Historische Wrestling Stories/Artikel

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The Hartford Courant
Hartford, Connecticut
10 May 1923

Boston Wrestling Promoter Bankrupt

Boston, May 9 – George V. Touhey, a wrestling promoter, filed a voluntary petition to bankruptcy today. He said he had no assets to meet liabilities of $12,449. The Fitchburg cooperative bank holds a occurred claim for $5,500.


Das kennen wir doch irgendwoher ;)

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The Hartford Courant
Hartford, Connecticut
17 September 1937

Mat Champs As Numerous As Customers
Promoter Fiddler Ray Fabiani Gets Laugh Out of Naming John Pesek Champion

New York, Sept 16 – (AP) – All is chaos along grunt and groan row. Everybody is in everybody else’s hair. Rassling champs are as numerous as tax collectors. The struggle for promotional supremacy is jammed with laughs and busted pocketbooks. It’s so bad one rassler almost got hanged in the quest for free publicity.

And topping all the upside business, in the candid opinion of promoter Ray Fabiani, is the action of the National Wrestling Association which named John Pesek, the old Tiger Man from Nebraska, world champion. Pesek, wagers Maestro Fabiani, is a young man of promise somwhere in his late fifties, mabe early sixties.

“I,” said Fabiani, who used to wield a mean fiddle in grand opera, “have been in this business many years now but the action of the National Wrestling Association gives me my greatest laugh. Why didn’t they name some young fellow like George Hackenschmidt or Stanislaus Zbyszko? We’ve had enough young upstarts like Psek in this business. By the way, what is the National Wrestling Association? Darned if I ever heard of it before.”

Since the famed Jack Curley passed on, the scrap for wrestling supremacy has branced out with five big factions, I’m told.

The rivals, listed by Fiddler Fabiani, who claims he doesn’t want to fiddle while the rassling business burns up, are Toots Mondt, New York and Philadelphia; Al Haft, Columbus, Ohio; Paul Bowser, Boston; Jack Pfefer, New York and now Jim Londos, who’s in business for himself. A probable added starter is Curley’s son, young Jack, who threatens to do big things.

Ernie Dusek, who does his rassling for Fabiani, is the one who almost got hanged as a publicity gag. They got Jack Dempsey to hold the loose end of the rope and Fabiani kicked the box from under Dusek’s feet. It worked swell. Dusek’s neck withstood the shock beautifully. But the trouble arose when Dempsey, holding the rope in his vise-like grip, became so interested in the dangling Dusek he forgot to let go.

“Why, Ernie almost lost his life,” sighed Maestro Fabiani. “Imagine what a story: Hanged by Jack Dempsey!”

Strangler Lewis is on his way to India to wrestle the great Gama, magic Hindoo who has never been beaten.

“Lewis can’t win,” confessed Fiddler Fabiani. “Gama wrestles once a year for the maharajah of Patiaia. For every match, the maharajah builds a new stadium. They wrestle on sand and as soon as one man is thrown off balance, why, the match is over. They never last more than a minute. Stanislaus Zbyszko once went over there. It took him two months to make the trip and Gama beat him in 52 seconds. The Strangler will do okay by himself though. He’s getting $30,000 for the match.

“Once I tried to get Gama over here, but quit negotiations as soon as he told me he had to have 15 servants – one to kill his chickens. Sometimes I wish I was a promoter in India.”

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The Hartford Courant
Hartford, Connecticut
15 May 1950

Wrestling Promoter Dies in Drug Store

New York, May 14 (AP) – William F. Johnston, 61, wrestling promoter and brother of the late match-maker James J. Johnston, collpased and died tonight in a midtown drug store.


The Hartford Courant
Hartford, Connecticut
26 March 1950

New Britain Fan Sues Wrestler for Assault

New Britain, March 25 – (AP) – Leslie Carlton, a professional wrestler known as Lord Carlton, was served with a summons last night to appear in the Hartford County Court of Commons Pleas the first Tuesday in April to answer a suit brought against him by Hewitt Lofquest of Berlin.

Lofquist, who asks damages of $5000, charges in his complaint that while he was a spectator at a wrestling exhibition here on February 10, he was assaulted by Carlton. Lofquist claims Carlton kicked him about the face, eyes and mouth, producing permanent injuries.

The summons was served on Carlton when he appeared here to headline a wrestling card.


The Hartford Courant
Hartford, Connecticut
26 March 1950

Wrestling Fan Dies

New Haven, March 25 – (AP) – Mrs. Anna Cerne, 48, who collapsed Wednesday night while watching the wrestling matches in the Arena, died Friday night. Her survivors include her husband, Michael, and two children.

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Hartford Courant
Hartford, Connecticut
1 January 1951

Pro Gridder Is Slashed Leaving Wrestling Show

Brockton, Mass., Dec. 31 (AP) – Professional football player Donald R. Colo, 25, was brutally slashed with a broken bottle early today as he left a wrestling match with two girl companions.

Police charged Edward K. Robillard, 23, with assault with a dangerous weapon. Colo identified him from his hospital bed as the man who slashed his face after another man jumped him.

Colo’s nose and lips were practically severed by the jagged glass, police said.

A former Brown University star tackle, Colo, of nearby East Bridgewater, played this season with the Baltimore Colts.


The Hartford Courant
Hartford, Connecticut
5 January 1951

Bull Curry Placed Under $250 Bond

Hartford’s wild acting wrestler, Bull Curry, posted a bond of $250 with the State Athletic Commission office to keep in a “probation” period until February 28. That date was set because it winds up Samuel H. Malkan’s duties as state athletic commissioner. Curry was suspended on December 13, after his rumpus at the Hartford Auditorium in a mat bout with Don Eagle, Indian grappler.

Upon Curry’s suspension being lifted, Manny Leibert, local wrestling promoter, gave Curry the feature spot of the first show of the new year on Wednesday night’s card. His foe being the highly rated Sky-Hi Lee from Manitoba.


The Hartford Courant
Hartford, Connecticut
24 March 1951

Wrestler Pon (sic) Eagle Married in Vermont

Island Pond, VT., March 23 – (AP) – Don Eagle, billed as a full blooded Caughnawauga Indian in professional wrestlign bouts, was married here last night to Beth Isabel Hamilton, 19-years-old Ohio University student.

The civil ceremony was performed by Justice of the Peace C.F. Maw in the town offices.

The couple are honeymooning at his home at nearby Spectacle Pond.

The bridegroom gave his name as Carl Donald Bell. His age was not disclosed. His bride was a resident of Hamilton, Ohio.

The simple ceremony was witnessed by Don Eagle’s friends including Essex County State’s Attorney David Orgain, and former State Police officer Max Jurras of Montpelier.


The Hartford Courant
Hartford, Connecticut
12 July 1951

Death Blamed on TV Show

Columbus, Ohio, July 11 – (AP) – Mrs. Margaret Goldberg, 47, got so excited watching a wrestling match on television last night that she suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, doctors report. She died today at Grant Hospital.

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Minneapolis Tribune
Minneapolis, Minnesota
21 April 1933

Dr. B.F. Roller, Noted Wrester, Dead at 57

"Was star College Athlete -Minneapolis Mat Fans Knew Him Well."
New York, April 20 - (AP) - Dr. Benfamin Franklin Roller, who retired from wrestling when he was 39 years old to begin a career as a surgeon, is dead of pneumonia at the age of 57.
It was while he was a professor of physiology and supervisor of sports at Washington State university that Dr. Roller became a professional wrestler. He won his first match in 17 minutes and received $1,600
He wrestled Frank Gotch, who jpromised to throw him twice in an hour. Gotch didn't throw him, and Roller made $4,000. Gotch later defeated Roller in several finish matches. During the next five years he met and defeated many of the heavyweight stars. Roller weighted more thatn 200 pounds.
Dr. Roller was born in Newman, Ill., worked his way through De Pauw university, where he was captain of the track and football teams and was graduated from the university of Pennsylvania medical school.

"Dr. Roller wrestled Ordemann here in 1910"
Dr. Roller was well known to wreslting fans of Minnesota as he appeared in several matches here, the most importanc of which was with Henry Ordemann, who defeated the athletic surgeon, This bout was held in 1910 at the original Minneapolis auditorium, now known as the Lyceum.
Roller also appeared in Minneapolis with James J. Jeffries and Frank Gotch when that famous pair toured America seveal months before Jeffries' fight with Jack Johnson.

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5 Januar 1968
Augusta Chronicle
Augusta, Georgia

Hope this fan wasn`t really that rabid

A masked heavyweight professional wrestler, who works under the name of Mr. Wrestling, had to be rushed to a hospital Wednesday night after accepting a challenge from a fan and having his finger bitten off.

The match had been set up two weeks earlier when the unidentified fan, a pretty hefty fellow himself, dared Mr Wrestling to take him on.

During the Wednesday night match, the fan bit one of the professional?s fingers off at the knuckle.


Info
Das hier ist der beruehmte Shoot indem Mr Wrestling (Tim Woods) seine Finger abgebissen wurden von einem Idioten. Dickie Steinborn schrieb mal folgendes ueber diesen Vorfall:

Let`s set the record straight. Arnold Sparling was his name. It seemed that promoter Fred Ward had Tim Woods challenge people on his Saturday morning wrestling show, to take on all comers with a $1000.00 going to the winners, should he be beat. Tim`s amateur background from a Minnisota college, truly backed up his ability.
Tim personally told me what happened. The Saturday before the Wednesday show, on live TV, Spurling was interviewed. Tim said he sounded like a pro, boasting what he was going to do to Tim Woods alias Mr. Wrestling that coming Wednesday night.
The head of the security police at the City Auditorium, prewarned Fred Ward that this guy was trouble. When both men entered the middle of the ring, that Wednesday night for their showdown, Spurling suckered punched the mild mabbered Tim Woods, ripped his mask off and threw it to the audience. Everyone was stunned. Tim sat up and buried his face between his knees. Spurling did something no other wrestler was capable of doing for over a year. The Mask was thrown back into the ring and the referee handed it to Tim. Now Woods realized what he was in for. He quickly went behind Spurling and took him down amateur style. Spurling was out of shape , just about blown up and slowly crawled to the ropes, while Tim rode his back amateur style. They were ordered to break and return to the center ring. Again, Woods takes him down, rides his back, and Spurling crawls again to reach the bottom rope. Tim went on to tell me that he realized that Spurling was now completely exhausted and he was ready for the pin. He took him down again, and put on the breaks, as he was being drug to the ropes for the third time, with Tims hand exposed underneath
Spurling bit as hard as he could, to dislodge the tip of Woods finger from his hand. Tim said " What pissed me off, he stood up and discussedly spit that finger onto the mat. Tim charged him for a double leg takedown, which sent Spurling out of the ring and onto the floor. Woods then stepped through the ropes and jumped down onto Spurlings body, sprawled on the cement floor. Spurlings henchmen came out of the audience, which then emptied the dressing rooms to end the malay. At the hospital, Tim walked up to Spurling, laying on the table, and asked him why this had to occur. I don`t recall his answer. Spurling thought he was tough and had to resort to a deed of a coward. Any other wrestler would have responed to Mr Spurling, by quickly dislodging one of his eye*******. Mr Spurling was a lucky man.
I did hear he was shot and killed by an officer of the law, in Columbus Georgia. , but I could stand to be corrected on his deasth. It was not a work, and an unfortunate thing that happened to one of the boys.
Some years earlier, Sonny Meyers was wrestling in Hogansville Georgia, when an irrate fan plunged a knife into his stomach and walked halfway around his body, causing 188 stitches. These are unfortunate things that happen in the wrestling business and certainly need to be clarify.

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Minneapolis Tribune
Minneapolis, Minnesota
7 July 1933
George A. Barton Kolumne

"Stanislaus Zbyszko's Fortune Gone"

We noted in an Associated Press dispatch from New York that Stanislaus Zbyszko is bankrupt, a rather tragic ending for such a great wrestler, clean living athlete and kindly fellow as the rotund Pole.

Zbyszko, who was still a great wrestler at the age of 54 years, must have earned $1,000,000 during his 30 year' service on the mat. Brought to these United States in 1909 by Jack Herman, a former St. Paul sprots promoter, Zby reaped the harvest of the boom times of wrestling while the late Frank Gotch was champion and later when Joe Stecher, Strangler Lewis and Earl Caddock were in their prime, along with cutting in on the gravey due to the flux of a younger crop of grapplers headed by Gus Sonnenberg, Wayne (Big) Munn, Don George, Nick Lutze, Everett Marshall, Dick Daviscourt, Toots Mondt, John Evko, Dick Schikat, Ray Steele and Stanley Stasiak,
Zbyszko did not lose his earnings by squandering them but rather through what seemed to be sound investments. He put $250,000 into a large apartment building near Central park in New York, and $100,000 in a summer resort at Old Orchard, Maine. Zby losing all this property during the depression.

Zbyszko was a thrifty fellow whose sole ambition was to save enough money to live in comfort when his wrestling days were over. It's a tough break for the Zby ot find himself flat broke at he age of 60.

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Salem, Oregon
The Salem Daily News
13 April 1889

Los Angeles, Cal., April 13. --- Yesterday afternoon a blacksmith named John Bryan and a French woman of bad repute were found in a disreputable house, both shot through the head, the woman dead and the man dying. It is thought that Byran fired both shots, but he refused to confess to the priest, and alleges that Theobaud Bauer, the ex-champion wrestler, did the shooting.


Bleibt die Frage, war Theabaud Bauer ein Moerder?

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Minneapolis Tribune
Minneapolis, Minnesota
9 July 1933

"Referee, Tossed From Ring, Sues Promoters"

Muskogee, Okla. July 8 - (AP) - Alleging that every move in a wrestling match here April 4 was carefully planned in advance, but that promoters Sam Avey and Gene Ellis were guilty of gross negligence in falling to inform him he was to be thrown from the ring, referee Frank Thomsone filed suit Saturday, asking $10.400 damages. Thomsone's leg was broken when he was tossed out on the concrete floor by Paul Orth, one of the wrestlers.

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Columbia Missourian
Columbia, Missouri
17 May 1972

Former Wrestling Champ Dies

Alan Eustace, the Kansas Cornstalk of the oldtime wrestling ring, died Tuesday at his home after several years of illness. He was 80.

Eustace reached the top in the old Strangler Lewis days of professional wrestling, when almost everyone claimed the world's championship. At one time in the 1920s, the New York Athletic Commission recognized Eustace as its world champion.

Eustace retired from wrestling in 1939 after appearing in matches around the world. He said he couldn't go for the new wide-open Texas rules. So he returned to his native country in Northeast Kansas, took up farming and settled down in this down of 580.

Eustace leaves his wife and four children. Alan Eustace Jr. lives at Farmingdale, NY. The daughters are Beth Eustace of Wakefield, Mrs. Jane Stanley of Shelton, Conn., and Mrs. Suzanne Erickson of Hutchinson, Kan.