
Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, January 6, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Tarzan Kowalski b. Ivan Rasputin (2/3) … Bobby Bruns b. Jack McDonald (2-0) … Walter Sirois b. Jay Steele … Jack Hader b. Johnny Kurgis … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (matchmaker: Orville Brown) … (referee: Louis Spandle) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, January 13, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers b. Tarzan Kowalski (2/3) (third fall by DQ) (Kowalski hit the referee) … Bobby Bruns and Bob Wagner drew (1-1) … Don Eagle b. Ivan Rasputin … Kostas Davelis b. Jay Steele … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Marshall Esteppe) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, January 20, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown b. Tarzan Kowalski (2/3) … Bobby Bruns and Don Eagle b. Jack McDonald and Bob Wagner (2-0) … Ivan Rasputin b. Tiny Mills … Ted Tourtas b. Walter Sirois (DQ) … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Louis Spandle) … (3,000+ fans) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, January 27, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown b. Don Eagle (2-0) … Bobby Bruns b. Lou Newman (2/3) … Bob Wagner b. “Sailor” Fred Blassie when the referee halted the match … Jay Steele b. Kostas Davelis (crabhold) … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Marshall Esteppe) … (sponsored by: American Legion) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, February 3, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bobby Bruns b. Bob Wagner (2/3) (Bruns won the third fall by DQ) … Tarzan Kowalski b. Lou Newman (2/3) (third fall by DQ) … Lucky Simunovich b. Jay Steele … Moody Palmer b. Ted Tourtas … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referees: Bill Atkinson, Sammy Feeback) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, February 10, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bobby Bruns and Lucky Simunovich b. Lou Newman and Bob Wagner … The Red Phantom b. Ken Kenneth (2/3) … Barney Bernard b. Moody Palmer … Jay Steele b. Ted Tourtas … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referees: Sammy Feeback, Jack League) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, February 17, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown b. Bob Wagner (2/3) … The Red Phantom b. Tarzan Kowalski … Lou Newman b. Lucky Simunovich … Ken Kenneth b. Red Roberts (double-stepover toehold) … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Jack League) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, February 24, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Lou Newman and The Red Phantom b. Bobby Bruns and Tarzan Kowalski (2/3) … Sonny Myers and Lucky Simunovich drew (45:00) (1-1) … Jimmy Coffield b. Ken Kenneth … Jack Hader and Red Roberts drew (30:00) … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referees: Jack League, Jay Steele) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, March 2, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bobby Bruns and The Red Phantom drew at the “midnight closing” (curfew) … King Kong Kashey b. Ken Kenneth … Jimmy Coffield vs. Lucky Simunovich … Sonny Myers vs. Lou Newman … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referees: Jack League, Jay Steele) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, March 10, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … The Red Phantom b. Sonny Myers (2/3) (Phantom was unmasked as Herman Von Doyle) … Abe “King Kong” Kashey b. Lucky Simunovich … Jimmy Coffield b. Jules LaRance … Johnny LaRance b. Red Roberts … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Louis Spandle) Note: Louis Spandle was making his return as lead referee in Kansas City after being out for more than a month with a serious shoulder injury. Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, March 17, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Sonny Myers and Lucky Simunovich b. Abe “King Kong” Kashey and The Red Phantom (2/3) … Otto Kuss b. Jimmy Coffield (2/3) (third fall by DQ) … Jack Hader and Johnny LaRance drew (30:00) … Jules LaRance b. Red Roberts (crabhold) … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Lou Spandle) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, March 24, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Abe “King Kong” Kashey b. The Red Phantom (2/3) … Sonny Myers and Lucky Simunovich wrestled The LaRances (Johnny and Jules LaRance) to a draw (45:00) (1-1) … Jack Hader b. Barney Bernard … Frank Marconi b. Red Roberts … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Louis Spandle) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, March 31, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Don Eagle b. Abe Kashey (2/3) … Jimmy Coffield and Dean Detton b. The LaRances (Johnny and Jules LaRance) (2/3) … Lucky Simunovich b. The Red Phantom (2/3) … Jack Hader and Frank Marconi drew (30:00) … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Louis Spandle) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, April 7, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown b. Lucky Simunovich (2/3) … Dean Detton b. Jimmy Coffield (2/3) … Abe Kashey and Harold “Sonny” Myers drew (30:00) … The Red Phantom b. Frank Marconi … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Louis Spandle) … (sponsored by: American Legion) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, April 14, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bobby Bruns and Dean Detton b. Jimmy Coffield and Abe Kashey (2/3) … Herman Von Doyle b. Lucky Simunovich (2/3) … Sonny Myers and Dan O’Connor drew (30:00) … Johnny LaRance b. Frank Marconi (16:30) … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Louis Spandle) … (sponsored by: American Legion) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, April 21, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Chief Don Eagle b. Dean Detton (2/3) (third fall by DQ) (special referee: Ed “Strangler” Lewis) … Bobby Bruns b. Herman Von Doyle (2/3) (Bruns became the number one contender to the NWA World Title) … Abe Kashey and Dan O’ Connor drew (30:00) … Jimmy Coffield b. Frank Marconi … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Louis Spandle) … (sponsored by: American Legion) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, April 28, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown b. Bobby Bruns (23) (third fall bay DQ) (Bruns was accompanied by Dean Detton, who caused the DQ when he hit Brown) … Dean Detton b. Herman Von Doyle (2/3) … Roy Graham b. Dan O’ Connor … Jimmy Coffield b. Pete Schuh … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Louis Spandle) … (sponsored by: American Legion) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, May 5, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown b. Dean Detton (2/3) (Detton suffered a sprained wrist in the third fall) (Brown won the match with a wristlock submission hold) … Bobby Bruns and Joe Pazandak drew (45:00) … Roy Graham b. Jimmy Coffield … Herman Von Doyle b. Dan O’Connor … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Louis Spandle) … (sponsored by: American Legion) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, May 12, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bobby Bruns and Buddy Rogers wrestled to a double-disqualification (1-1) … Dean Detton and Roy Graham drew (1-1) … Joe Pazandak b. Jack Hader … Francois Miquet and Herman Von Doyle drew (30:00) … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Lou Spandle) … (announcer: Jim Chemi) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, May 19, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … NWA World Champion Orville Brown b. Bobby Bruns (2/3) (Bruns won the first fall, but lost the second and third straight) … Roy Graham b. Herman Von Doyle (2/3) … Joe Pazandak b. Francois Miquet … Gene Blakeley and Jimmy Coffield drew (30: 00) … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Lou Spandle) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, June 2, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Joe Pazandak b. Roy Graham (2/3) (Pazandak became the number one contender to the NWA World Title) … Sonny Myers b. Abe Kashey (17:00) … Herman Von Doyle b. Gene Blakeley … Jack Hader b. Rex Mayes … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Lou Spandle) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, June 9, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … NWA World Champion Orville Brown and Joe Pazandak wrestled to a draw at the midnight closing hour (1-1) (Pazandak remained undefeated locally) … Marshall Estep b. Roy Graham (2/3) (third fall by DQ for eye gouging) … Fred Blassie and Herman Von Doyle drew (30:00) … Jack Hader b. Gene Blakeley … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Lou Spandle) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, June 16, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Tarzan Kowalski and Joe Pazandak b. Orville Brown and Lou Newman (2-0) (Kowalski b. Newman for the first fall and then beat Brown for the second) (Newman was billed as being from Calgary) … Marshall Estep (billed as Esteppe) b. Herman Von Doyle (2/3) (third fall by DQ) … Barney Bernard and Fred Blassie drew (30:00) … Jack Hader b. Joe Adleman by countout … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Lou Spandle) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, June 23, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown b. Joe Pazandak (2/3) … Tarzan Kowalski b. Lou Newman (2/3) … Herman Von Doyle b. Fred Blassie … Barney Barnard and Jack Hader drew … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Lou Spandle) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, June 30, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Tarzan Kowalski b. Jim Wright (2/3) … Joe Pazandak b. Herman Von Doyle (2/3) … Lou Newman b. Barney Barnard … Jack Hader b. Jack Suzek (DQ) … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referee: Lou Spandle) Notes: The season closer and “Fan Appreciation Night.” *During the summer of 1949, George Simpson of the American Legion spent five weeks in Europe looking at wrestling talent. He ventured through Great Britian, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, searching for talent. He obtained several contracts to bring wrestlers to Kansas City. Reports were that there weren’t any top heavyweights in Great Britian since Henry Piers. Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, September 15, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bill Longson b. Joe Pazandak (2/3) … Ronnie Etchison b. Chief Chewchki (2-0) … Enrique Torres b. Jack Suzek … Garza Lozano b. Danny Fenelon … (promoter: George Simpson) … (referee: Lou Spandle) … (season opener) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, September 22, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bill Longson b. Ronnie Etchison (2/3) … Joe Pazandak and Whitey Whittler drew (1-1) … Walter Sirois b. Garza Lozano … Jack Hader b. Chief Chewchki … (promoter: George Simpson) Note: Orville Brown was in attendance and vocal about Bill Longson’s usage of the atomic drop. Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, September 29, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown b. Bill Longson (2/3) (Brown won the third fall by disqualification when Longson used an illegal piledriver) … Bobby Bruns b. Whitey Whittler (2-0) (Whittler suffered a shoulder injury during the first fall and was unable to continue) … Ronnie Etchison and Bob Wagner drew (30:00) … Joe Pazandak b. Walter Sirois … (promoter: George Simpson) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, October 6, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bill Longson and Bob Wagner b. Bobby Bruns and Ronnie Etchison (2/3) … Lord Albert Mills b. Pete Petersen (2/3) … Cliff Olson and Walter Sirois drew (30: 00) … Jack Susek b. Emir Badui … (promoter: George Simpson) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, October 13, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bobby Bruns b. Bob Wagner (2/3) … Lord Albert Mills b. Cliff Olson (2- 0) … Ronnie Etchison b. Walter Sirois … Pete Petersen b. Armando Fernandez … (promoter: George Simpson) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, October 20, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz b. Lord Albert Mills (2/3) … Bobby Bruns b. Jimmy Coffield (2-0) … Enrique Torres b. Big Ben Morgan … Pete Petersen b. Mile High Ross … (promoter: George Simpson) Note: According to newspaper reports, Thesz hoped to establish his claim in the “midwest.” Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, October 27, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bill Longson b. Bobby Bruns (2/3) … Enrique Torres b. Pete Petersen (2/3) … Jimmy Coffield and Mike Sharpe drew … Mile High Ross b. Walter Sirois … (promoter: George Simpson) … (referee: Lou Spandle) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, November 3, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bill Longson b. Enrique Torres (2/3) (third fall by DQ) … Ronnie Etchison and Lord Albert Mills drew (45:00) (1-1) … Mike Sharpe b. Mile High Ross … Pete Peterson b. Walter Sirois … (promoter: George Simpson) … (referees: Miller, Lou Spandle) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, November 10, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bill Longson b. Enrique Torres (2/3) (Torres suffered an injured right knee during the contest) … E. Dusek (Ernie or Emil?) b. Mike Sharpe (2/3) … Roy Graham b. Pete Peterson … Jimmy Coffield and Karl Davis drew … (promoter: George Simpson)… (referee: Lou Spandle) … (3,280 fans) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, November 17, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz b. Ernie Dusek (2-0) (special referee: Max Baer) … Joe Dusek and Mike Sharpe drew (1-1) … Ben Sharpe b. Ben Morgan … Karl Davis b. Babe Zaharias … (promoter: George Simpson) Note: Bobby Bruns was in attendance as a spectator. He had been released from a local hospital several days earlier, and was still recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident earlier in the month. Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, November 24, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … The Dusek Brothers (Ernie and Joe Dusek) b. The Sharpe Brothers (Ben and Mike Sharpe) (2/3) … Enrique Torres b. Jerry Meeker (2/3) … Karl Davis and Ronnie Etchison drew … Lou Sjoberg b. Mile High Ross … (3,550 fans) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, December 1, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … The Sharpe Brothers (Ben and Mike Sharpe) b. The Dusek Brothers (Ernie and Joe Dusek) (2/3) … Enrique Torres b. Roy Graham (2/3) … Ronnie Etchison b. Danny Plechas … Karl Davis b. Lou Sjoberg … (promoter: George Simpson) … (referees: Jack League, Lou Spandle) … (large crowd) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, December 8, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Enrique Torres b. Roy Graham (2-0) … Mike Sharpe b. Karl Davis (2/3) … Ronnie Etchison and Pete Peterson drew … Dick Hatcher b. Jack Hader (DQ) … (promoter: George Simpson) … (referees: Jack League, Lou Spandle) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, December 15, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bill Longson b. Mike Sharpe (2/3) … Enrique Torres b. Joe Dusek (2/3) … Walter Sirois and George Temple drew … Jimmy Coffield b. Dick Hatcher … (promoter: George Simpson) … (referees: Jack League, Ed “Strangler” Lewis) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, December 22, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … Bill Longson b. Enrique Torres (2/3) … Joe Dusek b. Pete Peterson (2- 0) … Ernie Dusek and Farmer Jones drew … Emil Dusek b. George Temple … (promoter: George Simpson) … (referee: Jack League) Kansas City, Kansas: Thursday, December 29, 1949 (Memorial Hall) … The Dusek Brothers (Ernie and Joe Dusek) b. Sonny Myers and Enrique Torres (2/3) … Ronnie Etchison b. Red Vagnone (2-0) … Farmer Jones b. Jack Hader … Frankie Murdock and Danny Plechas drew … (promoter: George Simpson) … (referees: Jack League, Lou Spandle) … (3,400 fans) Kansas City, Missouri: Tuesday, March 22, 1949 (Municipal Auditorium) … Don Eagle b. Jimmy Coffield (2/3) … Helen Hild b. Nell Stewart … Battle Royal. Mae Weston b. Elvira Snodgrass in the finals (participants: Helen Hild, Catherine Simone, Elvira Snodgrass, Nell Stewart, Mae Weston) … Fred Blassie b. Frank Marconi (DQ) … (promoter: George D. Simpson) … (referees: Harry Cohen, Louis Spandle) … (5,500 fans) *On Friday, October 21, 1949, it was announced that wrestling was going to be televised in the area for the first time beginning on Tuesday from the World War II Memorial Building at Linwood and Paseo in Kansas City, Missouri. The events would be promoted by George Simpson and sponsored by the American Legion. The show would be broadcast on WDAF-TV between 9-10 p.m. Kansas City, Missouri: Tuesday, October 25, 1949 (World War II Memorial Building) … Ronnie Etchison b. Babe Zaharias (2/3) … Mel Peters and Walter Sirois drew (1-1) … Jack Suzek b. Danny Fenelon … (referee: Sam Feeback) Kansas City, Missouri: Tuesday, November 1, 1949 (World War II Memorial Building) … Ronnie Etchison b. Roy Graham (DQ in the third fall) … Babe Zaharias b. Mel Peters … Johnny Swenski b. Neil Warren … (referee: Sam Feeback) Kansas City, Missouri: Tuesday, November 8, 1949 (World War II Memorial Building) … Babe Zaharias b. Johnny Swenski … Farmer Jones b. Jimmy Lott … Farmer Jones and Johnny Swenski b. Jimmy Lott and Babe Zaharias (2-0) (Jones and Swenski won the second fall DQ) … (referee: Sam Feeback) Kansas City, Missouri: Tuesday, November 15, 1949 (World War II Memorial Building) … Farmer Jones b. Johnny LaRance (2/3) … Johnny Lott b. Bobby Clay (2/3) … Joe Adelman b. Rex Stover … (referee: Sam Feeback) Kansas City, Missouri: Tuesday, November 22, 1949 (World War II Memorial Building) … Farmer Jones b. Paul “Tarzan” Orth (2/3) … Bobby Clay b. Johnny LaRance (2/3) … Bruce Ozenberger b. Ivan Peters Kansas City, Missouri: Tuesday, November 29, 1949 (World War II Memorial Building) … Don Eagle b. Bill Longson (disqualification in the third fall) (Longson was disqualified for failure to break a hold) … Women’s World Champion Mildred Burke b. Marie McFarland (2-0) … Farmer Jones b. Jimmy Lott … Bobby Clay b. Monty LaDue … (referees: Harry Cohen, Jack League, Lou Spandle) … (6,028 fans) Kansas City, Missouri: Tuesday, December 6, 1949 (World War II Memorial Building) … Farmer Jones b. Walter Sirois (2/3) … Bobby Clay b. Paul Orth (2/3) … Joe Adelman b. Nell Warren … (referees: Sam Feeback, Laird) Kansas City, Missouri: Tuesday, December 13, 1949 (World War II Memorial Building) … Ali Pasha b. Farmer Jones (2/3) (special referee: Ed Lewis) … Bobby Clay and Walter Sirois drew (1-1) … Paul Orth b. Lou Sjoberg … (referees: Jack League, Ed “Strangler” Lewis) Kansas City, Missouri: Tuesday, December 20, 1949 (World War II Memorial Building) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b. Ali Pasha (2-0) … Farmer Jones b. Carlos Rodriquez (2/3) … Jack Hader b. Bruce Osenberger … (referees: Jack League, Laird) *Research by Tim Hornbaker April 29, 2007 |
| Kansas City Wrestling Results - 1949 |
