Des Moines, Iowa: Friday, February 8, 1918 (The Coliseum) … World Heavyweight Champion Earl Caddock b. Wladek Zbyszko by decision (1-1) (Caddock won the first fall in 1:22:00, Zbyszko won the second in 31- minutes) (match was stopped at 1:00 a.m.) … (promoter: Oscar Thorson) … (referee: Ed Smith) … (8-9,000 fans) … (gate: $26,000) Notes: Zbyszko went into the match as a World Title claimant. According to one source, a meeting was held in Des Moines with Oscar Thorson, Jack Curley, Gene Melady, Carl Marfigi, Otto Floto, Ed Smith, and Sandy Griswold. This show reportedly drew the fourth largest gate in United States History, following the two Gotch-Hackenschmidt matches in Chicago and the Gotch-Mahmout match in Chicago. It must also be noted that Frank Gotch himself had never drew a gate of $26,000 in Iowa. He never drew a “house in the capital city of the Hawkeye state which exceeded $7,000.” Des Moines, Iowa: June 21, 1918 (Referee: Ed Smith) … Earl Caddock b. Ed “Strangler” Lewis by decision to unify their claims to the World Heavyweight Title (no falls in this 2/3 fall match) (2-hours, 30-minutes) (referee Ed Smith awarded the match to Caddock on points) Research by Tim Hornbaker August 27, 2010 |
| Des Moines Wrestling Results - 1918 |
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