Baton Rouge, Louisiana:  Tuesday, November 22, 1938
(Catholic High Gym) … Chuck Powell b. Chin Lee in a tournament final to capture the first ever
Southern Light Heavyweight Title (2/3) … Jack Curtis and Farmer Mack drew (1-1) … (promoter:  
Balk Estes) … (referee:  Jack Beauchamp)
Notes:  Chin Lee and Chuck Powell were wrestling in the finals of the “first official” Southern Light
Heavyweight Wrestling Tournament, for the “trophy, purse and title.”  There have been four
months of competition.  W.I. Spencer, sports editor of the Morning Advocate, was going to present
the “W.I. Spencer trophy” to the winner.  Jack Curtis was an “ex-blacksmith from Vicksburg.”  Lee
was from Miami and Powell was from Birmingham.  After the victory, Powell was carried out on the
shoulders of his followers.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana:  Tuesday, November 29, 1938
(Catholic High Gym) … Southern Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Powell b. Chin Lee (2/3) …
Jack Pierce b. Dick “Montana” Gamon (2/3) … (promoter:  Balk Estes) … (referee:  Jack
Beauchamp) … (announcer:  Jimmy Kilshaw) … (timekeeper:  Melvin J. LaCroix)
Notes:  Jack Pierce was the “former Baton Rouge wrestling promoter.” The newspaper said that
“Pierce is a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines.  While in school, he was rated as one of
the most oustanding collegiate athletes.  After about 15 years of successful professional wrestling
in which he rated about fifth in the oustanding light heavyweights of the country, he turned
promoter in Baton Rouge, where he was successful for quite a while.  Lately Pierce has been
grappling on the West Coast with the other top notch matmen.” Ladies were allowed to see the
matches for only 10 cents.  Gamon was from Butte, Montana.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana:  Tuesday, December 6, 1938
(Catholic High Gym) … Suta Hygami b. Jack Purdin (2/3) (Hygami used a sleeperhold) … Chin
Lee b. Dick Gamon (2-0) … (promoter:  Balk Estes) … (referee:  Dr. Karl Van Horn)
Notes:  Suta Hygami was said to be “recognized as the world’s junior middleweight champion.”
Purdin was from Tombstone, Arizona.

Baton Rouge, Louisana:  Tuesday, December 13, 1938
(Catholic High Gym) … Suta Hygami b. Chin Lee (2/3) (mixed match featuring catch wrestling and
the “Oriental style” with jackets) (Hygami won the first fall in the jiu-jitsu style, Chin won the second
in the catch style, and Hygami took the third in the jiu-jitsu style) … Joe Hangler and Jack Purdin
drew (45:00) (1-1) … Nar Louis b. Gene Arland (amateur bout) … (promoter:  Balk Estes) …
(referee:  Karl Van Horn)
Notes:  It was stated that it was the first time such rules (of the Hygami-Lee bout) were featured in
Baton Rouge.  Because Hygami won his fall in quicker time than Lee had, he was able to chose
the stipulation for the third fall.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana:  Tuesday, December 20, 1938
(Catholic High Gym) … Suta Hygami b. Chuck Powell (2/3) (non-title match) … Jack Curtis b. Jack
Purdin (2/3) … Gene Arland and Baby King Kong drew (amateur bout) … (promoter:  Balk Estes)
… (referee:  Jack Beauchamp)
Notes:  One lucky “cash customer” was going to receive a Christmas gift from promoter Estes.  
“Bozo, the mind-reading canine, amazed the fans between professional bouts with his ‘believe it or
not’ performance of astounding feats in numerology,” according to the paper.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana:  Tuesday, December 27, 1938
(Catholic High Gym) … Jack Curtis b. Chuck Powell to capture the Southern Light Heavyweight
Title and winning the W.I. Spencer trophy (2/3) … Al Perry and Tex Watkins drew (1-1) …
(promoter:  Balk Estes) … (referee:  Jack Beauchamp) … (announcer:  Charles Wallsworth) …
(timekeeper:  Melvin LaCroix)
Notes:  Perry was from Pecos, Texas and Watkins was from Amarillo.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana:  Tuesday, January 3, 1939
(Catholic High Gym) … Chuck Powell vs. Lem Stecklin … Suta Hygami vs. Tex Watkins …
(promoter:  Balk Estes)
Note:  Stecklin was from Opossum Hollow, Tennessee.

Research by Tim Hornbaker
October 23, 2007
Baton Rouge Wrestling Results - 1938