Hollywood Wrestling Results

Hollywood, California: Monday, January 8, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Jesse James b. Bob Gregory to regain the “California”
World Light Heavyweight Title (2/3) … Sugy Hayamaka and Taro Ito b. Red Lyons and
Duke Pettigrove (2/3) … Silent Rattan b. Black Dragon (16:29) … Steve Strelich b. Harry
Cooper (6:16) … Don Sebastian b. Billy Venable (9:59) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Notes: First show of the year. The light heavyweight title was split between Gregory and
Danny McShain. Three states recognized Gregory as the titleholder (California, New
York, Pennsylvania), while McShain was backed by the National Wrestling Association.

Hollywood, California: Monday, January 15, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Danny McShain b. Jesse James to unify his National
Wrestling Association World Light Heavyweight Title with the latter’s “California” World
Light Heavyweight Title (2/3) … Bob Gregory b. Silent Rattan (Rattan was unable to
continue) (12:46) … Sugy Hayamaka b. Charlie Carr (Carr was a substitute for George
Bennett) (21:11) … Dutch Schultz b. Don Sebastian (12:39) … Paul Matty b. Sammy
Kohen (8:19) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, January 22, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Danny McShain b.
Bob Gregory (2/3) … Red Lyons and Don Sugai Matsura b. Sugy Hayamaka and Taro Ito
(2-0) … Duke Pettigrove b. Paul Matty (8:59) … Karl Gray b. Tony Morelli (16:41) …
Dutch Schultz b. Steve Strelich (10:34) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, January 29, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Jesse James b. Karl Gray (2/3) … Bob Gregory b. Silent
Rattan (2/3) … Don Sugai Matsura b. Taro Ito (9:17) (Ito was forced to quit due to a hand
injury) … Yukon Jackson b. Sugy Hayamaka (16:21) … Steve Strelich b. Duke Pettigrove
… (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, February 5, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Bob Gregory b. Jesse James (2-0) … Yukon Jake
Jackson b. Don Sugai Matsura (2/3) … Otis Clingman b. Charlie Carr (2-0) … Al Ferona
and Tony Morelli drew (30:00) … Ernie Peterson b. Dutch Schultz (9:14) … (promoter:
Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, February 12, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Bob Gregory b. Danny McShain and “won the World’s
Light Heavyweight championship belt.” (Gregory won the match without pinning champion
McShain, taking the bout when the referee stopped the action and gave Gregory the
decision) (29:38) … Otis Clingman and Yukon Jackson drew (1-1) … Tony Morelli b.
Steve Strelich (12:04) … Black Dragon b. Ernie Peterson (13:36) … Black Panther b.
Don Blackman (8:04) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols) … (referee: Pat O’Brien)
Notes: The Panther-Blackman match was between “two colored boys.” According to a
ruling by the National Wrestling Association, the light heavyweight title didn’t officially
change hands on this show because the NWA doesn’t recognize title bouts unless two
falls of three were recorded. Gregory, however, was considered the champion by fans.
During the Gregory-McShain bout, Gregory suffered a badly bloody nose.

Hollywood, California: Monday, February 19, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion Danny McShain
b. Bob Gregory to unify the latter’s claims to the World Light Heavyweight Title with his
own (2/3) … Otis Clingman b. Tony Morelli (28:00) … Don Sugai Matsuda b. The Black
Dragon (12:51) … Al Ferona b. Duke Pettigrove (8:41) … Frankie Hale b. Zim Zimovich
(9:02) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols) … (referee: Jack Allen) … (5,000 fans)

Hollywood, California: Monday, February 26, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b.
World Light Heavyweight Champion Danny McShain (2/3) … Don Sugai Matsuda b. Taro
Ito (2-0) (jiu-jitsu bout) … Karl Gray b. Jimmy Lott (1-0) … Ben Sherman b. Sammy Kohen
(14:53) … Frank Hale and Johnny Nemonic drew (20:00) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, March 4, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Bob Gregory b. Karl Gray (2-0) … Yukon Jake Jackson b.
Don Sugai Matsura (2/3) … Ben Sherman b. Al Ferona (30:30) … Johnny Demchuck b.
Steve Strelich (7:24) … Charlie Carr and Duke Pettigrove drew … (promoter: Hugh
Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, March 11, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Bob Gregory b. Leroy McGuirk (handicap match)
(McGuirk had to beat Gregory twice in 90:00) (both men took a fall in this match when the
time-limit expired) … Duke Pettigrove and Yukon Jake vs. Otis Clingman and Ben
Sherman (team bout) … Johnny Demchuck vs. Miguel Duran … Edgar Gideon vs.
Frankie Hale … Sammy Kohen vs. Matty … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, March 18, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Ernie Piluso vs. Johnny Swenski … Otis Clingman vs.
Jimmy Lott … Johnny Demchuck vs. Mike Nazarian … Charlie Carr vs. Mickey Ryan …
Miguel Duran vs. Al Ferona … (promoter: Hugh Nichols) … (referees: Arturo Godoy, Pat
O’Brien)
Note: Godoy, who refereed the main event, was said to be a former wrestler in the
Chilean Army.

Hollywood, California: Monday, March 25, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk vs.
Johnny Swenski … Tony Morelli vs. Ernie Piluso … Jimmy Lott vs. Mike Nazarian … Bob
Montgomery vs. Mickey Ryan … Miguel Duran vs. Sammy Kohen … (promoter: Hugh
Nichols)
Notes: Swenski was said to be from Boston and used a giant swing as a finisher.

Hollywood, California: Monday, April 1, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Bob Gregory vs. Johnny Swenski … Otis Clingman vs.
Mike Nazarian … Bob Montgomery vs. Ernie Piluso … Al Ferona vs. George Wagner …
Charlie Carr vs. Buck Weaver … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Note: The fans were reportedly going to pick the opponent for Leroy McGuirk on April 8
out of the four wrestlers competiting in the top two matches tonight. Nazarian claimed to
have a draw with Jim Londos

Hollywood, California: Monday, April 8, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk vs.
Bob Gregory … Jimmy Lott and Buck Weaver vs. Black Dragon and Bob Montgomery
(team match) … Black Panther vs. George Wagner … Charlie Carr vs. Edgar Gideon …
(promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Notes: Black Dragon was said to be a “former railroad fireman.” Panther was an “Ohio
Negro,” and Gideon was a “Kilted Scotchman.”

Hollywood, California: Monday, April 15, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … team match tournament … (participants: Mike Nazarian
and Johnny Swenski, Jimmy Lott and Buck Weaver, King Kong Clayton and Black
Panther, Black Dragon and Yukon Jake) … Miguel Duran vs. Ben Sherman … Otis
Clingman vs. George Wagner … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Note: Nazarian, reportedly, had yet to lose in Hollywood.

Hollywood, California: Monday, April 22, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Yukon Jake Jackson b. Bob Gregory (2/3) (third fall by
DQ) (fans nearly rioted when Gregory was disqualified) … George Wagner b. Johnny
Swenski (10:36) … Buck Weaver b. Otis Clingman (26:51) … Black Dragon b. Bob
Montgomery (10:41) … Ben Sherman b. Charlie Carr (18:06) … (promoter: Hugh
Nichols) … (referee: Pat “Popeye” O’Brien)

Hollywood, California: Monday, April 29, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Tony Morelli and Johnny Swenski b. Red Lyons and Mike
Nazarian (2-0) … Tony Morelli and Johnny Swenski b. Otis Clingman and Ben Sherman
(19:43) … Red Lyons and Mike Nazarian b. Jimmy Lott and Buck Weaver (14:47) …
George Wagner b. Paul Bozzell (2/3) … Yukon Jake Jackson b. Bob Gregory (7:46) …
Black Panther b. Duke Pettigrove (17:11) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols) … (referee: Pat O’
Brien)

Hollywood, California: Monday, May 6, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Danny McShain b. Johnny Swenski (2-0) … Mike Nazarian
b. George Wagner (2/3) … Buck Weaver b. Mickey Ryan (23:03) … Tony Morelli b. Black
Panther (14:47) … Ben Sherman b. Edgar Gideon (10:51) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Notes: Danny McShain reportedly lost his World Light Heavyweight Title to Jesse James
in Oklahoma “a few weeks ago.” The Los Angeles Times stated that the “National
Wrestling Association, which body has supported McShain in many ‘thin’ decisions for the
last year, suddenly tightened up on the rules to that he was unable to use his best holds,
chief of which is the piledriver.” George Wagner was said to be “undefeated” locally, and
was called the “clever New Yorker.” Mike Nazarian was the top challenger to Leroy
McGuirk’s Junior Title.

Hollywood, California: Monday, May 13, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Mike Nazarian b. Danny McShain (2/3) … Buck Weaver b.
George Wagner (1-0) (first fall in 35 seconds, then the two wrestled the remainder of the
30 minute time-limit without a fall) … Otis Clingman and Mickey Ryan drew (30:00) …
Paul Bozzell b. Jimmy Goodrich (9:11) … Dutch Schultz b. Don Sebastian (12:34) …
(promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, May 20, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Jesse James b. Buck
Weaver (2-0) … Bob Gregory b. George Wagner (2-0) … Dude Chick b. Tony Morelli (11:
00) (airplane spin) … Ben Sherman b. Mickey Ryan (11:53) … Dutch Schultz b. Charlie
Carr (14:48) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Notes: Sherman was said to be a “Texan.” Chick was back, reportedly, after an eight
month absence. Weaver was a former Indiana University football player.

Hollywood, California: Monday, May 27, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Billy Weidner b. Danny McShain (2/3) (Weidner was a
substitute for Bob Gregory, who was injured last week) … team match tournament … Otis
Clingman and Ben Sherman b. Paul Bozzell and Duke Pettigrove (8:51) … Red Lyons
and Hans Schultz b. George Wagner and Buck Weaver (11:54) … Otis Clingman and
Ben Sherman b. Red Lyons and Hans Schultz in the finals to win the tournament (2-0) …
Dude Chick b. Mike Nazarian (11:59) … Charlie Carr and Mickey Ryan drew (20:00) …
(promoter: Hugh Nichols) … (referee: Pat O’Brien)
Notes: The winner of the originally slated McShain-Gregory match was going to wrestle
World Light Heavyweight Champion Jesse James on June 3. Weidner was said to be
recognized as New York State Junior Heavyweight Champion.

Hollywood, California: Monday, June 3, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … New York State Junior Heavyweight Champion Billy
Weidner b. World Light Heavyweight Champion Jesse James (2/3) (Weidner’s title was on
the line, while James’s was not) … Danny McShain b. Buck Weaver (2-0) … Yukon
Jackson b. George Wagner (2-0) … Dude Chick b. Paul Bozzell (10:31) … Tiger Tsakoff
b. Mickey Ryan (6:51) … Frankie Hale b. Edgar Gideon (8:34) … (promoter: Hugh
Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, June 10, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Yukon Jackson b. Danny McShain (2/3) … Billy Weidner
b. Red Lyons (2-0) … Otis Clingman and Ben Sherman b. Mike Nazarian and Tiger
Tsakoff (15:01) … Dude Chick b. Dutch Schultz (4:29) … The Great Mephisto b. Al
Ferona (7:41) … Jack Hagen b. Charlie Carr (12:52) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, June 17, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Danny McShain b. Yukon Jake Jackson (2/3) … Billy
Weidner b. Dude Chick (2/3) … Mickey Ryan and Tiger Tsakoff b. Al Ferona and Mike
Nazarian (10:11) … The Great Mephisto and Ben Sherman drew … Jack Hagen b. Otis
Clingman (16:14) … Jimmy Goodrich b. Frank Clements (8:26) … (promoter: Hugh
Nichols)
Notes: Dude Chick was said to be from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and “famous singing
cowboy of the films” Gene Autry was reportedly “his manager.”

Hollywood, California: Monday, June 24, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Jesse James b.
Danny McShain (2/3) … Mike Nazarian and Billy Weidner drew (45:00) (1-1) … Tiger
Tsakoff b. Don Sugai Matsura (12:34) … The Great Mephisto b. Jimmy Goodrich (9:27)
… Jack Hagen b. Dutch Schultz (11:39) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, July 1, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … one-night team tournament … Tony Morelli and Mike
Nazarian b. Mickey Ryan and Tiger Tsakoff in the finals to win the tournament (2-0) …
Otis Clingman and Ben Sherman b. Buzz Jones and Mr. X (7:26) … Mickey Ryan and
Tiger Tsakoff b. Otis Clingman and Ben Sherman (8:17) … Tony Morelli and Mike
Nazarian b. The Great Mephisto and Dave Reynolds (12:48) … Mickey Ryan and Tiger
Tsakoff b. Jack Hagen and Red Lyons (12:46) … Ed Payson and Sammy Stein drew (45:
00) (1-1) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, July 8, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Jesse James b. Billy Weidner to capture the New York
State Junior Heavyweight Title (2/3) … Tiger Tsakoff b. Tony Morelli (2/3) … Don Sugai
Matsuda b. Jack Hagen (countout) … Mr. X b. Great Mephisto (18:24) … Dave Reynolds
b. Mickey Ryan (18:06) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, July 15, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Mike Nazarian b. Billy Weidner (2/3) (third fall by DQ) …
Al Billings b. Sammy Stein (2/3) … Billy Raburn b. Otis Clingman (2-0) … Mr. X b. Don
Sugai Matsura … Ben Sherman b. Buzz Jones … Dave Reynolds b. Jack Hagen …
(promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, July 22, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Billy Weidner b. Mike Nazarian (2-0) … Billy Raburn and
Dave Reynolds drew (1-1) … Yukon Jack Jackson b. Mr. X (2/3) … Tony Morelli b. Prince
Milikilas … Phil Romano b. Dutch Schultz … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, July 29, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Jesse James b. Billy Weidner (2/3) … Edward Payson b.
Al Billings (19:22) … Yukon Jake Jackson b. Don Sugai Matsura (12:15) (said to be the
“comedy event”) … Dave Reynolds b. The Great Mephisto … Tiger Tsakoff b. Tony
Morelli … Mr. X b. Taro Ito … Buzz Jones b. Edgar Gideon … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, August 5, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … “Wild” Red Berry b. Jesse James to capture the New York
State Junior Heavyweight Title (2/3) … Yukon Jake Jackson b. Dave Reynolds (2/3) …
Tony Bommerito b. Red Lyons (14:46) … Tiger Tsakoff b. Phil Romano (13:06) … Buzz
Jones b. Great Mephisto (15:22) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Notes: The winner of the Berry-James match also was to get a bout with Leroy McGuirk.
Bommerito was said to be from Honolulu.

Hollywood, California: Monday, August 12, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Red Berry b. Yukon Jake Jackson (2/3) (third fall when
Jackson suffered a dislocated shoulder) … K.O. Koverly b. Mike Mazurki (2-0) … Danny
McShain b. Karl Gray (2-0) … Billy Raburn b. Tony Morelli (11:16) … Tony Bommerito b.
Jimmy Goodrich (6:05) … Mr. X b. Ben Sherman (8:53) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Note: The Los Angeles Times stated that “Berry holds the New York junior heavyweight
belt which he won a week ago from Jesse James.”

Hollywood, California: Monday, August 19, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Sandor Szabo b. Rudy LaDitzi (2/3) … Red Berry b.
Danny McShain (2/3) … Billy Raburn b. Karl Gray (14:59) … Mr. X and Dave Reynolds
drew (30:00) … Tony Bommerito b. Tiger Tsakoff (7:09) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Notes: Szabo was making his Legion debut as part of an elimination series to determine
a foe for NWA World Champion Ray Steele. The winner of the Berry-McShain bout was
going to wrestle Jesse James.

Hollywood, California: Monday, August 26, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Sandor Szabo b. K.O. Koverly (2/3) (third fall by DQ) …
Billy Weidner b. Dude Chick (5:41) (Chick was unable to continue) … Billy Raburn and
Yukon Jake drew (1-1) … Ace Freeman b. Buzz Jones (5:31) … Bob Cummings b. Tony
Bommerito (10:08) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols) … (referee: Pat O’Brien)
Note: The winner of the Szabo-Koverly match was reportedly going to wrestle Ray Steele
for the NWA World Title on September 9.

Hollywood, California: Monday, September 2, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Red Berry b. Jesse James to capture the World Light
Heavyweight Title (2/3) … World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b. Edward
Payson (2/3) … Rudy LaDitzi b. Rube Wright (36:00) … Ace Freeman b. Mr. X (11:59) …
Bob Cummings b. Jimmy Goodrich (6:22) (Goodrich was a substitute for Tiger Tsakoff) …
(promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Note: “Hollywood’s September Golden Jubilee Month of Champions” opens tonight.

Hollywood, California: Monday, September 9, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ray Steele b. K.O.
Koverly (2-0) … Billy Raburn b. Ace Freeman (1-0) … Rube Wright b. Tiny Roebuck (4:
41) … Dave Levin b. Red Lyons (14:42) … Billy Vargo b. Buzz Jones (12:08) … Bob
Cummings b. Taro Ito (8:02) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Note: Leroy McGuirk was going to challenge the main event winner from ringside.

Hollywood, California: Monday, September 16, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ray Steele b. NWA
World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk (2/3) (Steele won the first fall in 20:
51, McGuirk won the second with an abdominal stretch in 6:51, Steele took the third in 23:
49 with a reverse toe hold) … Jesse James b. Billy Raburn (33:11) … Rube Wright b.
Mike Mazurki (13:02) … Yukon Jackson b. Bob Cummings (12:41) … Dude Chick b. Dave
Levin (12:00) … Balk Estes b. Jimmy Goodrich (5:37) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Notes: The Los Angeles Times stated that “never before have the two champions of the
two major divisions of wrestling met in a showdown.” Steele weighed 212 to McGuirk’s
197. This was the third week of the “month of champions” series at the Legion Stadium.

Hollywood, California: Monday, September 23, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Red Berry b. Jesse
James (2/3) … Dean Detton b. Sammy Stein (Stein suffered an injured shoulder) … Billy
Weidner b. Dude Chick … Yukon Jackson b. George Wagner … Dave Reynolds b. Mr. X
… Ace Freeman and Jack Hagen drew … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, September 30, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b.
Billy Weidner (2-0) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Red Berry b. Yukon Jackson
(2/3) … Dean Detton b. Dick Raines (17:59) … Billy Raburn b. Jack Hagen (16:05) …
Dave Reynolds b. Don Sugai Matsura (15:14) … Ace Freeman b. Billy Venable (9:26) …
(promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, October 7, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Dean Detton b. Leroy McGuirk (2/3) … Jesse James b.
Billy Weidner (1-0) (45:00) … Rube Wright b. Harry Jacobs (7:35) … Billy Vargo b. Ace
Freeman (17:38) … Dude Chick b. Jack Hagen (12:19) … Billy Marcus b. Buzz Jones (9:
37) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Notes: The McGuirk-Detton match was to determine a challenger for Ray Steele.
McGuirk was said to be the only wrestler to gain a fall on the NWA heavyweight champion
when he was on the Pacific Coast recently.

Hollywood, California: Monday, October 14, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Mike Nazarian b. Red Berry (2/3) … Everette Marshall
and Rube Wright drew (60:00) (1-1) … Whitey Walberg b. Jesse James (2-0) … Billy
Raburn and Billy Vargo drew … Jack Hagen b. Vince Austeri (12:07) … Tiger Tsakoff b.
Billy Marcus (7:46) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Notes: The winner of the Berry-Nazarian match was going to face Leroy McGuirk. Vargo
was called “boy wonder,” and was said to have “won a recent light heavyweight
tournament.”

Hollywood, California: Monday, October 21, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b.
Mike Nazarian (2-0) … Billy Vargo b. Yukon Jake (11:16) … Whitey Walberg b. Billy
Raburn (18:12) … Ace Freeman and Don Sugai Matsura drew (30:00) … Jack Hagen b.
Billy Venable (10:07) … Balk Estes b. John Strelich (7:54) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, October 28, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b.
Mike Nazarian (2-0) (second fall by countout) … Red Berry b. Whitey Walberg (2/3) …
Ace Freeman and Billy Vargo b. Vince Austeri and Tiger Tsakoff (team match) (11:46) …
Don Sugai Matsura (Matsuta) b. Jack Hagen (15:11) … Balk Estes b. Billy Marcus (7:51)
… Ray Peters b. Billy Venable (8:43) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)

Hollywood, California: Monday, November 4, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Whitey Wahlberg b. Red Berry (2/3) … Mr. X and Tiger
Tsakoff b. Ace Freeman and Billy Varga (team match) … Gust Johnson b. Don Sugai
Matsuda (16:09) … Gene Blackley b. Jack Hagen (9:21) … Vince Austeri b. Mel Peters (7:
59) … Balk Estes b. Chester Hayes (8:58) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Note: No show next week due to the Armistice Day holiday.

Hollywood, California: Monday, November 18, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Whitey Wahlberg b. Danny McShain (2/3) (third fall by
countout) … Gene Blackley and Tony Morelli b. Mike Nazarian and Tiger Tsakoff (12:39)
(team match) … Silent Rattan b. Mysterious Mr. X (12:19) … Gust Johnson and Billy
Varga (Vargo) drew … Red Lyons b. Vince Austeri (12:21) … Ace Freeman b. Ben
Sherman (11:06) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Notes: Wahlberg, because of the win over McShain, earned a bout with Light
Heavyweight champion Red Berry next week. Prior to this match, McShain trained at the
Hollywood YMCA. Wahlberg was said to be from Minnesota.

Hollywood, California: Monday, November 25, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Red Berry b. Whitey
Wahlberg (2/3) … Danny McShain b. Mike Nazarian … Silent Rattan b. George Wagner
… Gene Blackley b. Red Lyons … Billy Vargo b. Jack Terry … Gust Johnson b. Ace
Freeman … (promoter: Hugh Nichols) … (referee: Jack Dempsey)
Notes: Wahlberg was called the most popular wrestler in Hollywood. The Los Angeles
Times stated that “most wrestlers do not like [Jack] Dempsey as a referee because he
has the reputation of ‘punching grapplers around.’ He has been known to knock out both
principals of a match in an attempt to make them abide by the rules.”

Hollywood, California: Monday, December 2, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Red Berry b. Danny
McShain (McShain won the initial fall, but lost the second and the bout by disqualification)
(Berry suffered a cut over his left eye and bled profusely) … Mike Nazarian and Tiger
Tsakoff b. Vince Austeri and Mr. X (team match) … Gus Johnson and Silent Rattan drew
(30:00) … Dave Levin b. Gene Blackley (11:14) … Ben Sherman b. Ace Freeman (13:
47) … George Wagner b. Balk Estes (4:36) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Notes: Nazarian and Tiger Tsakoff claimed to be the beat team combination in the
country. Ben Sherman was said to be a Douglas aircraft worker. Johnson was called the
Northwest champion.

Hollywood, California: Monday, December 9, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Danny McShain b. Whitey Walberg (2/3) (Walberg was
unable to continue for the third fall) (McShain qualified for a match with Red Berry)
(McShain used a piledriver as a finisher) … Dave Levin b. Mike Nazarian (2-0) (first fall
by countout) … Gus Johnson b. George Wagner (13:16) … Dude Chick b. Vince Austeri
(12:32) … Gene Blackley and Tiger Tsakoff drew (20:00) … Whiskers Adams b. Chester
Hayes (12:37) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Note: Whiskers Adams was minus his whiskers.

Hollywood, California: Monday, December 16, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Danny McShain b. Red Berry to capture the World Light
Heavyweight Title (Berry won the first fall in 9:34, McShain took the second, and then the
referee gave the match to McShain when he believed Berry was no longer able to
continue due to a serious cut over his eye after 10:19) … Silent Rattan b. Gust Johnson
(1-0) … Dude Chick b. Tiger Tsakoff (15:50) … George Wagner b. Hugh Adams (16:21)
… Don Sugai Matsuda b. John Nemonic (8:43) … Ben Sherman b. Jack Terry (12:15) …
(promoter: Hugh Nichols) … (referee: Pat O’Brien)
Notes: According to another report of the main event, Berry won the first fall, then the
match was halted in the second stanza due to the cut eye. The Los Angeles Times
stated that “Berry Dethroned in Wild Bout,” and claimed that the “NWA Light Heavyweight
Wrestling Title” changed hands.

*The December 22, 1940 edition of the Los Angeles Times stated that Danny McShain
was risking his newly won World Light Heavyweight Title against Jesse James on
December 23. In the December 16 bout between McShain and Berry, referee O’Brien
gave McShain the decision, which “carried the title with it. McShain seized the belt and
still has it in his possession. But Col. Harry J. Landry, president of the National Wrestling
Association, has ruled that the belt is in escrow until McShain and Berry met again.”

Hollywood, California: Monday, December 23, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Jesse James b. Danny McShain to capture a claim to the
World Light Heavyweight Title (one-fall match) (23:31) … Whitey Wahlberg b. Dave Levin
(7:46) … Red Lyons and Tiger Tsakoff b. Don Sugai Matsuda and Tony Morelli (team
match) (14:06) … Silent Rattan b. Mike Nazarian (DQ) (9:35) … Dude Chick b. Gene
Blackley (9:27) (airplane spin) … Gust Johnson b. George Wagner (12:54) … Ben
Sherman b. “Whiskers” Hugh Adams (13:17) … Jack Terry b. Chester Hayes (10:06) …
(promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Note: Christmas show.

Hollywood, California: Monday, December 30, 1940
(Hollywood Legion Stadium) … Jesse James b. Whitey Wahlberg (2-0) … Red Berry b.
Dude Chick (2/3) … Gust Johnson b. Red Lyons (16:32) … Mike Nazarian b. Tiger
Tsakoff (10:57) … Ben Sherman b. Don Sugai Matsuda (14:00) … Ace Freeman b. Jack
Terry (15:40) … (promoter: Hugh Nichols)
Notes: The December 30, 1940 edition of the Los Angeles Times stated that Jesse
James and Red Berry were going to defend their repective claims to the World Light
Heavyweight Title. “But neither has a belt. The belt which James thinks he owns and the
belt Wild Red thinks belongs to him, is being held in escrow by the National Wrestling
Association. It was reported unofficially yesterday that Col. Harry J. Landry, prexy of the
NWA, would order a Berry-Danny McShain rematch and award the belt to the winner. If
this is true, James has been ‘holtering in a rain barrell,’ and is really only a challenger.
The light heavyweight championship belt was held up by a national mat body after a
Berry-McShain title match ended in a bloody snarl a few weeks ago.”

Research by Tim Hornbaker
November 17, 2007

Hollywood Wrestling Results - 1940