Stanislaus Zbyszko Box Office Bust?

When discussing Stanislaus Zbyszko’s title reign from 1921 to 1922, the main reason given for taking the title from him was that his title reign was a box office failure. Do the numbers validate this belief?

Prior to wining the championship, Zbyszko wrestled former champion Joe Stecher at the 71st Regiment Armory in front of 7,000 fans. In 1915, the 6,000 fans, who attended the 1915 International Wrestling Tournament was considered a great success. His first big match in New York outdrew this event.

When he defeated Ed “Strangler” Lewis for the World Title on May 6, 1921 at the 22nd Regiment Armory in New York, 7,500 fans squeezed into the building. Promoters moved the match to a slightly bigger building because of fan interest and the bigger gate.

After almost a year as champion, Zbyszko wrestled another former world champion, ერლ კადოკი, in Madison Square Garden on February 6, 1922. 12,000 fans crowded into the Garden to watch the main event. Zbyszko was not having trouble drawing a crowd.

However, if all the ring action was like the match with Caddock, his drawing power may have been affected. Controversy clouded this match because of a new rule.

New York promoters instituted a new “flying fall” rule, which said if a wrestler was rolling through an escape with both shoulders touching the mat during the roll, the opponent would score the fall. Ostensibly, the rule was supposed to promote bridging but it was a gimmick to create controversy. It worked exceptionally well.

During the first fall, Caddock rolled of Zbyszko’s half-Nelson with both men rushing back to their feet. As Zbyszko prepared to charge Caddock, referee John Fleeson patted Zbyszko on the back, the signal that a fall had been scored.

Zbyszko asked, “What happened?” Fleeson said Caddock’s shoulders hit the mat and Zbyszko won the first fall. The fans were furious and booed throughout the 10 minute intermission.

Caddock threw Zbyszko for the second fall, so the match and championship would be decided in the third and deciding fall. Controversy would again cloud this fall.

Zbyszko started the fall by securing a crotch hold and turning Caddock onto his head. Caddock bridging to prevent his shoulders from touching the mat, when Fleeson signaled that the match was over. As the fans and wrestlers looked on in confusion, Fleeson said Caddock’s shoulders rolled over the mat for a flying fall.

This time the fans were livid. Police quickly removed Fleeson from ringside. Fans yelled to anyone who would listen that Fleeson was standing and couldn’t possibly see if Caddock’s shoulders had touched the mat or not. Feeling Fleeson robbed Caddock of the title, the fans were riotous. With a controversial finish like this one, it may have been very difficult to draw 12,000 fans in the future.

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Sources: Bridgeport Times and Evening Farmer, თებერვალი 7, 1922 edition, p. 4 და The New York Herald, თებერვალი 7, 1922 edition, p. 12

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