Bridgeport Wrestling Results

Bridgeport, Connecticut: Friday, January 3, 1941
(The Mosque) … Steve Passas b. Fred Carone (18:55) … Benny Rosen b. Karol
Krauser (dec., 30:00) … Fritz Wallick b. Otto Brill (dec., 30:00) … Michele Leone and
John Melas drew (30:00) … (promoter: Joe Smith) … (matchmaker: Jack Pfefer) …
(referee: Charlie Winters)
Note: Brill was called the “Red Demon.”

Bridgeport, Connecticut: Friday, January 10, 1941
(The Mosque) … Oki Shikina b. Steve Passas (DQ in the fourth round) (Australian
rules match) … Jesse James b. Otto Brill (25:10) … Fred Carone and Benny Rosen
drew (30:00) … Benito Gardini and Fritz Wallick drew (30:00) … (promoter: Joe Smith)
… (matchmaker: Jack Pfefer) … (referee: Babe Caddock)
Notes: The Bridgeport Telegram stated that Australian rules of wrestling “may be used
when and if the professional mat game is revived at Madison Square Garden.” It
consisted of six rounds of ten minutes each. The wrestlers had a minute rest between
rounds. If the match goes six rounds without a fall, the referee or judges would name a
winner or declare the bout a draw.

Bridgeport, Connecticut: Friday, January 17, 1941
(The Mosque) … Fritz Wallick b. Fred Carone (DQ) (Wallick was a substitute for Jesse
James) … Benito Gardini b. John Melas (27:30) … Tony Milano b. John Vanski (18:15)
… Mike Haller b. Lou Farino (22:25) … (promoter: Joe Smith) … (matchmaker: Jack
Pfefer) … (referee: Charlie Winters)
Notes: Al Norcus was originally slated to wrestle Fritz Zeigfried on this show.

Bridgeport, Connecticut: Friday, January 24, 1941
(The Mosque) … Oki Shikina vs. Frtiz Wallick … Lou Farino vs. The Masked Swedish
Mystery … Benito Gardini vs. Mike Haller … Michele Leone vs. John Vanski …
(promoter: Joe Smith) … (matchmaker: Jack Pfefer)
Note: Due to a storm, this show was cancelled.

Bridgeport, Connecticut: Friday, January 31, 1941
(The Mosque) … Oki Shikina b. Fritz Wallick (35:40) … The Swedish Mystery b. Tony
Milano (16:21) … Benito Gardini b. Lou Farino (31:40) … Al Norcus b. John Vanski …
(promoter: Joe Smith) … (matchmaker: Jack Pfefer)
Note: The “Swedish Mystery,” a masked grappler, wore a yellow mask and purple
tights.

Bridgeport, Connecticut: Friday, February 7, 1941
(The Mosque) … The Swedish Mystery b. Oki Shikina (22:20) … Benito Gardini and
John Melas drew (30:00) … Jesse Apollo and Mendel Singer drew … Michele Leone b.
Lou Farino (21:00) … (promoter: Joe Smith) … (matchmaker: Jack Pfefer) …
(referee: Doc Fishman)
Notes: Singer was called the “Jewish dropkick artist.” The Swedish Mystery stood 6’3”
and weighed upwards of 230.

Bridgeport, Connecticut: Friday, February 14, 1941
(The Mosque) … The Swedish Mystery b. Mendel Singer (24:40) … Lou Farino and
John Vanski wrestled to a no contest (10:00) … Mike Haller b. Tony Milano (16:50)
(Milano was a substitute for Jesse Apollo) … Mike Haller b. Al Norcus (27:00) …
(promoter: Joe Smith) … (matchmaker: Jack Pfefer) … (referee: Charlie Winters)
Note: The referee reportedly stopped the Farino-Vanski bout after “ten minutes of
slow action.”

Bridgeport, Connecticut: Friday, February 28, 1941
(The Mosque) … World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Bruns vs. Mike Haller … Count
Carl Von Zuppe vs. Zim Zam Zum … Jesse Apollo vs. Al Norcus … Johnny Melas vs.
Tony Milano … (promoter: Joe Smith) … (matchmaker: Jack Pfefer)
Notes: According to the February 28, 1941 edition of the Bridgeport Telegram, “the
[world heavyweight championship] belt, a handsome and coveted prize, figured highly
in mat hostilities at the State street battle-pit last season and the one before. But
Bruns carried it away with him last February after defending it against several
challengers, and it hasn’t been back here since. Bruns won the belt from Maurice
Boyer, the Frenchman, who in turn had taken it from Karol Krausser.” Haller reportedly
had “trained diligently in New York City for the past ten days in preparation” for the title
match. Von Zuppe “claims to be an Austrian nobleman and wears a monocle into the
ring.” Norcus was a Lithuanian grapplers. Bruns was often billed as being from South
Africa. This show was cancelled due to a snow storm. The next program was slated
for March 10.

Bridgeport, Connecticut: Monday, March 10, 1941
(The Mosque) … World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Bruns and The Swedish Angel
drew (60:00) (1-1) … Fred Carone b. Count Carl Von Zuppe (17:35) (Von Zuppe was
unable to continue) … Benny Rosen b. Tony Milano (15:50) … Jesse Apollo and
Michele Leone drew … (promoter: Joe Smith) … (matchmaker: Jack Pfefer) …
(referee: Charlie Winters)
Note: Winters was from Hartford.

Bridgeport, Connecticut: Monday, March 17, 1941
(The Mosque) … World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Bruns b. Michele Leone (28:20)
… Martin “The Blimp” Levy b. Benny Rosen (5:35) … Popeye the Swedish Angel b.
Fred Carone (35:40) … Jesse Apollo b. Count Carl Von Zuppe … (promoter: Joe
Smith) … (matchmaker: Jack Pfefer)
Notes: Rosen was reportedly married in New York City “several hours before his
appearance” here. Promoter Joe Smith “indicated that he may discontinue his
wrestling programs for the remainder of the season” after “another small crowd turned
out.” No shows through the end of the month in Bridgeport.

Danbury, Connecticut: Tuesday, March 25, 1941
(Young Men’s Catholic Club Hall) … Martin “The Blimp” Levy vs. The Swedish Angel

Research by Tim Hornbaker
February 27, 2008

Bridgeport Wrestling Results - 1941