Birmingham Wrestling Results

Birmingham, Alabama: Monday, April 1, 1940
(The Auditorium) … Carlos Rodriguez and Popeye Watkins b. Mike Chacoma and Jack
Purdin (DQ) (Chacoma used a walking cane to smash Rodriguez) (team match) … Larry
Tillman b. Prince Omar (2/3) (third fall by DQ) … (promoter: Joe Gunther) … (referees:
Charley Keene, “Big Boy” Taylor) … (large crowd)
Notes: The April 1, 1940 edition of the Birmingham News stated that this was Joe Gunther’s
first show as promoter for the three veterans groups (American Legion, Disabled American
Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars). He had been appointed promoter “last week.” The
paper stated “This being Gunthers first card as promoter, although he has been helping
Chris Jordan with his promotions for some time while Jordan was ill, the former Nashville boy,
one of the youngest promoters in the country, has made every effort to make the card
attractive.” Gunther was “associated” with Marty Burke in the New Orleans wrestling
promotion. The trio of veterans groups appointed Burke and Lew Raymond as boxing
promoter and matchmaker, respectively.

Birmingham, Alabama: Friday, April 5, 1940
(The Auditorium) … Dorv Roche b. George Grandovich (2-0) … Tiny Morgan b. Hans
Schnobble (Schnabel) (2/3) … Marvin Jones b. Lou Nyman (10:00) … (promoter: Sunshine
Morton) … (referee: “Big Boy” Taylor) … (timekeeper: Raymond Quinn) … (sponsored by:
Central Park American Legion)
Notes: In promotion for the show, it was noted that this program was going to feature
“heavyweight wrestling.” Said to be the “debut” of Morton and heavyweight grappling in
Birmingham. The promoter, Morton, was called “one of the youngest heavyweight promoters
in the game and also one of the best.” Schnobble was said to be from Milwaukee. No show
next week due to the Dog Show at the Auditorium. The local paper praised Morton’s efforts
in offering a “fine show.”

Birmingham, Alabama: Monday, April 8, 1940
(The Auditorium) … Carlos Rodriguez b. Mike Chacoma (2/3) (third fall by countout) …
Popeye Watkins b. Prince Omar (2/3) (third fall by DQ) … Jack Kogust b. Leo Jensen …
(promoter: Joe Gunther) … (referee: Jack Steele) … (large crowd)
Notes: Called “Joe Gunther Night” with fans paying “honor” to the new promoter.

Birmingham, Alabama: Monday, April 15, 1940
(The Auditorium) … Carlos Rodriguez b. Prince Omar (2/3) … Rex Mobley b. Jack Kogut
(DQ) … Tony Pappalino and Larry Tillman drew (30:00) … (promoter: Joe Gunther) …
(referee: Joe Gunther)
Notes: Rodriguez, who was usually hated by the fans, was cheered during his match.
Mobley was from Amarillo.

*Early on Thursday, April 18, 1940, longtime Birmingham promoter and former wrestling
champion Chris Jordan passed away. His funeral was held on Sunday afternoon.

Birmingham, Alabama: Friday, April 19, 1940
(The Auditorium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ray Steele b. Tiny Morgan (2-0) …
Dorv Roche and Lou Thesz drew (60:00) (1-1) … Dr. Gordon MacKenzie b. Bill Lee (fall
awarded to MacKenzie “when Lee persisted in kicking … on his injured leg.”) … (promoter:
Sunshine Morton) … (referee: Pete Managoff) … (timekeeper: Raymond Quinn) … (2,000
fans)
Notes: According to the Birmingham News, Ray Steele “won his [heavyweight] title in St.
Louis by beating Broncho (sic) Nagurski.” Tiny Morgan, from Houston, had a 70-pound
weight advantage. Bill Lee was a “former All-America tackle from the University of Alabama.”

Birmingham, Alabama: Monday, April 22, 1940
(The Auditorium) … Carlos Rodriguez b. Jack Kogut (2/3) … Rex Mobley b. Prince Omar
(2/3) (Omar was unable to continue for the third fall) … Jack Bloomfield and Art O’Mahoney
drew (1-1) … (promoter: Joe Gunther)
Note: Jack Kogut was said to be “at one time was light heavyweight amateur boxing
champion of Canada.”

Birmingham, Alabama: Saturday, April 27, 1940
(The Auditorium) … Cowboy Luttrell b. George Grandovich (2-0) … Tom Handley and Dorv
Roche drew (1-1) … Dr. Gordon MacKenzie b. Herbie Freeman (16:00) (flying tackles) …
(promoter: Sunshine Morton) … (referee: Jack Dempsey – main event, “Big Boy” Taylor) …
(timekeeper: Raymond Quinn) … (2,000+ fans)
Notes: This show was originally scheduled for Friday. President of the Birmingham City
Commission, Cooper Green introduced Dempsey to the audience. Tom Handley was called
a “former Oklahoma A. and M. athlete.”

Birmingham, Alabama: Tuesday, April 30, 1940
(The Auditorium) … Rex Mobley and Carlos Rodriguez b. Mike Chacoma and Jack Kogut
(Chacoma ended up fighting with Kogut) … (promoter: Joe Gunther)
Note: The Auditorium was not available for wrestling on Monday.

Birmingham, Alabama: Friday, May 3, 1940
(City Auditorium) … Tom Handley b. Dr. Gordon MacKenzie (2/3) … Bill Lee b. Tiny Morgan
(2/3) … Marvin Jones b. Sid Marcus … (promoter: Sunshine Morton) … (referee: “Big Boy”
Taylor) … (timekeeper: Raymond Quinn) … (sponsored by: Central Park Post No. 23,
American Legion)
Notes: Handley was a “former Oklahoma A and M grappling star.” Lee was a “former All-
America tackle and captain of the 1934 Alabama team which stampeded Stanford in the
1935 Rose Bowl game.” Morgan was from Houston.

Birmingham, Alabama: Monday, May 6, 1940
(City Auditorium) … Mike Chacoma and Jack Purdin b. Rex Mobley and Carlos Rodriguez
(2/3) (between falls, Charley Keene went to the ring carrying a gift for fan favorites Chacoma
and Purdin, said to be from a fan) (however, the box was rigged to shock anyone who
touched it, and Chacoma fell for the gag) … Chin Lee b. Prince Omar (2-0) … (promoter:
Joe Gunther)
Notes: Chacoma and Purdin were longtime partners, and the former said that if Purdin
would have been his partner last week, he’d have beaten Mobley and Rodriguez. Lee was
making his local debut.

Birmingham, Alabama: Friday, May 10, 1940
(City Auditorium) … Tom Handley and Marvin Jones b. Dr. Gordon MacKenzie and Ben
Morgan (2/3) … Hans Schnoble b. Sid Marcus … (promoter: Sunshine Moton) … (referees:
Sid Marcus, “Big Boy” Taylor)

Birmingham, Alabama: Monday, May 13, 1940
(City Auditorium) … Mike Chacoma and Jack Purdin b. Charley Keene and Popeye Watkins
(2/3) … Chin Lee b. Jack Bloomfield … (promoter: Joe Gunther) … (large crowd)

Birmingham, Alabama: Friday, May 17, 1940
(City Auditorium) … Len Macaluso b. Tom Handley (2-0) (second fall by DQ) … Dr. Gordon
MacKenzie and Dan McIntyre drew (1-1) … Marvin Jones b. Wendy Black (15:00) (Black was
a substitute for Floyd Marshall) … (promoter: Sunshine Morton) … (referee: “Big Boy”
Taylor)
Note: Dan McIntyre was a “former Tennessee gridiron star.”

Birmingham, Alabama: Monday, May 20, 1940
(City Auditorium) … Popeye Watkins b. Mike Chacoma (DQ in the fourth round for kicking)
(ten round boxing match with six ounce gloves) … Chin Lee b. Carlos Rodriguez (2/3) … Al
Szasz b. Leo Jensen (2-0) … (promoter: Joe Gunther)
Note: Watkins was a former boxing light heavyweight champion in the Navy. Chacoma was
also a former boxer, having reportedly “started Lew Jenkins, new lightweight boxing
champion, out in the fight game in Texas.” Szasz was a newcomer, locally.

Birmingham, Alabama: Friday, May 24, 1940
(City Auditorium) … Joe Stecher b. Tom Handley (2/3) (third fall by DQ) … Mike Fraley and
Dr. Gordon MacKenzie drew … Dan McIntyre b. Joe Kennedy … Negro Battle Royal
(featuring 10 “battlers”) … (promoter: Sunshine Morton) … (referee: Mike Fraley)
Notes: “Joe Stecher” was called the “youngest of the famed Stecher grappling clan,” and
was from New York. He was taught by his “dad and older brothers."

Birmingham, Alabama: Monday, May 27, 1940
(City Auditorium) … Farmer Jones and Chin Lee b. Mike Chacoma and Jack Purdin (2-0) …
Jack Curtis b. Jack Kogut … (promoter: Joe Gunther)
Notes: In early promotions for this show, Chin Lee’s partner was called “Paul Jones” of
Texas, and featured a picture of a wrestler with a large beard. In the May 28 edition of the
newspaper, it was said that this wrestler was not “Paul Jones of Texas,” but really “Farmer
Jones of Arkansas.” Jack House of the Birmingham News wrote that “there was a terrible
mistake made in the advance publicity on Paul Jones.” The Farmer arrived in Birmingham
from Jackson, Mississippi, with his pig. House noted that Jones “can wrestle,” despite his
“long black beard” and “dilly-dally about the ring.” Curtis was called a “newcomer.”

Research by Tim Hornbaker
October 29, 2007

Birmingham 1940

Burt Ray & Don Luce research

1/8/40 Birmingham
Sailor Watkins beat Carlos Rodriguez, Jack Curtis drew Cyclone Burns, Art O’Mahoney beat
Jack Steele.

1/22/40 Birmingham
Sailor Watkins won battle royal, Sailor Watkins beat Jack Dillon, Mike Chacoma beat Cyclone
Burns, Martin Levy beat Larry Tilman.

2/2/40 Birmingham
Pete Schu beat Dorv Roche, Dick Raines beat Juan Humberto, Sid Marcus beat Joe Millich.

2/5/40 Birmingham
Mike Chacoma beat Sailor Watkins.

2/19/40 Birmiingham
Mike Chacoma & Jack Purdin beat Sailor Watkins & Art O’Mahoney, Tony Marino drew Larry
Tilman.

2/23/40 Birmingham
Dan O’Connor beat Dick Raines dq, Milo Steinborn drew Gordon Mackenzie.

3/1/40 Birmingham
Dan O’Connor beat Pete Schu, Bill Canny beat Gordon MacKenzie, Lou Nyman drew Sid
Marcus.

3/4/40 Birmingham
Sailor Watkins beat Jack Purdin, Mike Chacoma beat Charlie Keene, Tex Mobley beat Jack
Steele.

3/8/40 Birmingham
Dan O’Connor & Dorv Roche beat Big Ben Morgan & Tom Mahoney, Gordon MacKenzie
beat Sid Marcus    .

3/11/40 Birmingham
Jack Bloomfield & George Watkins beat Mike Chacoma & Jack Purdin dq, Tex Mobley beat
Leo Jensen.

3/15/40 Birmingham
Big Ben Morgan beat Dorv Roche, Bill Lee beat Dan O”Connor, Lou Nyman beat Bill Canny.

3/18/40 Birmingham
Mike Chacoma beat Jack Bloomfield, Gorilla Parker beat Art Mahoney, Rex Mobley drew
Gayle Byrd.

3/22/40 Birmingham
Big Ben Morgan beat Gordon Mackenzie, Lou Nyman beat Bill Lee, Marvin Jones beat Ed
Tennigar.

3/25/40 Birmingham
Carlos Rodriguez beat Mike Chacoma dq, Cyclone Burns drew Art Mahoney, Pince Omar
beat Gorilla Parkier.

4/5/40 Birmingham
Dorv Roche beat JOhn Grandovich, Big Ben Morgan beat Hans Schnabel, Marvin Jones
beat Lou Nyman.

4/8/40 Birmingham
Carlos Rodriguez beat Mike Chacoma, Prince Omar beat Sailor Watkins, Jack Kogut beat
Leo Jensen.

4/15/40 Birmingham
Carlos Rodrgiuez beat Prince Omar, Rex Mobley beat Jack Kogut, Tony Popalino drew Larry
Tilman.

4/19/40 Birmingham
Ray Steele beat Big Ben Morgan, Dorv Roche drew Lou Thesz, Gordon MacKenzie     beat
Bill Lee.

4/22/40 Birmingham
Carlos Rodriguez beat Jack Kogut, Rex Mobley beat Prince Omar, Art O’Mahoney drew Jack
Bloomfield.

4/30/40 Birmingham
Carlos Rodriguez & Rex Mobley beat Mike Chacoma & Jack Kogut, Leo Jensen beat Tony
Popalino.

5/3/40 Birmingham
Tom Hanley beat Gordon Mackenzie, Bill Lee beat Big Ben Morgan, Marvin Jones beat Sid
Marcus.

5/6/40 Birmingham
Mike Chacoma & Jack Purdin beat Carlos Rodriguez & Rex Mobley dq, Chin Lee beat Prince
Omar.

5/10/40 Birmingham
Tom Hanley & Marvin Jones beaet Big Ben Morgan & Gordon MacKenzie, Hans Schnabel
beat Sid Marcus.

5/13/40 Birmingham
Mike Chacoma & Jack Purdin beat Charlie Keene & Sailor Watkins, Chin Lee beat Jack
Bloomfield.

5/17/40 Birmingham
Len Macaluso beat Tom Hanley dq, Gordon Mackenzie drew Don McIntyre, Marvin Jones
beat Wendy Black;.

5/20/40 Birmingham
Sailor Watkins beat Mike Chacoma, Chin Lee beat Carlos Rodriguez, AL Szasz beat Leo
Jensen.

5/24/40 Birmingham
Joe STecher beat Tom Hanley, Gordon Mackenzie drew Mike Fraley, D    on McIntyre beat
Jack Kennedy.

5/27/40 Birmingham
Chin Lee & Farmer Jones beat Mike Chacoma & Jack Purdin, Jack Curtis beat Jack Kogut.

6/7/40 Birmingham
Tom Hanely & Jim Wright beat Dorv Roche & Young Joe Stetcher, Mike Mazurki drew Jim
Henry.

6/10/40 Birmingham
Farmer Jones beat Mike Chacoma, Frankie Hill beat Charlie Keene, Count Von Zuppe drew
Chin Lee.

6/14/40 Birmingham
Babe Zaharias beat Angelo Cistoldi dq, Don McIntyre drew Jim Henry, Mike Mazurki drew
Jack Kennedy.

6/17/40 Birmingham
Jack Curtis won battle royal, Jack Curtis beat Count Von Zuppe, Frankie Hill beat Art O’
Mahoney, Roy Welch drew Otto Ludwig.

6/21/40 Birmingham
Jack Kennedy & Dorv Roche beat Babe Zaharias & Jim Henry, Angelo Cistoldi beat Frank
Taylor.

6/24/40 Birmingham
George Bekcer beat Rex Mobley, Jack Curtis beat Otto Ludwig, Chin Lee drew Frankie Hill.

6/28/40 Birmingham
Jack Kennedy & Dorv Roche beat Jim Henry & Babe Zaharias, Herb Freeman drew Tom
Hanley.

7/1/40 Birminham
Farmer Jones beat Mike Chacoma, Sugi Hayamaka be    at Larry TIlman, Jack Purdin drew
Chin Lee.

7/5/40 Birmingham
Babe Zaharias beat Jim Henry, Dorv Roche beat Herb Freeeman, Tom Hanley beat Mike
Fraley.

7/8/40 Birmingham
George Becker beat Rex Mobley, Chin Lee drew Frankie Hill, Jack Curtis beat Billy McEuin
dq.

7/12/40 Birmingham
Tom Hanely beat Babe Zaharias, Dorv Roche beat Marvin Jones, JIm Henry drew Jack
Kennedy.

7/15/40 Birmingham
Chin Lee & Farmer Jones beat Otto Ludwig & Count Von Zuppe, Yaqui Joe beat Jack Curtis.

7/19/40 Birmingham
Babe Zaharias beat Tom Hanley, JIm Henry beat Marvin Jones, Jack Kennedy drew Herb
Freeman.

7/22/40 Birmingham
Farmer Jones & Chin Lee beat Carlos ROdriguez & Otto Ludwig, Yaqui Joe beat Larry
Tillman.

7/30/40 Birmingham
Frankie Hill beat Carlos Rodriguez dq, Jack Purdin beat Roy Welch, Charlie Keene drew Billy
McEuin.

8/2/40 Birmingham
Dorv Roche beat Dick Lever, TOm Hanely drew Jack Kennedy, Jim Henry beat Herb
Freeman.

8/5/40 Birmingham
Farmer Jones beat George Becker, Yaqui Joe beat Otto Ludwig COR, Charlie     Keene beat
Bob Corby dq.

8/12/40 Birmingham
George Becker drew Farmer Jones 2 hours no falls, Frankie Hill beat Jack Purdin, Billy
McEuinn beat Charlie Keene COR.

8/16/40 Birmingham
Dorv Roche & Jack Kennedy beat Dick Lever & Jim Wright, JIm Henry drew Ray Villmer.

8/19/40 Birmingham
Farmer Jones & Joe Banaski beat Jack Purdin & Billy McEunn, Tuffy CLeet beat Frankie Hill.

8/23/40 Birmingham
Jim Wright beat Dorv Roche, Ray Villmer beat Jack Kennedy, Powerhouse Sexton beat Dick
Lever.

8/28/40 Birmingham
Chin Lee & Frankie Hill beat Tuffy CLeet & Carlos Rodriguez dq, Red Tornado beat Bob
Corby.

8/30/40 Birmingham
Powerhouse Sexton beat Jim Wright, Jack Kennedy beat Goon Henry, AL Lovelock beat Ray
Villmer.

9/2/40 Birmingham
Tuffy Cleet & Carlos Rodriguez beat Frankie Hill & Chin Lee dq, Joe Banaski drwe Red
Tornado.

9/9/40 Birmingham
Tuffy Cleet & Carlos Rodriguez beat Jack Purdin & Otto Ludwig, GOrilla Pogi beat Joe
Banaski.

9/13/40 Birmingham
Orville Brown beat Jim Henry, Jack Kennedy drew AL Lovel    ock, Powerhouse Sexton beat
Ray Villmer.

9/23/40 Birmingham
George Becker beat Tuffy Cleet dq, Mike CHacoma beat Billy McEuin, Flash Clifford beat
Jack Purdin dq.

10/7/40 Birmingham
Mike Chacoma beat George Becker.

10/22/40 Birmingham
George Becker beat Jack Purdin, Mike Chacoma beat Al Szasz, Sugi Hayamaka beat Red
TOrnado (Unmasked as Frankie Clemons.

11/4/40 Birmingham
Farmer Jones beat Jack Purdin, Flash Clifford beat Otto Ludwig dq, Prince Omar beat Sugi
Hayamaka.

11/21/40 Birmingham
George Becker    ébeat Mike Chacoma dq, AL Szasz beat Jack Purdin, Flash Clifford drew
Frankie Hill.

11/25/40 Birmingham
Farmer Jones beat Mike Chacoma loser pushes wheelbarrow Purdin had to push Chacoma
down the street in a wheelbarrow, Rex Mobley beat Flash Clifford, Frankie Hill beat Jack
Purdin.

12/9/40 Birmingham
Farmer Jones beat Rex Mobley, George Becker beat Mike Chacoma, Frankie Hill beat
Charlie Keene.

12/16/40 Birmingham
Rex Mobley drew Farmer Jones, George Becker beat Frankie Hill, Gorilla Grubmyer beat
Mike Chacoma.

Lou Nyman wrestled earlier in the year as Shoulders Newman. Farmer Jones & Frankie Hill
were The Murdoch Brothers Paul & Frankie.

Compiled and submitted by Mike Rodgers, 2018.

Birmingham Wrestling Results - 1940