Taro Miyake Wrestles in St. Louis

From late 1921 to 1923, John Contos promoted professional wrestling in St. Louis, Missouri.  However, Contos decided to leave promotion to focus on managing the career of budding star Dan Kolov.  Prior to leaving St. Louis, Contos sold the promotion to Tom Packs, his nephew and assistant in the promotion.

Packs’ first card was scheduled for Friday, January 4, 1924.  To draw interest, Packs put an attraction at the top of his card.  Ju-jitsu black belt Taro Miyake, who competed in professional wrestling to supplement his teaching income would take on Italian wrestler James Mazzan in a “Japanese wrestling match.”

“Japanese wrestling match” meant both men would wear judo jackets, or gi tops.  The match would end by traditional wrestling methods: pins, submissions, count out or disqualification.  The jacket would put Mazzan at a terrible disadvantage.

Miyake was billed as a Jujitsu fighter.  Miyake studied under the same ju-jitsu master as Jigaro Kano, the founder of Judo.

Most judo and ju-jitsu black belts could not make enough money from martial arts instruction to support themselves.  They often supplemented their income by taking part in legitimate contests or worked matches with professional wrestlers.

When the men entered the ring, Mazzan had a big size advantage.  He weighed 215 pounds to Miyake’s 180 pounds.  The 35 pounds didn’t help him though as Miyake tossed Mazzan around for 11 minutes.  Mazzan was helpless to prevent being thrown as Miyake used the gi top to throw Mazzan hard to the mat.  The crowd was treated to Mazzan’s body thudding against the mat time and again.

After tossing Mazzan around, Miyake applied a cross-choke using Mazzan’s gi top for the victory.  Whether this match was a shoot or a work, the result would have been the same.  Mazzan was helpless against Miyake, while both were wearing jackets.

In the other feature bout, Jim Londos, the future biggest box office star in America and already a big draw in St. Louis, wrestled George Hillis.  Hillis was a well-respected grappler from Springfield, Missouri.  Londos struggled with Hillis initially.

It took Londos 52 minutes to win the first fall with a flying headlock.  Londos needed only 11 minutes to score the second and deciding fall with the flying mare.  The crowd loudly cheered Londos’ triumph.

For the next 25 years, Packs would build St. Louis into a wrestling powerhouse and eventually control the National Wrestling Association championship.  In early January 1924, he was just a young promoter trying to get his company off to a good start with his first wrestling card.  Based on fan reaction, Packs made a good first step.

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Source: St. Louis Star and Times, January 5, 1924 edition, p. 10

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