Meeting Location:  Dallas, Texas (Baker Hotel)        
Meeting Dates:  September 8-10, 1950      

Officers:

NWA President:  Sam Muchnick (elected)                
Vice President:  Morris Sigel
2nd Vice President:  Leroy McGuirk
Secretary-Treasurer:  Sam Avey

Membership Roster:

Pinkie George (Des Moines, IA)
Sam Muchnick (St. Louis, MO)
Sam Avey (Tulsa, OK)
Morris Sigel (Houston, TX)
Orville Brown (Kansas City) (also representing Jerry Meeker at convention)
Fred Kohler (Chicago)
Tony Stecher (Minneapolis)
Joe Malcewicz (San Francisco)
Johnny Doyle (Los Angeles)
Paul Jones (Atlanta)
Ed Don George (Buffalo)


Did not attend:  Jerry Meeker (Montana)



Itinerary of Events: (tentative as released on 8-11-1950)

Friday, September 8 (8:00 p.m.) - General get together and informal talks
Saturday, September 9 (11:00 a.m.) - Meeting of only NWA members, reading of minutes
of previous meetings, reports of committees, report of president, report of vice president,
report of secretary-treasurer, discussion of new applications for membership
Saturday, September 9 (2:30 p.m.) - Meeting of NWA members, also all promoters in their
territories
Saturday, September 9 (8:30 p.m.) - Meeting of NWA members, nomination and election
of officers.  Other discussions.
Sunday, September 10 (11:30 a.m.) - Introduction and installation of new officers.  
Appointments of committees.  General discussion.  Adjournment of convention.

Dallas promoter Ed McLemore was in charge of room reservations going into the
convention, helping members make arrangements for their stay.


One of the major discussions of the Dallas meeting was regarding Ed "Strangler" Lewis.  
It seems by this point, his role was still undefined amongst many NWA members.  In effort
to help deal with the situation, a special "Ed Lewis Committee" was formed made up of
Johnny Doyle (chairman), Paul Jones, Ed Don George, Morris Sigel, and Karl Sarpolis.  
Each member was responsible for sending Lewis a $25 check for his services.

Apparently to give the wrestlers a voice, the membership agreed to having all wrestlers in
a territory, a month prior to the next annual meeting, vote to select a representative to
actually attend the NWA convention.  The individual booking office will then pay to fly the
wrestler into the host city, and then out of the wrestlers in attendance from all the
territories, a chairman will be selected.  The wrestlers "will all be admitted to appear
before the Alliance." This novel idea didn't get very far.

Annual dues were $75.00.

Every promoter booking out of an NWA office had to submit $10.00 yearly dues for an
"associate membership." These promoters did not have voting privileges.  The Rules
Committee of the Alliance wanted to admit promoters as "associate members" to increase
organization funds, and give promoters an opportunity to attend conventions.

On October 2, 1950, Muchnick sent a bulletin to the membership, and stated that the
$10.00 payments for associate members were not coming in as expected.  He wanted to
"make something out of this Alliance," and "every promoter working out of your respective
offices should become an associate member."

A "Grievance" Committee was announced.  It was made up of:

Joe Malcewicz
Tony Stecher
Frank Tunney

These members were each considered to be level-headed in their approach to matters.  
All problems should be sent to them, it was announced.

Heavyweight Championship Committee:

Tony Stecher (chairman)
Joe Malcewicz
Ed Don George
Orville Brown

Junior Heavyweight Championship Committee:

Sam Avey (chairman)
Roy Welch
Hugh Nichols
Fred Kohler



On Saturday, Avey, along with Pinkie George, Muchnick and Sigel called Jack Pfefer.
Muchnick wanted to talk to Pfefer but had to leave the room to give an interview.  
(source: Muchnick letter to Pfefer, 9/12/50).  That same letter indicated that a special
committee had been formed with Muchnick and Stecher to straighten out some issues
concerned Haft and Bowser.  Muchnick noted that it was a tough job, and "I don't know if
anything can be done." Muchnick told Pfefer that "I see no reason why every one in this
business can't be cooperating instead of cutting each other's throat."

Muchnick also explained that "a certain thing happened after the meeting which I didn't
like, but it wasn't a fellow really in the business." He said that he'd tell Pfefer more when
he saw him.

Muchnick also told Pfefer that "there did not seem to be too much of a friendly feeling
between Fred [Kohler] and Sam [Avey].



The September 11, 1950 edition of the Dallas Morning News reported that the National
Wrestling Alliance had closed its convention on Sunday and had added "Alabama,
Florida and Colorado" to its membership.  The NWA "now encompasses forty-two states,
Canada, Mexico, and Hawaii." The paper indicated that Lou Thesz was recognized as the
World Heavyweight Champion and that a tournament was going to be held soon to fill the
Junior Heavyweight Championship, which was now vacant.






Research by Tim Hornbaker
April 26, 2011
National Wrestling Alliance Convention - 1950