Babe Zaharias (Real name Chris Davros) Born: 8/23/1914 Deceased: Died 8/9/57, buried 8/13/57 Buried: Roselawn Cemeterey Pueblo, CO USA Just trying to get the name right of this particular member of the Zaharias wrestling clan of Colorado, is an act in research in and of itself. Chris Davros was a legitimate nephew of George, Tom and Chris Zaharias, and thusly dubbed the baby or “Babe” of the bunch. Enter Chris’s uncle’s (George Zaharias’) wife, the famous female golfer, Babe Didrikson turned Zaharias. Yes, you will find golf clubs and courses bearing the name Babe Zaharias, but please don’t let it distract you into thinking that there was never a famous fourth of the Zaharias boys. In fact, Davros actually became known as “Crybaby” Zaharias (yet another nickname) because of his vocal reminders that he was the only Babe Zaharias that mattered, whilst the other Babe was making headway as one of the pioneer women athletes of the 20th century. The name game does not stop there, as Davros was also Gus Zaharias, and there is some debate and speculation that he used the name Chris Davelis or even Chris Davies, also. I can find records of a Kostas Davelis on some of the same cards with other Zaharias members so that lends some small amount of credence that there was at least a theoretical possibility, that this may have been Davros. A letter dated January 11th, 1957, to the United States Justice Department, from Katye Zaharias, Babe’s wife, protested the monopolies that certain promoters held on wrestling, and that this was preventing her husband, who came from a notable and respected wrestling family, from making a regular living in their area (Chatanooga, TN). This letter coupled with that of Antone “Ripper” Leone, which basically corroborated the story, and the case of Sonny Myers VS the NWA, helped radically shake the foundations of the NWA forever. Babe Zaharias died in Savannah, GA, 8/9/57, had a match the night prior, against Bibber McCoy. McCoy told police that Zaharias complained of pains in his chest and under his arms after they left the ring, presumably not the regular aches and pains which accompany the brutal sport. Biography by Robert Murillo |
Babe Zaharias Wrestling History |