Columbus Wrestling Results

Lancaster, Ohio: January 15, 1917
Paul Bowser beat John Kilonis (70:00, decision) … (referee Al Haft, Young Gotch of
Columbus) … NOTE: Kilonis knocked a tooth out of Bowser’s face. Gotch said the match
should go on, but refused to officiate, and the police stopped the affair at that point.

Ohio State Journal: January 21, 1917
John Billiter won the world’s lightweight wrestling championship from Eugene Tremblay in
Cleveland, March 2, 1908. Sam Jordan was Billiter’s manager.

Ohio State Journal: January 24, 1917
Johnny Billiter saved a four year old girl’s life, from a street car in Toledo last Saturday.

Columbus, Ohio: January 26, 1917
(Athletic Club) … (non title) Al Haft (as Young Gotch) beat Johnny Billiter* (2-0) … Kid
Schimkols beat George Rider … Henry Tanberg beat Tom Tribby … Ted Wasserman drew
with H. Roby (8:00) … NOTE: Last three bouts were amateurs.

Ohio State Journal: February 11, 1917
Boxer Denver Frankie Murphy uses a special headgear in practice bouts. A picture is shown
of the headgear.

Ohio State Journal: February 15, 1917
Thor Olson is said to have won the International championship at 156 pounds, from Young
Hackenschmidt in 1910 at Boston.

Columbus, Ohio: February 19, 1917
(Coliseum) … (boxing card) Joe Rivers beat Frankie Murphy (ko-2 rounds)

Columbus, Ohio: February 22, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … Al Haft (as Young Gotch) beat Thor Olson* (2-1) (to
win the Lord Lonsdale belt for the International championship at 156 pounds) … (amateurs)
Ray Carpenter beat Harry Tannberg (2-0) … Lee Miller drew with G. Carson (15:00) …
NOTE: Bill Ellis was Haft’s manager and wrestling partner.

Columbus, Ohio: March 2, 1917
(YMCA) … Al Haft (as Young Gotch) vs Masked Marvel … plus amateur matches … (Al Haft
will referee one of the bouts.)

Columbus, Ohio: March 5, 1917
(Coliseum) … (boxing card) Jack Britton (world welterweight champion) vs Bryan Downey (no
decision-12 rounds) … Tex Fowser beat Johnny Celmar (dec.-10 rounds) … Cal White beat
Terry Ketchell (dec.-6 rounds) … (referees-Al Haft and Walter Hughes (main event and semi
final)

Columbus, Ohio: March 13, 1917
(Athletic Club) … Paul Bowser beat Wilfred Barrett (2-0, sub for John Kilonis) … (ladies) Cora
Livingston beat Grace Brady (2-1) … (amateurs) Walter Reiter beat John Schimkola

Columbus, Ohio: March 14, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … Al Haft (as Young Gotch) beat Frank Burns (2-1) …
(amateurs) H. Roby beat H. Wasserman (2-1) … Kenneth Teuschler (14 years old) drew with
Willard Teuschler (12 years old) (15:00)

Ohio State Journal: March 19, 1917
Promoters William Ellis and Al Haft are going to bring William Demetral to town.

Columbus, Ohio: March 19, 1917
(Coliseum) … (boxing card) Joe Rivers beat Johnnie O’Leary (tko-11 rounds) … Joe Thomas
drew with Terry Ketchell (10 rounds) … Cal White beat Kid O’Malley (ko-3 rounds) …
(referees-Al Haft-opener and Walter Hughes)

Ohio State Journal: March 28, 1917
Two years ago the twenty-seventh of last month, Renato Gardini left Liverpool, England,
working in the engine room of a English ship, and made his way to America.

Columbus, Ohio: March 29, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … William Demetral beat Renato Gardini (2-0) …
(amateurs) Clyde Hinton beat Paul Kuhns (2-0) … (amateurs) Red Webber beat Fred Meir
(10:00, dec.) … NOTE: Demetral called Dan McLeod, the best wrestler of all time in a story.

Columbus, Ohio: April 11, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … William Demetral beat Charles Olsen (as Olson, 2-0)
… (amateurs) Clyde Hinton (as Carl) beat J. Armstrong … Red Webber beat A. Keifer … Red
Webber beat Clyde Hinton (won tournament for city amateur lightweight title) … Bob Derr
beat Tom Pappas

Columbus, Ohio: April 19, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … William Demetral beat Leo Pardello (2-0) … Ed Derr
drew with George Chenoweth (6:00, both were pupils of Al Haft) … Glen Beaver drew with
Clarence Nunamaker (10:00) … Clyde Hinton beat Ed Dysart … Mike Nickaravor drew with
Art Keefer … NOTE: The last 4 matches were amateurs. Clarence Nunamaker was often
seen as a referee on women tapes in the 1950s.

Ohio State Journal: April 22, 1917
Al Haft became the manager of William Demetral last week.

Columbus, Ohio: May 3, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … (toe hold barred) William Demetral beat Mort
Henderson (2-1) … Hal Chenoweth drew with Ray Carpenter (15:00) … Clyde Hinton beat Ed
(J) Whitehead … Bob Derr beat Mike Nickafose … (3 amateur matches)

Columbus, Ohio: May 16, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … (toe hold barred) Charles Olsen beat Mort Henderson
(2-1) … Al Haft (as Young Gotch) beat Johnny Billiter (25:45) … (amateurs) Clyde Hinton
beat Art Kiefer (6:00, decision) … (Dr. Scott of Lancaster-referee)

Columbus, Ohio: May 24, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … (handicap match, Linow must defeat both in 90:00)
Ivan Linow beat Charles Olsen (32:38), but Ivan Linow failed to throw William Demetral in time
limit … (amateur 135 pound tournament) with Clyde Hinton, Art Kiefer, J. Whitehead and C.
Dysart … (amateurs) Clarence Nonemaker vs Frank Norton (6:00) … NOTE: In the handicap
bout Dementral started first for 51:45. Olsen replace him until defeated. Then Demetral
returned for the 5:27 remaining. Columbus had these handicap rules in several handicap
contests over the years.

Columbus, Ohio: June 1, 1917
(YMCA) … (amateur tournament) … (125#) Dysert beat Nomemaker … (125#) Hinton beat
Moyer … (final) Hinton beat Erk … (135#) (final) Fishbaugh beat Beardsley … Fishbaugh
beat Boso … Beardsley beat McGath … NOTE: William Demetral drove from Chicago to
referee. However he was tired and served as a judge with William Ellis. Dr. Scott served as
the referee.

Columbus, Ohio: June 6, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … William Demetral beat Ivan Linow (2-1) … R. Miller
beat K. Erk (dec.) … J. Whitehead beat Clyde Hinton … (final) Clyde Hinton beat J.
Whitehead … (115# class) A. Hammel vs Clarence Nonemaker … (4 amateur bouts) …
NOTE: Demetral scored both falls, using his toehold.

Ohio State Journal: June 21, 1917
Gotch (Haft) since coming to Columbus eight years ago, has met defeat once, which is a
record to be proud of.

Columbus, Ohio: June 21, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … (World Greek title) William Demetral* beat George
Kotsonaros (2-1) … Matty Matsuda drew with Al Haft (as Young Gotch, 30:00) … (amateurs)
C. Sisson drew with H. Buckenberger (6:00) … (referee-Dr. Scott)

Columbus, Ohio: July 4, 1917
(Goodale Street Airdome) … William Demetral beat Yussiff Hussane (0-0, utc) … (amateurs)
Hal Chenoweth beat Ray Carpenter … W. Skeen drew with H. Wasserman (1-1)

Battle Creek, Michigan: July 4, 1917
(world middleweight claimant) Billy Schober vs Matty Matsuda

Columbus, Ohio: July 13, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … Al Haft (as Young Gotch) beat Matty Matsuda (2-1) …
(handicap match) John Pappas failed to throw Ray Carpenter (twice in 20:00, won 1 fall only)
… Leslie Fishbaugh beat Clyde Hinton … NOTE: This will be Haft’s last card for awhile as he
is going for second officers reserve corps. At Fort Benjamin Harrison, along with his partner,
William Ellis.

Clolumbus, Ohio: August 1917
No Wrestling

Ohio State Journal: September 2, 1917
Young Gotch has returned from a week’s trip to Michigan, where he won three matches in
five nights. He defeated Frank Sterling, Bull Jordon and Fred Bartle.

Columbus, Ohio: September 7, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … Al Haft (as Young Gotch) beat Matty Matsuda (2-0) …
(amateurs) (handicap match) Hal Chenoweth beat John Tallman and Herb Buckenberger …
Leslie Fishbaugh beat Jimmy Whitehead (sub for Clyde Hinton) … (ropes used for first time)

Columbus, Ohio: September 19, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … William Demetral beat Dr. Roller (2-1) …(amateurs)
Dave Buckenberger beat Al Kiefer … Jimmy Whitehead beat J. Myers … (referee-Dr. Scott)
… NOTE: After losing the first fall in 60:53, Demetral rallied to win falls in 7:04 and 9:34)

Columbus, Ohio: September 26, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … Ivan Linow beat Tom Draak (2-1) … Al Haft (as
Young Gotch) drew with Gene Lawrence (sub for John Daniels, 30:00) … (amateurs) Lou
Tomb beat Ed Hamilton … (referee-Dr. Scott) … (fair sized house)

Columbus, Ohio: October 12, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … (handicap match with headlock barred) Ed “Strangler”
Lewis beat Carl Sampson (as the Unknown) (36:21) Ed “Strangler” Lewis failed to throw Ivan
Linow in the rest of 75:00 time limit … (amateurs) Theodore Senadoras beat Cy Delinger
(dec.) … Hal Buckenberger beat Carlo Cardoni … (final for the city lightheavyweight
championship) Theodore Senadoras beat Hal Buckenberger … (exhibition) Promoters Al Haft
and Bill Ellis showed various holds … NOTE: This was Lewis’ first Columbus bout and he was
a title claimant.

Columbus, Ohio: October 25, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … Jim Londos beat Chief War Eagle (2-0) … Matty
Matsuda beat Young Jordan (30:00, decision) … (amateurs) Jimmy Whiteheat beat Al Kiefer
(10:00, decision) … NOTES: Londos was managed by Bill Barton here. This Chief War Eagle
was said to be a Sioux. There were several wrestlers with that name.

Columbus, Ohio: November 8, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … (toe hold barred) William Demetral drew with Ivan
Linow (0-0, 2:39:22) … Matty Matsuda beat Young Jordan (2-0) … (amateurs) Clyde Hinton
beat John Tallman … NOTE: J.C. Marsh appeared on the stage before the main event and
challenged any wrestler in America, on behalf of Marin Plestina. He will put up $1,000 in this
quest. He also said that Plestina would throw both Demetral and Linow in one hour, or give
$500 to the Red Cross. Future stories had Plestina at the card, ready to face both that same
night.

Columbus, Ohio: November 12, 1917
(Memorial Hall) … (boxing card) Bryan Downey beat Young Denny (dec.-12 rounds) … Eddie
Hazel drew with Joe Barr (10 rds) … Eddie Erb drew with Phil Catiline (4 rds) … (referees-
Walter Hughes and Al Haft, who worked the opener)

Columbus, Ohio: November 15, 1917
(title claimant) Wladek Zbyszko beat Demetrius Tofalos (2-0) … (amateurs) Earl Scisson drew
with Dave Jolson (10:00) … Clyde Hinton beat Ed West (6:00, dec.) … Walter Harris beat
Jimmy Whitehead … (handicap match) Clyde Hinton beat Ed Martin (2-0)

Columbus, Ohio: November 28, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … Marin Plestina beat John Freberg (2-0, 50:30, 14:30)
… Al Haft (as Young Gotch) drew with Mad Cody Fleming (30:00) … (amateurs) Cliff Binckley
beat Lee Miller … H. Buckenberger beat C. Eckert … (Dr. Scott-referee) … NOTE: J.C.
Marsh offered for Plestina to throw William Demetral 10 times in 1 hour, or forfeit $500 to
some charity.

Columbus, Ohio: December 7, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … Al Haft (as Young Gotch) beat Mad Cody Fleming (2-
0) … Matty Matsuda drew with Silent Olson (30:00) … (amateurs) Al Buckingham beat Louis
Hamilton (11:00, dec.) … Ed Lake beat Fred Hammell … (referees Dr. Scott and Matty
Matsuda, who handled the main bout when Fleming objected to Scott working it)

Columbus, Ohio: December 21, 1917
(Chamber of Commerce Auditorium) … William Demetral beat Paul Bowser (2-0, 47:48, 0:32)
… (ladies) Cora Livingston beat Grace Brady … (amateurs) Leslie Fishbaugh beat Clyde
Hinton (2-0) … (handicap match) Theodore Senadenos beat Charles Solomon and Harry
Eckert

NOTE: In many of the amateur matches, the Ohio State Journal didn’t make much effort to
straighten out the first names of the wrestlers. This H. Buckenberger was a good example.

Research by Don Luce

Columbus Wrestling Results - 1917

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