Louisville Wrestling Results

Louisville, Kentucky: Tuesday, January 7, 1947
(The Armory) … Primo Carnera b. Jules Strongbow (2-0) … Lou Thesz b. Bobby Bruns
(2/3) … Fred Blassie and “Young” Frank Gotch drew … Ed Meske and Ray Villmer drew
… (promoter: Heywood Allen Sr.) … (6,300 fans)
Notes: Carnera reportedly had many friends “among Louisville’s Italians,” and he
planned to “visit the horse farms in the Bluegrass during his stay in Kentucky.” Strongbow
was said to be a Cherokee Indian from Pawnee, Oklahoma.

Louisville, Kentucky: Tuesday, January 21, 1947
(The Armory) … Gil Woodworth wrestled a live alligator (seven foot long) in an exhibition
… Don Louis Thesz b. Frankie Bockwinkel (2-0) … June Byers b. Dot Dotson (12:51) …
Felix Miquet b. Ole Olson (17:29) … (promoter: Heywood Allen Sr.) … (announcer:
George Lewis) … (7,300 fans) … (gate: $7,000)
Note: After the show, Woodworth married Miss Perma Crook of Ripley, Tennessee in the
ring. Justice of the Peace Herman Jorris performed the ceremony. Woodworth was billed
as being from the Florida Everglades. He said he was never afraid of alligators as a kid,
and he explained that “Ross Allen (owner of the Silver Srpings, Florida Reptile Farm) told
me I was a natural born alligator wrestler.” At that farm, it was said that many movies
filmed their underwater sequences there, and Woodworth claimed he “recently” doubled
for Johnny Weissmuller. He was said to be 36 years old.

*The Sunday, February 9, 1947 edition of the Louisville Courier Journal stated: “Francis
A. McDonough, Jr., part owner of the Allen Athletic Club, promoter of wrestling shows in
Lousville, obtained full control by purchasing the interest owned by Heywood Allen, Sr.”

Louisville, Kentucky: Tuesday, February 18, 1947
(The Armory) … World Heavyweight Champion Bill Longson b. Felix Miquet (2/3)
(Longson was “swatted” by Babe Sharkey before the match when he “failed to shake his
hand and congradulate him” [on his ring victory over Torres] … Babe Sharkey b. Miguel
Torres (2-0) … Ed Meske b. Ralph Garibaldi (20:04) … Mickey Gold and Joe Millich drew
… (promoter: Heywood Allen Sr.) … (Allen’s retirement show) … (referee: Billy Love) …
(5,000 fans)
Note: The February 7, 1947 edition of the Louisville Courier-Journal stated that the
following would be invited to the show: Kentucky Governor Simeon S. Willis, Charley
Schullman, George Lewis (announcer), Paul Neal, Pat Murphy, Ray McDonogh, Clarence
Brenzel, “Kid” Scotty Williams (referee), Billy Love (referee), and Francis A. McDonogh Jr.
(co-owner). This group, sans Governor Willis, made up the “Ole Gang of Allen’s.” Other
dignitaries invited were members of the National Wrestling Assocaition and “near-by”
promoters. Prior to the show, Francis McDonogh made a plea in the paper to locate
Allen’s oldest living fan to attend the program. Robert T. Brown stepped forward,
remembering a match between William Demetral and Jack Stone, reportedly Allen’s first
at the “Old Buck.” Allen had promoted in Louisville for 42 years. Ultimately, the paper
didn’t list who actually attended the function.

Louisville, Kentucky: Tuesday, February 25, 1947
(The Armory) … Don Louis Thesz b. Babe Sharkey (2/3) … Joe Corbett and Ralph
Garibaldi b. Joe Dobie and Mickey Gold (2-0) … Mae Weston b. June Byers (2-0) …
(promoter: Francis McDonogh Jr.) … (sponsored by: Allen Athletic Club) … (3,500 fans)
… (benefit for the Sports Infantile Paralysis Fund)
Notes: Heywood Allen was reportedly involved in the charitable event. Reportedly,
“Thesz has yet to lose a decision since his discharge from the Army six months ago.”
Sharkey was said to have “went nearly three years without losing, and rolled up 500 wins
in two years.”

Louisville, Kentucky: Tuesday, March 4, 1947
(The Armory) … World Heavyweight Champion “Whipper” Billy Watson b. Ed Meske (2/3)
…Don Louis Thesz (spelled Luis) b. Joe Corbett (2/3) … Wee Willie Davis and Frank
Valois drew … Mickey Gold b. Cecil “Blacksmith” Pedigo (17:05) … (promoter: Francis
McDonogh Jr.) … (4,750 fans) … (benefit for the Sports Polio Fund, “Car Night”)

Louisville, Kentucky: Tuesday, March 18, 1947
(The Armory) … World Heavyweight Champion “Whipper” Billy Watson b. Everette
Marshall (2-0) (second fall by DQ for “rough tactics”) … Ernie Dusek and Don Louis
Thesz drew … Ralph Garibaldi b. Wally Greb (18:57) … Frank Valois b. Mickey Gold (17:
10) … (promoter: Francis McDonogh Jr.) … (referee: Billy Love) … (3,500 fans)

Louisville, Kentucky: Monday, March 31, 1947
(The Armory) … Ed Meske b. Frank Valois … Fred Davis b. “Cry Baby” Zaharawich (47
seconds) … Bill Longson b. Hans Schnabel … (promoter: Francis McDonogh Jr.) … (in
attendance: Ray Baer, Davis’s former football coach, Junior Jones, former teammate) …
(4,000 fans)
Notes: Davis was a professional football player and this victory was reportedly his 51st in
the pro wrestling ranks. The newspaper stated that he had attended Manual High School
in Louisville, and later starred at the University of Alabama, and for the Washington
Redskins. He was reportedly between 6’3-6’4” and 250-260 pounds, and hailed “as
another Bronko Nagurski, or possibly a Jumpin’ Joe Savoldi or Gus Sonnenberg.” Davis
had been wrestling around Chicago. “Davis played tackle for Manual, starring in the
Reds’ 27-0 win over Male (sic.) in 1936. He won All-Southeastern and All-America
acclaim at Alabama. There he learned to wrestle in off seasons. He followed the sport
between seasons at Washington and settled down to a mat career since joining the
Chicago Bears. Fred’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Davis, lie at 316 Winton Avenue,
though he now makes his home in Chicago,” accroding to the Courier Journal.

Louisville, Kentucky: Friday, May 2, 1947
(The Armory) … World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz b. Dr. Ed Meske (2-0) … Fred
Davis b. George Schnabel (13:02) … Vic Christy and Hans Schnabel drew … Ann
LaVerne and Mae Young b. Christy (Chris) Adams and Evelyn Wall (2-0) (in the preview,
it was said to be Adams and Young vs. LaVerne and Wall) … (promoter: Francis
McDonogh Jr.) … (referee: Kid Scotty) … (7,100 fans)
Note: Derby Eve Wrestling Show; In the Wednesday, April 30, 1947 (page 7, section 2)
edition of the Courier Journal, there is a photo of Louisville promoter Francis McDonogh
with St. Louis maestro Tom Packs. According to the caption, Packs was known as “Mr.
Wrestling,” and was giving “pointers” to McDonogh prior to the important Derby Eve
program. In an article in that edition, Packs “took over as the No. 1 man in matdom at the
death of the late Jacques Curley of New York.” The article said “Packs enthused over his
wrestler, Don Louis Thesz. ‘He good boy, Thesz; his daddy fine people, and good
wrestler in day,’” Packs, reportedly, also inquired about Fred Davis and who was
managing him. He told McDonogh “Louisville be boom business if Davis get to top;
maybe you take a tip from me, ‘Mac.’” The newspaper said that on April 28, 1947, Davis’s
wife gave birth to a 9-pound daughter at an Evanston, Illinois hospital. During the show,
Pat Fenton was selected Miss Kentucky Derby, and the women vying for the Miss
Louisville title for 1947 were presented to the crowd.

Louisville, Kentucky: Tuesday, May 20, 1947
(The Armory) … Bill Longson b. Emil and Joe Dusek (2-0) (handicap match, with Duseks
acting as a tag team) … Frankie Bockwinkel and Francois Valois b. Joe Corbett and Jack
Hader (2/3) … Blacksmith Pedigo and Kid Scotty drew (20:00) … (promoter: Francis
McDonogh Jr.) … (in attendance: patients of Nichols General Hospital) … (3,200 fans)
Notes: Longson, reportedly, hadn’t lost a bout locally in 60 “starts.” McDonough’s
wrestling office (Allen Athletic Club) was at 413 South Fourth Street. This was the
season closer. Once a month summer offerings were planned for Parkway Field.

*Chief Don Eagle was scheduled to box Earl Turner on a Louisville Armory boxing
program on Friday, November 7, 1947, on the undercard of a bout between “Sluggin’”
Sid Peaks and Chief War Cloud. The show was promoted by Walter Buckrop. War
Cloud was a Cherokee Indian heavyweight from Oklahoma City, reportedly. In the Friday
newspaper preview, it was stated that Don Eagle was being replaced by Frank Rand of
Indianapolis because Eagle suffered an injured finger “in a Chicago bout.” 2,200 fans
saw Peaks beat War Cloud by knockout in the third round. Rand beat Turner by decision.

Louisville, Kentucky: Tuesday, November 11, 1947
(The Armory) … Lou Thesz (Don Louis Thesz) b. Mike Mazurki (2/3) … Don McIntyre and
Ray Villmer drew … Blacksmith Pedigo b. Pete Bartu (default) … Buddy Jackson b. Alex
“The Panther” Kaffner … (promoter: Francis McDonogh Jr.) … (referee: Kid Scotty) …
(3,500 fans)
Notes: Buddy Jackson was called the “Negro Champion,” and called a junior heavyweight
wrestler. Jackson was called the “son of a Columbus, Ohio, pharmacist, and a fugitive
himself now from the pharmacy classes at Ohio State.” The Jackson-Kaffner match was
called the “first Negro wrestling match here in three years.” The Louisville Courier Journal
stated that “Unable to pay his way at Ohio State on the G.I. allotment, Jackson dropped
out until he can build up a cash reserve from wrestling. He had turned pro before going
into the service with the 92d Infantry Division. He whipped all comers in the Army. So far,
he hasn’t lost a decision in 141 matches. He has won 63 since returning from an 18-
month tour of duty in France, Germany and England.” Lou Thesz was originally booked
to wrestle Buddy Rogers, but “Rogers’ lip was ripped in a match with ‘Wild Bill’ Longson.
The laceration required 16 stitches.” Mazurki reportedly held Thesz to a draw recently in
Texas. An article by Larry Boeck of the Courier Journal (11/12/47) stated that Mazurki
was a good actor, featured in Nightmare Alley. Mazurki stated that he was leaving
“tomorrow” for the coast and was going to play a role in the “next Abbott and Costello
comedy.” Mazurki said that he never wanted to be a movie actor. He explained: “I went to
Manhattan College where I was wrestling champ. Then I played pro football with the New
York Giants, New York Yanks and Los Angeles Bulldogs and played professional
basketball. I also wrestled professionally. After a bout in Hollywood, a guy came up and
said: ‘Hey, you wanna be a movie actor/’ I found out how much it paid and said O.K. First
part I had I was a Russian coolie. All I had to do was hold a spear or some doggone
thing. I studied acting and speech, and finally got bigger parts. Now I’m doing pretty fair.
No star, mind you, but substantial parts.”

Louisville, Kentucky: Tuesday, November 25, 1947
(The Armory) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Bill Longson vs. Ben Sharpe … Pat
Fraley vs. The Volga Boatman … Ralph Garibaldi and Ray Villmer vs. Pat Flanagan and
Don McIntyre … (promoter: Francis McDonogh Jr.)
Notes: Longson was called the “new world champion,” having beaten Thesz on Friday in
St. Louis. Ben Sharpe was said to be the Canadian Champion.

*On Monday, December 1, 1947, promoter Walter F. Buckrop held a boxing show in
Louisville.

Louisville, Kentucky: Tuesday, December 9, 1947
(The Armory) … Women’s World Champion Mildred Burke b. Dot Dotson … Buddy
Rogers and Lou Thesz (Don Luis Thesz) drew … Don McIntyre b. Jack Hader …
(promoter: Francis McDonogh Jr.) … (5,300 fans)
Notes: Burke was called the “Queen of Wrestledom.” She was reportedly “unbeaten here
in five years.” Burke’s match against Dotty Dotson was given the headline spot over
Thesz-Rogers. The Courier Journal stated that Thesz and Rogers wrestled a “thrilling
and showmanlike presentation.” The winner of that bout was supposed to have met
Longson on December 18.

Louisville, Kentucky: Thursday, December 18, 1947
(The Armory) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Bill Longson b. The Volga Boatman
(2-0) … Pat Fraley b. Olaf Olson … Blacksmith Pedigo b. Tuffy Truesdale … (promoter:
Francis McDonogh Jr.) … (in attendance: Heywood Allen, playing Santa Claus) … (2,800
fans) … (benefit for the Christmas Basket Fund, all profits donated)
Notes: Olaf Olson was billed as a 6’4” athlete from Norway. He weighed 250 pounds.
The Volga Boatman was stated to be 6’7” and 330 pounds. The Courier Journal stated
that the Boatman calls himself that because “fans would experience trouble in the
proununciation of a name like ‘Nichaelvarsky.’” The first 500 kids would be allowed into
the show for free. The next wrestling show would be January 6, 1948.

Research by Tim Hornbaker
October 15, 2010

Louisville Wrestling Results - 1947