This section will highlight moments in professional wrestling history when kayfabe was
broken intentionally or unintentionally.  In some instances, the situation was nothing more
than confusion before  fans during a live match, but in other situations, the blatant
exposure of wrestling's hidden mechanisms were all too obvious.


March 1, 1915

Hugh S. Fullerton wrote an article talking about the recent calamity in Chicago regarding
the exposure of the "Masked Mystery" as a fraud when confronted by a legitimate
grappler in the ring.  Ed White, following his charge's loss, told the audience that "this
match was the only honest, square wrestling seen in Chicago in six years.  This is not
excepting the Gotch-Zbyszko and Gotch-Hackenschmidt matches." White said that he
wanted to test his "theory in this way because I wanted to take a shot at the wrestling
game" by picking up a wrestler who was "nothing more than a poor dub," putting a mask
on him, and getting him over in eastern matches.  Then having him wrestle straight in
Chicago, proving he was a second-class grappler.

Fullerton explained that since White's amazing statement, "a dozen wrestlers have
confessed" that "they were compelled to agree to flop in order to get matches." This
included Plestina and Hussane.  Even Charlie Cutler "faked" when he was starting out,
according to Fullerton.

May 8, 1939

One man who'd been both an independent and a syndicate wrestler during his career,
and made a living in pro wrestling since the 1910s, Marin Plestina was quoted as saying:  
"The wrestling business is dead as a pancake because it isn't honest." This quote
appeared in the Clearfield Progress newspaper (Clearfield, PA).

May 5, 1941

In a semifinal match at the City Auditorium in Omaha, Abe Coleman wrestled Emil Dusek.
Robert Phipps of the Omaha World Herald wrote that there was a “delightful (for the fans)
and embarrassing (for [referee Joe] Zikmund) moment” in the bout between Emil Dusek
and Abe Coleman.  Emil had his opponent in a toehold and Coleman shoulders were
touching the mat.  Zikmund pounded the mat once, then twice, then expected Coleman to
move his shoulders from the mat.  Instead, his hand pounded a third time, but he said
“two” again.  “Emil Dusek wasn’t ready for the fall and neither was Coleman.  And neither
was Zikmund.  As a matter of fact, Coleman won later on, at 21:41.” Phipps added that
“Zikmund’s face purpled with shame and confusion.”

October 19, 1955

California State Athletic Commission Chairman Norman Houston told the California State
Assembly subcommittee investigating boxing and wrestling, and covered by the press,
that he felt wrestling was "just an act." And he thought that the "idea" of eliminating
wrestling from the umbrella of the athletic commission was "subject to study."

The reason why it wasn't...because professional wrestling was big business to the
commission and routinely delivered bags and bags of money.  There was no way the
California Athletic Commission was disowning pro wrestling.  Absolutely no way.

Testimony was also provided by referees Al Billings and Joe Woods to the effect that
wrestling matches were "faked," and that the officials were informed beforehand who
would win.  This contradicted the statements of two California State Athletic Commission
Inspectors (Clarence McFadden and Max Greenberg), who said that wrestling was not a
scripted sport.

November 8, 1955

Whistleblowers Al Billings and Joe Woods were again at the center of controversy.  This
time, before a meeting of the California State Athletic Commission, Billings and Woods
again testified that matches were fixed.  The Los Angeles Times (11/9/55) stated that
Billings explained under oath that between 1949 and '53, while working for the Doyle-
Eaton booking office, he traveled around and told "the wrestlers and referees how the
bouts were to come out." Cal Eaton, from a different section of the room, yelled, "He's a
liar."

An Associated Press report on November 12, 1955 claimed that promoters were angry at
the two referees because "business has fallen off since they put the blast on the game."
Hugh Nichols "feared for the safety of the two referees because the wrestlers and fans
are enraged over their accusations."

The Associated Press followed up with a report on December 17, 1955, quoting the
California State Athletic Commission Chairman Norman Houston as saying that fair
wrestling matches would kill the sport.  This line of thought was agreed to by
Commissioner Dan O. Kilroy of Sacramento.  There was mention that stricter regulations
be put on wrestling or even to ban it altogether.

On November 12, 1955, the California Athletic Commission reinstated Billings and Woods
as licensed officials.  The commission wanted all promoters within its jurisdiction to
arrange a separate quarters for referees and that all referees refrain from talking to
participants in any of the matches.  The officials were also not to travel with any wrestlers.

A protest by Cal Eaton temporarily suspended Billings from officiating matches at the
Olympic Auditorium or the Hollywood Legion Stadium, decided by the California Athletic
Commission on November 23, 1955.  The commission was going follow up on the
situation and make a decision.

December 16, 1955

A California State Assembly subcommittee investigating professional wrestling met again
in Sacramento, and discussed whether or not to ban the sport in the state.  Assemblyman
Frank G. Bonelli said:  "We know that the matches are predetermined and yet we close
our eyes to it." One of the ideas was the strip wrestling from regulation of the state
athletic commission.  Dan Kilroy said that "some semblance of decency must be
enforced," to prevent wrestlers from battling in mud, fish or ice as they do in other states.  
Joseph J. Phillips of San Francisco told the group it would be wrong to ban wrestling
because "thousands of people enjoy it." He even went as far as saying that matches were
exhibitions, but "some are on the square." This committee (Assembly Governmental
Efficiency and Economy Subcommittee on Boxing and Wrestling) was going to make a
recommendation to the California Governor Knight sometime prior to March 1.

April 29, 1963

Promoter Bob Rechtwig was changed with running a professional wrestling show in El
Monte without a wrestling license from the California Athletic Commission.  According to
the Associated Press report, Rechtwig "brought his wrestlers into court and argued that
all falls - and even the dialogue - were rehearsed and executed according to prepared
scripts." The trial ended in a hung jury.  This story was featured in the Los Angeles Times
on April 26, 1963, complete with a photo.  The headline was "Rasslin' Not Sport, Says
Promoter."











Research by Tim Hornbaker
December 4, 2010
Breaking Kayfabe Throughout Wrestling History