NWA Member: Al Haft Admitted to Organization: September 1948 Columbus Office: 6765 E. Main Street (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) Phone Number: 4-6338, 4-6339, 4-6673 (1955), Motel - Union 866-6656 (1961) Phone Number: Rose Hill Restaurant - Union 866-5790 (1961) Press Agent: Len Casswell Haft's office worked closely with Billy Wolfe's Columbus booking operation, which featured only women wrestlers. During the early 1950s, Haft had one of the strongest pools of legitimate wrestling talent in any territory. His booking roster included Ralph "Ruffy" Silverstein, Bill Miller, Joe Scarpello, and Roy Shire. In October 1951, Sam Muchnick notified the NWA membership that a "territorial dispute in Ohio was settled to the satisfaction of two Alliance offices." He was happy that the resolution was accomplished "by cooperation and understanding." Longtime associate Walter Moore of Akron dropped Haft's booking agency as of November 15, 1958 and began to get workers from Pedro Martinez in Buffalo. This had to be seen as a major snub by Haft, and likely caused a rift between him and Martinez. Moore remained affiliated with Martinez until June 1962 when he switched to the booking group sending wrestlers back-and-forth between Washington, D.C. and Chicago by bookers Vincent J. McMahon and Fred Kohler. Also included in this successful circuit, besides Akron, was Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. Buddy Rogers, who was the NWA World Heavyweight Champion, was the main star of this circuit. Research by Tim Hornbaker, Don Luce February 10, 2011 |
Columbus Booking Office |