Honolulu Wrestling Results

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, January 2, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … Jack Claybourne b. Dick Raines (24:22) (referee stopped the
decision after Raines suffered a cut over his eye) (finals of a battle royal) … Battle Royal
(number eliminated: Leo Wallick, Bomber Kulkovich, Basher McDonald, Seelie Samara)
… Bomber Kulkovich and Leo Wallick drew (30:00) … Sellie Samara b. Basher McDonald
(19:16) … Ben Pilar b. Earl Rassmussen (8:40) … (promoter: Al Karasick) … (referees:
Charlie Carr, Rubberman Higami)
Note: Pilar was a “veteran Filipino star.”

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, January 9, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … Negro World Champion Jack Claybourne b. Sallie Samara (2/3) …
Basher McDonald b. Bomber Kulkovich (DQ) … Leo Wallick b. Dick Raines (17:57) …
Ben Pilar b. Stan Miyashiro (10:07) … Bucky O’Neill b. Charlie Takase … (promoter: Al
Karasick) … (referee: Rubberman Higami)
Notes: Jack Claybourne held a “gold belt presented to him for the Negro world’s wrestling
championship.” According to the Honolulu Star Bulletin, “Claybourne’s gold belt was
presented to him in New York in 1943.” In another report, it was stated that “a gold belt
presented to Claybourne in New York in recogniztion of his victory over Rufus Jones for
the world’s Negro mat crown. Claybourne received the belt in 1943.” A third newspaper
report says that Claybourne was presented the title “five years ago.” Ken Ackles was said
to be “holder of the New England states mat belt,” and would be arriving in Honolulu on
January 12.

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, January 16, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … Bomber Kulkovich b. Basher McDonald (2/3) … Jack Claybourne b.
Leo Wallick … Ken Ackles and Sellie Samara drew (30:00) … Jimmy Gonsalves and Ben
Pilar drew (30:00) … Earl Rasmussen vs. Abel Rodrigues (cancelled) … (promoter: Al
Karasick)

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, January 23, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … Ken Ackles and Jack Claybourne drew … Bomber Kulkovich b.
Sellie Samara (2/3) … Basher McDonald b. Leo Wallick (countout) … Jimmy Gonsalves
b. Stan Miyashiro (16:00) … (promoter: Al Karasick)

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, January 30, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … Bomber Kulkovich b. Jack Claybourne (2/3) (third fall by DQ)
(Claybourne initially won the third fall, but he gave a head butt to the referee, forcing the
official to reverse his decision and disqualify him) … Kenny Ackles b. Basher McDonald
(14:24) … Leo Wallick b. Michael “Curly” Connors (26:18) … Bucky O’Neill b. Earl
Rasmussen (11:08) … (promoter: Al Karasick) … (referee: Frank Merrill)

*Leo Leavitt promoted professional boxing at the Honolulu Stadium.

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, February 6, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … Johnny Sepeda b. Bomber Kulkovich (decision) (1-1) … Kenny
Ackles b. Leo Wallick (2/3) … “Basher” McDonald b. Curly Connors (19:16) … Vilai Su’a
b. Stan Miyashiro (13:10) … (promoter: Al Karasick)
Notes: Johnny Sepeda was a former Los Angeles policeman and a photo of him and his
wife appeared in the local Honolulu newspaper. He was reportedly on the force for “nine
years.” He became a professional wrestler “five years ago.” Sepeda was born in San
Jose, California to Portuguese parents. He was trained by Sam Posner, a black belt in
judo and trainer of jiu-jitsu for the Los Angeles Police Department. He wrestled eight
months of the year, according to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, and the other four months,
he worked as a police officer on Catalina Island. Connors was from Singapore and
McDonald was from Scotland.

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, February 13, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … Hawaiian Junior Heavyweight Champion Jack Claybourne b. Kenny
Ackles (2/3) … Johnny Sepeda b. Leo Wallick (2-0) (reverse leglock) … Bomber
Kulkovich b. Basher McDonald … Curly Connors b. Bucky O’Neill (15:500 … (promoter:
Al Karasick)

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, February 20, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … Johnny Sepeda b. Jacques Manuel (2/3) … Bomber Kulkovich and
Leo Wallick drew (1-1) … Kenny Ackles b. Basher McDonald (17:46) … Jimmy Gonzales
b. Curly Connors (10:15) … (promoter: Al Karasick)
Note: Manuel was from Alameda, California.

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, February 27, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … Jack Claybourne b. Johnny Sepeda (2/3) (non-title bout) … Bomber
Kulkovich b. Leo Wallick … Kenny Ackles b. Jacques Manuel (decision) … Al Lolotai b.
Basher McDonald (4:48) … (promoter: Al Karasick)
Note: Lolotai was a football player who only wrestled during the off-season.

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, March 6, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … Vic Christy b. Bomber Kulkovich (2/3) (countout in the third fall) …
Jack Claybourne b. Kenny Ackles (40:02) … Johnny Sepeda b. Bob Ford (decision) …
Jacques Manuel b. Jimmy Gonsalves … (promoter: Al Karasick) … (referee: Frank
Merrill)
Notes: The Saturday, March 5 edition of the Honolulu Star Bulletin announced that Vic
Christy, who was booked against Bomber Kulkovich, was not on that morning’s plane,
and the show might have to be changed. Christy was the brother of “Ted Travis.” Christy
did arrive in time. Gonsalves suffered a head cut during his match, which needed eight
stitches.

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, March 13, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … Vic Christy b. Johnny Sepeda (2/3) … Kenny Ackles b. Bomber
Kulkovich (decision) (1-1) … Bobby Ford b. Jacques Manuel (21:43) … Al Lolotai b. Earl
Rasmussen (9:00) … (promoter: Al Karasick) … (referee: Tatsuo ‘Rubberman’ Higami)
Note: For his win, Christy earned a title match against Jack Claybourne.

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, March 20, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … Hawaiian Junior Heavyweight Champion Jack Claybourne b. Vic
Christy (2/3) … Lofty Blomfield b. Bomber Kulkovich (10:04) … Lee Grable b. Johnny
Sepeda … Kenny Ackles and Bobby Ford drew … Jacques Manuel b. Bucky O’Neill (4:
58) … (promoter: Al Karasick)
Notes: This show was billed as “Parade of Champions.” Grable held the Hawaiian Junior
Heavyweight Title “for several months until he lost it to Ted Travis.” Blomfield was the
Australian champion. Tommy O’Toole was introduced to the crowd. The local
newspaper stated that “Christy and Travis are brothers but Ted uses the name ‘Travis’
as his professional monicker (sic).”

Honolulu, Hawaii: Sunday, March 27, 1949
(Civic Auditorium) … The Christy Brothers (Ted and Vic Christy) b. Kenny Ackles and
Bob Ford (2/3) … Tommy O’Toole b. Lofty Blomfield (18:20) … Lee Grable and Pierre
LaSalle drew … Al Lolotai b. Jacques Manuel (DQ) … (promoter: Al Karasick) …
(referee: Higami)

4/3/49 Honolulu
Jack Claybourne beat Tommy O'Toole, Ted Travis beat Lee Grable, Vic Christy drew
Antone Leone, Pierre LaSalle beat BObby Ford, Jimmy Gonsalves beat Jacques Manuel.

4/10/49 Honolulu
Jack Claybourne beat Ted Travis, Antone Leone beat Vic Christy, Kenny Ackles beat
Pierre LaSalle, Oki Shikina beat Tommy O'Toole, Jacques Manuel beat Bobby Ford.

4/17/49 Honolulu
Jack Claybourne drew Ben Sherman, Kenny Ackles beat Antone Leone, Pan Manlapig
beat Jacques Manuel, Charley Shiranuhi beat Bobby Ford, Ben Pilar beat Bucky O'Neil.

4/24/49 Honolulu
Kenny Ackles beat Ben Sherman, Antone Leone beat Butch Levy, Charley Shiarnuhi
beat Red Vagnone dq, Oki Shikinab eat Jacques Manuel, Jimmy GOnsalves beat Bobby
Ford.

5/1/49 Honolulu
Antone Leone beat Kenny Ackles, Jack Claybourne drew Ben SHerman, Red Vagnone
beat Oki SHikina, Rocco Toma beat Jimmy Gonsalves, Jacques Manuel drew Vilai Su'a.

5/8/49 Honolulu
Antone Leone beat Ben Sherman, Ray Daoang beat Pierre LaSalle, Kenny Ackles drew
Rocco Toma, Al Lolotai beat Jacques Manuel, Stan Miyashiro beat Ben Pilar.

5/15/49 Honolulu
Antone Leone beat Jack Claybourne, Ray Daoang beat Ben Sherman, Rocco Toma beat
Red Vagnone, Kenny Ackles drew Charley Shiranuhi, Jacques Manuel beat Stan
Miyashiro.

5/22/49 Honolulu
Antone Leone & Rocco Toma beat Jack Claybourne & Ray Daoang, Kenny Ackles drew
Red Vagnone, Oki Shikina beat Al Lolotai, Jacques Manuel beat Earl Rassmussen.

5/29/49 Honolulu
Jack Claybourne beat Antone Leone, Ray Daoang beat Red Vagnone, Kenny Ackles
drew Rocco Toma, Jimmy Gonsalves beat Jacques Manuel, Vila Su'a beat Abel
Rodrigues.

6/5/49 Honolulu
Kenny Ackles drew Antone Leone, Rocco Toma beat Ray Daoang, The Bat beat Charley
Chiranuhi, Oki Shikina drew Red Vagnone, jacques Manuel no contest Vilai Su'a.

6/12/49 Honolulu
Jack Claybourne beat Rocco Toma, Red Vagnone beat Kenny Ackles, The Bat drew Ray
Daoang, Jimmy GOnsalves beat Fred Wright, Kimon Kudo beat Jacques Manuel.

6/19/49 Honolulu
Jack Claybourne beat Red Vagnone, Kenny Ackles beat Rocco Toma, The Bat beat Fred
Wright, Charley Shiranuhi beat Ray Daoang, Earl Rasmussen drew Abel Rodrigues.

6/26/49 Honolulu
Jack Claybourne beat Kenny Ackles, The Bat beat Red Vagnone, Rocco Toma beat Ray
Daoang, Oki Shikina beat Fred Wright, Count Von Busing beat Earl Rasmussen.

7/3/49 Honolulu
Jack Claybourne beat Oki Shikina, The Bat beat Kenny Ackles, Rocco Toma beat Jimmy
Gonsalves, Red Vagnone beat Fred Wright.

7/10/49 Honolulu
George Pencheff beat Jack Claybourne dq, The Bat beat Rocco Toma, Tiger Joe Marsh
beat Red Vagnone, Kimon Kudo drew Fred Wright.

7/17/49 Honolulu
George Pencheff beat The Bat, Kay Bell drew Tiger Joe Marsh, Oki Shikina beat Rocco
Toma, Red Vagnone beat Fred Wright.

7/24/49 Honolulu
Jack Claybourne beat Kay Bell dq, George PEncheff beat Joe Marsh, Pete Managoff beat
Red Vagnone, Jimmy Gonsalves beat Fred Wright.

8/7/49 Honolulu
Jack Claybourne beat Kay Bell, George Pencheff drew Pete Mangoff, Don Kindred beat
Joe Marsh dq, Red Vagnone beat Charley SHiranuhi.

8/14/49 Honolulu
Kay Bell & PEte Mangagoff beat Jack Claybourne & Don Kindred, Goerge Pencheff beat
Oki SHikina, Joe Marsh drew Red Vagnone, Kimon Kudo beat Earl Rasmussen.

8/21/49 Honolulu
George Pencheff beat Kay Bell, Jack Claybourne beat Pete Managoff, Ben Sherman beat
DOn Kindred, Joe Marsh beat Red Vagnone.

8/28/49 Honolulu
Jack Claybourne drew George Pencheff, Pete Managoff beat Joe Marsh, Harold Sakata
beat Earl Rasmussen, Red Vagnone beat Ben Sherman, Charley Shiranuhi beat Don
Kindred.

9/4/49 Honolulu
Ray Gunkel beat Jack Claybourne Pete Managoff drew George Pencheff, Harold Sakata
beat Charley Takase, Tarzan White beat Red Vagnone, Joe Marsh beat Don Kindred.

9/11/49 Honolulu
Ray Gunkel beat Jack Claybourne, Bobby Managoff beat George Pencheff, Tarzan White
beat Ben SHerman, Harold Sakata beat Fred Tam, Jimmy Gonsalves drew Joe Marsh.

9/18/49 Honolulu
Bobby Managoff beat Pete Managoff, Jack Claybourne beat Tarzan White, George
Pencheff drew Ben Sherman, Oki Shikina beat Joe Marsh, Harold Sakata beat Wimpy
Willington.

9/25/49 Honolulu
Jack Claybourne & Don Kindred beat Ben Sherman & Tarzan WHite, Ray Gunkel drew
Bobby Managoff, George Pencheff beat Pete Managoff, Charley Shiranuhi beat Joe
Marsh.

10/2/49 Honolulu
Bobby Managoff beat Pat Fraley, Ray Gunkel beat George Pencheff, Sonny Kurgis beat
Don Kindred, Jimmy Gonsalves drew Ben SHerman.

10/9/49 Honolulu
Bobby Managoff beat Jack Claybourne, Ray Gunkel beat Sonny Kurgis, Pat Fraley beat
George Pencheff, Oki Shikina beat Don Kindred.

10/16/49 Honolulu
Bobby Managoff beat Lee Grable, Ray Gunkel beat Pat Fraley dq, Sonny Kurgis drew
Tommy O'Toole, Ben Sherman beat Charley Shiranuhi.

10/23/49 Honolulu
Pat Fraley drew Bobby Managoff, Tommy O'Toole beat Sonny Kurgis, Ray Gunkel beat
Lee Grable, Charley Shiranuhi beat Jimmy Gonsalves.

10/30/49 Honolulu
Earl McCready & Tommy O'Toole beat Ray Gunkel & Bobby Managoff, Sonny Kurgis
drew Oki Shikina, Ben Sherman beat Kimon Kudo, Harold Sakata beat Abel Rodriguez.

11/6/49 Honolulu
Earl McCready beat Bobby Managoff, Ray Gunkel drew Oki Shikina, Sonny Kurgis beat
Charley Shiranuhi, Tommy O'Toole beat Johnny Sepeda.

11/13/49 Honolulu
Bobby Managoff beat Tommy O'Toole, Dick Raines beat Sonny Kurgis, Ry Gunkel drew
Johnny Sepeda, Charles Shiranuhi beat Count Von Busing dq, Earl Rasmussen beat
Wally Tsutsumi.

11/20/49 Honolulu
Bobby Managoff beat Dick Raines, Dean Detton beat Ray Gunkel, Chief Little Wolf beat
Tommy O'Toole, Johnny Sepeda drew Oki Shikina.

11/27/49 Honolulu
Bobby Managoff beat Chief Little Wolf, Dean Detton beat Oki Shikina, Martin Tanaka
beat Johnny Sepeda dq, Ray Gunkel drew Sonny Kurgis.

12/4/49 Honolulu
Dean Detton beat Bobby Managoff won Hawaiian title, Ray Gunkel beat Ben Sherman,
Sonny Kurgis drew Johnny Sepeda, Martin Tanaka beat Jimmy Gonsalves.

12/11/49 Honolulu
Dean Detton beat Bobby Managoff, Flash Gordon beat Ray Gunkel, Mickey Gold beat
Johnny Sepeda, Sonny Kurgis drew Martin Tanaka.

12/18/49 Honolulu
Hans Schnabel beat Dean Detton, Flash Gordon drew Bobby Managoff, Mickey Gold
drew Martin Tanaka, Ken Kenneth beat Sonny Kurgis.

12/25/49 Honolulu
Hans Schnabel beat Mickey Gold, Ken Kenneth no contest Fritz Schnabel, Flash Gordon
drew Martin Tanaka, Sonny Kurgis drew John Swenski.

January-March 1949 research by Tim Hornbaker

Honolulu Wrestling Results - 1949