*Virag was billed as a former European Titleholder
*He was billed as weighing 228 lbs., from Camp Crowder
*He held “many national and continental crowns”
*Virag, a native of Budapest, was a glovemaker before he started his career of mat mauling.  
The 31-year old Hungarian was national wrestling Polish champion and, in the same year, he
captured the European crown.  As a result of his travels, he learned to master six languages:
Polish, Hungarian, German, Italian, French and English.
*He has also coached the South African police force in hand-to-hand fighting.  In 1939, he
was the mentor of the Italian empire’s Olympic wrestling team.

*In March 1937, a man named Ebert was competing in Paris, France, billed as being from
Austria.  Could this be Ede Virag?

*In March 1938, Ede Virag was billed as being from Salt Lake City.
*In May 1938, Virag was in Buenos Aires and wrestling at the Luna Park Stadium.

*On Sunday, June 13, 1943, the Des Moines Register printed the following information:
“[Ed] Virag, a Hungarian forced to flee Nazi-occupied Europe, now makes his home in
Wichita, Kan.  A winner in tournaments at Philadelphia, Penn., and Minneapolis, Minn., Virag
failed to receive recognition until this year, Promoter [Pinkie] George said.


The following is added information provided by historian J Michael Kenyon:

Virag never seemed to stay anywhere for more than two or three months … the February 14,
1940 clip from Sheboygan WI cited below may explain part of the reason. He did stay put,
pretty much, in the war years, when he must have, variously, been doing defense work in the
midwest (perhaps for Boeing in Wichita) and, for a time in 1944, when he served as “Private
Virag.” … Despite being on Sam Muchnick’s first-ever St. Louis show, and headlining
Muchnick’s initial cards following the promoter’s return from WWII service, Virag was only on
a total of 15 Mound City shows over eight years … and the only one which drew any kind of
a crowd was his last appearance, putting over Dutch Hefner in an opening bout of a Thesz-
headlined card in April 1949.

Muchnick bragged in his program in early 1946: “Virag, recognized as the world champion in
Wichita, Kansas, isn't challenging anyone.  He claims he is a champion so he is ready to
accept challenges of ‘so-called’ champions.  In fact, he is so eager to prove his mettle that
he wants such a match made on a winner-take-all basis, the total purse to be given to any
charity designated by the Missouri Athletic Commission.  He is also willing to meet any of the
‘pretenders’ to a non-existent throne behind closed doors of a gymnasium, with only qualified
newspapermen, radio announcers or members of the Commission as witnesses.  He must be
pretty good at that, don't you think?”

After that appeared, Virag headlined three more Muchnick shows – including a main-event
draw with Ray Steele – and … poof! … never wins another match in St. Louis – in fact, losing
to Ed Meske in TEN SECONDS on the next St. Louis card upon which he appeared, eight
months later.

So, with what little I know … he could wrestle a little bit, he was given every opportunity, coast
to coast, and showcased all over the place – but only has any enduring good fortune in
Wichita (incidentally, a town where good wrestlers were always appreciated). He is said to
have made at least one trip back to (war torn) Europe (in 1948) and may well have gone a
couple of the other times. I don’t have my old Gannon/Gerhard Schaeffer European sheets
handy, but I seem to recall him working at various times in the continental tournaments. I
guess after you saw him two or three times, as agile and adroit as he may have been, you
didn't holler to see him any more.

Alas, the bottom line is that I really don’t know SQUAT about Ede/Ed Virag … least of all
whether he had another name … although, if he was a Hungarian amateur champion of
some sort, it seems unlikely he would have required an alias (note that, on his first
appearance for Al Haft, he was “Josef” Virag;  curiously, he made but a handful of
appearances in Columbus, too … there is the suspicion Mr. Virag may have been very
difficult to get along with, or perhaps his occasional forays to work with "opposition"
promotions might have limited opportunities with "old boy clique" promoters.

A few selected excerpts from my Virag archive:

New York City NY: September 15, 1937
(MSG, att. 3,000) … Steve Casey beat Benny Feldman … Danno O’Mahoney drew Ed
Don George … Yvon Robert beat Bill Bartush … George Clark beat Jim Wallis …
Jesse James drew Billy Raeburn … Ed Virag beat Ivan Vakturoff … Pietro
Marconi beat Carl Von Zuppe

New York City NY: September 29, 1937
(MSG, att. 4,000) … Danno O’Mahoney beat Ed Don George (1:00:19) … Steve
Casey beat Tom Hanley … Jesse James beat Henry Kulkovich … Yvon Robert beat
Jack Marshall … Jim Austeri beat Bernie Gilbert … Ed Virag beat Curley
Donchin … George Clark drew Richard Stahl

New York City NY: November 23, 1937
(St. Nicholas Palace, att. 1,500) ... Jesse James beat Gino Martinelli
(52:00) ... Ede Virag drew Hans Von Blumberg (curfew) ... Jack Zarnas beat
Paddy Mack ... John Sullivan beat Ivan Vakturoff ... Benny Feldman beat
Vanka Zelesniak ... Steve Passas drew Len Macaluso

New York City NY: November 30, 1937
(St. Nicks) ... Jesse James vs Steve Passas ... Ede Virag vs Jack Zarnas

Ventura CA: December 7, 1937
Dean Detton beat Pat Fraley…(WJR) Del Kunkel* drew Bull Martin…Joe Parelli
beat Bobby Coleman…Ed Virag beat Alvin Mills…Chris Zaharias beat Casey
Columbo

Ventura CA: December 14, 1937
El Pulpo beat Chris Zaharias…Ed Virag (sub for Nick Lutzke) drew Casey
Columbo…Bull Martin beat Rusty Westcoate…Del Kunkel vs Frank Cutler

San Diego CA: December 21, 1937
– Sammy Stein beat Howard Cantonwine (dq)  ... Del Kunkel beat Andy Meixner
(sub for Dick Raines)  ... Frank Foster beat Tom Meade  ... Ede Virag beat
Brother Jonathan (dq)  ... Frank Cutler beat Joe Parelli

Ventura CA: January 4, 1938
(El Rio) … Buddy O’Brien beat Casey Columbo … Nelson Davis (sub for Rusty
Westcoatt) beat Tiny Roebuck (dq) … Mexican Masked Tenor beat Andy Meixner …
Joe Parelli drew Ed Virag … Referee: Dick Rutherford … Promoter: Mike Hirsch

San Bernardino CA: January 14, 1938
(OSS) … Howard Cantonwine beat Sandor Szabo (2-1) … Casey Colombo drew Tom
Zaharias … Harry Jacobs beat Abe Goldberg … Ed Virag beat Tom Meade …
Referee: Colonel Hopkins

Los Angeles CA: January 17, 1938
(Olympic) ... Sandor Szabo beat Jimmy El Pulpo (0-1, cnc) ... Ali Baba beat
Brother Jonathan (sub for Del Kunkel) ... Bill Longson beat George Harben
... Nick Campofreda beat Al Laffoon ... Sam Menacker beat Tiny Roebuck ...
Pat Fraley beat Ede Virag ... Lee Henning beat Hans Schultz

San Bernardino CA: January 21, 1938
(OSS) … Jimmy El Pulpo beat Ed Virag (2-0) … Sandor Szabo beat Casey
Colombo … Sam Menacker beat Pat Fraley (dq) … Nick Campofreda beat Hans
Schultz

Los Angeles CA: January 26, 1938
(Olympic) ... Sandor Szabo beat George Zaharias (2-1) ... Referee: Joe
Wagner ... Ivan Rasputin beat Lee Henning ... Nick Lutze drew Chris Zaharias
... Bill Longson drew Del Kunkel ... Sam Menacker beat Pat Fraley ... Nick
Campofreda beat Frank Cutler ... Ede Virag beat Brother Jonathan

Los Angeles CA: February 2, 1938
(Olympic) ... Sandor Szabo beat Ivan Rasputin (2-1, cor) ... Jimmy El Pulpo
beat Frank Malcewicz ... Nick Lutze beat Tom Zaharias ... Bill Longson beat
Ede Virag ... Sam Menacker drew Chris Zaharias ... Nick Campofreda drew
Danny Dusek ... Ranjit beat Al Baffert

Santa Monica CA: February 18, 1938
Sandor Szabo beat Ed Virag

Los Angeles CA: March 9, 1938
(Olympic) … Vincent Lopez beat Chief Little Wolf (2-1) … Killa Shikuma beat
Bill Longson … Lee Henning beat Danny Dusek … Sam Menacker beat Tom
Zaharias … Nick Campofreda beat Frank Malcewicz … Jack Holland beat Jack
Reeder … Ede Virag beat Cyclone Giraldi … NOTE: Virag was billed as being
from Salt Lake City UT

Columbus OH: August 31, 1939
(att. 3,917) ... Stacy Hall beat Lord Lansdowne ... Billy Thom drew Tetsura
Higami ... Jack McDonald beat Fred Carone (dec) ... Josef
Virag beat Tug Wilson ... (handicap) Felix Slowikowski beat Jack Claybourne
&Al Lovelock

Columbus OH: September 7, 1939
(HA, att. 4,912) ... Frankie Talaber drew Stacy Hall ... Billy Weidner beat
Whitey Wahlberg ... Oregon McDonald beat Tiger Tasker ... Jimmy Heffner beat
Tug Wilson ... Tetsura Higami beat Frank Manichi

Columbus OH: September 14, 1939
Oregon McDonald and Billy Weidner beat Whitey Wahlberg and Orville Brown ...
(non-title) George Dusette beat Frankie Talaber ... Felix Slowikowski beat
Fred Carone ... (handicap) Kiman Kudo beat Ed Virag ... Harry Kent beat Jack
Claybourne

Cleveland OH: September 20, 1939
(CA) ... Felix Slowikowski beat Fred Carone ... George Dusette beat Ed Virag
... Joe Morrell beat Oregon Jack McDonald (dq) ... Jack Claybourne beat
Harry Kent ... Wild Bill Jacobson beat Benny Mille

Chicago IL: February 9, 1940
(Coliseum, att. 2,730, $1,844.90) …(WORLD TITLE) Bronko Nagurski* beat Joe
Savoldi … Everett Marshall beat Danno O’Mahoney … Jim McMillen drew Lou
Thesz … Ed Virag beat Cecil McGill … Charles Grubmyer drew Jack Moore

Sheboygan WI: February 13, 1940
(Eagle Aud) … Ede Virag beat Jack Moore … Milt Olsen & Kid Chapman beat Joe
Dorsetti & Rowdy Pecan … Referee: Sailor Al Olson … NOTE: Virag is billed as
“Hungarian Olympic wrestling champion of 1936”

Minneapolis MN: February 27, 1940
(tournament) Everett Marshall beat Jacques Moxell … Ede Virag beat Ron
Etchison (as “Escheson”) … Abe Yourist beat Jerry Meeker (dec) … Mayes
McLain beat Gaius Young (dec) … Gus Sonnenberg beat Dave Morrow … Lou Thesz
beat Andy Moen (dec) … Ede Virag beat Warren Bockwinkel (dec) … Tom Zaharias
beat Abe Yourist (dec) … Everett Marshall beat Mayes McLain (dec) … Lou
Thesz beat Gus Sonnenberg (dec)

Chicago IL: March 1, 1940
(Coliseum) … (WORLD TITLE) Bronko Nagurski* beat Everett Marshall (28:10) …
Referee: Tony Hajdich … Ruffy Silverstein beat Ed Virag … Lou Thesz vs Ben
Morgan (as Jim Morgan) … Jack (Tiger) Moore vs Hans Schnabel

Minneapolis MN: March 19, 1940
(tournament) Hans Kaempfer beat Everett Marshall (default) … Lou Thesz beat
Alf Johnson (dec) … Ede Virag beat Joe Komar (dec) … Abe Yourist beat Roy
Graham (dec) … Lou Thesz beat Hans Kampfer (dec) … Ede Virag beat Tom
Zaharias … Abe Yourist beat Ray Eckert (dec)

Houston TX: September 13, 1940
(City Aud) … Pat Fraley beat Ede Virag (2-0) … Dutch Hefner (as Bull Hefner)
beat John Grandovich … Young  Joe Stecher beat Oki Shikina … Ivan Managoff
beat Hank Metheny … Roy Graham drew Chief Little Beaver … NOTE: Morris Sigel
’s 26th anniversary show … Balcony seats are reduced in price from 65 cents
to 26 cents (plus the "new" federal tax) and reserved seats from $1.65 to 52
cents.

Charlotte NC: January 13, 1941
Bill Bartush beat Cowboy Luttrall … Referee: Jack Dempsey … Ted Christy (as
Black Secret) beat Little Beaver … Ede Virag beat Jack Reeder

Charlotte NC: January 20, 1941
Ray Villmer beat Ted Christy (as Black Secret) … Bill Bartush drew Al Getz …
Tiger Joe Marsh beat Ede Virag

Charlotte NC: January 27, 1941
Cowboy Luttrall drew Ted Christy (as Black Secret) … Ede Virag beat Tiger
Joe Marsh … Bill Bartush beat Jack Russell

Sheboygan WI: April 15, 1941
(Eagles) … Olaf Olson beat Pete Schuh (18:00) … Ede Virag (sub for Karol
Krauser) beat Oki Shikina (2-1) … Pete Bartush beat Cowboy Russell … NOTE:
The Sheboygan Press said of the Virag-Shikina encounter, “This was one of
the fastest, most exciting bouts held here in some time.”

Chicago IL: ??? 1941
(WC) … Dizzy (Gardenia) Davis vs Ed Virag … Joe Millich vs Rudy Kay … Seelie
Samara vs Goebbels … Bill Brooks vs Pierre LaBelle … Bill Canny vs Ned
Taylor … Milt Olsen vs Walter Palmer

Chicago IL: November 11, 1941
(Ashland Aud, att. 870) ... Maurice Tillet (as French Angel) beat Joe
Savoldi (20:47) ... Ede Virag (sub for Emil Dusek) drew Bill Bartush ...
Hans Steinke beat Richard Stahl ... Steve Savage beat  Joe Dvorak (sub for
Jack Zarovich) … Rudy Strongberg drew Ambrose Rascher ... NOTE: Promoter
Walter Gettson says Lewis, scheduled to meet Ole Olson, has ankle injury day
of match, Bartush to sub ... "Lewis says he is 56 years old." ... Rudy
Strongberg replaces Bartush ... Lewis to be at ringside ...  athletic
commission would not let Lewis referee the main event

Milwaukee WI: November 12, 1941
(Aud) … Joe Savoldi beat Ed Virag (2-1) … Ed (Strangler) Lewis beat Andy
Rascher … Ole Olson drew Hans Steinke … John Bonica beat Joe Dvorak

Topeka KS: January 28, 1942
Roy Dunn drew Orville Brown (90:00, 1-1) … Edward Virag beat Prospector Pete
(2-0) … Joe Daniels beat Floyd Velvens … NOTE: Dunn and Brown billed as an
NWA/MWA title unification bout.

Wichita KS: march 2, 1942
(Forum) … Ed Virag  beat Carlos Rodriques (2-0) … Frank Sexton beat Johnny
Plummer … Steve Brody beat Jay Steele … Wladek Zbyszko (as Great Apollo)
beat Walter Sirois

Wichita KS: March 9, 1942
(Forum) … (National Wrestling Alliance Title) Roy Dunn* beat Frank Sexton
(2-1, dq) … Ed Virag drew Steve Brody … Wladek Zbyszko beat Jim Dusen …
Carlos Rodriquez drew Fred Peterson

Wichita KS: March 16, 1942
(Forum) … (Texas Rules Match) Edward Virag beat Steve Brody … Swedish Angel
beat Johnny Plummer … Fred Peterson beat Carlos Rodriquez … Wladek Zbyszko
beat Bad Boy Brown

Kansas City KS: March 19, 1942
(WORLD TITLE) Tom Zaharias* beat Frank Sexton … Steve Brody beat Carlos
Rodriques … Ed Virag beat Bad Boy Brown … Rudy Strongberg beat Johnny
Plummer

Wichita KS: March 23, 1942
(Forum) … Edward Virag beat Frank Sexton (34:49) … Swedish Angel beat Fred
Peterson … Steve Brody beat Bad Boy Brown (sub for Bill Lee) … Jack Toone
beat Tom Collins

St. Louis MO: March 24, 1942
(excerpt, Sam Muchnick letter to Jack Pfefer) “As long as you, Mr. White,
Max Bauman, Billy and some of the others stick with me, I'll win. Bill Lee
confirmed by telegram, but pulled out ... Angel and Bruns are the sole main
event now, both one fall to a finish at your suggestions ... moved the
colored match up to the semifinal. That match will draw because they have
never seen colored wrestlers here. Then Getz and Brown, Tom Zaharias vs
Plummer and Virag vs. LeBelge …”

Kansas City KS: March 26, 1942
(World Title) Tom Zaharias* beat Dorv Roche … Ed Virag drew Steve Brody …
Frank Sexton beat Bad Boy Brown … Sammy Feeback beat Hans Schultz (dq)

St. Louis MO: March 27, 1942
(Sam Muchnick, att. 2,295) ... Swedish Angel beat Bobby Bruns (2-3) ...
Seelie Samara beat King Kong Clayton ... John Plummer beat Al Getz ... Ed
Virag beat Carl LeBelge ... Wladek Zbyszko beat Fred Peterson … NOTE: This
was Sam Muchnick’s first promotion in St. Louis.

St. Louis MO: March 28, 1942
(excerpt, Sam Muchnick letter to Jack Pfefer) “The show as I told you on the
telephone was an artistic success but lost money. I figured to lose money so
this hasn't upset me. First -- colored people don't come out on account of
Louis broadcast. Second – couldn’t get the Arena any other night. Third –
Raids on my wrestlers by opposition. Fourth -- People thought that perhaps
something would happen to stop the show. Fifth -- While you and I know that
Bruns and the Angel are top men, the people here didn't. However, now that
we had a great show things will be different for the next one. Will close
for the Auditorium tomorrow and believe next date will be April 16th. Do all
you can to help Max and Mr. White get a good show together for me. If I have
some good St. Louis names and the publicity I can get, look out. Believe the
town is ours if next show is great. Also don't give me any more heart
failures by having men fly last day. Bobby didn't get in until almost 9  o’
clock.”

Wichita KS: March 30, 1942
(Forum, att. 3,800) … Ed Virag beat Everett Marshall (2-1) … Fred Peterson
drew Johnny Plummer … Bobby Bruns beat Al Getz … Steve Brody beat Carlos
Rodriques … Referee: Buddy Siegel

St. Louis MO: April 6, 1942
(excerpt, Sam Muchnick letter to Jack Pfefer) “The opposition has spread out
rumors that I can't get well known names and such stuff as that. That's why
I am so anxious to give a top show to prove otherwise. I received all kinds
of promises as I have written you many times but now it looks like a victory
a lot of our good friends are jus sitting by. The only ones who have really
stuck are you, White and Max. It is really unfortunate that Silverstein is
in the Army. Could have done wonders with him. Anyway we will have to do the
best possible and if Zaharias doesn't come in and if Max can get Everett to
work for me with Billy fronting for him or Virag we will have something. The
Angel and Bruns are tops here now. Krauser can be made in one show.
Incidentally I can't have a Negro wrestle a white man here for the present.
Later I might be able to change this.”

Wichita KS: April 6, 1942
(Forum) … Edward Virag beat Carl L’Ogre (2-0) … Fred Peterson beat Steve
Brody (dq) … Fred Florence beat Al Getz (as Al Goetz) … Dummy Anderson beat
Tom Collins

Wichita KS: April 13, 1942
(Forum) … (Texas Rules Match) Ed Virag beat Fred Florence (1-0) … Fred
Peterson beat Steve Brody … Wladek Zbyszko drew Johnny Plummer … Jack Suzek
beat Al Getz

Wichita KS: April 27, 1942
(Forum, att. 4,400) … (National Wrestling Alliance Title*) Ed Virag beat Roy
Dunn … Bobby Bruns beat Johnny Plummer … Wladek Zbyszko beat Seelie Samara
(dq) … Jack Suzek beat Jack Ryan

Wichita KS: May 4, 1942
(Forum, att. 1,800) … (WORLD TITLE) Ed Virag* beat Bobby Bruns (cor) … Fred
Peterson beat Johnny Plummer (dq) … Pat Ryan beat Al Getz … Jack Toone beat
Flying Bettis

Topeka KS: August 12, 1942
(WORLD TITLE*) John Grandovich beat Ed Virag

Kansas City KS: October 3, 1942
Gene Bowman vs Ed Virag … (Ladies) Mildred Burke vs Gladys Gillem … Joe
Campbell vs Jack Suzek … John Grandovich vs Seelie Samara … Jack Hader vs
Jimmy Lee … Joe Adelman vs Gene Reardon … Joe Kelly vs Swede Larson …
Promoter: Gabe Kaufman

Kansas City KS: October 15, 1942
Orville Brown beat Emil Dusek … John Grandovich beat Jack Suzek … Ed Virag
beat Carlos Rodriquez … Bobby Lee drew Cherry Vallina

Wichita KS: October 26, 1942
(WORLD TITLE*) Ed Virag beat John Grandovich

Des Moines IA: June 13, 1943
(Steve Yohe note) “(Pinkie) George promotes a world title match with Ed
Virag (The National Wrestling Alliance world champion) defeating Ras Samara
(the negro champion). Virag lives in Wichita & is managed by Max Bauman
(brother of Billy Sandow). This is the Roy Dunn Wichita NWA Alliance title
that Virag won on 10-26-42 from John Grandovich (see page 251 of the title
history book). Virag does not appear in Des Moines in the rest of June or
July. We need to look at Aug. & Sept 43 in Des Moines and this same period
in Wichita. I wonder if Ray Steele gets some type of a victory over Virag in
Wichita or Des Moines, then we have to find Orville Brown beating Steele.
The Title history book has Virag holding on to the title until lossing it
back to Roy Dunn on 4-29-46. That's a long time & hard to believe. I have
Ray Steele in the military thru most of 1943.”

Wichita KS: September 28, 1943
(Forum) … Ed Virag beat Wladek Zbyszko (2-1) … Jack Nasworthy beat Seelie
Samara … Jack Toone beat Al Klein … Soldier Charley Kutkie beat Frank Nelson

Wichita KS: December 27, 1943
(Forum) … Ed Virag vs Jack Nasworthy … Chief Chewacki vs Everett Kibbons …
Abe Friedman vs Don Clark … Green Terror vs Bill Ely …  Referee: Harold
Siegel … Promoter: N.B. Stauffer … NOTE: Virag  was defending the “world
title” in the Wichita Athletic Club card

Wichita KS: May 1, 1944
Lord Albert Mills beat Chief Chewacki (2-1, dq) … Private Edward Virag drew
Jack Susek … NOTE: Mills said to have claimed Duration National Wrestling
Alliance title, even as reigning  world champion Virag appeared on the
undercard. Chewacki had been “awarded” the duration title upon Virag’s
induction into the Army.

Kansas City KS: Deember 14, 1944
Dave Levin beat Swedish Angel … Jack Suzek  drew Ed Virag … Blimp Levy beat
Bad Boy Brown … John Grandovich drew Johnny Plummer … Jim Ray beat Don
Spicer

New York City NY: February 1945
Ring Magazine for this month lists Ede Virag as “National Wrestling
Association” champion.

Wichita KS: May 8, 1945
(Forum) … Ed Virag beat Chief Chewacki (as Chief Chewchki) … Jack Suzek drew
Paul Nelson … Johnny Plummer beat Fred Carone

Wichita KS: May 17, 1945
(Forum) … Ed Virag beat Roy Dunn … Johnny Plummer beat Paul Nelson … Jack
Suzek beat Jim Diamond … Buck Fanning beat Al Kelin

Omaha NE: September 28, 1945
Hans Hermann drew Henry Piers … Ede Virag beat Babe Zaharias … Joe Dusek &
Lou Thesz beat Abe Coleman & Abe Kashey … NOTE: Thesz was on service leave
from Fort Lewis WA.

Columbus OH: November 29, 1945
(att. 4,892) ... Frankie Talaber beat Gorgeous George ... (Handicap match)
Ed Virag beat Red Roberts & Jack Vansky, but failed to pin Jules LaRance ...
Bob Cummings &  Dave Reynolds beat Ali Aliba & Mike Dimitri ... Great
Mephisto beat Billy Venable

St. Louis MO: December 5, 1945
(Sam Muchnick, att. 3,771) ... Ed Virag beat Roy Dunn (33:45) ... Ed
(Strangler) Lewis beat Jack Conley ... Cliff Gustafson beat Jack Beatty ...
Lee Wyckoff beat Jack Fanning ... Johnny Plummer beat Al Martin

Columbus OH: December 6, 1945
(MH, att. 4,974) ... Gorgeous George beat Great Mephisto ... Ed Virag beat
Jules LaRance ... Frankie Talaber & Bob Cummings beat Martino Angelo & Ali
Aliba ... Mike McGee beat Eddie (Bad Boy) Lewis

Columbus OH: December 27, 1945
(att. 5,218) ... (WORLD TITLE) John Pesek* beat Ed Virag (29:00) ...
Gorgeous George drew Reginald Siki ... Frankie Talaber & Billy Weidner beat
Martino Angelo & Joe Wolfe ... Dave Reynolds beat Stocky Kneilson

Wichita KS: December 31, 1945
Ed Virag bat Jim Coffield … Roy Dunn beat Jack Suzek … Roy Dunn beat Paul
Nelson … Buck Fanning drew Bad Boy Brown

St. Louis MO: January 9, 1946
(Sam Muchnick, att. 4,015) ... Ed Virag beat Ed (Strangler) Lewis ... Hans
Kampfer drew Cliff Gustafson ... Roy Dunn beat Johnny Plummer ... Ray Steele
beat Gene Bowman ... Bill Steddum drew Jack Conley

Chicago IL: January 11, 1946
(Coliseum, att. 3,000) … Clif Gustafson w/Ed (Strangler) Lewis beat Fred
Bozik … Ede Virag drew Jim Coffield … Roy Dunn drew Bing Hall … Joe Pazandak
beat Carl Reese … Promoter: Joe Savoldi … NOTE: A week before, Savoldi told
the Chicago Tribune  he'd bring the best available talent in and charge a
little more ($1-2-3 before taxes, $1.30, $2.60 and $3.90 including tax)..."I
believe fans are tired of the acrobats in wrestling...If I'm wrong, I can
always return to my tights." (Odd thing for the guy who introduced the
flying dropkick to be knocking "acrobats in wrestling")

Columbus OH: February 7, 1946
(att. 3,812) ... Ed Virag beat Roy Dunn ... Juan Hernandez beat Frankie
Talaber (dec) ... Alex Kasaboski & Babe Kasaboski beat Jack
Steele & Ali Aliba ... Maurice Letchford beat Eddie (Bad Boy) Lewis (cnc) …
NOTE: Lewis said to have fractured leg.

St. Louis MO: February 20, 1946
(Sam Muchnick, att. 3,523) ... Ed Virag beat Cliff Gustafson ... Frankie
Talaber beat Alex Kasaboski ... Don Eagle beat Bing Hall ... Joe Savoldi
beat Jack Conley ... Joe Herman drew Finice Hall

St. Louis MO: March 6, 1946
(Sam Muchnick, att. 5,484) ... Ed Virag drew Ray Steele ... Ed Virag beat
Abe Coleman (28:34) ... Don Eagle beat Don Koch ... Frankie Talaber & Bill
Steddum beat Jack Callahan & Alex Kasaboski ... Roy Dunn beat Frank Jares
... Gene Bowman beat  Ev Johnasee

St. Louis MO: March 22, 1946
(Sam Muchnick, att. 5,717) ... Ed Virag beat Frankie Talaber (40:14) ...
Fred Bozic beat Don Eagle (dq) ... Alex Kasaboski & Jack Conley beat Ali
Aliba & Finice Hall ... Jack Nasworthy beat Bill Steddum ... Abe Yourist
drew Ev Johnasee

Wichita KS: April 29, 1946
(WORLD TITLE*) Roy Dunn beat Ed Virag

St. Louis MO: November 1, 1946
Lou Thesz beat Bobby Managoff … Buddy Rogers beat Everett Marshall … Warren
Bockwinkel & Ralph Garibaldi beat Ernie Dusek & Joe Dusek … Ed Meske beat Ed
Virag … Felix Miquet beat Ben Morgan … Wladyslaw Karolyi beat Joe Millich
... NOTE: Karolyi, more often referred to as "Stan," was later said by Ring
Magazine to be in Europe with Virag

Minneapolis MN: November 4, 1947
(Auditorium) … George Gordienko beat Dick Raines (dq) …  Buddy Rogers beat
Kola Kwariani … Ede Virag beat Ted Tourtas … Danny Fenelon drew Karl Gray

Minneapolis MN: December 23, 1947
(Auditorium) … Cliff Gustafson beat Dick Raines … Otto Kuss beat Abe
Kashey … Ede Virag beat Frank Taylor … Polo Cordova beat Danny Fenelon

St. Louis MO: December 26, 1947
(Sam Muchnick, att. 5,256) ... (WORLD TITLE) Frank Sexton* beat Abe Kashey
(32:45) ... Juan Hernandez & Frankie Talaber beat Jack Conley & Finice Hall
... Otto Kuss beat Ed Virag ... Paul Kisselbach beat Bill Cazzell

Minneapolis MN: December 30, 1947
(Auditorium) … Bronko Nagurski beat Ede Virag … Otto Kuss beat Wally Dusek …
Bill Kuusisto beat Frank Hickey … Polo Cordova beat Stan Myslajek

New York City NY: November 1948
Charles Mascall, in Ring Magazine for this month, reports that Ede Virag is
“barnstorming in Belgium.”

St. Louis MO: December 29, 1948
George Koverly & Wild Bill Longson beat Emil Dusek & Ernie Dusek ... Enrique
Torres beat Chris Zaharias ... Joe Dusek drew  Eddie Virag ... Fred Atkins
beat Carlos Rodriquez

Houston TX: January 7, 1949
(CA) … Dizzy Davis vs Wild Red Berry … Danny McShain vs Black Guzman … Also:
Ede Virag, Eddie Barker, Steve Gob, Gorilla Macias, Jacobo Macias

Wichita KS: April 13, 1949
(WORLD TITLE) Lou Thesz* drew Ed Virag (60:00) … Also on card: Charlie
Lutkie, Larry Jollay, Danny Savich, Roy Dunn, Buck Fanning, Joe Wolf ...
NOTE: In one place, I have Thesz going over Virag, but Scott Teal's records
indicate a draw -- I'll demur to his (probably) sounder information.

St. Louis MO: April 22, 1949
(att. 9,129) ... (WORLD TITLE) Lou Thesz* beat Enrique Torres ... Primo
Carnera beat Wild Bill Longson (dq) ... Al Lovelock drew Mike Mazurki ...
Felix Miquet beat Fred Von Schacht ... Warren Bockwinkel drew  Emil Dusek
... Dutch Hefner beat Ed Virag


Research by J Michael Kenyon, Tim Hornbaker
Ede Virag Wrestling History
Born:  1912, Budapest, Hungary
Height:  5’10 ½”
Weight:  205-235
Real Name:  Ede Ebner
From:  Hungary/ Austria
Hometown:  Wichita Kansas (Farm Near Ottawa, Kansas)
Olympics:  Heavyweight Wrestling (1936)
Military:  United States Army (WW II) (1944-’45)
Pro Debut:  1930s
Identities:  Eddie Virag, Ede Virag, Ed Virog, Ed Don Virag, Ed Viragh
Finisher:  Full Nelson Suplex, Halsch Lock
Managed by:  Billy Sandow (1940s), Max Bauman (-1943-)
Published Book:  Wrestling Health and Youth (1943) (Wichita, Kansas) (63 pgs.)
Died:  1951 (?)