Sam Muchnick's NWA Speech from 1953

Speech Made by NWA President Sam Muchnick - January 12, 1953 at a Special Meeting in
St. Louis.

This was a typed document in the records of Muchnick. At the top, in handwriting, it is
written "made Jan 12, 1953 Spec meeting in St. Louis"

FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE

There were numerous reasons for my calling of this special meeting today. However, since
the idea of a meeting was formulated, there have been many new developments which
makes this meeting more important than ever. The National Wrestling Alliance, when
organized, and since its growth, has proven a wonderful instrument for good [handwritten
"in"] wrestling. However, it can also be an instrument detrimental to wrestling and to all of
us. We are an organization of 36 members with the sole purpose of cooperating with each
other and for the recognition of certain men as wrestling champions. We have gone a long
way in five years, but many flaws still exist in our set-up. For instance, some members who
signed the National Wrestling Alliance agreement have flaunted the rules and by-laws, yet
continue as members. I have said, and will say many more times, that the recognition of
champions is not as important as cooperative ideas of our group. Yet, isn't it about time
that everyone of us coordinate our thinking and abide by the rules
of the majority.

At the National Wrestling Alliance meeting at Santa Monica last September, some members
proposed that the absentees and rules breakers of our organization should be suspended.
Most of us were against such a resolution because we felt that by being together we would
in time be thinking one way. I still feel that our organization will stick together and will be
one that we can all be proud of.

You must remember more than anything else, that we are a cooperative and not a
monopoly. I have studied the subject very carefully and find that, although we are in the
clear on all laws, some of our members have, at times, thrown their authority around and
said "I belong to the National Wrestling Alliance, you can't do anything about it." If we take
this kind of attitude and publicly state such things, we are leaving ourselves wide open.
The first paragraph of our by-laws states as
follows:

The National Wrestling Alliance shall be a cooperative body in wrestling with each member
free to run his territory as he sees fit without the interference of any member, provided his
method of operating is not detrimental to the fellow members of the Alliance.

But, in this paragraph, it states "provided it is not detrimental to a member of this group."

At the present time there is a fight on in Texas with the Houston, Texas office. [handwritten -
and the Dallas promoter Ed McLemore] [crossed out by a pencil - Knowing the story as I do,
as I returned from Texas last Wednesday, I feel that the Houston, Texas office is right in its
battle with Ed McLemore, Dallas. What the Houston, Texas office has done is not
detrimental to any member of this group because they are fighting for their rights - more
about this later.]

We have never solved, to the satisfaction of everyone, the quarrel between the two
Chicago offices of the Alliance. We have never solved the Albuquerque, New Mexico
situation. We have never solved the television and filming of matches situation. On my trip
to Texas last week, I heard more about television of wrestling and filming of wrestling
matches than I did about actual wrestling. Some times I felt that we should change the
name of our organization to the National Wrestling Television Alliance. I have here letters
from Al Karasick and Joe Malcewicz and have talked to many members of this group who tell
me that filming of matches in their towns is threatening their very existence. I think we
should come to a common understanding of filming of matches for the satisfaction of
everyone. After all, some day we may come back to wrestling and television and filming of
matches will be secondary, so let's all try to solve this problem and help each other out.
Sometimes after the last meeting we had a heated controversy between two of our
members. Letters were pouring back and forth. I am referring to Pinkie George and Fred
Kohler. Such a condition should not exist. I realize it is impossible for everyone to be pals
but this is more a fraternal organization than it is a business organization. We should all try
to get along with each other. There has been entirely too much needling and ribbing
among members, and it has become a serious situation.

For instance, it has been called to my attention that Fred Kohler is moving into various
territories and trying to take over the country. I have studied our by-laws carefully, and I
cannot see where he is breaking any of the rules. He happens to have men who have been
seen on television and many other promoters are asking for this talent. Insofar as I know,
he has been cooperative in distributing this talent.

The Leader-Dogs for the Blind was a great movement. I sat in with the committee and we
have turned over close to $40,000 to this organization. You all know we passed a
resolution at Santa Monica, making this a yearly affair. However, I cannot see how it can be
a yearly affair when a great many members of this Alliance did not have any shows for this
group. I sent out a ballot to get the thoughts of Alliance members, regarding such shows in
the future. Fred Kohler wrote me that I was not following Roberts Rules of Order in sending
out such a ballot, inasmuch as we had already passed a resolution. I wrote Fred that we
must be practical and that as all members do not concur with the idea that we better talk
about it. All of you did not send in ballots, and most of you that did are against having this
as a National Wrestling Alliance project in the future. They feel that is should be left to the
discretion of the individual members. That is for us to discuss today. [crossed out in pencil
- While I want this to be strictly a wrestling meeting because we have so much to do, I have
agreed to permit] [written in pencil - I had agreed to permit] Mr. Harold Pocklington,
Executive Chairman of the Leader-Dogs for the Blind, to say a few words to you people
today. [written in pencil - but due to weather conditions, his flight was cancelled.]

Another matter we must talk about, although it is trivial compared to other business, is
regarding future banquets at our convention. You know our treasury won't stand many
$1,600 tabs like we received at Santa Monica. Some of us feel that we should continue to
have such affairs after the annual meetings, others don't.

The consensus of opinion seems to be that tickets should be sold to each member and he
may invite whomsoever he pleases.

The last bill almost wrecked the treasury but we have enough now to take care of the
expenses for the ensuing year.

Another problem faces us. Personally, I think that the trouble between Mildred Burke and
Billy Wolfe is strictly a marital matter and not for us to get involved in, but Mildred has sent
me a wire applying for membership in the Alliance and stating that she is going to open a
booking office for girls. [crossed out in pencil - I cannot concur in that. Firstly, I believe that
this is a man's organization and am not in favor of women being admitted. Secondly] Billy
Wolfe has been a member of this group, has paid his dues and has always been willing to
cooperate with Alliance members. Whatever Billy and Mildred do regarding their personal
affairs is their own business. Insofar as wrestling is concerned, [crossed out in pencil - I
think we have a good booker for girl wrestlers and should all stick with him. There is no law
in the world that says that we cannot pick our talent from whomsoever we choose.]

I did not pick an Ed Lewis committee when new committees were chosen, but I want the
candid opinion of anyone who doesn't think Ed is doing a good job traveling with the
heavyweight champion. Most believe that Ed is doing fine jobs in their territories. However,
if anyone thinks otherwise, please say so now. We can always trash out these matters and,
if necessary, call Ed in.

At many meetings in the past, some members have taken an interest in certain forms of
legislation when that legislation had something to do with their problems, but they seem
disinterested in the problems of our other members. As a cooperative, and one that has
gone far in five years, we should all roll up our sleeves and try to solve everyone's
problems. It seems to me that many promoters, working out of our offices, are beginning to
resent the Alliance. They feel that they are being pushed around and are not getting the
consideration they should be getting. These promoters fail to remember that before the
advent of booking offices, promoters were on their own in the search of talent and it was to
the strong and the mighty that good talent was available. I do believe that it would be in
order to get the promoters closer to us. For instance, I thought it might be advisable for the
promoters of each territory to choose some man to represent them at Alliance meetings.

Booking of the heavyweight champion is beginning to be a problem, a serious one. We
have tried to divide him up as much as possible along the various territories. He wrestled
195 matches last year, but for the good and dignity of wrestling, it is my firm opinion that the
major towns of territories should have preference when it comes to alloting his dates. Even
if the smaller cities do not get him often, wrestling will have the prestige of having one
undisputed champion.

This goes for the junior heavyweight champion and the light heavyweight champion when
that tournament is over. When this meeting starts, I am going to ask the chairman of the
various committees to make their reports and we can go into discussions on each problem.
I believe, as I said previously, that we have come very far during the short time of our
existence. I also believe that, although I am a staunch believer of the ideals of the Alliance,
it would be far better to dissolve this organization and go on individually as we did before
1948 - every man for himself, than to have an Alliance as loosely knit as it is, with members
throwing rocks at each other.

Let's let our hair down here today, gentlemen, and say what we have to say and solve our
problems. Let's not go into personalities and let's not lose our balance. Let's do something
constructive because we have a business in which millions are involved. We can do all this
if we forget selfishness and do our thinking for the interest of all.

Anyone can call for a secret vote in the future. Some bitterness was aroused at the last
meeting on open balloting. Such conditions should not exist because everyone has a
perfect right to vote as he deems advisable. But to avoid this on future questions, we can
vote secretly --- if you so desire.

Sam Muchnick's Speech to the NWA from 1953