Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, March 6, 1940
(Municipal Auditorium) … Jesse James b. World Light Heavyweight Champion Danny
McShain (2/3) (McShain won the opening fall, James took the second, and then McShain
was disqualified in the third) … Marshall Carter b. Danny Savich … Red Berry b. Mike
Nazarian … George Wagner b. Larry Kasaboski … (promoter:  Sam Avey) … (referee:  
Red Andrews)
Notes:  According to the newspaper report, while McShain was driving west to Oklahoma
from Los Angeles, Sam Avey and McShain’s manager Richard Lane reached terms for this
match with Jesse James.  Instead of it being non-title, McShain’s light heavyweight
championship would be on the line.  It was done without McShain’s knowledge.  After the
controversial finish, Gilbert Harrison, Oklahoma City Athletic Commission Secretary held up
the championship belt pending an official statement from National Wrestling Association
President Harry J. Landry.  Avey, in turn, help up both wrestlers purses.  NWA rules had
stated that a title could not change hands by disqualification.  Wagner was billed as being
from Albany, New York and Carter from Centralia, Missouri.

*The March 8, 1940 edition of the Daily Oklahoman indicated that the status of the World
Light Heavyweight Title still remained in doubt, and officials awaited to hear from the NWA.  
The paper reiterated that in the past, titles didn’t change hands by DQ.

*The March 9, 1940 edition of the Daily Oklahoman stated that Sam Avey ordered a
rematch between Danny McShain and Jesse James, and if the former refused to
participate, he’d never wrestle for him again.  Avey had been out of town on business and
missed seeing the March 6 bout.  McShain was billed as the defending World Light
Heavyweight Champion.  Avey still hadn’t heard from the NWA on this matter.

*The March 10, 1940 edition of the Daily Oklahoman stated that National Wrestling
Association President Harry J. Landry had been with the State Legislature in session at
Jackson, Mississippi, and that was why he didn’t immediately respond to inquiries.  Landry
and the NWA ordered McShain to wrestle James in a rematch or risk the loss of his
championship.  Landry explained, “There seems to have been some misunderstanding as
to my policy.  I never have contended that a champion could not lose his title on a foul – on
that the title could not change hands on a foul, and there’s a difference.” He approved the
Oklahoma City Athletic Commission’s holding of McShain’s belt and purse, and said that if
McShain was disqualified again, his title would be vacated.  Then there would be a series
of elimination matches to determine his successor.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, March 13, 1940
(Municipal Auditorium) … Jesse James b. Danny McShain to capture the World Light
Heavyweight Title (2/3) … Dick Trout b. George Wagner … Billy Raburn b. Mike Nazarian
… Mickey Ryan b. Red Berry … Hugh Nichols b. Johnny Swenski … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
… (referee:  Red Andrews) … (5,000 fans)
Notes:  During the third fall, McShain used a piledriver, but James was "apparently not as
stunned as he appeared." He bodyslammed the champion three times and used a crab
hold to get the win.  James had won the second fall also, using a figure-four leglock.

Seminole, Oklahoma:  Thursday, March 14, 1940
( ) … Billy Raburn vs. Buck Weaver … Red Berry vs. Danny Savich … (sponsored by:  
American Legion)


Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Wednesday, April 3, 1940
(Municipal Auditorium) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Jesse James b. “Wild” Red
Berry (2/3) (James’s first defense of his newly acquired title) … Mildred Burke b. Gladys
Gillem (17:00) … Joe Millich b. Buck Davidson … Johnny Demchuk b. “Sailor” Dick Trout
… Jack Terry b. Johnny Nenamic … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
Note:  James took the title from Danny McShain “here several weeks ago.”


Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, July 17, 1940
(open-air wrestling arena) … Gene Blackley b. Leroy McGuirk (non title match) (2/3) …
Red Berry b. Roy Chapman  … Danny Savich b. Ace Freeman … Buddy Knox b. Balk
Estes (rolling cradle lock) … (promoter:  Sam Avey) … (referee:  Red Andrews)
Notes:  Knox was said to be from Wheeling, West Virginia and Estes from Elk City.  
Chapman was from Chicago.



Research by Tim Hornbaker
November 26, 2010
Oklahoma City Wrestling Results - 1940