded Guns (1974) ... aka Stick 'em Up,

Darlings (1974)

24.Key West (1973) (TV)[Actor]

25.Gatling Gun, The (1973)[Actor .... Runner] ... aka King Gun (1973)

26.Revengers, The (1972)[Actor .... Job]

27.Black Rodeo (1972)[Actor (voice) .... Narrator]

28.Mala ordina, La (1972)[Actor .... Frank] ... aka Hired to Kill (1972) ... aka Italian

Connection, The (1972) ... aka Manhunt (1972) ... aka Manhunt in Milan (1972)

29.Deserter, The (1971)[Actor .... Jackson] ... aka Ride to Glory (1971) ... aka Spina dorsale

del diavolo, La (1971)

30.Breakout (1970) (TV)[Actor]

31.Ciakmull - L'uomo della vendetta (1970)[Actor .... Woody] ... aka Unholy Four, The

(1970)

32.Last Rebel, The (1970)[Actor .... Duncan]

33.Tarzan's Deadly Silence (1970)[Actor]

34.C'era una volta il west (1969)[Actor .... Stony] ... aka Once Upon a Time in the West

(1969)

35.Che! (1969)[Actor .... Guillermo]

36.Collina degli stivali, La (1969)[Actor .... Thomas] ... aka Boot Hill (1969) ... aka Boots

Hill (1969) ... aka Trinity Rides Again (1969)

37.Shalako (1968)[Actor .... Chato]

38.Seduta alla sua destra (1968)[Actor .... Lalubi] ... aka Black Jesus (1968) ... aka Out of

Darkness (1968) ... aka Seated At His Right (1968) ... aka Super Brother (1968)

39.Tarzan and the Perils of Charity Jones (1967)[Actor]

40.Professionals, The (1966)[Actor .... Jake Sharp]

41.7 Women (1966)[Actor .... Lean Warrior] ... aka Seven Women (1966)

42.Genghis Khan (1965)[Actor .... Sengal] ... aka Dzingis-Kan (1965)

43.Tarzan's Three Challenges (1963)[Actor (uncredited) .... Dying Leader]

44.Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The (1962)[Actor .... Pompey]

45.Two Rode Together (1961)[Actor .... Stone Calf]

46.Sins of Rachel Cade, The (1961)[Actor .... Muwango]

47.Spartacus (1960)[Actor .... Draba]

48.Sergeant Rutledge (1960)[Actor .... Sergeant Braxton Rutledge] ... aka Captain Buffalo

(1960) (working title)

49.Last Voyage, The (1960)[Actor .... Hank Lawson]

50.Pork Chop Hill (1959)[Actor .... Franklin]

51.Buccaneer, The (1958)[Actor .... Soldier]

52.Tarzan's Fight for Life (1958)[Actor .... Ramo]

53.Ten Commandments, The (1956)[Actor .... King of Ethiopia/litter carrier-slave]

54.Son of Sinbad (1955)[Actor] ... aka Nights in a Harem (1955) 55."Mandrake the

Magician" (1954) TV Series[Actor .... Lothar]

56.Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954)[Actor]

57.Gambler from Natchez, The (1954)[Actor]

58.Jungle Gents (1954)[Actor .... Malaka]

59.City Beneath the Sea (1953)[Actor .... Djion]

60.African Treasure (1952)[Actor .... Mailman] ... aka Bomba and the African Treasure

(1952)

61."Ramar of the Jungle" (1952) TV Series[Actor] 62.Androcles and the Lion (1952)[Actor

.... The Lion]

63.Caribbean (1952)[Actor] ... aka Caribbean Gold (1952)

64.Lion Hunters, The (1951)[Actor .... Walu]

65.Bride of the Gorilla (1951)[Actor .... Nedo]

66.No Time for Love (1943)[Actor]

67.Star Spangled Rhythm (1942)[Actor .... Rochester's motorcycle chauffeur]

68.Sundown (1941)[Actor .... Tribal Policeman]

__________________________________________ The Wrestler: Tiger Joe Marsh

Real name: Joe Marusich

Date of birth: 1911

Date of death: 9 May 1989, Chicago, Ill. (heart failure)

Height: 6' 1"

Combined filmography

1.Love at First Bite (1979)[Actor .... Citizen Outside Castle]

2.Cat from Outer Space, The (1978)[Actor .... Omar]

3.Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)[Actor .... Lorko] ... aka Montagne ensorcelée, La (1975)

4.Vengeance (1964)[Actor]

5.Rebel Set, The (1959)[Actor .... Policeman] ... aka Beatsville (1959)

6.On the Waterfront (1954)[Actor (uncredited)]

7.Egyptian, The (1954)[Actor (uncredited)]

8.Joe Louis Story, The (1953)[Actor]

9.Viva Zapata! (1952)[Actor (uncredited)]

10.Panic in the Streets (1950)[Actor (uncredited) .... Bosun]

11.Pinky (1949)[Actor] ____________________________________

The Wrestler: Henry Kulky

Date of birth: 11 August 1911, Hastings-on-the-Hudson, New York, USA.

Date of death: 12 February 1965, Oceandale, California, USA. (heart attack)

Height:5' 11"

Sometimes Credited As: Henry 'Bomber' Kulkovich

Combined filmography

1."Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (1964) TV Series[Actor .... Chief Curley Jones

(1964-65)] 2.Global Affair, A (1964)[Actor .... Charlie] 3.All Fall Down (1962)[Actor ....

Sailor]

4.Up Periscope (1959)[Actor .... York]

5."Hennesey" (1959) TV Series[Actor .... Max Bronsky] 6.Compulsion (1959)[Actor

(uncredited) .... Waiter]

7.Love Me or Leave Me (1955)[Actor .... Bouncer]

8.Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops (1955)[Actor .... Brakeman]

9.Illegal (1955)[Actor .... Taylor]

10.Jail Busters (1955)[Actor .... Marty]

11.To Hell and Back (1955)[Actor (uncredited) .... Stack]

12.Star Is Born, A (1954)[Actor .... Cuddles]

13.Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954)[Actor .... Maurice, Jacques' friend]

14.Tobor the Great (1954)[Actor .... Paul] 15.Yukon Vengeance (1954)[Actor .... Schmidt]

16."Life of Riley, The" (1953) TV Series[Actor .... Otto Schmidlap]

17.5,000 Fingers of Dr. T., The (1953)[Actor .... Stroogo] 18.Down Among the Sheltering

Palms (1953)[Actor .... First Sergeant]

19.Glory Brigade, The (1953)[Actor .... Smitty]

20.Lion Is in the Streets, A (1953)[Actor (uncredited) .... Polli's Butler] 21.Powder River

(1953)[Actor .... Bartender]

22.No Holds Barred (1952)[Actor .... The Mauler]

23.Red Skies of Montana (1952)[Actor .... Dawson] ... aka Smoke Jumpers (1952)

24.Target Hong Kong (1952)[Actor .... Dutch Pfeifer]

25.What Price Glory (1952)[Actor .... Company cook]

26.World in His Arms, The (1952)[Actor .... Peter]

27.Guy Who Came Back, The (1951)[Actor .... Wizard]

28.Force of Arms (1951)[Actor (uncredited) .... Sgt. Reiser] ... aka Girl for Joe (1951) ... aka

Girl for Joe, A (1951) (reissue title) 29.Love Nest (1951)[Actor .... George Thompson]

30.You Never Can Tell (1951)[Actor .... Large prisoner] ... aka You Never Know (1951)

31.Wabash Avenue (1950)[Actor .... Joe Barton]

32.Bodyhold (1949)[Actor .... Mike Kalumbo]

33.Alias the Champ (1949)[Actor (as Bomber Kulkovich)]

34.Bandits of El Dorado (1949)[Actor .... Spade, bartender]

35.Mighty Joe Young (1949)[Actor (uncredited) .... Strongman]

36.South Sea Sinner (1949)[Actor .... Bartender] ... aka East of Java (1949)

37.Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)[Actor .... Acrobat] ... aka Everybody's Cheering

(1949)

38.Call Northside 777 (1948)[Actor (uncredited) .... Bartender] ... aka Calling Northside 777

(1948)

39.Northwest Outpost (1947)[Actor] ... aka End of the Rainbow (1947)

_______________________________________

The Wrestler: Sammy Menacker

Sometimes Credited As: Sam Menacker

Actor filmography

1.Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950) .... Bertram

2.Bodyhold (1949) .... Red Roman

3.Alias the Champ (1949)

4.Mighty Joe Young (1949) (uncredited) .... Strongman

____________________________________________

The Wrestler: Tor Johnson

Date of birth: 1916

Date of death: 12 May 1971 (heart ailment)

Mini biography--Rotund, bald-headed actor who played menacing roles in Grade-Z horror

movies or sci-fi's such as Ed Wood's notorious 'Plan 9 from Outer Space' (1959). Wrestled

professionally under the names 'Swedish Angel' and 'Super-Swedish Angel'.

Combined filmography

1.Beast of Yucca Flats, The (1961)[Actor .... Joseph Javorsky] ... aka Atomic Monster: The

Beast of Yucca Flats, The (1961)

2.Revenge of the Dead (1960)[Actor .... Lobo] ... aka Night of the Ghouls (1960)

3.Plan 9 from Outer Space (1958)[Actor .... Insp. Daniel Clay, begorrah] ... aka Grave

Robbers from Outer Space (1958) (working title)

4.Unearthly, The (1957)[Actor .... Lobo] ... aka House of the Monsters (1957) (working title)

... aka Night of the Monsters (1957) (working title)

5.Black Sleep, The (1956)[Actor .... Curry] ... aka Dr. Cadman's Secret (1962) (US reissue

title)

6.Carousel (1956)[Actor (uncredited) .... Strong Man]

7.Bride of the Monster (1955)[Actor .... Lobo] ... aka Bride of the Atom (1955)

8.Houdini (1953)[Actor (uncredited)]

9.Lady in the Iron Mask (1952)[Actor]

10.San Francisco Story, The (1952)[Actor .... Buck]

11.Lemon Drop Kid, The (1951)[Actor .... Wrestler]

12.Reformer and the Redhead, The (1950)[Actor (uncredited)]

13.Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950)[Actor .... Abou Ben]

14.Alias the Champ (1949)[Actor .... The Super Swedish Angel]

15.State of the Union (1948)[Actor .... Wrestler] ... aka World and His Wife, The (1948)

16.Behind Locked Doors (1948)[Actor .... 'The Champ', a patient] ... aka Hinter

verschlossenen Türen (1948) ... aka Human Gorilla, The (????) (US reissue title)

17.Road to Rio (1947)[Actor .... Samson]

18.Sudan (1945)[Actor (uncredited) .... Slaver]

19.Ghost Catchers, The (1944)[Actor]

20.Lost in a Harem (1944)[Actor .... Majordomo] 21.Meanest Man in the World, The

(1943)[Actor .... Vladimir Pulasky]

22.Under Two Flags (1936)[Actor .... Bidou]

23.Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935)[Actor .... Tosoff] ... aka Memory Expert, The (1935)

24.Kid Millions (1934)[Actor .... Torturer] ______________________________________

The Wrestler: Ed Lewis

Real name: Robert H. Friedrich

Date of birth: 30 June 1890, Nekoosa, Wisconsin, USA

Date of death: 7 August 1966, Muskogee, Okla., USA

Trivia--Professional wrestler for several decades.

Sometimes Credited As: Ed 'Strangler' Lewis

Combined filmography

1.Bodyhold (1949)[Actor (as Ed 'Strangler' Lewis) .... Referee]

2.That Nazty Nuisance (1943)[Actor]

3.President Vanishes, The (1934)[Actor .... Legislator] ... aka Strange Conspiracy (1934)

__________________________________________ The Wrestler: Man Mountain Dean

Real name: Frank S. Leavitt

Date of birth: 30 June1890

Date of death: 29 May 1963, Norcross, Georgia, USA

Trivia--Wrestler. Before taking the name Man Mountain Dean, he was known as the Hell's

Kitchen Hillbilly, then Stone Mountain Leavitt.

Combined filmography

1.Surprise Package (1960)[Actor]

2.Man of the Moment (1955)[Actor .... Bodyguard]

3.Gladiator, The (1938)[Actor]

4.Big City (1937)[Actor (uncredited)] ... aka Skyscraper Wilderness (1937)

5.Three Legionnaires (1937)[Actor] ... aka Three Crazy Legionnaires (1937)

6.Reckless (1935)[Actor .... Himself]

7.We're in the Money (1935)[Actor .... Himself]

______________________________________

The Wrestler: Kay Bell

Date of birth: 1914

Date of death: 27 October 1994, Redmond, Washington, USA. (cancer)

Height: 6' 3"

Trivia--Played in National Footbal League, 1937-1942. Became professional wrestler.

Combined filmography

1.Ten Commandments, The (1956)[Actor]

2.Those Redheads from Seattle (1953)[Actor]

3.Everybody Does It (1949)[Actor .... Angelo]

THE WAWLI PAPERS:

WRESTLING AS WE LIKED IT

by J Michael Kenyon

Volume 2, Number 66 Tuesday, September 2, 1997

IN THIS ISSUE: Survey of 1960 Portland, Oregon, Mat Bouts -- A Golden Age of Pacific

Northwest Wrestling

PORTLAND, OREGON, RESULTS FROM 1960

January 4, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis won battle royal, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Joe Scarpa, Ed Francis beat Doug

Donovan, Jerry Kozak beat Tony Borne-DQ, George Drake drew Eric Pederson

January 9, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Tony Borne drew Ed Francis, Eric Pederson beat Joe Scarpa, Jerry Kozak drew Jack Kiser,

Kurt Von Poppenheim beat George Drake

January 13, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis won battle royal, Tony Borne beat Jack Kiser, Eddie Sullivan (Tito Montez) beat

Doug Donovan, Larry Lopez beat Danny O'Rourke

January 16, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis beat Tony Borne-DQ, Shag Thomas beat Jerry Kozak, Eddie Sullivan beat Eric

Pederson, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat George Drake, Larry Lopez drew Doug Donovan

January 23, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas-Tony Borne beat Ed Francis-Eddie Sullivan (won Northwest Tag Title), Jack

Kiser beat Doug Donovan, Jerry Kozak beat George Drake, Kurt Von Poppenheim drew

Larry Lopez

January 27, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Tony Borne beat Danny O'Rourke, Shag Thomas beat Kurt Von Poppenheim, Jack Kiser

drew Eddie Sullivan, Larry Lopez beat Doug Donovan

January 30, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Kurt Von Poppenheim won battle royal, Jack Kiser drew Jerry Kozak, Tony Borne beat

Larry Lopez, Shag Thomas drew Ed Francis

February 3, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Pat O'Connor beat Tony Borne (NWA Title Defense), Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Danny

O'Rourke, Larry Lopez drew Kurt Von Poppenheim, Shag Thomas beat Eddie Sullivan,

Jack Kiser drew Joe Konno

February 10, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas drew Kurt Von Poppenheim, Maurice LaPointe beat Joe Konno, Jack Kiser

drew Larry Lopez

February 13, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas-Tony Borne beat Ed Francis-Maurice LaPointe, Larry Lopez beat Joe Konno,

Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Jerry Kozak, Ed Francis beat Doug Donovan

February 17, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas beat Kurt Von Poppenheim, Luigi Macera beat Joe Konno, Haru Sasaki beat

Larry Lopez, Tony Borne drew Ed Francis

February 22, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas beat Kurt Von Poppenheim-DQ, Ed Francis beat Joe Konno, Maurice

LaPointe beat Doug Donovan, Larry Lopez beat Doug Donovan

February 26, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis-Maurice LaPointe beat Tony Borne-Shag Thomas-DQ, Jerry Kozak drew Haru

Sasaki, Larry Lopez beat Joe Konno, Ed Francis beat Doug Donovan

February 29, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Luigi Macera won battle royal, Shag Thomas beat Luigi Macera, Joe Konno beat Doug

Donovan, Haru Sasaki drew Larry Lopez, Kurt Von Poppenheim drew Maurice LaPointe

March 4, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis beat Shag Thomas-DQ, Tony Borne drew Maurice LaPointe, Luigi Macera beat

Joe Konno, Jerry Kozak beat Doug Donovan

March 7, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas drew Luigi Macera, Duke Keomuka beat Larry Lopez, Haru Sasaki drew

Maurice LaPointe, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Joe Konno

March 11, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis-Luigi Macera beat Kurt Von Poppenheim-Haru Sasaki, Bill Savage beat Jerry

Kozak, Duke Keomuka beat Maurice LaPointe

March 14, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas beat Bill Savage, Duke Keomuka beat Eddie Sullivan, Maurice LaPointe beat

Kurt Von Poppenheim-DQ, Jerry Kozak drew Larry Lopez

March 18, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis beat Shag Thomas (won Northwest Title), Duke Keomuka beat Eddie Sullivan,

Bill Savage beat Larry Lopez, Maurice LaPointe drew Luigi Macera, Jerry Kozak beat

Haru Sasaki

March 21, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas drew Bill Savage, Luigi Macera beat Duke Keomuka, Larry Lopez drew

Maurice LaPointe, Eddie Sullivan beat Jack Kiser

March 25, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Tony Borne beat Bill Savage (loser leaves town), Shag Thomas beat Maurice LaPointe, Ed

Francis drew Eddie Sullivan, Jerry Kozak beat Kurt Von Poppenheim-DQ

March 28, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Tony Borne-Shag Thomas beat Ed Francis-Maurice LaPointe (won Northwest Tag Title),

Larry Lopez beat Haru Sasaki-DQ, Jerry Kozak drew Jerry Atkins

April 1, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Haru Sasaki-Duke Keomuka beat Tony Borne-Shag Thomas, Ed Francis drew Kurt Von

Poppenheim, Eddie Sullivan drew Luigi Macera, Maurice LaPointe beat Jerry Atkins, Jerry

Kozak beat Larry Lopez

April 4, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis drew Tony Borne, Shag Thomas beat Maurice LaPointe, Eddie Sullivan drew

Jerry Kozak, Lorenzo Parente beat Danny O'Rourke, Haru Sasaki beat Jerry Atkins

April 8,1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis beat Duke Keomuka-DQ, Haru Sasaki beat Jerry Atkins, Kurt Von Poppenheim

beat Maurice LaPointe, Larry Lopez drew Jerry Kozak

April 12, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis beat Tony Borne-DQ, Shag Thomas beat Larry Lopez, Haru Sasaki drew

Maurice LaPointe, Eddie Sullivan beat Jerry Atkins

April 19, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ramon Torres won battle royal, Ramon Torres drew Tony Borne, Haru Sasaki drew Larry

Lopez, Shag Thomas beat Jerry Kozak, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Jerry Atkins

April 21, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Bill Savage beat Tony Borne, Ramon Torres beat Shag Thomas-DQ, Haru Sasaki-Duke

Keomuka beat Luigi Macera-Maurice LaPointe, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Jerry Atkins,

Jerry Kozak drew Eddie Sullivan

April 26, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis-Bill Savage beat Tony Borne-Shag Thomas, Haru Sasaki-Duke Keomuka drew

Eddie Sullivan-Ramon Torres, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Jerry Kozak, Larry Lopez drew

Maurice LaPointe

April 29, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Bill Savage beat Tony Borne-DQ, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Duke Keomuka, Jerry Kozak

beat Larry Lopez, Ed Francis beat Maurice LaPointe, Shag Thomas drew Luigi Macera

May 2, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis-Bill Savage drew Tony Borne-Shag Thomas, Luigi Macera drew Eddie Sullivan,

Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Maurice LaPointe, Ramon Torres beat Larry Lopez, Jerry

Kozak drew Haru Sasaki

May 6, 1960 -- Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis-Bill Savage beat Tony Borne-Shag Thomas (won Northwest Tag Title), Luigi

Macera beat Maurice LaPointe, Eddie Sullivan drew Haru Sasaki, Ramon Torres beat

Larry Lopez

May 9, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Pat O'Connor beat Kurt Von Poppenheim (NWA World Title Defense), Jerry Kozak beat

Danny Ferraza, Tony Borne drew Luigi Macera, Shag Thomas beat Eddie Sullivan, Haru

Sasaki beat Danny O'Rourke

May 14, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Bill Savage-Ed Francis beat Tony Borne-Shag Thomas-DQ, Eddie Sullivan beat Danny

O'Rourke, Luigi Macera beat Haru Sasaki, Kurt Von Poppenheim drew Ramon Torres

May 16, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ramon Torres beat Tony Borne, Shag Thomas drew Luigi Macera, Bill Savage drew Billy

White Wolf (Adnan Kaisy), Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Jerry Kozak, Eddie Sullivan beat

Haru Sasaki

May 21, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis beat Tony Borne, Bill Savage drew Ramon Torres, Billy White Wolf beat Kurt

Von Poppenheim-DQ, Eddie Sullivan beat Haru Sasaki-DQ, Shag Thomas beat Jerry Kozak

May 23, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Gene (Big Daddy) Lipscomb won battle royal, Bill Savage beat Joe Swiderski, Shag Thomas

drew Billy White Wolf, Ramon Torres beat Tony Borne-DQ, Kurt Von Poppenheim drew

Luigi Macera, Soldat Gorky (John Smith) beat Jerry Kozak

May 27, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Gene (Big Daddy) Lipscomb won battle royal, Jerry Kozak beat Eddie Sullivan, Ramon

Torres beat Shag Thomas, Soldat Gorky beat Joe Swiderski, Billy White Wolf beat Haru

Sasaki

May 30, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis beat Soldat Gorky-DQ, Billy White Wolf beat Kurt Von Poppenheim, Tito

Carreon beat Shag Thomas-DQ, Bill Savage beat Eddie Sullivan, Luigi Macera drew

Ramon Torres

June 3, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis beat Soldat Gorky-DQ, Ramon Torres-Tito Carreon beat Kurt Von

Poppenheim-Haru Sasaki, Shag Thomas drew Billy White Wolf, Bill Savage beat Eddie

Sullivan, Luigi Macera beat Jerry Kozak

June 6, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky beat Ramon Torres, Eddie Sullivan beat Haru Sasaki-DQ, Bill Savage drew

Billy White Wolf, Luigi Macera beat Shag Thomas-DQ, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Jerry

Kozak

June 10, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky beat Bill Savage, Billy White Wolf beat Kurt Von Poppenheim-DQ, Haru

Sasaki drew Henry Lenz, Ramon Torres drew Luigi Macera, Shag Thomas beat Eddie

Sullivan

June 13, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky beat Tito Carreon, Ramon Torres beat Soldat Gorky, Billy White Wolf beat

Haru Sasaki, Ed Francis beat Shag Thomas, Luigi Macera drew Kurt Von Poppenheim

June 17, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky beat Bill Savage, Tito Carreon-Ramon Torres beat Kurt Von

Poppenheim-Haru Sasaki, Ed Francis drew Billy White Wolf, Shag Thomas beat Eddie

Sullivan

June 20, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim drew Tito Carreon-Ramon Torres, Shag Thomas drew

Billy White Wolf, Luigi Macera beat Bill Savage-DQ

June 24, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky drew Bill Savage, Ed Francis beat Shag Thomas, Billy White Wolf drew Luigi

Macera, Tito Carreon drew Haru Sasaki, Ramon Torres beat Kurt Von Poppenheim

June 27, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Kurt Von Poppenheim-Soldat Gorky beat Tito Carreon-Ramon Torres, Ed Francis beat

Haru Sasaki, Shag Thomas drew Luigi Macera, Bill Savage beat Ken Larimore

July 1, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Kurt Von Poppenheim-Haru Sasaki-Soldat Gorky beat Ed Francis-Tito Carreon-Ramon

Torres, Bill Savage drew Luigi Macera, Shag Thomas beat Ken Larimore, Billy White Wolf

beat Haru Sasaki

July 4, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Tito Carreon-Ed Francis-Ramon Torres beat Kurt Von Poppenheim-Shag Thomas-Haru

Sasaki, Luigi Macera beat Haru Sasaki, Bill Savage beat Billy White Wolf, Shag Thomas

beat Ken Larimore

July 8, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis beat Soldat Gorky-DQ, Ramon Torres beat Haru Sasaki, Shag Thomas beat

Ken Larimore, Bill Savage beat Tito Carreon, Billy White Wolf drew Kurt Von Poppenheim

July 11, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Kurt Von Poppenheim-Soldat Gorky-Haru Sasaki beat Tito Carreon-Ramon Torres-Shag

Thomas, Bill Savage beat Luigi Macera, Ed Francis beat Billy White Wolf, Tito Carreon

beat Kurt Von Poppenheim-DQ

July 15, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky beat Ed Francis, Haru Sasaki drew Ken Larimore, Ramon Torres beat Shag

Thomas-DQ, Billy White Wolf beat Kurt Von Poppenheim, Bill Savage beat Luigi Macera

July 18, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas won battle royal, Luigi Macera drew Ramon Torres, Soldat Gorky beat Ken

Larimore, Billy White Wolf beat Haru Sasaki, Bill Savage drew Kurt Von Poppenheim

July 22, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Bill Savage-Ed Francis, Luigi Macera beat Ken

Larimore, Duke Keomuka beat Billy White Wolf, Ramon Torres beat Haru Sasaki, Tito

Carreon beat Shag Thomas-DQ

July 25, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas beat Kurt Von Poppenheim, Billy White Wolf drew Duke Keomuka, Ed

Francis beat Haru Sasaki, Luigi Macera drew Ramon Torres, Bill Savage beat Tito Carreon

July 29, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis beat Soldat Gorky-DQ, Shag Thomas drew Billy White Wolf, Bill Savage beat

Haru Sasaki, Duke Keomuka beat Tito Carreon

(ED. NOTE--These last two cards are populated, without exception, by a group of solid,

crowd-pleasing workers, indicative of the sort of boys who generally flocked to the longtime

Don Owen promotional aegis in Portland. Owen was closely linked to the Houston and

Amarillo offices, too, and a steady flow of talent, especially in the 1950s and 1960s, went

back and forth between the Pacific Northwest and both the major Texas territories.)

August 1, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Duke Keomuka-Haru Sasaki, Kurt Von

Poppenheim drew Duke Keomuka, Billy White Wolf beat George Coleman, Ken Larimore

beat Jack Kiser

August 4, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Pat O'Connor beat Ed Francis (NWA World Title Defense), Kurt Von Poppenheim-Soldat

Gorky beat Luigi Macera-Billy White Wolf, Shag Thomas beat Ken Larimore, Duke

Keomuka drew Bill Savage, Ramon Torres beat Haru Sasaki

August 8, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky beat Ramon Torres, Ed Francis-Luigi Macera beat Duke Keomuka-Haru

Sasaki, Kurt Von Poppenheim drew Billy White Wolf, Bill Savage beat Ken Larimore

August 11, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas beat Soldat Gorky-DQ, Duke Keomuka-Haru Sasaki drew Billy White

Wolf-Luigi Macera, Ed Francis beat Kurt Von Poppenheim, Ramon Torres beat Ken

Larimore

August 15, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Ed Francis-Billy White Wolf, Bill Savage beat

Frenchy Roberre, Shag Thomas beat Ken Larimore, Ed Francis beat Kurt Von

Poppenheim-DQ

August 18, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas beat Soldat Gorky-DQ, Haru Sasaki-Duke Keomuka beat Ed Francis-Bill

Savage, Billy White Wolf beat Luigi Macera, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Alberto Torres

August 22, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky beat Duke Keomuka, Ed Francis drew Shag Thomas, Alberto Torres beat Bill

Savage-DQ, Billy White Wolf beat Haru Sasaki, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Ken Larimore

August 25, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Bill Savage beat Ed Francis, Herb Freeman (Herb Schiff) beat Haru Sasaki, Shag Thomas

drew Alberto Torres, Frenchy Roberre beat Duke Keomuka-DQ

August 30, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Herb Freeman beat Shag Thomas-DQ, Soldat Gorky beat Luigi Macera, Bill Savage drew

Billy White Wolf, Alberto Torres beat Kurt Von Poppenheim-DQ, Tarzan Tourville (Tarzan

Tyler) beat Ken Larimore

September 2, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Ed Francis beat Bill Savage, Shag Thomas beat Ken Larimore, Billy White Wolf drew Luigi

Macera, Soldat Gorky beat Alberto Torres, Herb Freeman beat Kurt Von Poppenheim

September 6, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Herb Freeman-Billy White Wolf beat Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim, Ed Francis drew

Shag Thomas, Tarzan Tourville beat Luigi Macera, Alberto Torres beat Bill Savage-DQ

September 12, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Nick Kozak-Herb Freeman-Billy White Wolf beat Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim-Bad

Boy (Jimmy) Hines, Tarzan Tourville drew Pierre DeGlane, Ken Larimore drew Bad Boy

Hines, Shag Thomas beat Alberto Torres

September 16, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Herb Freeman-Billy White Wolf, Bad Boy Hines

beat Ken Larimore, Shag Thomas drew Alberto Torres, Nick Kozak beat Tarzan Tourville

September 19, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Herb Freeman won battle royal, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Ken Larimore, Billy White Wolf

drew Pierre DeGlane, Alberto Torres beat Bad Boy Hines-DQ, Nick Kozak drew Soldat

Gorky

September 23, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Nick Kozak-Herb Freeman beat Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim, Shag Thomas drew

Alberto Torres, Pierre DeGlane beat Bad Boy Hines-DQ, Billy White Wolf drew Tarzan

Tourville

September 30, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Herb Freeman beat Soldat Gorky, Tony Borne beat Alberto Torres, Pierre DeGlane beat

Nicoli Volkoff-DQ, Nelson Royal beat Tarzan Tourville, Billy White Wolf drew Nick Kozak

October 3,1960 - Portland, Ore.

Billy White Wolf beat Tony Borne, Luigi Macera beat Soldat Gorky-DQ, Pierre DeGlane

beat Kurt Von Poppenheim-DQ, Shag Thomas drew Herb Freeman, Alberto Torres beat

Bad Boy Hines

October 7, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky beat Nicoli Volkoff (loser leaves town), Herb Freeman beat Kurt Von

Poppenheim-DQ, Shag Thomas-Tony Borne beat Billy White Wolf-Alberto Torres, Nick

Kozak beat Bad Boy Hines, Nelson Royal drew Pierre DeGlane

October 10, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Billy White Wolf drew Tony Borne, Nick Kozak beat Bad Boy Hines, Soldat Gorky beat

Pierre DeGlane, Alberto Torres beat Kurt Von Poppenheim-DQ, Herb Freeman drew

Nelson Royal

October 14, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Herb Freeman-Nick Kozak beat Tony Borne-Shag Thomas, Nelson Royal beat Bad Boy

Hines, Billy White Wolf drew Kurt Von Poppenheim, Soldat Gorky beat Alberto Torres

October 17, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Tony Borne beat Billy White Wolf, Herb Freeman beat Bad Boy Hines, Nick Kozak beat

Shag Thomas-DQ, Soldat Gorky beat Pierre DeGlane, Nelson Royal drew Alberto Torres

October 21, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Herb Freeman-Nick Kozak, Pierre DeGlane drew

Bad Boy Hines, Alberto Torres beat Shag Thomas-DQ, Tony Borne beat Nelson Royal

October 25, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Herb Freeman won battle royal, Nick Kozak drew Nelson Royal, Herb Freeman beat Bad

Boy Hines, Kurt Von Poppenheim drew Alberto Torres, Tony Borne beat Pierre DeGlane

October 28, 1960 -- Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim drew Tony Borne-Shag Thomas, Billy White Wolf beat

Bad Boy Hines, Nick Kozak drew Alberto Torres, Pierre DeGlane beat Nelson Royal-DQ

November 4, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Tony Borne-Shag Thomas, Billy White Wolf beat

Pierre DeGlane, Herb Freeman drew Alberto Torres, Nick Kozak beat Bad Boy Hines

November 7, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Tony Borne beat Kurt Von Poppenheim, Nick Kozak beat Soldat Gorky-DQ, Alberto Torres

drew Nelson Royal, Billy White Wolf beat Bad Boy Hines

November 11, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Tony Borne-Shag Thomas beat Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim (won Northwest Tag

Title), Billy White Wolf beat Nelson Royal, Alberto Torres drew Nick Kozak, Herb

Freeman beat Bad Boy Hines

November 14, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Tony Borne beat Kurt Von Poppenheim, Shag Thomas drew Nelson Royal, Nick Kozak beat

Pierre DeGlane, Soldat Gorky drew Billy White Wolf, Alberto Torres beat Bad Boy Hines

November 18, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Soldat Gorky beat Tony Borne, Billy White Wolf beat Bad Boy Hines, Kurt Von

Poppenheim beat Pierre DeGlane, Herb Freeman beat Nelson Royal, Shag Thomas drew

Nick Kozak

November 21, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Herb Freeman-Nick Kozak beat Shag Thomas-Tony Borne, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat

Pierre DeGlane, Bad Boy Hines drew Nelson Royal, Soldat Gorky beat Alberto Torres

November 25, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Herb Freeman beat Tony Borne-DQ, Soldat Gorky beat Pierre DeGlane, Alberto Torres

drew Nelson Royal, Billy White Wolf beat Bad Boy Hines

November 28, 1960- Portland, Ore.

Billy White Wolf-Nick Kozak beat Soldat Gorky-Kurt Von Poppenheim-DQ, Nick Kozak

beat Bobby Nichols, Nelson Royal beat Alberto Torres, Billy White Wolf beat George

(Rough House) Coleman

December 2, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Pat O'Connor beat Soldat Gorky (NWA World Title Defense), Kurt Von Poppenheim beat

Pierre DeGlane, Herb Freeman beat Tony Borne-DQ, Billy White Wolf beat Nelson Royal,

Shag Thomas drew Nick Kozak, Alberto Torres beat Bad Boy Hines

December 5, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Nick Kozak beat Tony Borne-DQ, Herb Freeman beat Frenchy Roberre, Billy White Wolf

beat Nelson Royal, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Alberto Torres

December 9, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Herb Freeman beat Tony Borne (won Northwest Title), Billy White Wolf beat Kurt Von

Poppenheim, Nick Kozak beat Nelson Royal, Alberto Torres drew Luigi Macera

December 12, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Herb Freeman-Nick Kozak beat Tony Borne-Tito Kopa, Billy White Wolf drew Luigi

Macera, Shag Thomas beat Nelson Royal, Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Bobby Nichols

December 16, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas drew Tony Borne, Billy White Wolf drew Herb Freeman, Luigi Macera beat

Tito Kopa-DQ, Kurt Von Poppenheim drew Nick Kozak

December 19, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Herb Freeman beat Tony Borne-DQ, Bill Savage beat Luigi Macera, Billy White Wolf beat

Nelson Royal, Tito Kopa drew Nick Kozak

December 23, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Shag Thomas beat Tony Borne-DQ, Bill Savage beat Nick Kozak, Billy White Wolf beat

Tito Kopa-DQ, Herb Freeman beat Nelson Royal, Luigi Macera beat Kurt Von Poppenheim

December 26, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Luigi Macera drew Bill Savage, Herb Freeman beat Tito Kopa, Shag Thomas drew Bob

Cummings, Silento Rodriguez beat Frenchy Roberre

December 30, 1960 - Portland, Ore.

Bill Savage beat Shag Thomas, Nick Kozak beat Tito Kopa, Kurt Von Poppenheim drew

Silento Rodriguez, Herb Freeman beat Frenchy Roberre

(ED. NOTE--These bouts took place at the time of my mid-teen-age years, when I was

president of the Shag "King Toby" Thomas International Fan Club and when Dean

Silverstone and I launched a weekly program in Seattle. Silverstone shortly thereafter took

it over and put himself through college and laid the foundation for several successful

businesses with the profits from the program, which before the decade was out was being

sold throughout three states and one Canadian province. We both have fond memories of

these times, and these performers, and Silverstone -- through his annual reunion in

Issaquah, Wash. -- continues to fan the flames of those memories. In recent years, Tony

Borne, Kurt Von Poppenheim, Tito Montez, Tito Carreon, Nick Kozak and Bill Savage,

among others, have attended. Sadly, a large number of these boys are no longer with us:

Alberto Torres, Soldat Gork y/John Smith (Walter Allen), Jimmy Hines, Tarzan

Tourville/Tyler, Duke Keomuka, Gene Lipscomb, George Drake and my fan club honorary,

Shag Thomas . . . and probably others whose demises don't come readily to mind. But then,

just when one starts thinking these bouts were only yesterday, the realization that, in fact, 37

years have passed . . . wow, where did those years ago? . . . makes the passing of so many at

least understandable. In addition to the twice-a-week Portland shows, the boys regularly

worked Albany, Salem and Eugene, Ore., in addition to the Tuesday night trips up to Seattle

and the old Civic Auditorium basement arena.)

THE WAWLI PAPERS:

WRESTLING AS WE LIKED IT

by J Michael Kenyon

Volume 2, Number 67 Wednesday, September 3, 1997

IN THIS ISSUE: Washington, D.C., Back When The Future Buddy Rogers Was 'A

Talented Newcomer'

WASHINGTON D.C. MATCHES, 1942 TO 1943

(ED. NOTE--These bouts, other than a rival promotion which briefly occupied the Uline

Arena, were held at the old Turner's Arena, which had a capacity of some 2,000 seats. Ron

Etchison and Joe Millich had short, but impressive, runs with this promotion -- they may

have been stationed in the area, as was Tommy O'Toole, then a Coast Guardsman. Also

notable to mat history is that Herman "Dutch" Rohde, then known as the Camden Adonis,

made his initial Washington DC appearances in '42'-'43. In later years, of course, he would

become the immortal "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. These wrestlers worked a wartime

wheel which included Atlantic City, Camden, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Brooklyn, North

Bergen and New York City. Former world champ Ed Don George, a Navy lieutenant, was at

the Navy Preflight training school in Chapel Hill, N.C., and occasional was a ringsider.)

1942

August 5 - Washington DC

Bibber McCoy beat Rudy Dusek, Michele Leone-Jim Austeri beat John Melas-Ace

Freeman, Dick Lever beat Maurice LaChappelle, Tommy O'Toole drew Hans Kampfer

August 12 - Washington DC

Ernie Dusek beat Bibber McCoy, Michele Leone-Jim Austeri beat Ace Freeman-Maurice

LaChappelle, Herman Rohde (Buddy Rogers) beat Jack Vansky, Dick Lever drew Abe

Yourist

(ED. NOTE--The Washington Post noted "Herman Rhodes (sic), a handsome newcomer,

made short work of John Vansky with a series of slams and a crotch hold in eight minutes.")

August 19 - Washington DC

Ernie Dusek-Rudy Dusek beat Jim Austeri-Michele Leone, Tommy O'Toole drew Joe

Millich, Johnny Long beat Eddie King, Maurice LaChappelle beat Jack Vansky

August 26 - Washington DC

Ernie Dusek beat Michele Leone, Abe Yourist beat Jack Vansky, Joe Millich beat Rudy

Dusek, Maurice LaChappelle beat Jim Austeri, Johnny Long beat Ace Freeman

September 2 - Washington DC

Ernie Dusek drew Joe Millich (60:00), Maurice LaChappelle-Ace Freeman beat Jim

Austeri-Eddie King, Michele Leone drew Johnny Long, Jack Kelly beat Jack Vansky

September 9 - Washington DC

Joe Millich beat Michele Leone, Maurice LaChappelle-Ace Freeman beat Mike Heller-Jim

Austeri, Johnny Long beat Jack Vansky, Hans Kampfer drew Ron Etchison

September 16 - Washington DC

Joe Millich NC Johnny Long, Jack LaRue beat Eddie King, Maurice LaChappelle drew

Michele Leone, Ace Freeman drew Jim Austeri, Morris Shapiro (Mighty Atlas) beat Jack

Vansky

September 23 - Washington DC

Michele Leone beat Maurice LaChappelle, Joe Millich drew Johnny Long (60:00), Paul

Boesch beat Eddie King, Morris Shapiro beat Jim Austeri, Herman Rohde drew Ace

Freeman

September 30 - Washington DC

Ernie Dusek beat Paul Boesch, Angelo Savoldi beat Johnny Long-DQ, Ron Etchison drew

Joe Millich, Morris Shapiro beat Bob Kess

October 7 - Washington DC

Johnny Long beat Angelo Savoldi, Paul Boesch drew Michele Leone, Morris Shapiro beat

Ace Freeman, Maurice LaChappelle beat Eddie King

October 14 - Washington DC

Jim Londos beat Gino Garibaldi (sub Johnny Long, took wrong train from York, Pa.), Ron

Etchison beat Michele Leone-DQ, Morris Shapiro beat Jack Vansky, Fred Grubmeier drew

Joe Millich, Joe Millich beat Jack LaRue

October 21 - Washington DC

Mildred Burke beat Mae Young, Johnny Long beat Rudy Dusek-DQ, Morris Shapiro beat

Michele Leone, Dick Craddock beat Jack Vansky, Ron Etchison beat Jack LaRue

October 28 - Washington DC

Jim Londos beat Morris Shapiro, Johnny Long beat John Melas, Gino Garibaldi beat Fred

Grubmeier, Max Krauser beat Ron Etchison, Abe Coleman beat Jim Austeri

November 2 - Washington DC (Uline Arena) (Jack Pfeffer supplies talent)

Rube Wright drew Swedish Angel, Toto the Ape Man beat Karol Trauser, Irish Giant beat

Franz Schuman-DQ, Ivan Vakturoff drew Franz Schuman, George Tragos drew Zimba

Parker

November 4 - Washington DC

Johnny Long drew Morris Shapiro, Maurice LaChappelle-Ace Freeman beat Jim

Austeri-Jack Vansky, Max Krauser beat Eddie King, Abe Coleman drew Michele Leone

November 9 - Washington DC (Uline Arena)

Toto the Ape Man beat Irish Giant (Stewart Smith), Rube Wright beat George (Hercules)

Tragos, Herman Levine beat Purple Secret-DQ, Franz Schuman beat Buddy Kilpatrick, Ivan

Vakturoff drew Zimba Parker

November 11 - Washington DC

Gino Garibaldi beat Michele Leone, Johnny Long beat John Melas, Abe Coleman beat

Morris Shapiro, Milo Steinborn beat Jim Austeri, Buddy Pappas beat Jack Vansky

November 18 - Washington DC

Ernie Dusek beat Johnny Long, Morris Shapiro beat Joe DeValto, Yellow Mask (Dr. Barto

Hill) beat Bamba Tabu (Yaqui Joe), Max Krauser drew Gino Garibaldi, Abe Coleman drew

Henry Piers

November 25 - Washington DC

Ernie Dusek beat Morris Shapiro, Johnny Long drew George Becker, Yellow Mask beat

Joe DeValto, Michele Leone drew Milo Steinborn, Henry Piers beat John Melas

December 2 - Washington DC

French Angel beat Rudy Dusek, George Becker beat Yellow Mask-DQ, Leo Numa drew

Gino Garibaldi, Johnny Long beat Bamba Tabu, Jack Kelly beat Jim Austeri

December 9 - Washington DC

Max Krauser beat Gino Garibaldi, Johnny Long drew Yellow Mask, Ace Freeman-Jack

Kelly beat Abe Coleman-John Melas, Franz Schuman beat Dick Craddock

December 16 - Washington DC

Johnny Long beat Yellow Mask-DQ, Maurice LaChappelle-Ace Freeman beat Michele

Leone-Bamba Tabu, Gino Garibaldi drew Morris Shapiro, Jack Kelly beat John Melas

1943

January 6 - Washington DC

Rudy Dusek beat Yellow Mask (Casey Berger referee), Max Krauser beat Henry Piers,

Johnny Long beat Franz Schuman, Jack Kelly drew Stanley Pinto

January 13 - Washington DC

Ernie Dusek beat Yellow Mask, Rudy Dusek drew Max Krauser, Johnny Long drew Jack

Kelly, Henry Piers beat Tom George

January 20 - Washington DC

Ernie Dusek beat Yellow Mask, Michele Leone drew Max Krauser, Johnny Long beat Ace

Freeman, George Becker drew Jack Kelly

January 27 - Washington DC

Ernie Dusek beat Joe Cox, Yellow Max beat Buddy Lever, Johnny Long beat Emil Dusek,

Dick Craddock beat Bamba Tabu

February 3 - Washington DC

Emil Dusek beat Johnny Long, Max Krauser beat Tony Felice, Dick Craddock drew Ace

Freeman

February 10 - Washington DC

Yellow Mask beat Emil Dusek, Ernie Dusek drew Max Krauser, Rudy Dusek beat Herman

Rohde, Tony Felice beat Bamba Tabu

February 15 - Washington DC (Uline Arena)

French Angel beat Danno O'Mahoney, Frank Bronowicz drew George Macricostas, Bamba

Tabu beat Bobby Stewart-DQ, Herm Levine drew Great Hans Tristan

February 17 - Washington DC

Max Krauser beat Yellow Mask-DQ, Fred Greubmeier beat Jack Kelly, Johnny Long beat

Jim Austeri, Emil Dusek drew Michele Leone

February 24 - Washington DC

George Koverly beat Yellow Mask, Rudy Dusek drew Tommy O'Toole, Emil Dusek beat

Fred Grubmeier, Johnny Long drew Michele Leone

March 1 - Washington DC (Uline Arena)

Pat Fraley drew Golden Terror (Bobby Stewart), Man Mountain Dean beat Tony Milano,

Chief Chewacki beat Blimp Levy, Jim Stefano beat Bamba Tabu, George Macricostas beat

Hans Tristran

March 3 - Washington DC

George Koverly beat Emil Dusek, Yellow Mask beat Jim Austeri (sub Lou Plummer), Dick

Craddock beat Jim Austeri-DQ, Max Krauser drew Buddy Lever (Dick Lever)

March 10 - Washington DC

Yellow Mask beat George Koverly, Max Krauser beat Emil Dusek, Herman Rohde beat

Michele Leone-DQ, Jim Austeri drew Abe Coleman

March 15 - Washington DC (Uline Arena)

Golden Terror beat Man Mountain Dean, Purple Flash beat Elvira Snodgrass, Wladislaw

Talun beat Chief Chewacki, George Macricostas beat Bamba Tabu, Toar Morgan beat Ivan

Vakturoff, Jim Stefano drew Ike Eisner

March 17 - Washington DC

Ernie Dusek beat Max Krauser, Yellow Mask drew Michele Leone, Emir Badui beat Ed

White, Joe Perelli drew Eddie Pope

March 25 (Thursday) - Washington DC

Ed Lewis beat Nanjo Singh, Mildred Burke beat Purple Flash (Mae Weston), Toar Morgan

beat Dick (Buddy) Lever, Johnny Long drew George Macricostas, Tom George drew Jim

Stefano

March 29 - Washington DC (Uline Arena) Goldie Ahearne, promoter

Yellow Mask beat Michele Leone, Max Krauser beat George Koverly, Rudy Dusek drew

Milo Steinborn, Emir Badui beat Jim Austeri

April 1 - Washington DC

George Macricostas beat Leo Numa, Johnny Long-Ace Freeman beat Bamba Tabu-Henry

Kulkovich, Babe Sharkey beat Ivan Vakturoff, George Craig beat Jack Delaney, Ed

Pauloski drew Eddie Pope

April 15 - Washington DC

(tournament) Ed Pauloski beat Ace Freeman, Bamba Tabu beat Eddie Pope, George

Macricostas beat Charles Mennegan, Tom Mahoney beat Jim Stefano, Johnny Long beat

Red Czar-DQ, George Craig beat Lone Wolf, Canadian Angel (Jack Rush) beat Bamba

Tabu, George Macricostas beat Ed Pauloski, Johnny Long beat George Craig, Tom

Mahoney beat George Macricostas-DQ, Canadian Angel beat Tom Mahoney (sub Johnny

Long)

April 20 - Washington DC (Uline Arena)

Max Krauser beat Joe Cox, Abe Coleman drew Michele Leone, Milo Steinborn beat Ed

White, Larry Moquin beat Jim Austeri-DQ

April 22 - Washington DC

French Angel beat Canadian Angel, George Macricostas beat Tom Mahoney, Johnny Long

beat Harry Nixon, Babe Sharkey beat Red Czar-DQ, Dick Lever beat Charles Manoogean

April 28 - Washington DC

(tournament) George Macricostas-Jim Stefano beat John Bonica-Mario (Tiny) di Caprio

(Tony Galento referee), Babe Sharkey-Red Czar beat Ed Pauloski-King Clancy, Dick

Lever-Eddie Pope beat George Macricostas-Jim Stefano, Babe Sharkey-Red Czar beat

Dick Lever-Eddie Pope

May 5 - Washington DC

George Macricostas beat Red Czar, Man Mountain Dean beat Dick Lever, Chief Chewacki

drew Tom Mahoney, Johnny Long beat King Clancy, Tom George drew Ace Freeman

May 13 - Washington DC

Jim Londos beat Johnny Long, George Macricostas beat Eddie King, Red Czar drew Abe

Yourist, Babe Sharkey NC Tom Mahoney, Babe Sharkey (sub Nanjo Singh) beat Abe Stein

May 19 - Washington DC

French Angel beat Wladislaw Talun (w/ Stanislaus Zbyszko), Johnny Long drew Dick Lever,

Abe Yourist beat Red Czar-DQ, Babe Sharkey beat Tom Mahoney, Eddie King beat Tom

George

May 26 - Washington DC

Jim Londos beat Milo Steinborn, Danno O'Mahoney drew George Macricostas, Babe

Sharkey NC Dick Lever, Abe Yourist-Red Czar beat Johnny Long-John Melas, Eddie King

drew John Bonica

June 2 - Washington DC

Elvira Snodgrass beat Mae Weston, Babe Sharkey beat Dick Lever, Frank Bronowicz-Red

Czar beat Abe Yourist-John Bonica, George Macricostas beat Bamba Tabu

June 9 - Washington DC

Elvira Snodgrass beat Mae Young, Red Czar beat Milo Steinborn, Toar Morgan NC Babe

Sharkey, Abe Yourist drew George Macricostas, John Bonica beat John Melas

June 16 - Washington DC

Elvira Snodgrass beat Flora Dearn, Babe Sharkey beat Red Czar (Tony Felice), Toar

Morgan beat Dick Lever, Johnny Long beat Ace Freeman, George Macricostas drew John

Melas

June 23 - Washington DC

Joe Savoldi beat Johnny Long, Babe Sharkey NC Abe Yourist, Toar Morgan beat Milo

Steinborn, Dick Craddock drew Ace Freeman, Dick Lever beat Bamba Tabu

June 30 - Washington DC

Babe Sharkey beat Toar Morgan (sub George Koverly), Dick Craddock beat Ike Eisner,

John Bonica beat Jim Stefano (sub Dick Lever), Frank Bronowicz beat Gus Steffan, Ace

Freeman beat Ed Clay (sub John Melas)

July 7 - Washington DC

French Angel beat Babe Sharkey, Johnny Long drew John Bonica, Michele Leone beat Ace

Freeman, Yellow Mask beat Bamba Tabu, Ed Pauloski beat Allen Cherney

July 14 - Washington DC

Babe Sharkey beat Michele Leone, John Bonica-Tony Martinelli beat Bamba Tabu-Angelo

Savoldi, Yellow Mask beat Dick Lever, Milo Steinborn drew George Macricostas, Abe

Yourist beat Ike Eisner

July 21 - Washington DC

Chief Thunderbird beat Babe Sharkey-DQ, Yellow Mask beat Pat Fraley, Milo Steinborn

beat Abe Yourist, Tony Martinelli beat Jack Vansky, Angelo Savoldi beat Sailor Corby

(George Bruckman)

July 28 - Washington DC

Babe Sharkey beat Dick Lever, Chief Thunderbird beat Abe Stein, Maurice LaChappelle

drew Michele Leone, Black Mask (Hans Kampfer) beat Abe Yourist, Jack Winthrop beat

Bamba Tabu

August 4 - Washington DC

Black Mask beat Abe Yourist, Chief Thunderbird drew Toar Morgan, Maurice LaChappelle

beat Jack Vansky, Johnny Long drew Michele Leone, Jack Winthrop beat Dick Lever-DQ

August 11 - Washington DC

Chief Thunderbird beat Michele Leone, Babe Sharkey beat Jack Winthrop, Wladislaw

Talun beat Dick Lever, Black Mask beat Bamba Tabu, George Macricostas beat Toar

Morgan-DQ

August 18 - Washington DC

Babe Sharkey beat Wladislaw Talun, Dick Lever-Jack Vansky beat Johnny Long-Maurice

LaChappelle, Chief Thunderbird beat Toar Morgan-DQ, George Macricostas drew Black

Mask

August 25 - Washington DC

Johnny Long-Maurice LaChappelle beat Jack Vansky-Dick Lever, Chief Thunderbird drew

Blue Streak, John Wentworth beat Michele Leone-DQ, Dick Craddock drew Abe Stein

(ED. NOTE--Eventually, Yellow Mask (Dr. Barto Hill) would return and be paired with

Black Mask (Hans Kampfer) in a showdown come the spring of 1944. Hill triumphed, forcing

Kampfer to unmask on April 12, 1944.)

THE WAWLI PAPERS:

WRESTLING AS WE LIKED IT

by J Michael Kenyon

Volume 2, Number 68 Monday, September 15, 1997

IN THIS ISSUE: The Year (1936) That Both Ed (Strangler) Lewis & Lou Thesz Wrestled in

Madison Square Garden

LEWIS, STEINKE SCRAP HOLDS WIDE INTEREST

(Arizona Republic, Phoenix AZ, Sunday, March 17, 1935)

Early indications point to a record crowd and one of the greatest mat battles waged in

Phoenix this year when Hans Steinke, German star, pits his ring ability against the one and

only Ed (Strangler) Lewis at Phoenix Madison Square Garden tomorrow night. The program,

boasting three bouts, will get going at 8:30 o'clock.

The Strangler has been hopping in and out of rings for the loast 25 years and during that

period he has several times held the world's championship. In fact, the Strangler considers

himself the best in the game, and asks only to get a shot at Jim Londos to prove his

assertion.

Mat ability, backed by terrific power, makes the Strangler one of the ring's most feared

figures. His famous headlock is his chief weapon and he applies all of his ring technique on

its application. Years of training on dummy figures gave him great power in applying the hold

and it usually leaves his victims unconscious.

And because he is one of the most feared of grapplers, boys in the front ranks always are

anxious to pass the test -- whip the Strangler. Any grappler capable of turning in a win over

Lewis hops into title consideration without much ado and it is at this goal Hans Steinke is

pointing in his scrap tomorrow night.

Steinke is without question one of the nation's foremost ring artists. He has been pointing

toward a title match for months and if he gets over the Lewis hurdle, he will be right in line.

He stopped Man Mountain Dean's upheaval on the coast and has whipped nearly all of the

best boys in the game.

The German mixes scientific ability with plenty of backbone to win his decisions. He can get

rough when necessary as he amply displayed in battering Wee Willie Davis into submission

here a week ago and he has announced himself ready for Lewis.

Backing up the big feature of the show will be a semi-feature bringing together Bob Stewart

of Memphis, Tenn., and Al Baffert, Pacific Northwest grappler.

Baffer displayed his sensational style of scrapping here a week ago as he took the nod over

Myron Cox, Venice lifeguard. He will meet a stiffer opponent in Stewart, who has been

going at top speed on the coast in matches with Jumping Joe Savoldi, Frank Speer and a

dozen other top- notchers.

A 20-minute preliminary scrap will be arranged at the Garden this afternoon during the

Sunday workout. It starts at 3 o'clock. _________________________________________

VALLEY FANS WILL WITNESS MAT CLASSIC

(Arizona Republic, Phoenix AZ, Monday, March 18, 1935)

When valley mat followers hop into their seats at Phoenix Madison Square Garden tonight

they will witness a wrestling clash which New York promoters sought to stage in Tex

Rickard's mitt and mat emporium. It will be the Ed (Strangler) Lewis-Hans Steinke go.

Despite an offer of $50,000 to the principals the bout fell through. Lewis at that time held a

part claim on the world title.

Tonight the two will clash here in what is generally regarded as a "shootin' match." Both are

out to cop a victory as each is within reaching distance of a shot at Jim Londos and they will

waste no time in getting down to business.

The bout on paper gives indication of being the greatest mat battle waged in Phoenix in

years for it brings together two topnotchers, well matched in every way. Both have years of

experience behind them. Both can mix rough tactics if necessary. Both weigh between 240

and 250 pounds.

Steinke will enter the ring as the popular choice of the fans to win for he scored strongly in

repulsing the English "roughneck," Wee Willie Davis, a week ago. Lewis must be conceded

a slight shade in the odds due to his long record of first-line battling during which he several

times held the world's crown.

Al Baffert, the Pacific Northwest flash, will have a big job on his hands in meeting Bob

Stewart, 270-pound Memphis giant, in the semi-final. He gives a way close to 60 pounds in

weight. But Baffert is sure to give the Memphis boy a thorough working over during the

milling. Both are of the sensational type of grappler and fists, arms and bodies promise to fly

fast and furious during their tangle.

In the opening tussle, Stewart Perkins and Cyclone Wilson will put on a 20-minute battle.

They are two coming mat hounds and should provide a lively curtain raiser.

The show will get going at 8:30 o'clock. _________________________________________

STRANGLER LEWIS WINS FAST GRAPPLE MATCH

(Arizona Republic, Phoenix AZ, Tuesday, March 19, 1936)

Ed (Strangler) Lewis emerged the winner in last night's feature scrap at Joe Levy's mat

emporium when he dropped Hans Steinke, German ace, with a series of headlocks in the

second spill and put Steinke out of the running. The ex- champ refused the German an extra

five-minute rest period as he sought to recover from the drubbing and the referee was forced

to concede the victory.

Steinke started off well and for a time it looked bad for the veteran campaigner. The

German tossed off Lewis' headlocks as though they were mere baby's holds and punished

Lewis severely with a series of armlocks.

He followed this up with a barrage of lefts and rights that floored Lewis and he gained the

fall with a full body press in 15 minutes, 29 seconds.

Lewis started his series of headlocks on Steinke soon after they returned for the second fall

and this time he made them stick. He had the German in trouble right from the start and

punished him severely throughout the five minutes, 41 seconds it required to gain the fall.

Steinke was helped from the ring and was still too weak to return when the regular rest

period ended. When Lewis refused him grace the bout was automatically ended.

Al Baffert and Bob Stewart (ED. NOTE--Later, the Golden Terror) put on a great show in

the semi-final. The battle proved every bit as sensational as anticipated and was well mixed

with out and out alley fighting and orthodox grappling. It ended in a draw.

Stewart took the first fall in 22 minutes, 35 seconds. A series of eye-gouging tactics, mixed

with bites and kicks, led to a full body press and the fall.

Baffert took the second fall after a wild and wooly scrap in which the boys used everything

from bottles to fists to gain an edge. A right hook to the chin followed by a series of flying

tackles won the fall in nine minutes, 10 seconds. They battled to a draw from that point.

Stewart Perkins and Lloyd Stockton went 20 minutes to a draw decision in the opener.

George Moran of the "Two Black Crows," whose former partner, Charles Mack, was killed

in an automobile accident near here a little more than a year ago; George O'Brien and

Edgard Kennedy, movie stars, were introduced during the program.

_____________________________________________

BATTLE ROYAL WILL FEATURE MAT PROGRAM

(Arizona Republic, Phoenix AZ, Sunday, May 3, 1936)

A battle royal for wrestlers will be a feature of the mat show to be staged at Phoenix

Madison Square Garden tomorrow night and incidentally will begin a series of qualifying

tests for a state wrestling tournament, it was announced last night by Ed Murphy, promoter.

Six boys will enter the ring and the last two survivors will win the right to meet in a special

match the following Monday night to qualify for the state tourney. The boys billed to tangle

tomorrow are: Orville Grable (ED. NOTE--Later, Dr. Lee Grable), Curley Lewis, Ed

Hughes, Buck Weber, Bud Finley and Lee Wade. All range in weight from 165 to 180

pounds.

The battle royal will open a three-bout program in which Dick Daviscourt, who long has been

a favorite in valley mat circles, meets Leo Papiano in the main event. It will be a battle to

the finish with no time limit.

Papiano has appeared in several bouts here recently and is expected to prove good enough

to give Daviscourt plenty of battle.

The secondary feature marks the return of Wildman George Maloney to local ranks.

Maloney provided plenty of excitement in several earlier engagements at the Garden. He

will meet Cowboy Everett Kibbons in a best two in three falls scrap, 45 minute limit.

The other bout will bring together Louis Thesz, a St. Louis product, who recently has moved

west and is rated as a top- notcher. Thesz will fight it out with Dr. Fred Meyers of New York

City in another best two in three falls affair that has a 45-minute limit.

_____________________________________________

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN HOLDS LIVELY BOUTS

(Arizona Republic, Phoenix AZ, Tuesday, May 5, 1936)

Dick Daviscourt, Everett Kibbons and Dr. Fred Meyers were returned the winners in the

mat bouts waged at Phoenix Madison Square Garden last night while Orville Grable and

Lee Wade fought their way into the right to clash in a special bout next Monday by winning

the battle royal.

Daviscourt made rather short work of Leo Papiano. Papiano was disqualified for roughing it

after 7 minutes, 17 seconds of the first fall and Daviscourt ended it in an additional 10

minutes when he used a series of left hooks and a body slam.

Kibbons had a tough evening of it with George Maloney but had the better of the argument

most of the way. He gained the first fall in 8 minutes, 25 seconds, with a body scissors after

a series of pile drivers but dropped the second spill during a wild fight in which the referee

suffered considerable abuse. Maloney continued his rough tactics into the deciding fall and

finally was disqualified.

It took Meyers 29 minutes, 10 seconds, to gain the first fall over Louis Thesz, a new battler

from St. Louis, but he achieved the win and then held Thesz on even terms until the

time-limit bell ended the battling.

The battle royal proved a snappy affair with plenty of roughness thrown into the picture. Ed

Hughes, Bud Finley, Curley Lewis and Buck Weber were the other entries.

____________________________________________

STRANGLER LEWIS DEFEATS HANS STEINKE

(Associated Press, May 4, 1936)

NEW YORK -- Ed (Strangler) Lewis, 45 years old, but still going strong, bounced back into

the wrestling spotlight tonight by defeating Hans Steinke of Germany in the main bout of an

all-star wrestling show. Lewis weighed 245 and Steinke 240.

The Strangler won with a series of headlocks after 16:08 of tame grappling.

The victory may give the veteran Californian another shot at the world's title as the New

York State Athletic Commission is expected to order him to meet the winner of tomorrow

night's contest between Dick Shikat and Ali Baba, who clash in Madison Square Garden

with the "world's heavyweight championship" at stake.

Chief Little Wolf, Navajo Indian from Trinidad, Colo., and Gus Sonnenberg of Royal Oaks,

Mich., wrestled to a draw in 30 minutes. The Indian weighed 215 and Sonnenberg 210.

_____________________________________________

RAY STEELE BEATS JUMPING JOE SAVOLDI

(Arizona Republic, Phoenix AZ, Tuesday, May 26, 1936)

Ray Steele took a two out of three falls decision from Jumping Joe Savoldi at Phoenix

Madison Square Garden last night to win the right to meet Vincent Lopez, Mexican claimant

to the world's wrestling crown, in a title scrap at the Nace Municipal Stadium next Monday

night.

Savoldi landed a drop-kick on Steele's midribs to take the first spill after 19 minutes, 13

seconds of heavy battling. Steele came back to even it with what was termed a step- over

crash leg lock. It took 10 minutes, 22 seconds.

As the bell for the third fall sounded, Savoldi leaped from his stool and attempted his noted

dropkick. Steele ducked it and Savoldi was half out when Steele pounced on him for the fall.

It was over in less than 10 seconds.

Ed (Strangler) Lewis beat Vic Hill, Oregon lumberjack, in straight falls in the semifinal. He

scored both falls with his noted headlock, the first coming in 19 minutes, 20 seconds, and the

second in 1 minute, 15 seconds.

George Maloney beat Lefty Mofford in the "grudge" scrap that opened the show. He

gained the fall after 17 minutes, 25 seconds, with a full body press after a lively fist fight in

which Referee Leo Flynn was knocked out twice by Maloney.

___________________________________________

DETTON AGAIN WILL MEET SANDOR SZABO ON MAT

(Salt Lake City Tribune, Friday, January 12, 1940)

If you like your wrestling matches long and all mixed up something awful you might trot

down to McCullough's roundhouse Friday night and watch Dean Detton and Sandor Szabo

go 'round again.

In the "length" department the menu ought to be ample. The main event is supposed to go

on for three hours. The "mixed up" business is to wit and as follows:

The boys will wrestle one hour catch as catch can, one hour jiu jitsu as jiu jitsu can, and a

third hour mud as mud can.

Jimmy Sarandos, protege of Londos, will tussle with Hank Metheny, the mean man from St.

Louis, in a 45-minute semi-windup. Sarandos easily tossed Leo Kirilenko last week and

Metheny will be remembered as one of the most villainous gentlemen ever to appear here.

Kola Kwariani, the Russian giant, is down for 30 minutes or less against Andre Adoree

(AKA Al Baffert) of France. Other preliminaries will pit Vic Hill of Hollywood against

Orville Burns of New York and Hap Bartlett against Floyd Hansen.

______________________________________________

MAT MATCHES RESCHEDULED TO SATURDAY NIGHT

(Salt Lake City Tribune, Saturday, January 14, 1940)

Postponed from Friday night, the weekly wrestling card at McCullough's arena will be held

Saturday night, the first match to start at 8:30 p.m.

Friday's program was delayed when Dewey Davis, Salt Lake representative of John Doyle,

Salt Lake City and Los Angeles wrestling promoters, received telephone instructions Friday

evening from Doyle in Las Vegas, Nev., to postpone the card.

Doyle and one of the headliners, Sandor Szabo, were held in Las Vegas when their plane

was unable to leave for Salt Lake City on time. Western Air officials said Friday night the

plane left Las Vegas once Friday but was forced to turn back because of the heavy storm

raging over the area. Although the ship was still scheduled to reach Salt Lake City Friday

night, Doyle deemed it wisest to postpone the program and take no chances on Szabo's not

arriving for his match with Dean Detton, Davis said.

Meanwhile, M.F. Lence, director of the United States district immigration and naturalization

service in Salt Lake City, said Jimmy Sarandos, who was slated to appear on the mat

program, was arrested Friday and held in Salt Lake county jail for deportation to Turkey.

____________________________________________

DEAN DETTON DRAWS WITH SANDOR SZABO

(Salt Lake City Tribune, Sunday, January 14, 1940)

Dean Detton and Sandor Szabo again wrestled to a draw in the main event Saturday night at

McCullough's arena. Szabo won the first fall at catch-as-catch-can and Detton the second at

jiu-jitsu. Szabo was unable to continue with the scheduled mud match, but Kola Kwariani and

Vic Hill volunteered to go on. Kwariani won the "ooze" match.&127;

In other bouts, Hill defeated Hank Metheny, Kwariani tossed Joe Woods, Blimp Allred

threw Leo Kirilenko and Floyd Hansen pinned Hap Bartlett.

_____________________________________________

CHARLIE TREJO UNMASKS THE MASK HERE

(Albuquerque Journal, Saturday, November 24, 1945)

The Mask was unmasked Friday night at the 20-30 Club wrestling card at the Armory,

despite his earlier refusal to submit to such treatment if he lost. It happened in the third fall

of his bout with Charlie Trejo, when each fighter had gotten one of the first two falls. Trejo,

after a series of body punches, pinned The Mask -- and then tore off his mask.

The defeated Mask stood revealed as a blond giant from "the gas house district of St.

Louis," named Joe Miller. He immediately challenged Trejo to a rematch -- without the

mask.

The semi-final event, between Ernesto (Gorilla) Poggi and Milt Olsen, was declared a draw

when the time limit expired before the third fall. Ivan Jones defeated Tony Ross in the

curtain raiser. ___________________________________________

EX-ELEPHANT BOY OPTS FOR THE PRIESTHOOD

(San Diego Union Tribune, Tuesday, June 17, 1997)

Bill Olivas was known from Tulsa to Tahiti as Elephant Boy, Zander Zabo, The Bushman

and sometimes the Wild Man of Borneo.

Starting this week you can call him Father.

Olivas was ordained a Roman Catholic priest last night at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in

Ojai. At age 76, he is the oldest of some 500 men to be ordained Catholic priests in the

United States this year.

For 25 years he toured the world as a professional wrestler, going to the mat with the likes

of Gorgeous George Wagner, Vern Gagne and Lou Thesz, becoming a familiar face as the

sport became a staple of early television. In his wrestling days, Olivas suffered broken

ankles and cracked ribs. Thesz gave him some impromptu dental work in Oklahoma,

evidence he offers that pro wrestling wasn't faked.

"He caught me with a drop kick and hit right square in the puss and I spit some teeth out

and lost the match," he said.

"It's funny, people even then would say, `Oh that's not real blood.' It upset me no end. So I

said, `I'll give you real blood, here's some of it.' "

Through it all there had been a thread. Even in the rough- and-tumble days of the pro

wrestling tour he got to Mass at least weekly.

"The faith was always there," he said.

THE WAWLI PAPERS:

WRESTLING AS WE LIKED IT

by J Michael Kenyon

Volume 2, Number 69 Tuesday, September 16, 1997

IN THIS ISSUE: Salt Lake City (1933) When Both Dean Detton & Wild Bill Longson Were

Up And Coming . . .

SALT LAKE CITY CARDS & RESULTS, 1932-33 SEASON

Regular venue: McCullough's Arena

Usual Night: Friday

Format: One or two heavyweight bouts featured, rest usually welterweight

Other notes: This is the season which essentially launched the careers of two future world

champions, Bill Longson and Dean Detton

Promoter: R. Verne McCullough

Salt Lake City -- September 16, 1932

Ira Dern drew Joe Stecher, Bill Longson beat George Mack DQ, Hy Sharman beat Ted

Brown, Marvin Jonas beat Tony Costello

Salt Lake City -- September 23, 1932

Ira Dern beat Jules Strongbow CNC, Charley Santen beat Bill Longson, Hy Sharman drew

Dave Faris, Tommy Tassos beat Frank Beel

Salt Lake City -- September 30, 1932

Ira Dern drew Oki Shikina, Jules Strongbow drew Glen Wade, Hy Sharman beat Dave

Faris, Fred Caldwell drew Frank Beel

Salt Lake City -- October 7, 1932

Glen Wade beat Ira Dern, Hy Sharman beat Fred Caldwell, Ralph Morley beat Davis Faris,

Tommy Tassos drew Frank Beel

Salt Lake City -- October 14, 1932

Ira Dern beat Glen Wade, Bill Longson beat Harry Pollei (wrestler vs. boxer), Ralph

Morley beat Dave Faris CNC, Hy Sharman beat Frank Beel

Salt Lake City -- October 21, 1932

Ira Dern beat Walter Podolak, Steve Nenoff beat Hy Sharman, Ralph Morley drew Jack

Mitchell

Salt Lake City -- October 28, 1932

Ira Dern beat Glen Wade, Hy Sharman beat Jack Mitchell DQ, Steve Nenoff beat Ralph

Morley DQ

Salt Lake City -- November 4, 1932

Ira Dern beat Bill Steinke, Steve Nenoff beat Jack Mitchell (Referee Bill Longson), Hy

Sharman drew John Nemanic

Salt Lake City -- November 11, 1932

Hy Sharman beat Ashley Smith (ED. NOTE-- Smith was captain-elect of 1933 University of

Utah wrestling team in an era when the collegiate eligibility rules were much different from

today), Ralph Morley drew John Nemanic, Tommy Tassos drew Marvin Hansen, Bill

Longson beat Harry Petersen

Salt Lake City -- November 18, 1932

Ira Dern beat Jack Weber CNC, Dallas Richins beat Leo Papiano, Hy Sharman beat Jack

O'Hara, Ashley Smith beat Tommy Tassos

Salt Lake City -- November 25, 1932

Ira Dern beat Leo Papiano, Hy Sharman beat Ashley Smith, Bill Longson beat Jack Weber,

Tommy Tassos drew Jack O'Hara

Salt Lake City -- December 2, 1932

Ira Dern beat Count Harkowski, Leo Papiano beat Jack Weber, Oscar Bird beat Tommy

Tassos, Ashley Smith drew Ralph Morley

Salt Lake City -- December 9, 1932

Dutch Heffner beat Ira Dern, Ralph Morley drew Ashley Smith, Bill Longson drew Leo

Papiano, Hy Sharman beat Oscar Bird

Salt Lake City -- December 16, 1932

Ira Dern beat Dutch Heffner (Referee Bill Longson), Dean Detton beat Leo Papiano,

Ashley Smith drew Jack O'Hara, Hy Sharman beat Al McNamee

Salt Lake City -- December 23, 1932

Ira Dern beat Charlie Frisbie CNC, Bill Longson drew Dean Detton 45:00, Ashley Smith

drew Hy Sharman

Salt Lake City -- December 30, 1932

Dean Detton beat Charlie Frisbie, Bill Longson beat Leo Papiano, Ashley Smith beat Ralph

Morley, Hy Sharman beat Dory Detton, Tommy Tassos drew Jack O'Hara

Salt Lake City -- January 6, 1933

Leo Papiano beat Charlie Frisbie, (Welterweight tournament quarterfinals--Dory Detton

beat Ira Hansen, Jack O'Hara beat Ralph Morley, tommy Tassos beat Finn Gibbs, Hy

Sharman beat Ashley Smith)

Salt Lake City -- January 13, 1933

Ira Dern beat Dr. Len Hall, Leo Papiano drew Nick Velcoff, (Welterweight tournament

semis--Hy Sharman beat Tommy Tassos, Jack O'Hara beat Dory Detton; final--Hy

Sharman beat Jack O'Hara

Salt Lake City -- January 20, 1933

Ira Dern beat Carl Dusak, Dean Detton beat Al Dawson, Ashley Smith beat Jack O'Hara

Salt Lake City -- January 26, 1932 (Thursday)

Hy Sharman beat Cy Holicomb, Dean Detton beat Bill Longson 2-1 35:00, Ashley Smith

beat Marv Taylor, Ralphy Morley beat Jack O'Hara, Tommy Tassos drew Dory Detton

(ED. NOTE--Ed "Strangler" Lewis was a no-show for scheduled bout with Ira Dern)

Salt Lake City -- February 3, 1933

Ira Dern beat Jack McDonald, Carl Dusak beat Dean Detton CNC, Cy Holicomb beat

Ralph Morley

Salt Lake City -- February 10, 1933

Carl Dusak beat Dean Detton, Hy Sharman beat Cy Holicomb, Jack McDonald beat Bill

Longson, Ashley Smith drew Dory Detton

Salt Lake City -- February 17, 1933

Ira Dern beat Carl Dusak, Dean Detton beat Jack McDonald, Bill Longson drew Al

Dawson, Ashley Smith beat Cy Holicomb, Jack O'Hara drew Dory Detton

Salt Lake City -- February 24, 1933&127;

Ira Dern beat Prince Chewchki (later Chief Chewacki) DQ, Hy Sharman drew Dave

Orshoff, Dean Detton beat Pete Peters, Cy Holicomb beat Jack O'Hara, Pete Stecher beat

Ashley Smith

Salt Lake City -- March 3, 1933

Ira Dern beat Prince Chewchki CNC, Hy Sharman beat Dave Orshoff, Pete Stecher beat

Jack O'Hara, Hal Garner beat Dory Detton, Ashley Smith drew Arthur Hedin

Salt Lake City -- March 10, 1933

Prince Chewchki beat Carl Dusak, Ira Dern beat Red Terror, Ashley Smith beat Dave

Orshoff, Hy Sharman beat Arthur Hedin, Dory Detton beat Jack O'Hara

Salt Lake City -- March 17, 1933

Ira Dern NC Prince Chewchki, Dave Orshoff drew Hy Sharman, Bill Longson beat Carl

Dusak DQ, Ashley Sjith beat Cy Holicomb, Dory Detton drew Arthur Hedin

Salt Lake City -- March 24, 1933

Ira Dern beat Jim Corrigan, Jack McCoy beat Bill Longson, Raoul Lopez beat Hy Sharman,

Ashley Smith drew Dave Orshoff, Dory Detton beat Arthur Hedin

Salt Lake City -- March 31, 1933

Ira Dern beat Jim Corrigan, Bill Longson beat Jack McCoy, Hy Sharman beat Raoul Lopez,

Dory Detton drew Dave Orshoff, Arthur Hedin drew Ashley Smith

Salt Lake City -- April 7, 1933

Prince Chewchki beat Ira Dern DQ, Jim Corrigan beat Bill Longson, Hy Sharman beat

Dave Orshoff, Raoul Lopez beat Ashley Smith, Dory Detton drew Arthur Hedin

Salt Lake City -- April 14, 1933

Ira Dern drew Oki Shikina, Prince Chewchki drew Jim Corrigan, Ashley Smith beat Raoul

Lopez, Hy Sharman drew Tom Panos, Arthur Hedin beat Dave Orshoff DQ

Salt Lake City -- April 21, 1933

Rudy Skarda beat Ira Dern DQ, Hy Sharman beat Spike Ashby, Harry Tesharegi drew

Arthur Hedin, Raoul Lopez beat Tom Panos, Dory Detton drew Jack Mitchell

Salt Lake City -- April 28, 1933

Ira Dern beat Rudy Skarda COR, Hy Sharman beat Raoul Lopez, Henry Jones beat Jack

Mitchell, Dory Detton beat Arthur Hedin

Salt Lake City -- May 5, 1933

Ira Dern beat Fritz Roeber, Hy Sharman beat Finn Gibbs, Arthur Hedin beat Jack Mitchell

DQ, Ashley Smith drew Dory Detton

Salt Lake City -- May 12, 1933

Ira Dern beat Rube Wright, Hy Sharman beat Alex Pierre, Bill Longson beat Big Boy

Kimball, Arthur Hedin beat Dave Orshoff, Ashley Smith drew Finn Gibbs

Salt Lake City -- May 19, 1933

Ira Dern beat Pat Flanagan, Bill Longson beat Ed Glover, Hy Sharman beat Arthur Hedin

CNC, Ashley Smith beat Finn Gibbs, Gorilla Reed beat Big Boy Peterson

Salt Lake City -- May 26, 1933

Henry Jones beat Hy Sharman (won western welterweight title), Ira Dern beat Hans Stohl,

Bill Longson drew Pat Flanagan, Ashley Smith drew Del Kunkel (pro debut)

Salt Lake City -- June 2, 1933

Hy Sharman beat Henry Jones (Sharman claimed world welterweight title), Bill Longson

beat Ed Glover, Jack Mitchell drew Ralph Morley, Del Kunkel beat Dory Detton COR

Salt Lake City -- June 9, 1933

Ira Dern beat Rube Wright, Pat O'Hara beat Bill Longson, Del Kunkel drew Hy Sharman,

Ashley Smith drew Henry Jones, Pat Flanagan beat Ed Glover

Salt Lake City -- June 16, 1933

Henry Jones drew Hy Sharman, Bill Longson beat Pat Flanagan, Del Kunkel beat Jack

Mitchell, Ashley Smith drew Finn Gibbs

Salt Lake City -- June 23, 1933

Ira Dern beat Juan Giuano, Pat Flanagan beat Tony Marconi, Hy Sharman drew Joe

Manning, Del Kunkel drew Ashley Smith __________________________________________

CHAMPION RISKS TITLE AGAINST AGUAYO TONIGHT

(Albuquerque Journal, Friday, November 29, 1935)

The star wrestling card of the season will be offered Friday night at the Armory, when

lightheavyweight champion LeRoy McGuirk defends his title against the local favorite,

Francisco Aguayo, in the main event.

Aguayo has wrestled McGuirk twice in previous nontitle matches, winning one and losing

one. His win was considered somewhat of a fluke by fans as McGuirk had him up in the air

in a slam position when Aguayo overbalanced him and fell on top to win the final fall.

A stellar supporting card will see the sensational Negro wrestler, the Black Panther,

meeting Jack Tucker, a rough boy from the East, in a semi-final match.

Two more supporting bouts have been lined up: Bobby Sampson will meet Joe Reno in one

event, and Bobby pearce, protege of McGuirk, will meet Silent Rattan in the other match.

___________________________________________

ROUGH WIN IS TAKEN BY LEROY McGUIRK

(Albuquerque Journal, Saturday, November 30, 1935)

Color and roughness in which police were called into action twice marked the stellar

four-match wrestling card at the Armory Friday night that saw LeRoy McGuirk successfully

defend his title against Francisco Aguayo in the main event.

McGuirk was by far the better wrestler, but his ability was counteractged somewhat by

Aguayo's roughness which kept him in trouble much of the time.

The first fall was rather clean, with Aguayo winning in 15 minutes with a rocking chair split.

The two put on an exhibition outside the ring that was broken up by local officers. McGuirk,

angered at being kicked out of the ring by Aguayo, went back to slug the Mexican into

submission, applying his favorite hold, a rolling wristlock. The same hold won the last fall for

McGuirk in 10 minutes.

Police officers first entered the frays when Mike London and Jack Tucker continued their

fight outside the ring after London had won the match. One bystander was knocked down as

London raced for the protection of his dressing room. London won the first fall in eight

minutes with a heavy lay, and the third with a right to the jaw from outside the ring, where

Tucker had thrown him. Tucker won the second fall in 11 seconds with two rights to the jaw.

The Black Panther, who was to meet Tucker, was forced out because of an infected arm.

London was substituted.

Silent Rattan took a preliminary from Bobby Pearce in 20 minutes with arm swings.

Bobby Sampson and Joe Reno fought a 30-minute draw in the other preliminary.

___________________________________________

WRESTLING MONOPOLY SUIT PUBLICITY STUNT?

(Associated Press, Friday, December 20, 1935)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Everett Marshall, of La Junta, Colo., a claimant to the heavyweight

wrestling title, charged six sports promoters with forming a "monopoly on wrestling" in a

suit filed Friday asking a million dollars damage.

One of the promoters, Paul Bowser of Boston, termed the suit "just a publicity stunt."

Bowswer, at Boston, denied Marshall's charge of a monopoly in wrestling and said Marshall

failed to "take" with Boston fans.

Another, Tom Packs of St. Louis, admitted there was "more or less a gentleman's

agreement" among the six promoters but denied the agreement constituted a "wrestling

monopoly."

"We had to organize to protect ourselves and to get talent," Packs said at St. Louis. "When

we are organized, managers and wrestlers can't dictate to us."

Marshall, who makes his headquarters here, declared in the suit, filed in Franklin County

Common Pleas Court, that a partnership formed by the six promoters barred all outsiders

and used only wrestlers managed by the various partners.

Besides Bowser and Packs, he named as defendants Jack Curley of New York, Joseph

Mondt of Los Angeles, Edward White of Chicago, and Ray Fabiani of Philadelphia.

Marshall named the Curtis Publishing Co. of Philadelphia as another defendant, alleging

that the firm conspired with the promoters to "belittle" Marshall's ability and to "destroy

his standing as a heavyweight contender" through an article published in The Saturday

Evening Post.

He said the combine had rejected his offers to meet the recognized champion, Danno

O'Mahoney, whom he described in the suit as "a second rate wrestler of mediocre caliber."

____________________________________________

GRUNTERS' PAY SCALE IS REDUCED

(Associated Press, November 15, 1939)

NEW YORK -- It's a sad state the old sport of wrestling has reached hereabouts.

For several years the New York State Athletic Commission has refused to recognize any

wrestling championships, ruling all bouts must be billed as "exhibitions."

Yesterday, at the request of Jess McMahon, representing various mat promoters, the

commissioners agreed to reduce the minimum wage of wrestlers from $10 to $8 per

exhibition.

 

 

The WAWLI Papers

(Wrestling As We Liked It)

By J Michael Kenyon

Volume 2, Number 65

Thursday, August 27, 1997

Seattle, Washington, US of A

__________________________________________

IN THIS ISSUE: The Career of Paul Boesch: One Man,

One Sport, One Lifetime -- 50 Golden Years on the Mat

___________________________________________

The WAWLI Papers are periodically sent to a free-of-

charge mailing list. To subscribe, at no cost, send an e-

mail message to <fallguys-request@lists.best.com>

and place the lower-case word "subscribe" in the body

of the message.

_____________________________________________

Individual submissions relating to a wide range of professional

wrestling history are welcomed by The WAWLI Papers. Please

contact the editor: oldfallguy@aol.com or

mcfoofoo@ix.netcom.com

_____________________________________________

THE CAREER OF PAUL BOESCH -- ONE MAN, ONE SPORT, ONE LIFETIME -- 50 YEARS ON THE MAT

(Pamphlet published by The Wrestling News, 1981)

By Paul Boesch

"Mr. Boesch, did you used to wrestle?"

I have been asked that question many times, perhaps that is one reason why this booklet is being written: to provide the answer.

My career in wrestling spans 50 magnificent years; it touches six decades. Through the men I wrestled, or those who have refereed some of my matches, I have had contact with another century. My own contact with all phases of wrestling started in 1932.

I was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on October 2, 1912. About a dozen years later we moved to Long Beach, N.Y. The move was a good one for me. It shifted my outlook from city streets to the beaches that are washed by the Atlantic Ocean. When I was 14 I was a lifeguard and got paid for it. I earned the pay, made some rescues. At 16 I was on the Long Beach Patrol and won the annual swimming race in 1929. I was a proud kid.

Swimming, basketball (I was a pro, got paid as much as ten dollars one night; I played on two different teams, five bucks each game!), but it was the lifeguarding that got me in contact with Jack Pfefer who was matchmaker for Madison Square Garden. Jack was a controversial character, probably the best . . . and the worst . . . thing that ever happened to wrestling. But he was good for me. He gave me my start on October 25, 1932. By the end of the year I was wrestling all over the East. I also had my first cauliflowered ear, a Christmas gift from Herbie Freeman.

The toughening process of '32 paid off in '33. I battled my way into main events in all of the major cities from Washington, D.C., to the dozen arenas all over New York City. I met men who were already legends in the game: Ray Steele, Everette Marshall, Jim McMillen, Sammy Stein, Jumping Joe Savoldi, and Dick Shikat. I met two world's champions that year, Jim Londos -- "The Golden Greek" -- and rugged pig farmer Jim Browning. There were a hundred other men who deserved to be mentioned. It was an era of wrestling giants.

The matches I recall best, because they were the toughest, happened in a period of about a month against former world's champion Dick Shikat. I wrestled him first in Charley Grip's open-air arena in Camden, N.J., for 90 minutes without a fall. Then, a little more than a week later, in Baltimore at Carlin's Park, we wrestled for two hours, no fall!!! About a week later in the Bronx Coliseum, in New York City, we went one hour, 47 minutes, no fall! The match was ended by the 11 p.m. curfew. The very next week at the same Coliseum we wrestled almost two hours and Shikat scored a fall. That adds up to more than seven hours of stubborn, rough, grueling wrestling before a single fall was scored. All of this as my cauliflowered ear grew bigger.

And I will never forget the Dusek "Riot Squad"--Rudy, Ernie, Emil and Joe; Dick Raines, Jack Sherry, George Zaharias, and many others for similar reasons.

I parted company with Jack Pfefer in the fall of 1933. In the spring of '34 I took the advantage of something unique to wrestling, the opportunity to travel. I went to Canada and then to Los Angeles, spending several months in each place. The men seemed to get tougher, but by then I had established myself a niche above a rookie. I met Man Mountain Dean, Ted "King Kong" Cox (a wildman in that era), Sandor Szabo, Dick Raines and others during 1935-36.

I made a hit in Seattle and got an offer to go to New Zealand, where I learned what solid wrestling meant against Earl McCready and Lofty Blomfield. I went to Australia to face men like Glen Wade and Tom Lurich. In 1937, I returned to the Pacific Northwest where the tough Red Shadow, Pat Fraley, and Leo Numa made it a long hard year. I suffered a back injury and finally had to take the doctor's orders and quit wrestling for a full year. So, I bought a half-interest in the Seattle promotion and saw a new side of wrestling.

One bright idea that I had during the time I promoted in Seattle is one I would like to forget. I invented "mud wrestling" and promoted the first one in this country. I meant it to be a "Hindu Style" match with India's Harnam Singh and former world's champion Gus Sonnenberg wrestling in a ring packed with dirt. Someone forgot to turn off the water!

My back injury responded to therapy and at the end of '38 I resumed wrestling. I went to Los Angeles and then back to New Zealand. When war was declared in September I returned to Honolulu and stayed for five glorious months. Then, a tempting offer came from Manila, P.I. The war in Europe was in a quiet stage so I accepted and battled Pedro Martinez (later promoter in Buffalo), Danny Dusek and Chief Thunderbird. In May they asked me to return to Sydney, Australia, and I decided to go. So did the Canadian Indian, Thunderbird. Martinez went back to the States. Dusek stayed longer in Manila than he anticipated. He was there when the Japanese captured the city, and he spent three years in a concentration camp.

I was on the boat to Sydney when the war in Europe erupted. It cut wrestling in Australia short so I decided to go home to Long Beach and be chief of lifeguards. I also wrestled around New York with the Dusek tribe and Warren Bockwinkel. Then Pearl Harbor exploded and I spent three years, one month and 27 days in the Army.

When I was released from service I went to Texas, then to New Zealand, and then back to Texas. I was there for about two weeks and after wrestling in San Antonio on October 23, 1947, I decided to drive to Corpus Christi. I never made it. At the outskirts of San Antonio an oilfield truck shot past a stop sign. We collided and my tour and my career suddenly changed.

The automobile accident confronted me with a nightmare I had often experienced during the war: "What would I do if I couldn't wrestle again?" My injuries looked serious enough to make me need an answer. I found one without looking.

I had wrestled in Texas in January, 1942, soon after Pearl Harbor. I stayed until May. Immediately following the war I left Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri and headed for Houston to pick up my career. I stayed about seven months. I liked Houston, and I liked and trusted Morris P. Sigel, the promoter.

Houston had a long wrestling history going back before World War I. Between 1915 and 1923 there were matches at irregular intervals. In those days many wrestling matches were often held for private bets between the contestants. Pet Brown was a tough middleweight who won a lot of money in Houston. Men like Clarence Eklund, who came from Wyoming and held the world's lightheavyweight title, traveled far to face him. Pet's name still comes up when real oldtimers talk.

About 1925, Julius Sigel -- brother of Morris -- started promoting in Houston's City Auditorium. Soon they had top wrestlers coming to Houston on a steady basis. Friday night was the night they chose to hold the matches, and we still hold them on Friday night.

Morris joined his brother Julius as a partner and around 1929 Julius decided to leave Houston and promote in New Orleans and Shreveport, La. Morris' strength as a promoter lay in his ability to bring good business practices into the sports world. He paid his bills promptly and had an unparalleled reputation for honesty. Matchmaking was not his strong point, but he did surround himself with people who knew the mat game and could evaluate the wrestlers. One of his earliest associates was a man who had wrestled in the early '20s, Karl "Doc" Sarpolis.

In 1933 the state of Texas passed laws legalizing and governing both boxing and wrestling. Morris Sigel received the first license issued in both sports.

From the beginning of Sigel's promotion Houston fans saw the best wrestlers in the game. The man who is remembered best, and was remembered gratefully by Sigel, was Leo "Whiskers" Daniel Boone Savage, a bearded, colorful Kentuckian. Whiskers filled the Coliseum almost every Friday night in spite of the nation's worst depression.

Wrestling prospered and became solidly established in Houston while many promotions across the nation collapsed. It was a rare tribute to the Texas sport spirit, and the spirit of Houston fans, which is still evident today. They are still the most knowledgable fans in the country.

To say that I became an associate of Morris Sigel by accident might sound like a pun. It is true. The accident in San Antonio and then, quite by accident, I was in his office one day when he needed some newspaper stories changed. I sat at the typewriter and changed them. A short time later he asked me to join him.

Doctors had said I should not wrestle again so I eagerly grabbed the chance to stay in wrestling. Houston was an exciting city for wrestling in those days, as it is now. The city had known champions and had developed men who were featured all across the nation. Gorgeous George had gone from Houston to become a household word. Dizzy Davis, Jimmy James and Ellis Bashara were following in the footsteps of Paul Jones and Juan Humberto, who had made their names in the 1920s and '30s.

I was in a fortunate position. I learned much about promotion from Sigel and learned to admire and respect Sarpolis' judgement in matchmaking. One of our earliest adventures after joining Sigel was the importation of Antonino Rocca from Argentina. There were others: Miguel "Blackie" Guzman and Rito Romero from Mexico; Duke Keomuka from Hawaii; Lord Blears and Count Billy Varga gave the game a noble touch; Wild Red Berry and LeRoy McGuirk added class and excitement.

Time turned out to be the best healer of my injuries and I returned to ring action. But it was tough, the competition was capable. LeRoy McGuirk was the world's junior heavyweight champion and Houston buzzed with challengers, who were capable of making him sweat. Irish Danny McShain and Wild Red Berry were constantly at each other's throats for the right to face McGuirk. And, to sharpen their tempers, they took on heavyweights and made their lives miserable. I had my share of knocks and bruises in battles with Keomuka and Danny Savich, a gravel-throated, tough competitor from Tooele, Utah.

Cowboy Carlson got his start in Houston when he came here for the Fat Stock Rodeo, got hungry when he spent all of his money for entry fees, and then challenged all three Macias brothers. It was a pleasure to help make a wrestler out of him.

I also had a part in starting Tiger Conway, and later his son, Tiger Conway Jr. I taught Verne Gagne the sleeper hold with which he became so adept that he won the world's junior heavyweight title, and then later the world's heavyweight title. Hogan Wharton, the University of Houston's first football All-American, was another man with whom I sweated on the mat so that he could learn to wrestle. He did and Hogan was good.

With the start of 1948 I took on a new assignment as a member of Morris Sigel's staff. I did a radio broadcast, from ringside, of some of the matches. I was not exactly a stranger to the microphone. In 1936, in Portland, Ore., I was interviewed between falls in the main event. The announcer, Rollie Truit, handed me the microphone when the wrestlers returned to the ring and said, "You broadcast the next fall." I stammered a protest, but he walked away and I became a radio announcer.

I became a television announcer in much the same way. I did the radio broadcast for KLEE for a full year. At the end of that year W. Albert Lee had the license for Channel 2 and had a television station ready to go on the air. In the first week of January, 1949, I did my first telecast. I hadn't even seen television and suddenly I was on it!

For the first nine months of telecasting we started with the Star Spangled Banner and wound up when the lights went out. It is difficult to explain, 33 years later, when people are blase and bored with the miracles the tube produces, that the early days were exciting. It is hard to explain how people stood in front of TV sets placed in store windows to watch wrestling; and how Friday night was wrestling party night in someone's home.

When the number of television sets increased and the sport was in competition with itself, the broadcast time was changed from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The semifinal and main event were not telecast and the box office, which had been adversely affected, improved. Channel 2 was bought by the Houston Post and became KPRC-TV instead of KLEE-TV. When commitments with compulsory network programs took precedence, Houston wrestling moved to a new station in town, Channel 13.

We stayed there until three months before Channel 39 came on the air. Those three months are the only time Houston Wrestling has not been on the air, as I write this, for 33 years. In January, 1982, we begin our 34th year.

I am as proud of that record as I am of my 50 years in the wrestling game. Early in our TV career I recognized that wrestling, through television, could accomplish a lot of good deeds. We started with the Elks' Mile of Dimes, which was a Houston tradition at that time. Since then, through a polio epidemic, telethons for the March of Dimes and hundreds of other worthy causes, we have been ready to help. We have not only provided action and entertainment, but we have been a useful instrument for the betterment of nonprofit causes. We intend to stay that way for the next 34 years.

On December 26, 1966, after a long illness, Morris Sigel died. Behind him he left a world of friends. In January of '67 I purchased the Gulf Athletic Club from Mrs. Sigel. I had long known the stress of promotion and was well aware of its possibilities and its promise. For 20 years I had been training for my new position without knowing it. I was ready. Now I could put into practice my own ideas and I alone would bear the responsibility for their success or failure.

The early years were not easy. Channel 39 was a fine, hustling TV station but it was new and unknown; UHF telecasting was not yet universally accepted. But Houston Wrestling took hold and the program that had thrilled Houstonians at the birth of television regained its strength and stature. It grew.

My contacts with wrestlers across the country and my friendship with promoters paid off. Top wrestlers came to Houston and among them were crowd pleasing, hard wrestling athletes. The recipe for success is the same in every sport: give the fans men who produce action, make sure fans get their money's worth, and give fans what you say you will give them. I tried.

Johnny Valentine had made a hit in Houston when he first appeared and then went on to establish himself nationwide. He returned to Houston and was the foundation for fulfilling fans' demands.

Wahoo McDaniels left the world of football to go into business for himself in wrestling and Houston fans war whooped him into a world title contender. Boris Malenko and his manager, Lord Montagu, became the hottest TV couple on anybody's channel. Malenko gave me a nickname I still hear from fans of the early '70s when he insisted on calling me "Mr. TV Announcer." Sports fans often ask, which is more important, the wrestlers or the promoter? Well, they also ask, which is more important, the team or the owner? The only answer is that they are both important. Each depends on the other whether they realize it or not.

It has been the response of the Houston fans that made it all worthwhile. It is the enthusiasm of fans that has kept me interested in wrestling after 50 years of participation. I look forward to the years that lie ahead, I look forward to the new crop of wrestlers that promise to make being a fan, or a promoter, exciting during the rest of the 1980s. Wrestling will expand, it will meet the demands of the fans in this rapidly disappearing decade just as it has during the past hundred years in this country.

To prove that the future is here we have published this book. To insure it we have planned something never before attempted here, a three-day "Golden Cup" tournament that invites every claimant to the world's title to compete. Happy Golden Anniversary Year to all of you!

___________________________________________