Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, January 19, 1961
(City Auditorium Arena) … United States Heavyweight Champion Dick the Bruiser b. Bob
Ellis (2/3) (Bruiser won the first fall in 6:50, Ellis won the second in 5:52, Bruiser won the
third when Ellis could not continue) (a bloody match, with Ellis bleeding profusely) … Verne
Gagne and The Sheik drew (30:00) … Yukon Eric b. Killer Kowalski (bear hug) … Wilbur
Snyder b. Gene Kiniski (2/3) (Kiniski won the first fall, Snyder won the second and the third
when Kiniski refused to continue) … (promoters:  Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle) … (in
attendance:  Johnny Doyle) … (promotional company:  Barnett-Doyle Promotions) …
(Denver Publicity Agent:  Mark Schreiber) … (8,000 fans in attendance) (record crowd)
(2500-3500 fans turned away) … (gate:  $20,000)

Denver, Colorado:  Wednesday, March 1, 1961
(City Auditorium Arena) … Bobo Brazil b. Dick the Bruiser to capture the United States
Heavyweight Title (2/3) (Bruiser won the first fall in 9:50 with a knee drop, Brazil won the
second in 2:20 with headbutts, Brazil won the third when the referee stopped the match)
(Bruiser was bleeding profusely in the third fall) … Antonino Rocca b. The Sheik (12:01) …
Mitsu Arakawa b. Danny Loos Jr. (6:45) … Verne Gagne b. Angelo Savoldi (12:08) … Ray
Shire b. Bill Melby (2/3) … (promoters:  Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle) … (referee:  Rex
Mayes) … (8,000 fans) (3,000 fans turned away) … (gate:  $19,000-$20,000)

*The following was printed in the Wednesday, March 29, 1961 edition of the Rocky
Mountain News:  “Promoter Johnny Doyle said the fact two of his last three wrestling shows
have been sold out prompted his move to the Coliseum.  Nearly 11,000 can be seated at
the Coliseum whereas only 7,500 could be accomodated at Auditorium Arena.”

Denver, Colorado:  Wednesday, March 29, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … Dick the Bruiser b. Bobo Brazil to regain the United States
Heavyweight Title (2/3) (Bruiser won the first fall in 7:26 with a knee drop, Brazil won the
second in 1:47 after a coco bump, Bruiser won the third in 2:11 after Brazil missed a coco
bump) … Women’s World Champion June Byers b. Penny Banner (14:48) … Bob Ellis and
Wilbur Snyder b. The Shire Brothers (Ray and Roy Shire) (2/3) (Ray Shire pinned Snyder
for the first fall in 16:01, Snyder pinned Roy Shire for the second in 6:08, Ellis pinned Roy
for the third in 2:55) … Antonino Rocca b. Lou Whitson (2-0) (Rocca won the first fall in 10:
35 and second in 58-seconds with a backbreaker) … Bill Melby b. Angelo Savoldi (18:08) …
(promoters:  Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle) … (in attendance:  Johnny Doyle) … (8,528
fans) … (gate:  $22,711)

Denver, Colorado:  Monday, April 3, 1961
(Mammoth Garden) … Victor the Bear b.Abe Starr … Rudy Kowalski and Tom Zaharias
wrestled Ricardo Cortez and The Cobra Kid to a no contest (1-1) (Zaharias b. Cortez for the
first fall, Corbra Kid b. Zaharias for the second, no contest in the third) … Ada Ash b. Rita
Montez … Ricardo Cortez and Champ Thomas drew … The Cobra Kid b. Rudy Kowalski …
Tom Zaharias b. Al Szasz … (promoter:  Harold Ely)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, April 21, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … Antonino Rocca b. United States Heavyweight Champion Dick the
Bruiser (2/3) (Bruiser won the first fall in 8:51, Rocca won the second in 5:20, Rocca won
the third by DQ) (the title did not change hands because of the DQ) (the announcer
declared Rocca the new champion, and the audience erupted, only to have the referee
decide that Bruiser was disqualified – thus, no title change) … Wilbur Snyder b. Dr. X (2/3)
(Dr. X won the first fall in 6:40, Snyder won the second in 6:41, Snyder won the third in 3:57)
(Dr. X was revealed to be Dr. Bill Miller) … Verne Gagne b. Stan Kowalski (16:56)
(sleeperhold) … Karl Gotch and Angelo Savoldi drew (20:00) … Cowboy Bradley b. Tiny
Roe (12:12) … (promoters:  Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle) … (referee:  Bob Sauer) …
(announcer:  Sam Seigel) … (7,800 fans) … (gate:  $18,249)

Denver, Colorado:  Monday, April 10, 1961
(Mammoth Garden) … Vic “The Bruiser” Fields, Champ Thomas and Tom Zaharias b.
Ricardo Cortez, Abie Starr and Al Szasz (2/3) (Cortez b. Thomas for the first fall in 9:15,
Zaharias b. Starr for the second, Bruiser b. Szasz after a backbreaker for the third) …
Ricardo Cortez and Tom Zaharias drew (15:00) … Abie Starr and Champ Thomas drew (15:
00) … Ada Ash b. Kitty Kelly (18:00) … (promoter:  Harold Ely)

Denver, Colorado:  Wednesday, May 10, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … Dick the Bruiser b. Yukon Eric (2/3) (Eric won the first fall in 5:55,
Bruiser won the second in 5:40 and the third) (lumberjack match) (Bruiser received some
outside help from Killer Kowalski) … Bill Melby and Roy Shire drew (20:00) … Ramona Isbell
and Ethel Johnson b. Lulu Mae and Babs Wingo (2-0) … Bobo Brazil b. Mitsu Arakawa (6:
03) … Bob Ellis and Killer Kowalski drew (20:00) … (promoters:  Jim Barnett and Johnny
Doyle) … (7,439 fans) … (gate:  $19,716)

Denver, Colorado:  Wednesday, June 7, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … Dick the Bruiser and Haystack Calhoun drew (1-1) (Bruiser won the
first fall in 5-minutes with a kneedrop, Calhoun won the second in 2:54, double-countout in
the third) … Bob Ellis b. The Sheik (2/3) (The Sheik won the first fall in 9:37 after pummeling
Ellis with a stick, Ellis won the second in 4:38 after a bulldog headlock, Ellis won the third in
4:28) … Don Leo Jonathan b. Jack Terry (10:58) … Killer Kowalski b. Jack Pesek (billed as
John Pesek) in 12:46 with an abdominal claw … Bobo Brazil b. Dan Miller (20:35) …
(promoters:  Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle) … (5,043 fans) … (gate:  $13,236)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, June 30, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … Dick the Bruiser and Killer Kowalski b. Bobo Brazil and Haystack
Calhoun (2/3) (Kowalski won the first fall in 7:54 with an abdominal claw, Brazil won the
second with a coco bump in 5:08, Bruiser and Kowalski won the third by countout when
Calhoun fell from the ring) (special referee:  Sam Menacker) … Ox Anderson b. Jack Terry
(11:07) … Leo Nomellini and Ben Sharpe drew (20:00) … Wilbur Snyder b. Ben Sharpe (12:
45) (abdominal stretch) … Don Leo Jonathan b. Ox Anderson (5:30) … (promoters:  Jim
Barnett and Johnny Doyle) … (4,500 fans)

Denver, Colorado:  Wednesday, July 19, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … Bob Ellis b. Dick the Bruiser to capture the United States Heavyweight
Title (2/3) (Bruiser had initially won the third fall, but had received help from Killer Kowalski)
(the referee reversed the decision, disqualifying Bruiser) … Killer Kowalski b. Jack Pesek
(billed as John Pesek) (22:00) … Pat O’Connor b. Art Nielsen (16:50) … The Bastein
Brothers (Red and Lou Bastien) b. Killer Kowalski and Art Nielsen … (promoters:  Jim
Barnett and Johnny Doyle) … (referee:  Leo Bahl) … (4,500 fans) … (gate:  $9,351)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, August 4, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … World Heavyweight Champion Jackie Fargo b. Haystack Muldoon
(2/3) … Big Splash Humphrey b. Sheik Ali Singh with a splash (4:01) (Humphrey weighed
762 pounds) … Wild Man Firpo b. Nature Boy Phillips (14:25) … Big Daddy Siki and
Ricardo Cortez b. The Masked Maniacs (Dr. B and Dr. Z) (2/3) … The Torres Brothers b.
Champ Thomas and Tom Zaharias (2/3) … Lady Amazon and Evelyn Johnson wrestled
Conchita Lopez and Rita Montez were all disqualified … (promoter:  Jack Pfefer) …
(referee:  Tiny Zimbleman) … (4,000 fans) … (gate:  $8,200)

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, August 10, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … Bob Ellis and Pat O’Connor b. Dick the Bruiser and Killer Kowalski
(Texas Death Match) (Ellis and O’Connor won seven of ten falls) (O’Connor won the final
fall in 3:10) … Bobo Brazil b. Tiny Mills (11:57) … Verne Gagne b. Joe Blanchard (15:52) …
Wilbur Snyder b. “Big” Bill Miller (DQ) … (promoters:  Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle) …
(4,485 fans) … (gate:  $11,906)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, August 18, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … World Tag Team Champions The Fargo Brothers b. The Romero
Brothers … Haystack Muldoon b. Tom Zaharias (5:00) (Zaharias was a substitute for Big
Splash Humphrey) … Tony Roe b. Cowboy Bradley … Lady Blimp b. Lady Amazon … Tag
Team Tournament:  Ricardo Cortez and Little Bobo (from Brazil) b. The Masked Maniacs
(Dr. B and Dr. Z) … The Sheik and Champ Thomas b. Bearcat Jones and Big Daddy Siki …
Crusher Kowalski and Tom Zaharias b. Bud Fisher and Ben Lewis … Ricardo Cortez and
Little Bobo b. The Sheik and Champ Thomas … Ricardo Cortez and Little Bobo b. Crusher
Kowalski and Tom Zaharias by disqualification … (promoter:  Jack Pfefer) … (3,500 fans)

Denver, Colorado:  Thursday, August 31, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … Dick the Bruiser b. Bob Ellis to capture the United States Heavyweight
Title (2/3) (Brusier won the first fall in 2:34 with a kneedrop, Ellis won the second in 2:40
with a series of bulldog headlocks, Bruiser won the third in 13:44) … The Nielsen Brothers
(Art and Stan Nielsen) b. Dominic Bravo and Johnny Weaver (2/3) … Gorgeous George b.
Dan Miller … Bobo Brazil and Killer Kowalski drew (30:00) … (promoters:  Jim Barnett and
Johnny Doyle)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, September 15, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … Dick the Bruiser and Killer Kowalski b. Bob Ellis and Yukon Eric (2/3)
(Yukon Eric suffered an injury during the second fall after he fell out of the ring) (Eric
suffered a torn ligament in his left leg) (Ellis continued the match without his partner) …
Stan Nielsen and Sonny Weaver drew (20:00) … Art Nielsen and Johnny Weaver wrestled
to a no contest (16:32) … Wilbur Snyder b. Don Leo Jonathan (20:31) … (promoters:  Jim
Barnett and Johnny Doyle) … (4,147 fans) … (gate:  $10,412)

Denver, Colorado:  Wednesady, October 4, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … United States Heavyweight Champion Dick the Bruiser and Wilbur
Snyder were both counted out in the third fall of an even match (2/3) (Bruiser won the first
fall in 10:48, Snyder won the second in 1:40, double-countout in the third fall in 9:36) …
Bobo Brazil b. Bronko Lubich (10:02) … Bob Ellis b. Angelo Poffo (DQ) (Poffo was assisted
by his second, Lubich) … The Nielsen Brothers (Art and Stan Nielsen) b. The Weaver
Brothers (Johnny and Sonny Weaver) (2/3) … (promoters:  Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle)
… (4,861 fans) … (gate:  $12,320)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, October 27, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … Wilbur Snyder b. Dick the Bruiser to capture the United States
Heavyweight Title (2/3) (Snyder won the first fall in 25-seconds, Bruiser won the second and
Snyder won the third) … United States Tag Team Champions The Nielsen Brothers (Art and
Stan Nielsen) b. Bronko Lubich and Ray Shire (match had no referee or time-limit, only
stopping when their opponents were unable to continue) (match went nine falls before it
ended) (Shire was a substitute for Angelo Poffo) (The Nielsens won four of the nine falls)
(Lubich was unable to continue) … Hercules Romero b. Sonny Weaver … Women’s World
Champion Penny Banner b. Rosamond Isbell (2-0) … (promoters:  Jim Barnett and Johnny
Doyle) … (5,400 fans) … (gate:  $14,430)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, November 17, 1961
(Auditorium Arena) … Dick the Bruiser b. Wilbur Snyder to capture the United States
Heavyweight Title (2/3) (Snyder won the first fall in 17:59, Bruiser won the second in 7:47,
Bruiser won the third when Snyder was unable to continue and was counted out in 1:25) …
United States Tag Team Champions The Nielsen Brothers (Art and Stan Nielsen) b. Angelo
Poffo and Ray Stevens (2/3) … Bobo Brazil and Danny McShain drew (20:00) … Theresa
Theis b. Kitty Kelley (11:11) … (promoters:  Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle) … (2,600 fans)
… (gate:  $6,500)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, December 8, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … United States Tag Team Champions The Nielsen Brothers (Art and
Stan Nielsen) b. Dick the Bruiser and Fritz Von Erich (2/3) (Nielsens won the first fall in 6:17,
Bruiser and Von Erich won the second in 8:25, Nielsens won the third by countout) (during
the third fall, Von Erich missed a punch at Stan Nielsen and hit his partner.  Bruiser and Von
Erich brawled outside the ring and were counted out) … Wilbur Snyder b. Bill Melby (2/3) …
The Mysterious Mr. M b. Emile Dupre (19:33) … (promoters:  Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle)
… (3,966 fans) … (gate:  $10,222)

Denver, Colorado:  Friday, December 29, 1961
(Denver Coliseum) … United States Heavyweight Champion Dick the Bruiser b. Fritz Von
Erich (2/3) (Bruiser won the first fall, Von Erich won the second, Bruiser won the third) (in
the promotions for the match, Bruiser-Von Erich was billed as “friendship turned feud”) …
Hercules Romero and The Mysterious Mr. M drew … Art Nielsen b. Bill Melby (2/3) … Stan
Nielsen b. Tony Borne (2/3) … (promoters:  Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle) … (3,973 fans)
… (gate:  $10,373)



Research by Tim Hornbaker
August 28, 2010
Denver Wrestling Results - 1961