Boston Wrestling Territory
Brief History:
Background:
National Wrestling Alliance Members:
Paul Bowser was admitted to the National Wrestling Alliance at the convention in November 1949.
Miscellaneous Notes and Milestones:
On February 2, 1928, future World Heavyweight champion and Paul Bowser superstar Gus Sonnenberg made his Boston debut at the Grand Opera House. Sonnenberg toppled Charlie Donnell in less than two-minutes, leaving an early impression on fans.
Biographies:
Paul Bowser Biography
Obituaries:
63 year old William H. Coupe, once a claimant to the lightweight championship of the United States, died on March 30, 1923 in Philadelphia. Coupe was also a physical instructor for a number of years.
In 1916, John Olin (Johan Fredrik Olin) captured a claim to the World Heavyweight championship after a controversial bout with Joe Stecher in Springfield, Massachusetts. Olin, Finnish born, resided in Worcester during his stay in the United States, and wrestled as a professional for several years. He died on February 3, 1928 in Inkoo, Finland.
Wrestler Stan Stasiak (Ignacy Stasiak) died of septicaemia on September 13, 1931 in Belleville, Ontario. Stasiak was one of Boston promoter Paul Bowser's leading superstars during the 1920s. Born on July 2, 1891 in Russia, Stasick worked as an assembler for the Dodge Brothers in Detroit in the late 1910s. Standing upwards of 6'3" and weighing 240 pounds, Stasiak was a natural for the wrestling world and was very successful. At the time of his passing, he was a resident of Cambridge, where he lived in with his wife Isabella.
A Boston wrestling promoter, George Cyros, 34, died on November 20, 1936 after being struck by a car in Somerville.
Gus Sonnenberg, a man who helped revolutionize professional wrestling by introducing football-like tactics to the mat, passed away of leukemia on September 12, 1944 at the Bethesda, Maryland Naval Hospital. Sonnenberg was 44 years of age.
A former lightweight wrestler from Canada, Rene J. Vaillancourt died on June 24, 1950 at the age of 58 in Chicopee, Massachusetts.
Longtime Boston area promoter Tony Santos (Anthony Sannizzaro) died in Plymouth County, Massachusetts in October 1984.
On Friday, May 24, 1985, Tom Casey (Thomas Casey) died at Youville Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was 70 years old.
Steve Casey (Stephen Casey) was a six-time former World Heavyweight Champion. On January 10, 1987 at the age of 78, Casey passed away in Brockton, Massachusetts.
At one time a claimant to the world light heavyweight title, Johnny Balbo (John F. Balbo) of Quincy, Massachusetts, died in La Grange, Illinois on April 2, 1990. He was a past president of the Lions Club International. Balbo was 77.
Boston Wrestling Titles:
Boston Wrestling Results:
Boston Wrestling Results - 1876
Boston Wrestling Results - 1905
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