Brief History:
Background:
During the 1950s, Willie Gilzenberg and Babe Culnan usually ran wrestling at the Laurel Gardens every Friday night and at the Armory about once a month. The Armory shows would be feature their top superstars in grudge matches, more often feuds built up in the weeks prior with their Gardens telecasts on channel 13 at 9:00 p.m. On the other hand, the Armory programs featured wrestlers or rivalries that had been built up on the Saturday Chicago telecast from the Marigold, featured on channel 5 at 10:30 p.m. Fred Kohler sent Jim Barnett to eastern cities like Newark and New York City with a crew of talented performers like Verne Gagne and Hans Schmidt, and these grapplers were headliners anywhere for the right price. Fans clamoured to see the same wrestlers they saw on Saturday nights and Gilzenberg and Culnan brought the traveling circus to town in 1953-'54.
Miscellaneous Notes and Milestones:
The promotional tandem of Babe Culnan and Willie Gilzenberg celebrated their 30th anniversary in Newark in March 1962.
Obituaries:
On July 13, 1954, Frank Bronowicz died at the Alps Manor Nursing Home in Paterson, New Jersey. He was 58 years old. He was survived by his wife Jenny Dziubinski and brother Peter.
Babe Culnan (Thomas J. Culnan), longtime wrestling and boxing promoter in Newark, died on November 11, 1962 at his home in Belleville, New Jersey.
Syrian professional wrestler Abe Kashey (Abraham Kashey), who lived in Clifton, New Jersey for many years, died on September 24, 1965 in Lynwood, California. Kashey was known for his heelish tactics on the mat and wrestled in main events from coast to coast.
Legendary promoter Willie Gilzenberg died on November 15, 1978 in Dade County, Florida at the age of 77.
New Jersey Wrestling Results:
Newark Wrestling Results - 1939
Newark Wrestling Results - 1954
Arena Addresses:
Newark Armory - Sussex Avenue and Jay street, Newark
| 
