Brief History:
Background:
The two most influential promoters in Kansas during the early part of the 20th Century were W.D. Scoville and Gabriel Kaufman. Scoville managed the Missouri Athletic Club in Kansas City and bid for a match between Gotch and Hackenschmidt as early as January 1907. Scoville seemingly had the match locked up with a $10,000 purse and agreement from both parties, but Chicago ended up with the bout. Scoville was the man who introduced Western Missouri wrestling fans to Joe Stecher in December 1915, and an estimated 3,000 fans turned out to see the man from Dodge beat Ivan Micheloff at the Convention Hall in Kansas City.
Kaufman was born in Chicago in 1882 and played football for the University of Chicago, captained by Hall of Fame quarterback Walter Eckersall. Legend has it that Kaufman boxed before turning to promotions, as did fellow promoters Pinkie George, Tom Law, and Eddie Quinn. He settled in Kansas City and promoted boxing and wrestling at the Convention Hall. In April 1917, Kaufman was in the audience for the famed Caddock-Stecher affair in Omaha. Kaufman’s most flourishing time in wrestling came in 1924-’25 when, as a member of the Lewis-Sandow troupe, was handed the managerial contract of a former professional boxer and football player, and a relative newcomer to wrestling, Wayne Munn from Nebraska.
After the clouded finish of the first Marshall-Pesek bout in Kansas City's Convention Hall, Kaufman wanted to rematch the duo on May 16, 1932. Not only would Haft again agree to allow Pesek to defend his MWA championship, but the American Legion had retrieved their new belt that had gone directly into a safety deposit box after the initial match - and announced that it would go to the winner. They firmly expected a clear-cut victor this time around, and that someone would be the American Legion "world" champion.
Days before the big event, a mysterious St. Louis promoter by the name of Col. John S. Berger stepped up to try to lure the high-profile rematch to his town. He reached out to Kaufman, but couldn't get a deal done. Infuriated, Berger attempted to get Pesek suspended by the Missouri State Athletic Commission at a meeting in Jefferson City on May 10, 1932, claiming that the "Tigerman" had run out on a scheduled match in St. Louis. The commission was presented "facts" by both sides of the rivalry, and deduced that Berger had no firm proof that Pesek had evaded any St. Louis bouts. Kaufman said simply that Pesek hadn't signed into any matches in that town, and that there was no basis for a suspension. The match was going forth with the commission's blessing.
On May 16, 1932, before 4,000 fans at the Convention Hall in Kansas City, Pesek beat Marshall with one fall in two-hours to add the American Legion belt to his collection of championships. Of course, Marshall disagreed, claiming that the lone fall at the 67:00 mark, wasn't legit.
Kansas City faced a promotional war during the 1930s between George Simpson and wrestler turned matchmaker Johnny Atkins. Simpson was supported by the American Legion, staging his shows on Thursday nights, while Atkins was backed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and held his programs on Tuesday evenings. Both had the blessing of the Kansas State Athletic Commission to promote at the famous Memorial Hall at 600 N. 7th Street. Simpson used a more conventional line-up of wrestlers seen around the country as part of the talent sharing deal made by the “Trust.” On the other hand, Atkins was seen as a rogue “independent” promoter, with alliances to Billy Sandow and Al Haft, but removed from the major agreements that were held in regard by the likes of Tom Packs and Gabe Kaufman in Missouri. The most respected grappler out of the Atkins office was Lee Wykoff.
National Wrestling Alliance Members:
Orville Brown was one of the founding members of the NWA, helping establish the growing organization in July 1948. Since he was still an active wrestler, he used George Simpson, and later Pearl Christy as his "front" for his local booking agency.
Wrestlers from Kansas:
"Wild" Red Berry
Joe Travis
Lee Wykoff
Miscellaneous Wrestling Notes and Milestones:
In early May 1913, W.D. Scoville announced his resignation as matchmaker for the Missouri Athletic Club to focus on his new managerial role as part of the new National Athletic Club in Kansas City. Scoville said that he planned to bring major sporting events to the city, including big-time boxing and professional wrestling.
Kansas City wrestling promoter Johnny Hatfield suffered serious injuries in a car accident on November 27, 1932.
The Kansas City Star reported on June 14, 1942 that Steve Brody, a well-known wrestler in the area, was in the Marine Corps and training at Parris Island, South Carolina. His real name was Steven H. Opalenik.
With the season opening of his brand of wrestling on September 20, 1956, George Simpson was celebrating his 28th year as Kansas City's grappling promoter. He planned to present a new group of heavyweight wrestlers at the Memorial Hall, and had broken his working-relationship with NWA booker Orville Brown. Instead, Simpson was going to rely on the independent pool. This was weeks before the Federal Court Case against the Alliance in Des Moines.
68 year old promoter George Simpson suffered a heart attack on Sunday, April 19, 1964 in Kansas City and was recovering in a local Kansas City hospital.
Obituaries:
Title claimant and father of wrestlers Albion and Floyd Britt, A.A. Britt (Aulus Autila Britt) died on May 9, 1940. The Britt Family were from Luray, Russell County, Kansas.
In the battle on Iwo Jima, wrestler Steve Brody (Steven H. Opalenik) was killed in action in February 1945. Brody was a 2nd Lt., in the 24th Marines. He had been an electric performer in the Central States, winning the local junior heavyweight champion in 1939 and engaging in a long-running feud with Ray Schwarz. Brody was originally from Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
One of the top promoters of the 1920s and '30s, Gabe Kaufman died of a heart attack on November 9, 1947. Kaufman was promoter and assistant manager of the Convention Hall in Kansas City, Missouri, and the manager of record for Wayne Munn when the latter vanquished Ed "Strangler" Lewis in 1925 for the World Heavyweight Title. Kaufman was 65.
Albion Britt, the first ever National Wrestling Association World Junior Champion, died in a car accident on December 24, 1955 near Haviland, Kansas.
Edward O. "Ned" Locher, a former Kansas City professional wrestler, died on Tuesday, April 26, 1960 in Glendale, California. He was survived by his wife Lucille and his stepdaughter. He was 63.
Former Kansas State champion, Alan Eustace died on Tuesday, May 16, 1972 at his home in Wakefield, Kansas. He was 80 years old. Eustace was survived by his wife and four children.
Legendary wrestler and manager "Wild" Red Berry (Ralph Berry) passed away on July 28, 1973 in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Kansas at 66 years of age.
Famed Central States referee, Louis R. Spandle died in May 1978 at Kansas City, Kansas.
Orville E. Brown was the National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champion when the organization grew out of the backyard of Pinkie George's realm in Iowa. He died at the age of 72 on Saturday, January 24, 1981 in Lee's Summit, Missouri.
Proving that his handicap of being deaf would not hinder his ascension in the professional wrestling ranks, Everett "Silent" Rattan (Everett Nathan Rattan) became the champion of several different weight divisions. In 1957, he was named to the USA Deaf Sports Federation Hall of Fame. Rattan died on August 20, 1981 in Los Angeles.
Involved in professional wrestling on the mat and behind-the-scenes, Jerry Meeker (Gerald Wison Meeker) was born in Kansas, the son of a metal polisher. He was a journeyman grappler, and later was a matchmaker in several territories, including Iowa. Meeker died on October 30, 1986 in Long Beach, California.
Recognized by Billy Sandow as the first ever "National Wrestling Alliance" World Heavyweight Champion in Kansas in 1941, Roy Dunn died on June 10, 2000 in Holly, Colorado. Dunn was an AAU champion and member of the 1936 Olympic wrestling team.
Wrestling Titles:
World Heavyweight Title (Missouri)
World Junior Heavyweight Title
Kansas Wrestling Results:
Kansas City Wrestling Results - 1932
Kansas City Wrestling Results - 1937
Kansas City Wrestling Results - 1949
Kansas City Wrestling Results - 1958
Kansas City Wrestling Results - 1959
Kansas City Wrestling Results - 1960
Wichita Wrestling Results - 1939
Wichita Wrestling Results - 1941
Topeka Wrestling Results - 1941
Topeka Wrestling Results - 1942
Topeka Wrestling Results - 1944
Arena Addresses:
Folly Theater - 12th and Central, Kansas City, Missouri
Memorial Hall - 600 N. 7th Street, Kansas City, Kansas
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