Amarillo, Texas: Thursday, January 9, 1947 (Fairgrounds Arena) … Al Getz and Gorilla Poggi drew (60:00) (1-1) … Ace Abbott b. Johnny Carlin (2/3) … Polo Cordova b. Pat O’Dowdy (DQ) … (promoter: Dory Detton) … (1,800 fans) Note: O’Dowdy was from Duke, Oklahoma. Amarillo, Texas: Thursday, July 24, 1947 (Fairgrounds Arena) ... Tex Watkins b. Pat O'Dowdy ... Art Brady and Walter Stratton drew (45:00 (1-1) (finals of a six-man wrestle royal) (other participants: Billy Weidner, Salvador Flores, George Bruckman, Sailor Parker) ... (referee: Gil Knutson) ... (1,400 fans) Notes: The Watkins-O'Dowdy match was the last of the first round eliminations. The winner was going to wrestle Art Brady. Watkins fought with Knutson (spelled Knudson). Amarillo, Texas: Thursday, July 31, 1947 (Fairgrounds Arena) ... Tex Watkins b. Art Brady to advance into the semifinals ... Gorilla Poggi b. Salvador Flores ... George Bruckman and Al Getz wrestled Walter Stratton and Billy Weidner to a draw (team match) Notes; Those wrestlers in the semifinals of the 190-pound tournament were Wayne Martin, Al Getz, Billy Weidner, and Tex Watkins. Amarillo, Texas: Thursday, August 7, 1947 (Fairgrounds Arena) ... Al Getz b. Wayne Martin (2/3) ... Billy Hickson and Walter Stratton drew (1-1) (finals of a wrestle royal) (others in the match were Billy Weidner, Art Brady, Tex Watkins, Gorilla Poggi, George Bruckman) ... Gorilla Poggi b. Art Brady ... (referee: Gene Blackley) ... (2,500 fans) Notes: Overflow crowd in attendance. Getz advanced to the finals of the tournament. He ended Martin's 22-match unbeaten streak. Amarillo, Texas: Thursday, August 14, 1947 (Fairgrounds Arena) ... Tex Watkins b. Billy Weidner to advance to the finals (2/3) ... Al Getz b. George Bruckman (UTC) (piledriver) ... Art Brady b. Lobo Brown ... Gorilla Poggi and Walter Stratton drew (15:00) ... (referee: Shadow Harmon) ... (1,900 fans) Note: Harmon was from Oklahoma City. Amarillo, Texas: Thursday, August 21, 1947 (Municipal Auditorium) … Al Getz b. “Sailor” Tex Watkins in a tournament final to capture the initial Southwest Junior Heavyweight Title (2-0) … Billy Weidner b. Art Brady (2-0) … Gorilla Poggi and Billy McEuin drew … (promoter: Dory Detton) … (referees: George Bruckman, Walter Stratton) … (3,300 fans) (hundreds turned away) Notes: This was the ending of a 15-week wrestling tournament for the Southwest Junior Heavyweight Title (190-pound limit), recognized by the Texas Labor Commission and the National Wrestling Association. Getz also won $1,800 and the right to wrestle NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk next week. To get to the finals, Getz beat Rex Mobley, Ace Freeman and Wayne Martin. Watkins was said to be a draw going back to the days of Dutch Mantell, and was the “dark horse” of the tournament. He beat Pat O’ Dowdy, Art Brady and Billy Weidner to reach the final bout. Research by Tim Hornbaker January 20, 2011 |
| Amarillo Wrestling Results - 1947 |
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