101 Ranch owner Joe C. Miller, on March 21, 1922, wired an offer for the proposed Jack Dempsey-Ed "Strangler" Lewis mixed boxer vs. wrestler match and wanted it held at Buffalo Park at his ranch in Ponca City, Oklahoma. Sergeant S.A. Vaneman was billed as the Oklahoma State Champion in June 1922. In early December 1929, the Junior League of Tulsa offered World Heavyweight Champion Gus Sonnenberg $17,000 to defend his championship before December 20 in Tulsa against a "logical opponent," according to the Associated Press. It was speculated that the opponent would be Ed "Strangler" Lewis. The show would be in conjunction with the Junior League's annual benefit for crippled children. With that kind of offer, it didn't take long for Sonnenberg to agree to a match against Lewis, and it was booked for December 16. Well known amateur wrestler Bobby Pearce had turned professional and the October 30, 1932 edition of the Oklahoman quoted him as saying that he liked the pro sport. The rougher aspects to it was something he enjoyed, and he was glad he turned professional. There were some people who thought he should have stayed an amateur and competed in the 1936 Olympic Games. The November 17, 1932 edition of the Oklahoman stated that Pearce was going to coach wrestling at Cushing High School beginning on December 1. He was replacing Harry Berry. Pearce graduated from Cushing before attending Oklahoma A&M in 1928. In November 1943, Ernest "Red" Andrews was stationed at a Marine Corps base in San Diego and was an athletic instructor. Andrews was a former boxer and longtime referee in Oklahoma. Other trainers were boxer Private Gerald Ambrose "Tuffy" Griffiths, Lt. Edward P. Rawling, Pvt. Marty Schwartz, and Pvt. Ray Sears. Live wrestling in Oklahoma City was featured on WKY-TV (channel 4) in 1959 every Saturday night at 10:30 p.m. with Danny Williams doing the commentary. Williams was a mainstay on Oklahoma television for decades, beginning in May 1950 until KTVY cancelled his program, "Dannysday," in 1984. Williams was originally from Fort Worth. The feud over the NWA World Junior Heavyweight championship between Angelo Savoldi and Mike DiBiase was big in Oklahoma City during 1959. 2,500 fans were on hand at the Stockyards Coliseum on May 29, 1959 to see "Iron" Mike beat Savoldi for the championship. Savoldi, reportedly, was injured in the match and unable to receive his contractually obligated rematch within a 30 day period. So fans were left anticipating the rematch between the former champion and DiBiase. On August 14, 1959, the two battled at the Coliseum again, but DiBiase retained the coveted title. A week later, however, Savoldi beat Dibiase and returned to the Junior Heavyweight throne. The 1960 stabbing of Angelo Savoldi in a Tulsa ring by the 50-year-old father of wrestler Danny Hodge (William E. Hodge) was mentioned in Dan Parker's June 2, 1960 column in the New York Mirror. Savoldi and Hodge were wrestling fateful evening when the man slashed Savoldi twice across his back with a penknife. Savoldi bled profusely from half-inch deep wounds, horrifying the audience. The incident occurred on Friday, May 27, 1960 and there was a picture of Savoldi in the hospital in the May 28 edition of the Oklahoma City Times. Savoldi reportedly needed more than 70 stitches to close the wounds on his back and arm. William Hodge was arrested and released on $20 bond. Parker noted that Hodge had been used to watching amateur-style matches and thought Savoldi and his son were murdering each other. That was enough to provoke him into action in what could have been a deadly situation. Corporations: Sam Avey, Inc. Address: Not Provided Incorporated: February 28, 1934 Incorporators: Sam Avey, Harry B. Gilstrap, G.M. Byerly Expiration Date: February 28, 1954 Entity Type: Domestic For Profit Business Corporation OTC Suspension: January 4, 1935 OTC Reinstatement: January 21, 1935 OTC Suspension: April 9, 1942 Leroy McGuirk Enterprises, Inc. Address: Not Provided Incorporated: January 11, 1962 Expiration Date: January 11, 2012 Registered Agent: Irene Ward, Tulsa, Oklahoma OTC Suspension: June 27, 1963 OTC Reinstatement: May 13, 1964 OTC Suspension: June 1, 1967 Incorporators: Allen E. Barrow, Gertrude S. Mulholland, Austin T. Gavin Mid-South Sports, Inc. Address: 1300 Hibernia Building, New Orleans, Louisiana Incorporated: February 23, 1981 Actual Amount Invested in Oklahoma: $50,000 (paid on credit) Shares: 1000 (common stock) *Information provided by the Oklahoma Secretary of State website, 6-8-2005 Bill Watts Investments, Inc. Address: Not Provided Incorporated: August 31, 1983 Registered Agent: William F. Watts Incorporators: William F. Watts, Deborah L. Watts, Joe Holt Excellence International, Inc. Address: Not Provided Incorporated: March 31, 1987 Expiration Date: March 31, 2037 OTC Suspension: June 13, 1990 Incorporators: William F. Watts, Jr., Ene S. Watts, Erik J. Watts of Bixby, Oklahoma Research by Tim Hornbaker |
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