For further reading on this championship, check out Hisaharu Tanabe's website at the following link: National Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Title at www.wrestling-titles.com The National Wrestling Association was formerly established on September 16, 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska, growing out of the National Boxing Association. Colonel Harry J. Landry was named the initial NWA President. On September 29, 1930, NWA Secretary Pete Swanson announced that the organization didn't recognize any wrestler as the World Heavyweight Champion. As a result of the NWA recognizing Jim Londos as champion, Harry Davis of the Missouri State Athletic Commission announced his resignation as a vice president of the National Wrestling Association on October 2, 1931. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Tuesday, March 11, 1941 ( ) ... Bronko Nagurski b. Ray Steele to capture the NWA World Heavyweight Title (57:17) ... Jim Wright b. Rudy Strongberg (18:27) ... (promoter: Tony Stecher) St. Louis, Missouri: Thursday, June 5, 1941 (The Auditorium) … Sandor Szabo b. Bronko Nagurski to capture the NWA World Heavyweight Title (24:31) (Nagurski was disqualified for grabbing the ropes and jabbing his shoulder in Szabo’ s midriff) … Lou Thesz b. Joe Cox (21:27) … Ray Villmer b. Billy Canny (10:58) … Warren Bockwinkel b. Don McIntyre (16:39) … Ralph Garibaldi b. Jack Hader (14:28) … (promoter: Tom Packs) … (referees: Lou Spandle, Fred Voepal, Whitey Brexler) … (3,606 fans) Notes: Missouri State Athletic Commission Chairman John J. Griffin recognized Szabo as the new titleholder, saying that Nagurski had been warned. After the match, Stecher and many others rushed into the ring. St. Louis, Missouri: Friday, February 21, 1947 (Kiel Auditorium) … Billy Watson b. Bill Longson to capture the NWA World Heavyweight Title (18: 36) (Watson won by disqualification when Longson punched the referee) (After the match, Longson punched Schwartz a second time) (Watson was accompanied by Phil Lawson) … Ernie Dusek b. Dr. Ed Meske (19:59) … Wee Willie Davis b. Paul Boesch (16:40) … Babe Sharkey and Francois Valois drew (20:00) … Warren Bockwinkel and Mickey Gold b. The Dusek Brothers (Emil and Joe Dusek) (2-0) … (promoter: Tom Packs) … (referee: Charley Schwartz) … (in attendance: Frank Tunney) … (8,690 fans) Notes: The Missouri State Athletic Commission fined Longson $50 for his actions. Boesch’s arm became dislocated during his bout with Davis and referee Henry Costa stopped the match. |
National Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Title |