The Central United States included such prized wrestling territories as Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Oklahoma.  These states have spawned many legendary professional wrestlers.  Frank Gotch, who many consider to be the greatest in history, called Humboldt, Iowa home.  Among the others from this part of the U.S. were Joe Stecher, Earl Caddock, John Pesek, Orville Brown, Leroy McGuirk, Verne Gagne, and Danny Hodge.

During the early part of the 20^th Century, there was at least one wrestler representing each of the hundreds of different farming communities in Iowa and Kansas.  Wrestlers would meet in farm houses, athletic clubs, and in make-shift rings, testing their abilities and putting their pride on the line in heated shoots.  Money, wrestlers and promoters learned, was to be made easier and in more abundance if they controlled the outcome of matches.  If they dictacted who won, when, they would always be ahead of those who bet.  Matches that were on the level became rare, but still, remained in the Heart of America, as the dignity of many athletes was too much to bow down to the whims of wild eyed promoters.

Frank Gotch was not above making money through working matches.  Looking at his tour through the Yukon Territory and Alaska early in his career proves that.  His controversial match with Fred Beell in 1906, again, forces much debate.  There is no question that he had the abilities and unabashed talent to defeat anyone in the sport during his wrestling career.  He was an icon and remains so today.

At John O'Donnell Stadium in Davenport, on Wednesday, July 16, 1975, Verne Gagne successfully defended his AWA championship against Nick Bockwinkel.  After the match, the two grapplers began going at it once again, and the audience began to react to the mayhem.  In fact, according to the Des Moines Register, on January 29, 1977, the spectators "rushed toward the wrestling ring, adding to the confusion." At that point, an audience member grabbed Gagne's belt from the timekeeper's table, and escaped the facility.

The championship belt, representing the AWA World Heavyweight Title for upwards of 10 years, was valued by Gagne at around $10,000.  However, the Des Moines Register stated that "testimony at the trial indicated the belt was made of silver and gold plated vermeil, that it contained eight 3/4-carat diamonds and that it was worth at least $800." Another claim was made that the belt was worth $5,000.

On Wednesday, September 24, 1975, a 23 year old Davenport man was detailed in Port Huron, Michigan after entering the U.S. from Canada.  Thomas A. Fennelly was charged with stealing Gagne's championship belt, and held in St. Clair County Jail, pending extradition.  That December, Fennelly was found guilty, "convicted of a charge of larceny of more than $20." By this point, however, the championship belt was still missing.

That is until the evening of Monday, January 19, 1976, when postal employees found the belt in a mail chute in Davenport.  Attached the belt was a note stating "You've got the wrong man." Fennelly was sentenced a short time later.  It is not currently known how much time he received.

In January 1977, Fennelly sought a new trial from the Iowa Appeals Court, but was denied.  In his statements, he claimed that the championship belt was a "bauble of little, if any value." It was also stated that this belt was obtained by Gagne in 1952 and was of "considerable notoriety."

National Wrestling Alliance Members:

Pinkie George of Des Moines was responsible for calling promoters to Waterloo in July 1948 to launch the new, expanded version of the National Wrestling Alliance.  He served as the "temporary chairman," and then was named the first president of the NWA at the meeting in Minneapolis in September.

Wrestlers from Iowa:

In 1878, James Harley Alldredge was born in Illinois to Bazil Davis and Sarah Emaline Williams Alldredge.  A blacksmith by trade, James wrestled professionally in the Central States, based out of his hometown of Leon, Iowa.  He competed with both Frank Gotch and Farmer Burns, taking a handicap victory from the former in June 1903.  During the early 1900s, he reportedly appeared in Los Angeles and boxed a three-round exhibition match with James J. Jeffries.  He married Laura M. Housh in November 1903 and had two children, Reginald Leroy and Lillian.  James was heartbroken when his young son died on October 10, 1918 from pneumonia.  He trained future wrestling champion Tom Alley, and died of blood poisoning in the late 1920s.  Alldredge was buried in Leon Cemetery.

Wrestler Tag Tageson was born Amandus L. Tagesen near Brested, Germany on May 29, 1895.  He settled in Mason City, Iowa, where he worked as a "motor man," and wrestled as a middleweight in the late 1910s.  He reportedly wrestled Bronko Nagurski in Nagurski's professional wrestling debut in 1933.  After his career as a grappler was over, Tagesen opened "Tag's Gay Modern Dine and Dance" at Clear Lake, Iowa, a popular establishment, and in May 1942, he was arrested and charged with being a bootlegger.  He died in July 1983.

Earl Conrad was born on November 29, 1899 and before the end of the 1910s, was one of the premier bantamweight wrestlers in the country, claiming the World Championship.  According to one source, Conrad was as titleholder by the National Wrestling Association.  During the war, Conrad, who was from Creston, Iowa, served as a physical training instructor at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri.  He was also a wrestling and boxing coach at Drake University and the Des Moines YMCA.  Conrad was considered a jiu-jitsu expert.


Obituaries:

The most famous name in early 20th Century professional wrestling, Frank Gotch died on December 16, 1917 at his home in Humboldt, Iowa.

Farmer Burns (Martin Burns), a legendary wrestler and trainer, passed away on January 8, 1937 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  He was 76.  Burns grew up in Cedar County, Iowa.

Earl Caddock was a national champion in the amateur wrestling ranks and then climbed to the World Heavyweight professional title.  He died of cancer on August 25, 1950 at his home in Walnut, Iowa at the age of 62.  He was survived by his wife Grace, four children, and four siblings.

55 year old Ralph Tarr (Ralph Wesley Tarr) of Clear Lake, Iowa died in a single car accident west of Mason City on Saturday, April 6, 1957.  Tarr was a successful wrestler during the 1930s.  He was also an electrician.  He was survived by his wife Ruth and nine children.

During the early part of the 1920s, Ralph Parcaut of Spencer, Iowa coached wrestling at the University of Iowa.  He was a gifted wrestler and later a promoter.  He died at the age of 60 on June 25, 1957 in Des Moines.

A claimant to the World Welterweight Title at one time, Guy Elliott died on Thursday, July 11, 1957 in Collins, Iowa.  Elliott, 68, was a top welterweight in a career that lasted more than 20 years, and competed against some of the best athletes in the country at that weight, including Jack Reynolds.  He was survived by a wife and three children.

Coach of the University of Iowa wrestling team for 30 years from 1922 to 1952, Mike Howard (Harold M. Howard) died on Saturday, August 8, 1959 in Iowa City, Iowa at the age of 75.  Howard was a former professional wrestler, born in Copenhagen, Denmark.  His students, reportedly, won 26 Big Ten individual titles.

The father of National Wrestling Alliance mastermind Pinkie George, Louis P. George, passed away on Friday, January 8, 1960 in Des Moines.  He was 81.  Pinkie, at the time, was promoting wrestling in San Antonio.

Known as Cyclone Thompson on some barnstorming tours, Peter Fromm (Peter Joseph Fromm) claimed to have beaten Earl Caddock when the latter was still an amateur.  Fromm died on February 6, 1963.  He was from Shelby County, Iowa.

Ken Fenelon was a top title claimant in Iowa during the 1940s and successful throughout his career.  He died at the age of 63 on Tuesday, August 8, 1972 in Dubuque, Iowa.  He was survived by his wife and four children.

Wrestler of the 1920s and '30s, Frankie French (Frank French) of Renwick, Iowa died on Friday, September 22, 1972.  French, at one point, claimed the Iowa State championship.

In a career that spanned five different decades (1930s-70s), "Bulldog" Lee Henning (Leland Henning) established himself as one of the toughest journeymen in the business.  Henning lived in Boone, Saratoga, and Cresco, Iowa at different times.  He passed away on October 11, 1977.

Carl Neiderman, a wrestler and promoter in Mason City, Iowa during the 1930s, died in December 1979 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Amandus L. "Tag" Tagesen (Tageson), a wrestler between the 1910s and '30s, died in July 1983 in Clear Lake, Iowa.

In April 1984, Earl Wampler of Scranton, Iowa died.  Wampler was a wrestler for a number of decades and a claimant to the Iowa State Heavyweight championship.

A reputed tough guy on the mats during the 1930s, Earl Turnure died in July 1984 in Atlantic, Iowa.  From Hardin County, he was a wrestler and boxer, and competed on many carnival shows throughout the state in legit contests.  Turnure weighed about 170 pounds.

Can be considered the man with the plan - "Pinkie" George (Paul L. George), the individual who called his contemporaries to Waterloo in July 1948 to expand the National Wrestling Alliance from a locally run operation, to a national conglomorate.  George passed away on November 1, 1993 at his home in Des Moines.  He was 89.

Promoter of wrestling in Waterloo and always there to lend a hand to his enterprising brother Pinkie, Andy George (Andrew George) died on Tuesday, January 14, 1997.

Former bantamweight and lightweight wrestler, Earl Conrad (Earl W. Conrad) died on November 28, 1999 in Creston, Iowa.

Al Bisignano (Alphonse J. Bisignano), longtime wrestler and Des Moines restaurant owner for over 50 years, passed away on April 17, 2005.


Iowa Wrestling Titles:

Iowa State Heavyweight Title

Iowa Wrestling Results: