Coral Gables, Florida:  Tuesday, January 13, 1931
(Coral Gables Coliseum) … Mike Romano b. Joe Varga (2-0) … Bill Middlekauf b. Firpo
Wilcox (14:00) … Charles Veronica b. Alex Lebers (2:40) … (promoters:  Ed Douglass, Pa
Stribling) … (small crowd in attendance)
Notes:  Bill Middlekauf was a former University of Florida football player.  According to the
Miami Herald, “following his work with Phil Scott here last winter, Middlekauf took up
wrestling and has been going great in the new sport.” Mike Romano was the “proud
possessor of a diamond studded belt, an emblem of his prowess and valued at $3,500,”
that signified his claim to be the champion of Italy.  This was the third of a series of shows
at the Coliseum run by Stribling and Douglass.  Firpo Wilcox was a wrestler and played
football at the University of Oklahoma.  He was given the nickname “Firpo” by his college
teammates for his style of play, so similar to the ring tactics of Luis Angel Firpo.

*The Friday, January 23, 1931 edition of the Miami Herald announced that Pa Stribling
had come to Miami “yesterday” and wanted to stage a boxing and wrestling show.  Stribling
was the “father-manager” of Young Stribling, a heavyweight boxing contender.  He
planned to bring Jim Londos to town on February 27, and hoped to pit him against
Stanislaus Zbyszko.

Coral Gables, Florida:  Wednesday, February 11, 1931
(Coral Gables Coliseum) … Wladek Zbyszko b. Jim Clinstock (2-0) … Mike Romano b. Milo
Steinborn (34:00) … Bill Middlekauf b. Charley Wronak (24:30) … (promoter:  Pa Stribling)
… (matchmaker:  Ed Douglass) … (“fair sized” audience)
Notes:  The Friday, February 6, 1931 edition of the Miami Herald incorrectly stated that
Wladek was the “nephew” of Stanislaus Zbyszko, and was “three years younger.”  
Stanislaus was “near 50 years of age.” Wronek was living in Miami.

Miami, Florida:  Friday, February 27, 1931
(Madison Square Garden Stadium Arena) … World Heavyweight Champion Jim Londos b.
Stanislaus Zbyszko (2-0) (Londos won the first fall in 15:40 and the second, with an
airplane spin, in 2:10) … Jim McMillen b. Mike Romano (32:10) … Bill Middlekauf b. Jack
Washburn (14:00) … Wladek Zbyszko b. Wallace Dugid (12:25) … (promoter:  Pa
Stribling) … (matchmaker:  Ed Douglass) … (referee:  Ben Paul of Philadelphia)
Notes:  The Miami Herald said that this was the “greatest wrestling show ever arranged for
Miami.” The paper said that Jim Londos was “sticking strictly to his policy of wrestling but
twice a week, or even less.” Wladek (spelled “Wladeck”) was said to be Stanislaus’s
brother.  A big crowd was expected, but the Herald didn’t report just how many people
were in attendance..  Stanislaus Zbyszko claimed to be world champion three times.  
Londos arrived the day before accompanied by his manager Ed White.  He was said to be
visiting the Everglades.

Coral Gables, Florida:  Tuesday, March 17, 1931
(Coral Gables Coliseum) … Chief Newberry vs. Charles Wroneck … Bobby Mainfort vs.
Jack Ross … two other matches … (promoter:  Ed Douglass)
Notes:  Chief Newberry was said to be a coach at the Miami Military Academy in Coral
Gables.  He wrestled professionally only four times and lost to Mike Romano.  Jack Ross
lived in West Palm Beach and Bobby Mainfort was said to be from Portland, Maine.  This
show was rescheduled for Friday night “due to the postponement of the American Legion
fight card at the Biscayne Arena.”

Coral Gables, Florida:  Friday, March 20, 1931
(Coral Gables Coliseum) … Chief Newberry b. Charles Wroneck (24:00) … Bobby Mainfort
and Jack Ross drew (60:00) … two preliminary matches were cancelled “due to the small
crowd,” according to the Miami Herald … (promoter:  Ed Douglass) … (referee:  W.L.
Stribling)
Notes:  The gate receipts totaled $31.  A searched turned up no other wrestling programs
in Miami until August.  Wronek was said to be a "former amateur heavyweight champion of
Pennsylvania."

Fort Lauderdale, Florida:  Monday, March 23, 1931
(American Legion Arena) … Chief Newberry, Bobby Mainfort, Jack Ross, Henderson
Mackelson … (matchmaker:  Pop Norwood)
Notes:  The Miami Herald stated that this was the “first wrestling program to be held in Fort
Lauderdale since 1927.”

*On May 12, 1931, officials met in Tallahassee to discuss the possibilty of establishing a
Florida Boxing Commission to regulate the sport.  A five man commission would have been
created, using rules set by the New York Athletic Commission.  Roger Carter, commander
of the Harvey Seeds Post of the Miami American Legion, spoke before the “senate
miscellaneous committee.” The committee voted the measure down.

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, August 5, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Jack Ross b. Texas Ranger (Ross was a substitute for Ted Ettwine)
(19:00) … Dr. Vernon Cox b. Arthur Norton … Jack Arnold b. Willie Bates … Joe Krupp b.
Larry Bandel … Curley Crew b. Tommy Bandon … Avery Lenoir b. John Peacock …
(matchmaker:  Arthur Norton) … (sponsored by:  American Legion)

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, August 19, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Dr. Vernon Cox b. Sailor Brown (2-0) … Hiram Albertson b. Jack
Arnold (2-0) … Ross Dade b. Larry Bandell … Joe Krupp b. Avery Lenoir … Shorty
Lonsdale b. Kid Ellis … Jack Peacock b. Joe Peretzman … (matchmaker:  Arthur Norton)
Notes:  Arthur Norton, the matchmaker, was booking “amateur and semiprofessional
wrestlers who have been working at the YMCA and other gymnasiums during the summer.  
The boys are not well-known to the fans, but Norton hopes to build up interest in the sport
and the wrestlers are eager to take part in the show,” according to the Miami Herald on
August 14, 1931.  Dr. Vernon Cox (“Doc Cox”) was said to be the “one-time claimant of the
Atlantic Fleet middleweight wrestling championship.”

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, September 2, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Jack Ross b. “Young” Sam Gordon (2-0) … Texas Ranger b. Nat
Grebstein (11:21) … Shorty Lonsdale b. Tommy Baden (7:49) … Willie Bates b. Lew Rose
(11:22) … (matchmaker: Arthur Norton) … (small crowd)
Note:  Lonsdale was billed as the “whispering newsboy.”

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, September 16, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Jack Ross b. Texas Ranger (2-0) (Ranger was unable to continue
after suffering a dislocated knee) … Hiram Albertson and Doc Cox drew (30:00) … Avery
Lenoir b. Larry Bandel (11:58) … Kid Ellis b. George Peretz (4:30) … (matchmaker:  
Arthur Norton)
Note:  Cox reportedly suffered fractured ribs.

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, September 30, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Pete Sposella b. Sam Gordon (2/3) … Tudor Alex b. Ross Wade …
Shorty Lonsdale b. Lew Rose … Joe Krupp b. Sailor Brown … (matchmaker:  Arthur
Norton)
Notes:  Gordon was billed as being from Roanoke, and Sposella, a Greek wrestler, was
from Dallas.  Ross Wade was from Wyoming.

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, October 14, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Texas Ranger b. Ted Ettewine (2-0) (second fall in 45 seconds) …
Jimmy Walker b. Doc Cox (2/3) … Tutor Alex b. Jack Arnold (7:12) … Willie Bates b. Duke
Myers (10:10) … (matchmaker:  Arthur Norton)

Miami, Florida, Wednesday, October 28, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Jack Malloy and Jack Ross drew (60:00) (no falls) … Tudor Alex b.
Jimmy Walker (2-0) (second fall in 39 seconds) … Shorty Lonsdale b. Arnold Springtime (4:
17) … Willie Bates b. Kid Ellis (10:11) … (matchmaker:  Arthur Norton) … (“fair-sized”
crowd)
Notes:  Jack Malloy was said to be the “leading matmen of Ringling Brothers Circus.”

Miami, Florida:  Saturday, October 31, 1931
(Sparks Circus Athletic Program) … Jack Motauk vs. Tudor Alex (2/3)
Note:  Motauk was a wrestler for the circus.

*In the Saturday, November 7, 1931 edition of the Miami Herald, it was reported that Lou
Magnolia, the “well-known New York promoter and referee,” was going to lease the Coral
Gables Coliseum for boxing and wrestling shows.  He had been in preliminary negotiations
with the owners of the Coliseum and the Cinderella Ballroom, and came to a conclusion
that he wanted to lease the Coliseum because the capacity was larger.

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, November 18, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Jack Murro b. John Poulos (2/3) … Teddy Betz b. Nat Grebstein (12:
00) … Shorty Lonsdale b. Curly Cranse (16:30) … Kid Johnson b. Joe Peretz …
(matchmaker:  Arthur Norton)
Notes:  John Poulos, of St. Louis, had been a wrestler for 12 years and “claims falls over
such men as George Travers and Pete Dallas.” Jack Murro claimed the Italian
middleweight championship.  This show was originally scheduled the week before, but was
“postponed due to Armistice day events.”

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, November 25, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Teddy Betz and Jack Murro drew (60:00) (1-1) … Doc Cox and Tudor
Alex drew (30:00) … Curly Crause b. Kid Ellis (8:20) … Tommy Baden b. Leonard Fry (15:
20) … (matchmaker:  Arthur Norton)

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, December 2, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Tudor Alex b. Jack Arnold (2/3) … Jack Ross b. Jack Twister (27:00)
(Twister was a substitute for Jack Malloy, who was sick) … Sonny Boy Deigan b. Duke
Myers … Eugene Gillespie b. Leonard Fry … (matchmaker:  Arthur Norton)
Notes:  Jack Malloy was billed as a protégé of Jim Londos, and “has been wrestling
professionally for 10 years, doing most of his work in the east and middlewest.  He weighs
185 pounds, and is recognized as the light-heavyweight champion of Ohio.”  Jack Ross
was “a veteran of the old school, claims to have wrestled both Joe Stecher and Strangler
Lewis to 30-minute draws,” according to the Miami Herald.

Lake Worth, Florida:  Monday, December 7, 1931
(American Legion Arena) … Jack Murro b. Teddy Betz … Cyclone Burns vs. John Poulos
… Buck Krause vs. Teddy Taylor … Bill Albertson vs. Pete Giovanno … (matchmaker:  
Jack Menges) … (sponsored by:  American Legion)
Notes:  This was reported to be the introductory wrestling program in Lake Worth.  It was
reported in the Miami Herald that after the show, Menges found a “lower plate of false
teeth under the seats of the arena.” He thought that one of his fans became too excited
and the teeth fell out.

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, December 9, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Teddy Betz and John McClusky drew (60:00) … Ernie Nolan b. Jackie
Nichols (14:30) … Cyclone Burns and John Poulos drew (30:00) … Kid Gilaspy b. Harry
Mizelle (9:30) … (matchmaker:  Arthur Norton)
Notes:  John McClusky was said to be a graduate of Columbia, “where he was an amateur
champion before he ‘turned professional and won the championship of the northeast
district,’” according to the Miami Herald.  The Nicholls-Nolan match was said to be the best
wrestling Norton had ever staged.  “These boys gave a fine exhibition of fast, scientific
wrestling, pulled none of the usual hippodrome acts, and the fans reacted with whoops of
joy.”

Lake Worth, Florida:  Monday, December 14, 1931
(American Legion Arena) … Jack Murro vs. Jackie Nichols … Cyclone Burns vs. Ernie
Nolan … Patsy Kelly vs. Swede Hanson … Nick George vs. Teddy Taylor … (matchmaker:  
Jack Menges)
Notes:  Jackie Nichols was said to be the New England middleweight champion.  Teddy
Taylor was a “veteran local boxer.” Nick George, the future “King Kong,” was from West
Palm Beach.  George was also said to be a former boxer.  Ernie Nolan was from Lowell,
Massachusetts.  Patsy Kelly was from New Haven and Swede Hanson from Detroit.

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, December 16, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Jack Malloy b. Jack Ross (29:30) (Malloy threw Ross from the ring
and the latter was prevented from continuing by doctors) (Ross suffered a “deep cut” to
the back of his ear) … Tudor Alex b. Sonny Boy Deigan (2/3) … Duke Myers b. Jack
Arnold (8:30) … Bill Adams b. Leonard Fry (4:30) … (matchmaker:  Arthur Norton)
Notes:  Tudor Alex was said to be from Jugoslavia and Sonny Boy Deigan from Newark.

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, December 23, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Texas Ranger b. Jimmy Lott (2/3) … Gene Gillespie b. Shorty
Lonsdale (12:30) … Sonny Boy Deigan b. Avery Lenoir (10:30) … Teddy Betz and John
Poulos drew (30:00) … (matchmaker:  Arthur Norton)

*The Thursday, December 24, 1931 edition of the Miami Herald stated that former world
lightweight boxing champion Sammy Mandell was going to promote weekly boxing events
in Daytona Beach beginning in January.  “Bill Duffy, one of Primo Carnera’s managers, will
promote two big fights for the guardsmen, the first on January 15, between Micky Walker
and Ricardo Bertazolla.

Miami, Florida:  Wednesday, December 30, 1931
(Biscayne Arena) … Jack Malloy b. Pete Sposella (33:30) … Tudor Alex b. Lew Smith (2-0)
… Charley Crouse b. Eugene Gillespie (8:15) … Kid Ellis b. Kid Springtime (5:45) …
(matchmaker:  Arthur Norton)


Research by Tim Hornbaker
September 6, 2007
Miami Wrestling Results - 1931