Denver, Colorado:  Monday, January 15, 1940
(Mammoth Garden) … Cliff Gustafson lost a handicap match against Chief Chewacki
and Roy Dunn (Gustafson had to beat both men in 30-minutes) (Gustafson b. Chewacki
in 14:45) (time-limit exceeded between Gustafson and Dunn) … Danno O’Mahoney b.
Jack Nylan (18:40) … Wladek Zbyszko b. Pat Kelly (17:25) … Elmer Wiggins b. Fred
Peltzer (6:35) … (promoter:  Joe Mohana) … (1,500 fans)
Notes:  Roy Dunn was said to have been “the first wrestler to pin [Everette] Marshall’s
shoulders to the mat for two falls [in his home state of Colorado] when he defeated the
former champion of the world here last month,” according to the Denver Post.  Also that
some fans had “proclaimed [Cliff] Gustafson as the greatest prospect in the wrestling
game since Ed (Strangler) Lewis.” Both Dunn and Gustafson “came up from the college
ranks to become contenders for Bronko Nagurski’s title.”

*Denver promoter Joe Mohana became suddenly ill on Sunday, January 21, 1940 with
an abdominal abscess.  He was admitted to St. Luke’s Hospital the following Saturday
and was in critical condition.  He had developed a blood clot and needed a transfusion,
but he was too sick for doctors to operate.

Denver, Colorado:  Monday, February 12, 1940
(Mammoth Garden) … Everette Marshall b. Joe Savoldi in 3:10 when the latter could not
continue due to a shoulder injury (Savoldi appeared with the injury) (Jack Connelly came
out and a second match started) … Everette Marshall b. Jack Connelly (2/3) (Connelly
won the first fall, Marshall won the second by disqualification, and Marshall won the third)
(Marshall was accompanied by Bill Williamson) (Connelly fought with fans after the
match) … Roy Dunn b. Danno O’Mahoney (26:30) … Warren Bockwinkel and Ivan
Managoff drew (30:00) … Ronald (Ronnie) Etchison and Ivan Jones drew (20:00) …
(referee:  Dan Darnell) … (3,000 fans)

Denver, Colorado:  Monday, March 4, 1940
(Mammoth Garden) … Roy Dunn b. Jack Connelly (2/3) … Ivan Managoff b. Walter
Sirios (18:55) … Ivan Jones and Tom Walsh drew … Chief Uno b. Phil Dawson (7:25) …
(referee:  Jack Bloom) … (1,500 fans)

Denver, Colorado:  Monday, March 11, 1940
(Mammoth Garden) … Ivan Managoff b. Jack Connelly (2/3) (Connelly won the first fall,
Managoff won the second and Managoff won the third by DQ) … Roy Dunn b. Mayes
McLain when the latter was unable to continue (2-0) (Dunn won the first fall in 29:45) …
Chief Uno and Ivan Jones drew … Walter Sirois b. Roland Etchison (19:20) … (referee:  
Dan Darnell) … (1,500 fans)

Englewood, Colorado:  Friday, March 29, 1940
(Pioneer Gym) … Walter Sirois b. Al Don George (12:00) (Sirois won the first fall and his
opponent could not continue for the second) … Bill Davison and Jerry Malone drew (45:
00) (1-1)

Denver, Colorado:  Monday, April 8, 1940
(Mammoth Garden) … Everette Marshall b. Jack Connelly (2/3) … Johnny Atkins and Al
George drew (20:00) … Ivan Managoff and Tom Zaharias drew (30:00) … Roy Dunn b.
Jim Parker (17:25) … (2,600 fans)

Denver, Colorado:  Monday, April 15, 1940
(Mammoth Garden) … Roy Dunn b. Jack Connelly (2/3) … Tom Zaharias b. Johnny
Atkins (10:25) … Ivan Managoff b. Jim Parker (15:35) … Del Kunkel b. Phil Dawson (14:
25)

Denver, Colorado:  Monday, April 29, 1940
(Mammoth Garden) … Everette Marshall b. Tom Zaharias when the latter was unable to
continue (Marshall won the first fall in 27:45) … The Angel (Billed as Denver’s Angel) b.
Jim Parker (2:25) … Roy Dunn b. Bad Boy Brown (2-0) (Dunn won the first fall by DQ) …
Jack Connelly b. Ivan Managoff (14:25)

Denver, Colorado:  Monday, May 13, 1940
(Mammoth Garden) … Roy Dunn and Everette Marshall drew (90:00) (no falls) … Jack
Connelly b. Tom Zaharias (5:50) … Bad Boy Brown b. Otto Schnabel (19:20) … Johnny
Atkins b. Al George (12:05)

Denver, Colorado:  Monday, May 27, 1940
(Mammoth Garden) … Everette Marshall b. Hans Schnabel (2-0) (-Marshall won the first
fall by disqualification in 22:15 and won the second fall by disqualification in 15-minutes)
… Roy Dunn b. Bad Boy Brown (2-0) … Jack Connelly b. Gene Bowman (16:55) … Jim
Parker and Tom Zaharias drew (20:00) … (referee:  Jack Bloom)

Denver, Colorado:  Monday, June 10, 1940
(City Auditorium) … Everette Marshall b. Hans Schnabel (2/3) … Roy Dunn b. Jack
Connelly (20:00) … Jim Parker and Walter Sirois drew … Bad Boy Brown b. Otto
Schnabel (12:00)

Denver, Colorado:  Monday, June 17, 1940
(Cathedral Gym) … Jack Connelly and Hans Schnabel drew (90:00) … Walter Sirois b.
Kali (Ali?) Baba (10:45) … Jim Parker b. Bad Boy Brown (DQ) … Ivan Jones and Lee
Myers drew (20:00)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, June 28, 1940
(Merchants Park) … Roy Dunn b. Hans Schnabel (2/3) … Jack Connelly b. Walter Sirois
… Jim Parker b. Bad Boy Brown … Lee Myers b. Dick Letts

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, July 26, 1940
(Merchants Park) … Everette Marshall b. Seelie Samara (billed as Samar) (2/3) … Jack
Connelly b. Bad Boy Brown (8:55) … Johnny Atkins b. Lee Myers (15:00) … Walter
Sirois b. Chief Uno (10:33)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, August 16, 1940
(Merchants Park) … Everette Marshall b. Seelie Samara (2-0) … Roy Dunn b. Chief
Osley Saunooke (DQ) … Jack Connelly b. Slim Zimbleman … Rudy Kay and Mayes
McLain drew (20:00)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, August 30, 1940
(Merchants Park) … Chief Osley Saunooke b. Jack Connelly (2/3) … Rudy Kay b. Slim
Zimbleman (19:15) … Mayes McLain and Seelie Samara drew (30:00) … Dobie Osborn
b. Jack Kogut (8:35)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, September 13, 1940
(Merchants Park) … Everette Marshall b. Chief Osley Saunooke (DQ in the third fall) …
Jack Connelly and Rudy Kay drew (45:00) … Mayes McLain and Seelie Samara drew
(30:00) … Bob Ford b. Dobie Osborn

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, September 20, 1940
(City Auditorium) … Everette Marshall b. Chief Osley Saunooke (2/3) … Seelie Samara
b. Rudy Kay (41:08) … Jack Connelly b. Dobie Osborn (16:34) … Mayes McLain b. Slim
Zimbleman

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, October 3, 1940
(Gem Theater) … Chief Osley Saunooke b. Mayes McLain (2/3) … Seelie Samara b.
Jack Connelly (dec., 45:00) … Slim Zimbleman b. Dobie Osborn (decision) … Joe
Campbell b. Rudy Kay (DQ) (19:10) … (promoter:  Jack Kanner) … (referee:  Jack
Bloom)

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, October 10, 1940
(Gem Theater) … Seelie Samara b. Chief Osley Saunooke (2/3) … Rudy Kay b. Joe
Campbell (Campbell was unable to continue after the second fall due to a knee injury) …
Mayes McLain b. Dobie Osborn (flying tackls) … Bob Ford and Slim Zimbleman drew (20:
00) … (promoter:  Jack Kanner)

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, October 17, 1940
(Gem Theater) … Roy Dunn and Seelie Samara drew (90:00) (no falls) … Mayes
McLain b. Chief Osley Saunooke (DQ) … Rudy Kay b. Dobie Osborn … Joe Campbell b.
Slim Zimbelman (11:13) … (promoter:  Jack Kanner)

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, October 24, 1940
(Gem Theater) … Wladislaw Talun b. Mayes McLain (2-0) … Joe Campbell b. Rudy Kay
(DQ) (33:45) … Howard Burnell b. Dobie Osborn (16:21) (flying tackle) … Chief
Saunooke b. Slim Zimbleman (15:14) … (promoter:  Jack Kanner) … (referee:  Dan
Darnell)
Notes:  Wladislaw Talun and Howard Burnell were accompanied by Stanislaus Zbyszko.  
Talun, Zbyszko said, was “undoubtedly” the uncrowned heavyweight champion of the
world.  He said that he had trained him and that he was “very good.” Talun was
reportedly 6’6” and 303 pounds, “with not an ounce of fat,” and was called “a classy
matman.” Burnell was called a former Oklahoma A&M star.  The Rocky Mountain News
stated that “Burnell was one of the best wrestlers ever produced at the Oklahoma
college, which is noted for its mat talent.” Burnell was also trained by Zbyszko.

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, October 31, 1940
(Gem Theater) … Wladislaw Talun b. Chief Saunooke (13:20) … Howard Burnell and
Joe Campbell drew (60:00) (1-1) … Seelie Samara b. Walter Sirois (DQ) … Mayes
McLain b. Dobie Osborn (8:27) … (promoter:  Jack Kanner) … (referee:  Jack Bloom)
Notes:  After the main event, Zbyszko challenged any wrestler in the world on behalf of
Talun.  Burnell and Campbell were said to have wrestled a scientific match.

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, November 7, 1940
(Gem Theater) … Howard Burnell b. Walter Sirois (2/3) (third fall by DQ) … Wladislaw
Talun b. Slim Zimbleman (1:45) (double leglock) … Mayes McLain and Chief Osley
Saunooke drew (20:00) … Seelie Samara b. Joe Campbell (3:10) (Campbell suffered a
knee injury and was unable to continue) … (promoter:  Jack Kanner) … (referee:  Dan
Darnell)
Note:  It was announced that Talun would face “Colorado champion” Everette Marshall
next week at the City Auditorium.

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, November 14, 1940
(City Auditorium) … Everette Marshall b. Wladislaw Talun (2/3) (third fall by DQ)
(Marshall had won the second fall by countout) … Roy Dunn and Seelie Samara drew
(45:00) … Rube Wright b. Chief Osley Saunooke (16:05) … Mayes McLain and Walter
Sirois drew (20:00) … (promoter:  Jack Kanner) … (referee:  Jack Dempsey) … (3,000
fans)
Notes:  Dempsey was making his first appearance in a Denver ring in 12 years and
received a “tremendous ovation.” The Dunn-Samara bout “lacked the customary
theatricals,” according to the Rocky Mountain News.  Wright was called a “newcomer
from Canada,” and said to be a claimant to the Canadian title.

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, November 21, 1940
(Gem Theater) … Everette Marshall and Rube Wright drew (60:00) … Seelie Samara b.
Walter Sirois (DQ) (11:25) … Mayes McLain b. Slim Zimbleman (5:45) (flying tackle) …
Joe Campbell and Jim Parker drew (20:00) … (promoter:  Jack Kanner) … (referee:  Dan
Darnell)

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, November 28, 1940
(Gem Theater) … Rube Wright b. Walter Sirois (2-0) (second fall by DQ) … Jack
Connelly b. Joe Campbell (12:40) … Mayes McLain b. Jim Parker (Parker was unable to
continue) … Ivan Jones b. Freddie Pelzer (17:06) … (promoter:  Jack Kanner)
Note:  Peltzer was trained by Everette Marshall.

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, December 5, 1940
(Gem Theater) … Rube Wright b. Mayes McLain (2/3) … Jack Connelly b. Sammy Burns
(9:45) … Walter Sirois b. Jim Parker (14:12) … Joe Campbell and Ivan Jones drew (20:
00) … (promoter:  Jack Kanner)
Notes:  According to the newspaper, Parker protested the fall in his bout, then
“threatened to whip every fan in the house for their verbal abuse.” Jones was from
Denver, Connelly from Boston, and Burns from Texas.  Another report stated that Burns
was from Brooklyn.

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, December 12, 1940
(Gem Theater) … Walter Sirois b. Jim Parker (2/3) (Sirois was awarded the third fall) …
Rube Wright b. Mayes McLain (31:08) … King Kong b. Joe Campbell (10:16) … Lou
Newman b. Lou Karlinko (Karline) (DQ) ... (promoter:  Jack Kanner) … (referee:  Dan
Darnell)
Notes:  King Kong was said to be the “Black Leopard” from Africa, weighing 225
pounds.  Lou (Leo) Karline was from Detroit.  The Sirois-Parker battle was between two
heels.

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, December 19, 1940
(Gem Theater) … King Kong and Walter Sirois drew (90:00) (1-1) … Lou Newman b.
Leo Karlinko (16:15) … Jim Parker b. Les Grimes (14:23) … Otto Oster b. Sammy Burns
(7:25) … (promoter:  Jack Kanner)
Note:  Oster was from Greeley, Colorado.

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, December 26, 1940
(Gem Theater) … Jack Connelly b. Walter Sirois … King Kong and Lou Newman drew
(60:00) … Jim Parker b. Leo Karlinko (17:42) … Jerry Malone and Otto Oster drew (20:
00) … (promoter:  Jack Kanner)

Note:  The Gem Theater was also called the Gem Arena.  It was at 1746 Curtis Street.

Research by Tim Hornbaker
November 9, 2007
Denver Wrestling Results - 1940