Jim Londos Wrestles in Co-Main Event

Jim Londos developed a national reputation as one of the top professional wrestlers during the 1910s. Vendar, Londos’ career took a major step forward when Londos started wrestling for the fledgling St. Louis promotion in the early 1920s.

Londos headlined the first card in late 1921. Londos wrestled on the second card on Thursday, Januar 26, 1922, as well. Current World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Stanislaus Zbyszko headline the card. Londos wrestled in the co-main event.

Nick Contos had not taken over the promotional group yet. Local businessmen working with the Chicago promotion booked the three-match card at the Odeon Theater in Midtown St. Louis. Harry F. Pierce, who frequently covered professional wrestling for the St. Louis Star and Times, authored an article about the card. 2,000 fans attended the second card in St. Louis.

Two middleweight wrestlers started the card. Former World Middleweight Wrestling Champion Johnny Kilonis, at least promoters billed Kilonis that way, wrestling Joe Sanderson, a Detroit wrestler, who recently moved to St. Louis. Sanderson won the match. Kilonis agreed to surrender the match to Sanderson, if Kilonis could not throw Sanderson.

Londos made short work of his opponent, Joe Geshtowt, in the co-main event. Londos pinned Geshtowt with a leg scissors, bar lock, and toe hold combination at twenty-eight minutes, three seconds of the first fall. Londos setup the first fall with a flying mare.

Londos won the second fall and match in seventeen minutes, fifty seconds with a front crotch hold. Londos then sat at ringside for Zbyszko’s main event title defense against Paul Martinson.

Paul Martinson regularly wrestled in his hometown of Chicago, which probably led to his booking in St. Louis. Zbyszko had little trouble with Martinson and applied a toe hold late in the first fall of their match.

Martinson showed extreme pain as he escaped the painful hold. Zbyszko grabbed the compromised Martinson, threw him to the mat, and pinned Martinson for the first fall in forty-seven minutes, five seconds.

Martinson said he could not continue and withdrew from the match. The referee awarded the match to Zbyszko.

Zbyszko challenged Londos and Johnny Kilonis to a match where Zbyszko agreed to throw both men within seventy-five minutes. Zbyszko explained that Londos and Kilonis made disparaging remarks about Zbyszko throughout his match with Martinson.

Londos and Kilonis did not immediately respond to the challenge. Vendar, promoters did book the match for February 1922. From these humble beginnings sprang one of the strongest wrestling cities in the United States.

Iz 1924 za 1982, promoters, fans, and wrestlers often called St. Louis, “the Capital of professional wrestling in the United States.” Jim Londos was a cornerstone of the fledgling promotion.

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Sources: St. Louis Star and Times (St. Louis, Missouri) Januar 27, 1922, p. 19

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