Ջիմ Բրաունինգի աստղերը հայրենի քաղաքում
Վերոնա, Միսսուրին փոքր քաղաք է Միսսուրիի հարավ-արևմուտքում. Երբեք չգերազանցող 900 բնակիչները նրա պատմության մեջ, only 438 կամ այսպես մարդիկ Վերոնային տուն են կանչել 1926. Դեռ, Երկուշաբթի օրը քաղաքում անցկացվեց պրոֆեսիոնալ ըմբշամարտի բացիկ, Մարտ 22, 1926.
Առանց մեքենաների կամ դրանց համար կառուցված ճանապարհների համատարած օգտագործման, ճանապարհորդությունը շատ դժվար կլինի 1926. Assuming you could only draw wrestling fans from Lawrence County, where Verona was located, the promoter had a pool of 24,000 fans to draw from.
Photo of Jim Browning in a wrestling pose from the Library of Congress (Հանրային Դոմեն)
The card was a success though as the Springfield News-Leader described a large crowd attending the matches. Ջիմ Բրաունինգ, a future world wrestling champion, was the main reason for the success of the card.
Browning was born in an unincorporated area of Lawrence County, Missouri, known as Verona on March 31, 1903. By the time Browning was in his teens, Verona had been incorporated into a town around 1916.
Բրաունինգ, who weighed around 215 ֆունտ, developed into a wrestler of some ability. To further his skill set, Browning moved to Emporia, Kansas in 1920 for professional wrestling training.
Browning started professional wrestling in 1923 and secured matches with some of the top wrestlers of the time: Stanislaus Zbyszko, John Pesek and Dick Daviscourt.
In one of his early matches, Browning scored a disqualification victory over former world champion Zbyszko. Promoters obviously saw significant potential in Browning.
Մեջ 1923, Browning started wrestling for George Hillis, a Springfield, Missouri based promoter, who promoted wrestling matches in southwest Missouri. The arrangement allowed Browning to move back to his hometown.
Normally, moving to such a small town would be a handicap for a professional wrestling career before widespread airplane travel was available. Since Springfield connected to St. Louis, Missouri by train, Browning was also within reasonable travelling distance to transportation hubs in St. Louis and Kansas City.
On the March 22, 1926 card, Browning was supposed to wrestle frequent world title challenger Dick Daviscourt. Սակայն, Daviscourt was pulled from the card to wrestle current world title claimant Joe Stecher in New York City.
Fans still turned out to see Browning wrestle lesser-known Jake Yonsko. Browning made Yonsko look good by dropping the first fall to Yonsko in 7 արձանագրություն, 10 վայրկյան. Yonsko secured the pin of Browning with a headlock.
Yonsko didn’t get any more offense after the first fall. Browning used a crotch hold to pin Yonsko in only four minutes to end the second fall. The third fall was even shorter. Browning pinned Yonsko in 1 minute, 10 seconds with a headlock and arm scissors.
The undercard was two matches featuring local wrestlers. Browning was the only significant name on the card but the crowd left the venue pleased with the night’s action.
Վերոնա, Missouri was an odd location for a professional wrestling card but if you had good wrestler people wanted to see, you could successfully promote professional wrestling in smaller towns and venues. Without a star people wanted to support, you were risking a financial disaster.
You can leave a comment or ask a question about this or any post on my Facebook page կամ Twitter profile.
Sources: The Springfield Leader and Press, Նոյեմբեր 7, 1923 edition, p. 14 իսկ The Springfield News-Leader, Դեկտեմբեր 18, 1923 edition, p. 5 and March 24, 1926 edition, p. 5
