Boston, Massachusetts: Friday, January 4, 1929 (“New” Boston Garden) … Gus Sonnenberg b. Ed “Strangler” Lewis to capture the World Heavyweight Title (2-0) (Sonnenberg won the first fall in 29:46 and then took the second in 8:20) (Lewis was accompanied by manager Billy Sandow, Jerry Sullivan and Tom Draak) (Sonnenberg was managed by James Brown, Jack Albright and Dan Koloff) (Joe Malcewicz was introduced as the winner’s first challenger before the match) … Dan Koloff b. George Walker (26:20) … Howard Cantonwine and Freddie Meyers drew (30:00) … Stanley Stasiak b. Tommy Draak (21:03) … Bibber McCoy b. Sam Skorsky (8:20) … (promoter: Paul Bowser) … (referees: Leon Burbank, Charlie Donnell) … (in attendance: Numerous members of the sporting and civilians communities attended the match including Massachusetts Governor Frank Allen) … (20,000+ fans in attendance) (thousands turned away) … (gate: $72-78,000) ($73,000) Note: Ed Lewis received $50,000 for the match, and Sonnenberg received $8,000. Sonnenberg was suspended by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission on May 15, 1929, indefinitely for wrestling unworthy opponents and not accepting serious challenges. The New York State Commission followed suit, withdrawing title recognition. A match was held in Philadelphia between Richard Shikat and Jim Londos in mid-1929 to determine a new champion. This was the first split of the championship in America. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Friday, August 23, 1929 (Municipal Stadium) … Richard “Dick” Shikat b. Jim Londos to capture the vacant World Heavyweight Title (1:15:12) (Shikat was accompanied by his manager Joe “Toots” Mondt) (After the match, Shikat was presented with a $5,000 championship belt, which was 18-karat gold with 19-diamonds) (Londos was found to have suffered rib injuries, and possibly broken bones) (Shikat was cheered and Londos was boo’ ed) … Kola Kwariani b. Mike Romano (30:00) … Joe Komar b. Jack Washburn (14:43) … Hans Steinke b. Joe Rogaski (7:32) … (promoter: Aurelio Fabiani) … (referees: William J. Hermann (main event), Herman Wolf) … (announcer: Charley Walsh) … (physician: Dr. Baron) … (judges: Stanley Baumgartner, Thomas Kohlas) … (in attendance: Tom Packs, Mayor of St. Louis Victor Miller, forty newspapermen from around the country, Pennsylvania State Athletic Commisison Chairman Frank Wiener, PA State Athletic Commission Secretary, Bob Young) … (30,000 fans) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Friday, June 6, 1930 (Phillies’ Ball Park) … Jim Londos b. Richard Shikat to capture the World Heavyweight Title (1:23:44) (Londos was accompanied by Ed White) (Shikat was accompanied by Joe “Toots” Mondt) (Shikat had a plaster over the left side of his chest, protecting a wound suffered during training) (after the match, Londos was joined in the ring by his manager and National Boxing Association Chairman Col. Harry J. Landry and NBA President Stanley Isaacs) (Londos would later be given a golden championship belt by the National Boxing Association) … Ray Steele b. Pat O’Shocker (18-minutes) … Tiny Roebuck b. Jack Washburn (5:44) … Rudy Dusek b. Jim McMillen (dec., 30:00) … (promoter: Ray Fabiani) … (referees: Ben Paul, Herman Wolff) … (judges: Stan Baumgartner, Thomas Kohler) … (announcer: Charley Welsh) … (timekeeper: Joe Cervino) … (20,000 fans) … (gate: $75,000) … (in attendance: Stanley Isaacs, Harry J. Landry, Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission Chairman Frank Wiener, Bobby Gunnis, Rudy Fried, Jim Dougherty) In April 1932, Jim Londos broke from the Jack Curley combine, leaving Curley without his major star and champion. Curley sought an alternative plan, and through the New York State Athletic Commission, ordered Londos on Tuesday, September 13, 1932, to sign articles to wrestle Ed "Strangler" Lewis by October 31. If he failed to do so, he'd be stripped of title recognition in New York State. However, Curley and his partners didn't wait for the end of October, announcing a match between Lewis and Jack Sherry for the vacant World Title on October 10. Curley also made a deal with Boston mastermind Paul Bowser. October 3, 1932 was the first clear indication that Bowser's workers were appearing for Curley in New York City. Manhattan, New York: Monday, October 10, 1932 (Madison Square Garden) … Ed "Strangler" Lewis b. Jack Sherry to capture the vacant World Heavyweight Title (1:24:15) (Curley announced that he would guarantee rival World Title claimant Jim Londos $50,000 to meet Lewis in a unification match) … Bruno Gorrasini b. Jack McArthur ... Jim Browning and Sandor Szabo drew … Mike Mazurki and Pat McClary drew (10:00) … Nick Contos b. Mike Chaplan … Wong Bock Cheung b. Steve Znosky by decision … (promoter: Jack Curley) … (5,000 fans) … (gate: $7,200) … (benefit for the House of Calvary Cancer Hospital) Manhattan, New York: Monday, February 20, 1933 (Madison Square Garden) … Jim Browning b. Ed “Strangler” Lewis to capture the World Heavyweight Title (57:50) (Browning broke out of a headlock and applied his airplane scissor hold, which was enough to score the winning pinfall) (said to be a “clean” match) (Lewis “went out proudly, though reminded of his unpopularity, said Lewis Burton of the American, “the change is expected to improve the local state of wrestling”) … Dr. Fred Meyers and Gus Sonnenberg drew (20:00) … Sam Cordovano b. Steve Znosky (12: 34) (flying tackle) … Jack Washburn b. Henry Piers (8:58) … Alphonse Geicewich b. Century Milstead (12: 31) … Sid Westrich b. Cy Williams (8:17) (flying tackle) … Joe Malcewicz b. Pat McClary (7:26) … (promoter: Jack Curley) … (referee: Jack Denning) … (announcer: Joe Humphries) … (sponsored by: New York Press Club) … (7,000 fans) In November 1933, the "Trust" was formed by wrestling leaders Jack Curley, Paul Bowser, Ray Fabiani, Tom Packs, Ed White, and Joe "Toots" Mondt. This brought their interests together and ended the brutal wrestling war. Jim Londos was now returning to New York City to work for Curley. Long Island City, New York: Monday, June 25, 1934 (Madison Square Garden Bowl) … Jim Londos b. Jim Browning to unify the latter’s claim to the World Heavyweight Title with his own (1:10:10) … Joe Savoldi and Sandor Szabo drew (30:00) … Ernie Dusek b. Dr. Karl Sarpolis (15:55) … Everette Marshall b. Abe Coleman (6:08) … Hans Kampfer and George Zaharias drew (15:00) … Dick Shikat b. Mahmout Yousouf by decision at the curfew … (promoter: Jack Curley) … (referee: George Bothner) … (benefit for the Free Milk Fund for Babies, Inc.) … (20,000 fans) … (gate: $40,000) Note: Promoters expected a crowd of 30,000+ with a gate of more than $75,000. Boston, Massachusetts: Thursday, June 27, 1935 (Fenway Park) … Danno O’Mahoney b. Jim Londos to capture the NWA World Heavyweight Title (1:16: 50) (one-fall match after the sixty-minute limit had been reached) … Karl Pojello b. Red Ryan (8:30) … John Malmberg and Henry Piers drew (10:00) … Danny Winters b. John Spellman (7:46) … Len Macaluso and Farmer George McLeod drew (10:00) … Chief Little Moose and Leo Numa drew (10:00) … Joe Savoldi b. Charley Strack (DQ) … Gino Garibaldi and Scotty MacDougal drew (10:00) (after the main event) … Billy Bartush and Dick Daviscourt drew (10:00) (after the main event) … (promoters: Paul Bowser, American Legion matchmaker Alex MacLean) … (referees: Ted Tonneman – main event, Sam Smith, Charles Donnell, Al Morelli) … (announcer: Whitey Kavnfer) … (head ticket dispenser: Tommy Parlo) … (sponsored by: American Legion, Crosscup-Pishon Post, headed by Vice Commander Thomas A. Fallon and Adjutant William J. Langworthy, chairman of the ticket committee Tom Fallon) … (in attendance: Ed Don Geoge, Jack Curley, Ray Fabiani, Tom Packs, members of the Braves baseball team) … (25-30,000 fans) *Londos had reigned as champion for 1,847 days. Boston, Massachusetts: Tuesday, July 30, 1935 (Braves Field) … Danno O’Mahoney b. Ed Don George to unify their two claims to the World Heavyweight Title (countout) (1:30:00) (Braddock gave George a 20-count and then gave the match to O’Mahoney) (after the match, George’s chief advisor Frank Delamano tried to attack Braddock and was punched out) … Jim Browning b. Chief Little Moose (17:24) … Gus Sonnenberg b. Boris Demetroff (1:00) … Billy Bartush and Bibber McCoy drew … Dick Daviscourt and Henri Piers drew … Gino Garibaldi b. George Saunders (26 seconds) … Karl Pojello and George Zarnoff drew … Leo Numa and Frank Sexton drew … John Spellman b. Jack Ross (3:26) … George McLeod b. Jim Wallis (6:53) … Andy Brown b. Danny Winters (5: 47) … (promoter: Paul Bowser) … (referee: Jimmy Braddock) … (45,000 fans) … (gate: $70,000) Notes: George’s championship had been recognized in New England and parts of Eastern Canada. This show reportedly broke all records for Bowser and in New England, however, Bowser had a $90,000 gate in July 1929. O’Mahoney had controversial matches against Ernie Dusek, George Zaharias in Chicago and Leo Savage in Houston. Zaharias claimed the World Championship in early 1936. Savage would claim the World Title in 1936. Manhattan, New York: March 2, 1936 (Madison Square Garden) … Dick Shikat b. Danno O’Mahoney to capture the World Heavyweight Title (18: 57) (Shikat threatened to break O’Mahoney’s arm in a hammerlock) (O’Mahoney gave up) … Dean Detton b. Rusty Westcoatt (14:07) … Ed “Strangler” Lewis b. Charlie Strack (7:04) … Ernie Dusek b. Ed Meske (18:23) … Abe Coleman and Gus Sonnenberg drew (30:00) … Sergei Kalmikoff b. Tex Morgan (10:38) … Sandor Vary b. Scotty McDougal (15:09) … (promoter: Jack Curley) … (referee: George Bothner) … (7,000 fans) *When Dick Shikat double-crossed Danno O'Mahoney, the "Trust" lost control of the legitimate championship lineage, which had been worth tens of thousands of dollars. Shikat, however, was now being booked by a rival wrestling organization known as the "Little Trust," and run by Al Haft of Columbus. Detroit, Michigan: Friday, April 24, 1936 (Olympia Sports Arena) … Ali Baba b. Dick Shikat to capture the World Heavyweight Title (46:40) … John Swenski b. Alex Kasaboski … Jim Heffner and Bill Kief drew … Frank Sexton b. Pat McCleary … Frank Malcewicz and Ernie Petersen drew … (promoter: Adam Weissmuller) … (referee: Verne Clark) … (physician: Dr. C.L. Tonsu) … (8,235 fans) … (gate: $7,405.90) Newark, New Jersey: Friday, June 12, 1936 (Meadowbrook Field) … Dave Levin b. Ali Baba to capture the World Heavyweight Title (2-0) (21:00) (Levin was knocked to the mat by a dropkick, said to be in his mid-section, and was called a foul by the referee, giving Levin the first fall) (the referee allowed Levin 10 minutes to recover, to continue the bout) (Levin was unable to continue and given the match) (Levin was a substitute for Hans Schnabel) … Maurice LaChappelle b. George Becker (32:00) … Tony Siano b. Ivan Dimitroff (12:45) … Fred Bruno and Eddie Malone drew … Pat McClary b. Andy Chikos (14:00) … Salvatore Balbo b. Bobby Roberts (18:30) … (referee: Frank Sinborn) … (physician: Dr. Wolf Emmer of the New Jersey State Athletic Commission) … (sponsored by: Dreamland Sporting Club) (initial show) *Baba was double-crossed by Jack Pfefer and "Trust" member "Toots" Mondt, giving what many believed to be the rightful championship lineage to Dave Levin. On June 17, 1936, Levin signed a contract with Mondt. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Monday, September 28, 1936 (The Arena) … Dean Detton b. Dave Levin to capture the World Heavyweight Title (2:05:52) (Levin lost eight pounds during the match) (Levin suffered rope burns behind his knee during the bout) (Detton was managed by Jack Washburn) … Jim McMillen and George Zaharias drew (45:00) … Bobby Bruns and Chief Little Wolf drew (15:00) … Abie Goldberg b. Paddy Mack (8:28) … Harry Fields and Mayes McLain drew … Hardy Kruskamp b. Roy Stewart (5:15) … Teddy Keys b. Jimmy Spencer (5:17) … Al Bisignano b. Jack Washburn (7:21) … (promoter: Ray Fabiani) … (referees: Dave Benner, Billy Clark) … (judges: Stan Baumgartner, Thomas Howes) … (9,000 fans) Notes: Season Opener (Fabiani’s 13th indoor season). Detton was favored to win the heavyweight championship. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Tuesday, June 29, 1937 (Minneapolis Auditorium) … Bronko Nagurski b. Dean Detton to capture the World Heavyweight Title (46: 37) (Nagurski weighed 232, Detton weighed 208) … (promoter: Tony Stecher) … (referee: Billy B. Hoke) … (8,000-9,000 fans) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Friday, November 18, 1938 (Convention Hall) … Jim Londos b. Bronko Nagurski to capture the World Heavyweight Title (47:11) … Chief Little Wolf and Joe Savoldi drew (30:00) … Chief Chewacki b. Tom Mahoney (12:16) … Hans Kampfer b. Jules Strongbow (dec., 20:00) … The Golden Terror b. Frank Brown (19:21) … Pete Peterson b. The Cardiff Giant (12:57) … (promoter: Ray Fabiani) … (referee: Willie Clark) … (10,000 fans) |
World Heavyweight Title Recognized in New York |