Posts about catch-as-catch-can or catch wrestling matches, the dominant style of wrestling in the United States after 1890.
Jim Londos developed a national reputation as one of the top professional wrestlers during the 1910s. However, 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, January 26, 1922, as well. Current […]
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On Memorial Day, May 30, 1925, Joe Stecher defeated Stanislaus Zbyszko in a worked match to reclaim the World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship that Stecher had lost in December 1920. Stecher was part of a conspiracy that paid Stanislaus Zbyszko to double-cross Wayne “Big” Munn in April 1925. Zbyszko defeated Munn legitimately in one of professional wrestling’s most famous double-crosses. As […]
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In this episode, I discuss why the Divided Championship Era lasted for three years from 1925 to 1928. I also review the original Survivor Series 1987. Update Dan recently moved to a new facility but will return to the show soon. I review one of the AEW buy-in matches from Full Gear 2024. Main Content After the world title was […]
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On Thursday, July 9, 1925, Ed “Strangler” Lewis made one of the early defenses of his version of the World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Lewis wrestled Howard Cantonwine in front of 5,000 fans at McNulty Park. After Stanislaus Zbyszko double-crossed Sandow’s and Lewis’ promotional group by defeating Wayne “Big” Munn legitimately, both Joe Stecher and Ed “Strangler” Lewis […]
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When the great Jack Johnson defeated Tommy Burns for the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship, the boxing establishment started searching for a “white hope” to defeat Johnson. In desperation to find someone to defeat Johnson, promoters and sports writers started lobbying former World Heavyweight Champion James J. Jeffries to end his retirement to fight Johnson. Jeffries retired undefeated in 1905. After […]
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In this episode, I discuss the recently discovered film of the 1908 match between George Hackenschmidt and Joe Rogers. Update I give a health update on Dan and talk about the upcoming podcast schedule. Main Content A film company recently restored a 1908 wrestling film between George Hackenschmidt and Joe Rogers, Part 1 and Part 2. The film documents a […]
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On Friday, March 11, 1932, wrestlers George Tragos and Rudy Dusek faced boxers, Stanley McRae and Tom Pivac in wrestler versus boxer bouts. It took the fans longer to get to their seats than it took the combatants to complete the bouts. The men fought the pair of bouts in Memphis, Tennessee at the Auditorium. Fans know George Tragos, a […]
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On August 2, 1947, Max M. King Productions released Killer Dill (1947), a crime film that professional wrestler Mike Mazurki plays “Little Joe”, a henchman playing both sides of a gang feud. Stuart Erwin stars as Johnny “Killer” Dill, a lingerie designer and salesperson, who people mistake for a gangster. After accidentally involving himself in a gang war, his […]
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Jim Londos developed into professional wrestling’s biggest box office star during the 1930s. Londos wrestled main events against Ed “Strangler” Lewis and Jim Browning at baseball stadiums. These matches drew crowds of more than 30,000 fans for the first time since the second Gotch vs. Hackenschmidt in 1911. When Londos wrestled in Greece, Londos drew crowds estimated to be at […]
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In this episode, I discuss the beginnings of the regular St. Louis wrestling promotion in 1921. I also discuss the Mr. McMahon documentary on Netflix. Update Due to illness and medical appointments, we are a little late on releasing the episode this week. Shooter in a Worked World: John Pesek and the 1920s Promotional Wars is available on Amazon in […]
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