Dallas, Texas: Tuesday, October 16, 1951 (The Sportatorium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz and NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion Verne Gagne were both counted out in the third fall (1-1) … Jack Kennedy b. Duke Keomuka … Miguel Guzman and Rito Romero b. The Zahariases (Babe and Chris Zaharias) to capture the Texas State Tag Team Title … Texas Women’s Champion Nell Stewart b. Gloria Baratinni … Fred Atkins and Big Humphrey drew … (promoter: Ed McLemore) Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Friday, October 26, 1951 (The Arena) ... NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz and Verne Gagne drew (1- 1) (60:00) (Thesz won the first fall in 27:00 and Gagne took the second after 53:00) (the last seven minutes were even) (Thesz may have been given the decision) ... Johnny Balbo and Billy Goelz b. Gypsy Joe and Al Williams (2/3) ... Adele Antone b. Dot Dotson (19:00) ... Tarzan Kowalski b. "Chest" Bernard (DQ) ... (referee: Jim McMillen) ... (5,200 fans) Notes: If you read the Milwaukee Sentinel and Milwaukee Journal accounts of this match, there is some confusion to how this bout was officially ruled. The Journal stated that Thesz got the "decision," however, that Gagne was leading at the end of the match and that the bell rang after 60:00, signalling the end of the bout. Thesz was basically saved by the bell because Gagne was getting close to beating his opponent. So the decision of this match is unclear, although Jim Melby's record book of Thesz listed this as a win for Thesz. Thesz was carried from the ring because of exhaustion and Gagne was "robbed," according to his fans. It is possible Thesz was awarded the "decision." Both papers mentioned that he retained his title and one of them even stated that he successfully defended his title. But why would Thesz have gotten the decision if he was being pummeled from ring-post to ring-post at the end of the match. Either way, the decision was controversial. Going into this match, it was expected that 8,000 would attend. Thesz was said to be a college standout at the University of Missouri, leading his squad to a 1938 Big Ten championship in wrestling, which was false. Gagne trained at Marquette University. A “Chicago delegation” went to Milwaukee to see this bout. Read the Verne Gagne - U.S. Title Situation Research by Tim Hornbaker January 7, 2011 |
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