Louisville Wrestling Results

Louisville, Kentucky: Tuesday, January 6, 1948
(The Armory) … Bobby Managoff b. Ray Villmer (2/3) … Tuffy Truesdale b. a 500 pound
alligator … Pat Fraley and Tommy O’Toole drew … Blacksmith Pedigo b. Tommy Felix
(12:00) … (promoter: Francis McDonogh Jr.)
Notes: Ray Villmer, according to the Courier Journal, was “winner of many Marine
tourneys in the Pacific, has 86 victories to his credit since his discharge from the service.”

*Officials at a meeting of the Kentucky State Athletic Board of Control on Saturday,
January 17, 1948 discussed different proposals for the betterment of wrestling and
boxing in the state. Francis McDonogh Jr. of the Allen Athletic Club was involved in the
talks, as was wrestling referee Scotty Williams.

Louisville, Kentucky: Tuesday, January 20, 1948
(The Armory) … World Heavyweight Champion Bill Longson b. Don Luis Thesz (2-0)
(Longson won the first fall in 27:10 and the second in 10:00) … Violet Viann b. Ann Miller
(8:05) … Bobby Managoff b. Pat Fraley (33:45) … (promoter: Francis McDonogh)
Notes: All underprivileged kids were allowed in free by the promoter. The Courier
Journal talked about the lengthy Lou Thesz-Bill Longson feud. “It was in March of 1942
when ‘Wild Bill’ made his local mat bow. The stormy struggler rolled up a string of 56
victories efore the recently discharged Army veteran Thesz broke it. By taking a two-in-
three-fall decision in their September 9 session, Lou extended his unblemished Louisville
record to 37 wins.” It mentioned that Longson won a rematch in St. Louis. The paper, on
January 20, talked about Violet Viann. “The 30-year-old, 125-pound Kansas City lass
learned two years ago, however, that the pay check of a stenographer can’t cover even
the insurance on such things as diamonds and fur coats. With that realization, Violet one
day left the Kansas City office where she worked as a stenographer and headed for the
nearest gymnasium. Now two years later, after touring the Midwest, Southwest, East and
Mexico, Violet has a handcome array of diamond rings, four fur coats and is getting her
fill of traveling.” The next show was on February 12.

Louisville, Kentucky: Thursday, February 12, 1948
(The Armory) … Mike Mazurki b. Bobby Managoff … Ray Villmer and Herb Welch drew (1-
1) … Dan O’Connor b. Pedro Cortez … (promoter: Francis McDonogh) … (announcer:
George Lewis) … (2,000 fans)
Notes: The show was on Thursday because the Shrine Circus was at the Armory on
Tuesday. According to the Courier Journal, Herb Welch was making his first Louisville
appearance “since he suffered a hip fracture in an automobile accident 18 months ago.
Now a full-fledged heavyweight at 211 pounds, Welch is eager to take on the bigger men,
really deserting the junior heavyweight and light heavyweight ranks for good. He has
fully recovered from the accident injuries.” Welch was billed as being from El Paso. On
February 8, the Courier Journal reported that Bobby Managoff “is having trouble with his
eyes. His physicians give him 18 more months in the game – than he’ll have to retire.
Always a pleasing performer, the muscular Managoff will be missed by Falls Cities fans.”
The paper also said that Welch’s car accident occurred at Hopkinsville and that he spent
most of 16 months in a hospital. Managoff’s sister was Kay Armen, a singer at a New
York club. She had been on “singing star Jack Smith’s program nine times,” and
Managoff said that was a record.

Louisville, Kentucky: Monday, February 23, 1948
(The Armory) … World Heavyweight Champion Bill Longson b. Mike Mazurki (2/3)
(Mazurki suffered a knee injury and was unable to continue for the third fall) … June
Byers and Dot Dotson b. Therese Theis and Violet Viann … Felix Miquet b. Dan O’
Connor … (promoter: Francis McDonogh) … (physician: Dr. J.C. DeWitt) … (6,000 fans)
Notes: Therese Theis entered the wrestling business through Bronko Nagurski. She was
a former St. Paul “ice queen” and both “skiing and skating champion.” Violet Viann’s
father was, reportedly, also a wrestler. June Byers was a former dancer and Dot Dotson
was a beauty operator” prior to getting her break into grappling.

Louisville, Kentucky: March 2, 1948
(The Armory) … Felix Miquet vs. Lou Thesz … Kay Bell vs. Ray Villmer … Jimmy Coffield
vs. Herb Welch
Note: The local newspaper called Kay Bell “possibly the next champ.”

Research by Tim Hornbaker
October 15, 2010

Louisville Wrestling Results - 1948