Denver Wrestling Results

*At some point, Tom Zaharias took over the regular operations of the Denver promotion
from his brother George.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, January 3, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Eddie Paquette b. Tarzan White to capture the Rocky Mountain
Heavyweight Title (2/3) … George Bruckman and Jim “Goon” Henry wrestled George Craig
and Danny Loos to a draw (1-1) … Keith Bowen and Jimmy Ray drew … Ivan Jones b. Vern
Pugh (DQ)
Note: Keith Bowen was said to be the “Colorado School of Mines mat coach.”

Denver, Colorado: Monday, January 10, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … George Craig b. Eddie Paquette to capture the Rocky Mountain
Heavyweight Title (2/3) … Danny Loos b. George Bruckman (2/3) … Benny Fernandez and
Jimmy Ray drew … Jim “Goon” Henry b. Vern Pugh

Denver, Colorado: Monday, January 17, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Joe Millich b. George Craig to capture the Rocky Mountain
Heavyweight Title (2/3) … Violet Viann b. Nell Stewart … Mae Weston b. Lillian Ellison …
Danny Loos b. Eddie Paquette (DQ) … George Bruckman and Jimmy Ray drew

Denver, Colorado: Monday, January 24, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Nell Stewart and Mae Weston b. Lillian Ellison and Violet Viann (2/3)
… Joe Millich b. Neil Warren (2-0) … George Craig and Eddie Paquette drew … Jimmy Ray
b. Vern Pugh

Denver, Colorado: Monday, January 31, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … The Zahararies (Babe and Chris Zaharias) vs. Danny Loos and Joe
Millich (2/3) … George Craig vs. Eddie Paquette … Jimmy Ray vs. Neil Warren … Benny
Fernandez vs. Vern Pugh
Notes: Craig was billed as being from Tulsa, Warren from St. Joseph, Ray from Omaha,
and Pugh of Denver.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, February 7, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Rocky Mountain Heavyweight Champion Joe Millich b. The Golden
Terror (DQ) … George Craig and Danny Loos drew (1-1) … Chief Lone Wolf b. Jimmy Ray
… Benny Fernandez b. Eddie Paquette … (referee: Marvin Franz)

Denver, Colorado: Monday, February 14, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Rocky Mountain Heavyweight Champion Joe Millich vs. The Golden
Terror … Danny Loos vs. Eddie Paquette … George Craig vs. Jimmy Ray … Chief Lone
Wolf vs. The Yellow Terror

Denver, Colorado: Friday, February 18, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Gorgeous George b. George Craig (2-0) … The Golden Terror vs.
Danny Loos … Howard Cantonwine vs. Joe Millich … Eddie Paquette vs. Jimmy Ray
Notes: This show marked Gorgeous George’s Denver debut. An organ played an “off-key
graduation march” as George made his way to the ring. He was accompanied by his valet,
Jackson.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, March 7, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Jimmy Ray and Sing Sing Talun b. George Craig and Joe Millich
(2/3) … Danny Loos b. Fred Wright (2/3) (decision) … Ray Duran b. Vern Pugh … Chief
Lone Wolf and Tiny Porter drew
Note: Fred Wright was said to be from New Zealand.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, March 14, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Rocky Mountain Heavyweight Champion Joe Millich b. Fred Wright
(2-0) … Ray Duran b. Danny Loos (2/3) … George Craig and Taro Ito drew .. Tiny Porter
b. Benny Fernandez

Denver, Colorado: Monday, March 21, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Primo Carnera b. Sing Sing Talun (2/3) … Joe Millich b. George
Craig (2-0) … Fred Wright b. Jimmy Ray (decision) … Ray Duran b. Chief Lone Wolf …
(near capacity crowd)

Denver, Colorado: Monday, March 28, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … The Blimp and Joe Millich b. Jimmy Ray and Sing Sing Talun (2/3)
… Ray Duran b. Taro Ito (2/3) … Danny Loos b. Tiny Porter … Benny Fernandez b. Tony
Charney

Denver, Colorado: Monday, April 4, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Lillian Ellison vs. Elvira Snodgrass … Catherine Simpson vs.
Therese Theis … Joe Millich vs. Ray Duran … Danny Loos vs. Chris Zaharias … The Black
Panther vs. Jack Conley
Notes: Ellison was said to be from Columbia, South Carolina and Simpson was from
Atlanta. Theis was a former ice skater.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, April 11, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Lillian Ellison and Elvira Snodgrass vs. Catherine Simpson and
Theresa Theis … Ray Duran vs. Danny Loos … Jack Conley vs. Chris Zaharias … The
Black Panther vs. Jimmy Ray

Denver, Colorado: Monday, April 18, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Gorgeous George b. Joe Millich to capture the Rocky Mountain
Heavyweight Title (2/3) … The Black Panther b. Ray Duran (2/3) … Taro Ito b. Daniel
Boone (DQ) … Danny Loos and Chris Zaharias drew … (3,000 fans)
Notes: The Denver Post stated that George “added the Rocky Mountain regional wrestling
championship to his list of titles.”

Denver, Colorado: Monday, April 25, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … The Blimp vs. Joe Millich … The Black Panther and Danny Loos vs.
Ray Duran and Chris Zaharias … Daniel Boone vs. Vern Pugh … Tony Chavez vs. Taro Ito

Denver, Colorado: Monday, May 2, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … The Black Panther and Joe Millich b. The Blimp and Daniel Boone
(2-0) … Danny Loos b. Jack Conley (dec., 45:00) (1-1) … Benny Fernandez b. Taro Ito
(DQ) … Vern Pugh b. Jimmy Ray (decision)

Denver, Colorado: Monday, May 9, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Danny Loos b. Jack Conley (2-0) … Joe Millich and Ede Virag drew
(45:00) … The Black Panther b. Daniel Boone … Benny Fernandez b. Jimmy Ray

Denver, Colorado: Monday, May 16, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Ede Virag b. Joe Millich (1-0) (Millich suffered an injury when his
head struck the mat during a piledriver) (he was reportedly knocked out and revived in the
dressing room) … The Black Panther and Danny Loos b. Taro Ito and Jimmy Ray … Benny
Fernandez b. Danny Solis … Benny Fernandez and Vern Pugh drew
Notes: Millich was taken to Denver Presbyterian hospital where a Colorado State Athletic
Commission representative, Dr. Karl F. Sunderland, said he had suffered “edma – a form
of strangulation,” according to the Denver Post.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, May 23, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Danny Dusek vs. Ede Virag … Stan Karolyi vs. Maurice Tillet … The
Black Panther vs. Ivan Roberts … Jimmy Ray vs. Joe Tasnady
Notes: Virag was called a “former Olympic champion,” and was traveling with Stan Karolyi,
the “European champion.” Joe Tasnady “of Belgium” may have also been on tour with the
duo.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, May 30, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Tony Galento b. Danny Dusek (2-0) … Taro Ito and Jimmy Ray b.
The Black Panther and Benny Fernandez (2/3) … Kostas Davelis and Danny Loos drew
(20:00) … Ivan Jones b. Albert Solis

Denver, Colorado: Monday, June 6, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Chief Little Wolf and Tony Galento b. Danny Dusek and Jimmy Ray
… The Black Panther and Kostas Davelis drew (45:00) (1-1) … Taro Ito and Danny Loos
drew … Benny Fernandez b. Albert Solis (16:14)
Notes: The Denver Post reported that “wrestling will resume at Mammoth Garden Aug. 29,
Zaharias announced. The shutdown is the first in five years of Zaharias promotion here.”

*A search found no program on or around August 29, 1949.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, September 19, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Nell Stewart vs. Shirley Strimple … Lillian Ellison vs. Rosita Rosales
… Johnny Swenski vs. Chris Zaharias … Ray Duran vs. Earl Wampler … Kostas Davelis vs.
Jimmy Ray
Note: Season opener.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, September 26, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Lillian Ellison and Shirley Strimple b. Rosita Rosales and Nell
Stewart … Johnny Swenski b. Ray Duran (2/3) … Earl Wampler b. Kostas Davelis … Chris
Zaharias b. Benny Fernandez
Notes: Benny Fernandez was from Trinidad, Colorado.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, October 3, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Johnny Swenski and Tarzan White b. Jimmy Ray and Chris Zaharias
… Danny Loos b. Bad Boy Brown (DQ) … Ray Duran b. The Black Panther … Garza
Lazano b. Paul Stafford

*It was reported in the local newspaper that Eddie Bohn, Colorado State Athletic
Commission chairman, was going to attend the National Boxing Association convention
beginning November 13, 1949 in Miami. He was said to be a member of the NBA
championship committee.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, October 10, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Johnny Swenski and Tarzan White vs. Ray Duran and Garza
Lazano … three other matches

Denver, Colorado: Monday, October 17, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Ginger the Wrestling Bear b. Bad Boy Brown (7:51) … Johnny
Swenski b. Chris Zaharias (2/3) … Danny Loos b. Tarzan White … Jimmy Ray b. Lester
Welch … (3,000+ fans)
Note: Welch was traveling with Ginger.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, October 24, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Ginger the Wrestling Bear and Lester Welch vs. Jimmy Ray and
Chris Zaharias … Bad Boy Brown vs. Johnny Swenski … Emir Badui vs. Danny Loos …
Ray Duran vs. Paul Stafford

Denver, Colorado: Monday, October 31, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Bad Boy Brown b. Chris Zaharias (2/3) (third fall by DQ) … Ray
Duran b. Emir Badui (2/3) … Benny Fernandez and Danny Loos b. Jack Bell and Paul
Stafford

*In the Tuesday, November 1, 1949 edition of the Denver Post, it was reported, via the
Associated Press, that wrestlers Orville Brown and Robert Bruns were “injured severely
early Tuesday” in a car accident three miles north of Eagleville, Missouri. The two
wrestlers were returning to Kansas City from Des Moines, where they had wrestled.

Denver, Colorado: Monday, November 7, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … June Byers b. Violet Viann (2/3) … Benny Fernandez and Danny
Loos b. “Roughhouse” Davis and Chris Zaharias … The Black Panther b. Paul Stafford …
Bad Boy Brown and Ray Duran drew (20:00) … (promoter: Tom Zaharias) … (3,500 fans)

Denver, Colorado: Monday, November 14, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Bad Boy Brown b. The Swedish Angel (DQ) … Chris Zaharias b. Mr.
America (DQ) … Ray Duran and Jimmy Ray wrestled Benny Fernandez and Danny Loos to
a draw … (promoter: Tom Zaharias)

Denver, Colorado: Monday, November 21, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Bad Boy Brown and Mr. America b. The Zahariases (Babe and Chris
Zaharias) (referee Marshall changed his initially decision after finding out Chris had
committed a foul) … Gene Grenard b. Paul Stafford … Danny Loos b. Jimmy Ray … Ray
Duran and Benny Fernandez drew (20:00) … (promoter: Tom Zaharias) … (referee:
Everette Marshall) … (benefit for the Community Chest)
Notes: Gene Grenard was from Swink, Colorado. He was said to be a former “national
collegiate champion.” The “Denver area Community Chest fund campaign” received $100
from the wrestling show.

*The Monday, November 28, 1949 edition of the Denver Post reported that George
Zaharias was arrested for driving drunk in Venice, California. The car he was driving
smashed into two parked cars. “Zaharias, who listed his occupation as wrestling promoter,
was apprehended near west Los Angeles.”

Denver, Colorado: Monday, November 28, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Danny Loos and Mr. America vs. The Zahariases (Babe and Chris
Zaharias) … Bad Boy Brown vs. Benny Fernandez … Tex Bodine vs. Ray Duran …
(promoter: Tom Zaharias)

Denver, Colorado: Monday, December 5, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … The Swedish Angel b. Danny Loos (2/3) … Ted “King Kong” Cox b.
Ray Duran (2-0) … Bad Boy Brown and Lefty Pacer b. Benny Fernandez and Mr. America
(27:53) … (promoter: Tom Zaharias)

Denver, Colorado: Monday, December 12, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Women’s World Champion Mildred Burke b. June Byers (2-0) …
The Swedish Angel b. Bad Boy Brown … Ted Cox b. Mr. America … Benny Fernandez and
Lefty Pacer drew … (promoter: Tom Zaharias) … (3,000+ fans)

Denver, Colorado: Monday, December 19, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … The Swedish Angel b. Ted “King Kong” Cox (1:45) … Bad Boy
Brown b. Mike London (4:05) … Paul Stafford and (?) b. Danny Loos and Mr. America (2/3)
… (promoter: Tom Zaharias)

Denver, Colorado: Monday, December 26, 1949
(Mammoth Garden) … Bad Boy Brown and Jim “Goon” Henry b. Danny Loos and Mr.
America … Lefty Pacer b. The Black Panther … Paul Stafford b. Benny Fernandez …
(promoter: Tom Zaharias)

Research by Tim Hornbaker
August 12, 2007

Denver Wrestling Results - 1949