Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, January 8, 1941
(The Coliseum) … World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b. Frankie Talaber
(2/3) (Talaber had won six in a row) … Sergeant Bob Kenaston b. George Dusette …
Sailor Dick Trout b. Walter “Sneeze” Achu … Larry Kasaboski b. Billy Varga … (promoter:  
Sam Avey)
Notes:  First show of the year.  Talaber had won six straight matches locally.  He was
reportedly a former engineering student on an honor scholarship at Northwestern
University.  Keneston had just returned to the ring after an unsuccessfuly stint as a gold
prospector in Oregon.  Dusette was 194 pounds, from Detroit, and specialized in the Full
Nelson hold.  He was undefeated in Oklahoma City.

Bartlesville, Oklahoma:  Friday, January 10, 1941
( ) … Leroy McGuirk b. Frankie Talaber (2/3)

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, January 15, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Bob Keneston b. Leroy McGuirk (Kenaston had a “deep” cut over his
left eye and was bleeding) (non title match) … Mildred Burke b. Wilma Gordon … Hillbilly
Elmer Snodgrass b. Alex Kasaboski (DQ) … Elvira Snodgrass won an all-girl rassle royal
… Sailor Dick Trout b. Larry Kasaboski … (promoter:  Sam Avey) … (referee Red Andrews)

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, January 22, 1941
(The Coliseum) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Red Berry b. Alex Kasaboski (non-
title match) … Bob Kenaston b. Gil Knutson … Dick Trout b. Walter Achu … Jimmy Hefner
b. Walter Stratton … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
Notes:  Billy Varga was billed as the protégé of Leroy McGuirk.  Berry was returning to his
hometown of Pittsburgh, Kansas after months on the west coast, and was looking for
matches in Oklahoma.  He regained the light heavyweight title several months earlier from
Jesse James.  Berry once lived in Oklahoma City.  Gill Knutson was said to be a Norwegian
athlete from St. Paul, Minnesota.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, January 29, 1941
(The Coliseum) … “Sailor” Dick Trout b. World Light Heavyweight Champion Red Berry (2-
0) (first fall by DQ) (non-title match) … Bob Keneston b. Frankie Talaber (2/3) … George
Dusette b. Jim Hefner (Hefner was originally slated to wrestle Great Mephisto) … Jack
Hagen b. Paavo Katonan … (promoter:  Sam Avey) … (referee:  Red Andrews)
Notes:  Bob Keneston reportedly came out of retirement six weeks earlier.  The Mephisto
“doesn’t wear a mask,” the newspaper stated, and he was recommended to Avey by Rudy
Dusek.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, February 5, 1941
(The Coliseum) … World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b. Bob Kenaston
(2/3) … Sailor Dick Trout b. World Light Heavyweight Champion Red Berry (non-title
match) … Billy Varga b. Walter Stratton (8:00) … George Dusette b. Jack Hagen (26:00)
… (promoter:  Sam Avey)
Notes:  Varga was making his “first local start since Leroy McGuirk took over his
management and began tutoring him.”

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, February 12, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Dick Trout and Billy Varga b. Red Berry and Alex Kasaboski (team
match) (2-0) … George Dusette b. Bob Keneston (2/3) … Gil Knutson b. Jim Hefner …
(promoter:  Sam Avey)
Notes:  Trout was called the “most expert team wrestler in the business.” Varga was touted
by Leroy McGuirk as the best young light heavyweight grappler in the country.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, February 19, 1941
(The Coliseum) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Red Berry b. Dick Trout (2-0) …
George Dusette b. Alex Kasaboski … The Great Mephisto b. Gil Knutson … Jack Hagen b.
Larry Kasaboski … (promoter:  Sam Avey) … (referee:  Red Andrews) … (1,000 fans)
Note:  Mephisto was said to be from Cleveland.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, February 26, 1941
(The Coliseum) … George Dusette b. Red Berry (2-0) … Great Mephisto b. Frank Wolff
(DQ) .. Billy Varga b. Ace Freeman (abdominal stretch) … Jim Hefner b. Al Szasz …
(promoter:  Sam Avey) … (promoter:  Sam Avey) … (referee:  Red Andrews)
Notes:  The newspaper said it was one of Red Berry’s most decisive losses ever locally.  
The winner of the Berry-Dusette bout was going to get to wrestle Leroy McGuirk.  Wolff
was back after a two year absence.  Notably, the Oklahoma City newspaper always spelled
it “Varga,” while the Los Angeles Times called him “Vargo.” Varga used the abdominal
stretch, the same finisher as his mentor, McGuirk.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, March 5, 1941
(The Coliseum) … World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b. George Dusette
(2-0) … Great Mephisto b. Bob Keneston … Elmer Snodgrass b. Jimmy Hefner (Elmer’s
wife Elvira heckled Hefner from ringside) … Gil Knutson b. Bob Montgomery … (promoter:  
Sam Avey) … (referee:  Red Andrews) … (in attendance:  National Wrestling Association
Secretary C.C. McCrary of Tulsa)
Notes:  The Dusette-McGuirk bout was for the latter’s diamond studded championship
belt.  It was McGuirk’s first local defense since last August.  McCrary was in town to
supervise the bout.  Dusette led the bout with his strength.  Montgomery was said to be
from New Orleans.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, March 12, 1941
(The Arena) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Red Berry b. Frank Wolff (2/3) … Jack
McDonald b. Elmer Snodgrass (2-0) … Elvira Snodgrass b. Gladys Gillem and Ann
Laverne (handicap match) (Elvira beat both individually) … Bob Montgomery b. Ace
Freeman (flying tackles) … (promoter:  Sam Avey) … (referee:  Red Andrews)
Notes:  McDonald was from Portland and reportedly “learned rudiments of headlocking
from Ed ‘Strangler’ Lewis.” The Coliseum was being used for another event.  No show at
the Coliseum next week due to the Junior Livestock Show.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, March 26, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Walter Podolak b. World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk
(2-0) (catch weights, non-title) … Jack McDonald b. Morris Shapiro … Gil Knutson b. Dick
Trout … Billy Varga b. Jack Hagen (abdominal stretch) … (promoter:  Sam Avey) …
(referee:  Dick Trout)
Notes:  Podolak was said to be from Brooklyn, and was reportedly a protégé of Bronko
Nagurski.  He was also Nagurski’s favorite training partner.  Shapiro was called a former U.
S. Army physical instructor.  Varga was “virtually McGuirk made.” Red Andrews was sick,
and Dick Trout filled in as the referee for the show.  Hagen was from Nashville.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, April 2, 1941
(The Coliseum) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Red Berry b. Sheik MarAllah (non-
title match) … Jack McDonald b. Walter Podolak (2/3) … Morris Shapiro b. Gil Knutson …
Jimmy Hefner b. Jimmy Lott … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
Notes:  Podolak wanted a title match with McGuirk, but Sam Avey said that the winner of
the tonight’s Podolak-McDonald bout would get the shot.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, April 9, 1941
(The Coliseum) … NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b. Jack
McDonald (2/3) … Jesse James b. Dave Levin … Morris Shapiro b. Bob Montgomery …
Shiek MarAllah b. Al Szasz  … (promoter:  Sam Avey) … (in attendance:  C.C. McCrary,
NWA Secretary)
Notes:  Shapiro was said to be from Rouse’s Point, New York.  James and Levin were said
to be both junior heavyweights now.  The Daily Oklahoman paper stated that the junior
heavyweight title had never changed hands in Oklahoma City before.  The light
heavyweight title had changed hands twice there, the first time in 1937 when Hugh Nichols
beat Bobby Chick.  The second occurred in March 1940 when Jesse James beat Danny
McShain.  McDonald was a former heavyweight, who had weighed up to 220 pounds.  He
dropped down to about 190-194.  It was his first shot at the junior title, and had wrestled
Ray Steele for the heavyweight crown in 1940.  The paper said that his loss to Steele was
the only one he suffered all year.  McDonald started his career as a boxer, having fought
John Henry Lewis.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, April 16, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Dave Levin b. Jesse James (2-0) … Sheik MarAllah and Morris Shapiro
b. Red Berry and Speedy LaRance (2-0) … Bob Montgomery b. Jimmy Hefner …
(promoter:  Sam Avey)
Note:  Levin had to beat Jack McDonald for a title shot against Leroy McGuirk.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, April 23, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Jesse James b. World Light Heavyweight Champion Red Berry (2-0)
(non-title match) … Dave Levin b. Jack McDonald … Dick Trout b. Monte LaDue … Billy
Venable and Frank Wolff drew (20:00) … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
Notes:  James was considered a junior heavyweight.  Venable was said to be the Texas
Junior Heavyweight Champion.  Avey wanted to end the program by 10:30 to allow
Coliseum crew members to set up for the Water Follies program which started Thursday
night.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, April 30, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Red Berry and Jack McDonald b. Sheik MarAllah and Morris Shapiro (2-
0) … Jesse James b. Dave Levin (2/3) … Dick Trout b. Billy Venable (DQ) … (promoter:  
Sam Avey) … (referee:  Red Andrews)
Notes:  Venable was said to be from Fort Worth.  Red Andrews reportedly lost a tooth
during the team bout.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, May 7, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Jesse James b. Jack McDonald (2-0) (first fall by DQ) … Dick Trout b.
Billy Varga … Morris Shapiro b. Jack Hagen … Everett “Silent” Rattan b. Sheik MarAllah …
(promoter:  Sam Avey)
Notes:  Rattan and MarAllah was said to be old rivals.  Ratan was 180 pounds from Kansas
City.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, May 14, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Jesse James b. Dick Trout (2/3) … Dave Levin and Billy Venable drew
… Jimmy Lott b. Silent Rattan … Sheik MarAllah b. Al Szasz … (promoter:  Sam Avey) …
(referee:  Red Andrews)
Notes:  James won his fourth straight bout locally and wanted a match with Leroy McGuirk
for the junior title.  Lott was former Howard College football star.  This program was apart
of the “Derby show.”

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, May 21, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Dave Levin b. Bad Boy Brown in the finals of an eight man rassle royal
(DQ) … Red Berry b. Silent Rattan … Leroy McGuirk b. Jesse James (McGuirk was the
first eliminated from the rassle royal) … Jack McDonald b. Jimmy Lott … (promoter:  Sam
Avey) … (referees:  Red Andrews, Dick Trout)

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, May 28, 1941
(The Coliseum) … World Light Heavyweight Champion Red Berry b. Silent Rattan (2/3) …
Bad Boy Brown and Mike Nazarian b. Dave Levin and “Sailor” Dick Trout (2-0) (tag team
match) … Jimmy Lott b. Billy Venable … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
Notes:  Berry was defending his world light heavyweight title for the first time locally since
he regained it.  Rattan was a former welterweight and middleweight wrestler, and now a
light heavyweight at 181 pounds.  It was his first try at the light heavyweight championship.  
Nazarian was an Armenian from Buffalo.  This marked the debut of tag team wrestling in
Oklahoma City.  The Daily Oklahoman (5/24/41) stated:  “Newest of wrestling novelties, a
‘relay’ team match, is panned as a special feature for next Wednesday night’s Coliseum
card.  According to the ‘relay’ rules, only one member of each two-man team is active at
one time, but may be relieved by his partner whenver he can touch the hand of his inactive
ally, who is stationed in their corner.  It is said to be an exciting improvement on the more
familiar form of four-man competition.” Brown was said to be from Mobile, Alabama.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, June 4, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Mike Nazarian b. Dave Levin (2/3) … Dick Trout b. Silent Rattan … Bad
Boy Brown b. Dick Bishop … Sheik MarAllah b. Billy Varga … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
Note:  Bishop was making his local debut.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, June 11, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Dave Levin and Danny Savich b. Bad Boy Brown and Mike Nazarian
(“relay” bout) (2-0) … Jesse James b. Silent Rattan (2/3) … Frank Wolff b. Sheik MarAllah
(Wolff was a substitute for Sailor Olson) … (promoter:  Sam Avey)

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, June 18, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Bad Boy Brown and Jack McDonald b. Dave Levin and Danny Savich …
Jesse James b. Frank Wolff (2-0) (second by reverse decision DQ) … Silent Rattan b. Billy
Varga … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
Note:  There was a radio party associated with this show with action from the Louis-Conn
fight from New York, played over the Coliseum PA system.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, June 25, 1941
(The Coliseum) … Danny Savich b. Jack McDonald (2-0) … Jesse James b. Frank Wolff (2-
0) … Dave Levin b. Tiger Nenoff Tsakoff … Silent Rattan b. Dick Bishop … (promoter:  
Sam Avey)
Notes:  The June 24, 1941 edition of the Oklahoman stated that “Tiger Nenoff Tsakoff,
better known to city fans as plain Steve Nenoff – the full and correct name is Vasel Nenoff
Tsakoff.” He was Bulgarian.

*It was announced in the June 29, 1941 edition of the Oklahoman that wrestling in
Oklahoma City would be closed for the remainder of the summer.  Sam Avey said that
grappling would return in September.  The major reason was because there was a lack of
an open air arena or an air conditioned facility that they could use.  Wrestling had gone on
during the summer for the past nine years, but the outdoor stadium they had been using
was torn down several months earlier.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, September 10, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium) … Paul Orth b. Danny Savich (2/3) … Danny McShain b. Dick Trout
(2-0) … Jimmy Lott b. Young Plestina … Jack Gott b. Bob Ross … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
… (referee:  Red Andrews) … (2,500 fans)
Notes:  Season opener.  Paul Orth was returning to the city after an absence of more than
two years.  He had given up chewing glass tumblers and razor blades.  Orth was a circus
strong man for Walter L. Main shows, and got great publicity.  He was from Toledo.  Bob
Ross was from Dyersburg, Tennessee.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, September 17, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium) … Paul Orth b. World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk
(2/3) (non-title match) … Danny McShain and Danny Savich b. Blimp Levy and Dick Trout
(2-0) (team match) … “Tiger” Gene Moore b. Jimmy Lott … Henry Armstrong b. Johnny
Townsend (knockout in the second round) and Vernon Johnson (boxing exhibition) …
(promoter:  Sam Avey) … (3,500 fans)
Notes:  Orth reportedly gave McGuirk his first professional loss in 1932 after 37 straight
wins.  Moore was from Rogers, Arkansas.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, September 24, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium) … Paul Orth b. Danny McShain (2/3) … George Dusette b. Danny
Savich … Dick Trout b. Bob Ross … (promoter:  Sam Avey)

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, October 1, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium) … World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b. Paul Orth
(2-0) … Danny McShain and Danny Savich b. Blimp Levy and George Dusette (team bout)
… Don Hill b. Milt Olson … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
Note:  Hill was a former USC football and track star.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, October 8, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium Grotto) … Charley Lay b. Dick Trout in the finals of an eight-man
rassle royal … Danny Savich b. Danny McShain (Max Baer, the referee, was involved in
the bout) … Mel Peters b. Milt Olson … George Dusette b. Jimmy Lott … (promoter:  Sam
Avey) … (referee:  Max Baer) … (2,400 fans)
Notes:  The show was held in the Grotto of the Auditorium because Aunt Susan’s Cooking
School occupied the main building.  Lay was said to be from Nashville.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, October 15, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium) … George Dusette b. World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy
McGuirk (non title match) (both men were over the 190 pound limit) (2/3) … Charley Lay b.
Danny Savich (DQ) … Jack Gott b. Young Plestina Gott was a replacement for Art
Freeman, former O.U. star, who was scheduled to make his professional debut) … Mel
Peters b. Sailor Dick Trout … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
Notes:  Gott was a one-time national amateur king at Southwestern State.  Plestina was
from Tulsa and Peters from Denver.  Trout was from Carbondale, Illinois.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, October 22, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium) … George Dusette b. Danny McShain (2/3) … Bob Keneston b.
Charley Lay … Mel Peters b. Elmer “Jack” Nazworthy (DQ) … (promoter:  Sam Avey) …
(referee:  Red Andrews)
Notes:  Dusette was the current favorite of local wrestling fans.  This marked Nazworthy’s
first pro appearance here.  He was a former Oklahoma Aggie wrestler from Cushing.  
Keneston arrived in Oklahoma on Monday after months in the northern states and Canada.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, October 29, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium) … Maurice Tillet b. Emil Dusek (2-0) … George Dusette b. Danny
McShain (2-0) … Bob Keneston b. Jimmy Lott … Dick Trout b. Jack Nazworthy …
(promoter:  Sam Avey) … (referee:  Ed “Strangler” Lewis) … (2,000 fans)
Note:  The paper said that Lewis looked to weigh about 300 pounds.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, November 5, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium) … George Dusette b. Bob Keneston (2/3) … Danny Savich b. Roy
Reynolds … George Saleem b. Jack Nazworthy … Charley Lay b. Mel Peters …
(promoter:  Sam Avey)
Notes:  George Saleem was a Syrian from Shreveport, who played football at Centenary
College several years earlier.  Trout was a popular grappler in the area.  Dusette was the
number one challenger to Leroy McGuirk and Avey was said to be running out of wresler
to throw at him.  Roy Reynolds was from Dallas.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, November 12, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium) … George Dusette b. Dutch Schultz (2-0) … Charley Lay and Mel
Peters b. Jimmy Lott and Danny McShain (“relay team bout”) … Jack Nazworthy b. George
Saleem … (promoter:  Sam Avey) … (referee:  Red Andrews)
Notes:  The paper said that McGuirk had no intention of defending his junior heavyweight
title against Dusette unless he was ordered to by the National Wrestling Association.  
Schultz was from Milwaukee.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, November 19, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium) … George Dusette b. World Light Heavyweight Champion Red
Berry (2-0) (non-title match) … Danny Savich b. Bob Keneston … Charley Lay b. Jack
Nazworthy … George Saleem b. Mel Peters … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
Notes:  Berry, last week, flew from Los Angeles to his hometown of Pittsburg, Kansas,
where his mom was ill.  Dusette weighed 193 pounds to Berry’s 182.  No show next two
weeks.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, December 10, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium) … World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b. George
Dusette (2-0) … Charley Lay vs. Jimmy Lott … Bob Keneston vs. Danny Savich … Dutch
Schultz vs. Dick Trout … (promoter:  Sam Avey) … (referee:  Red Andrews) … (in
attendance:  National Wrestling Association Secretary:  C.C. McCrary)
Notes:  Charley Lay’s original opponent was scheduled to be Sugy Hayamaka, a Japanese
wrestler.  The Daily Oklahoma indicated that Hayamaka was an American citizen and a
“loyal one,” but that he decided to pull out of this show because it was best for him to not
make any public appearances because of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the war.  The
National Wrestling Association had ordered McGuirk to defend his championship against
Dusette or face to the consequences.  There was an ultimatum that said if McGuirk didn’t
wrestle Dusette within 30-days, he’d forfeit the title.  The NWA had been holding a $500
forfeit by Dusette.  During the last week of November, the match was signed for December
10, and Avey cancelled his planned December 3 show because he figured fans had no
interest in any other bouts other than McGuirk-Dusette, which had been getting big press.  
McGuirk was said to have been previously in semi-retirement, according to the newspaper
report.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:  Wednesday, December 17, 1941
(Municipal Auditorium) … Leroy McGuirk b. Dick Trout in the finals of a rassle royal …
Danny Savich b. Dutch Schultz … Jack Nazworthy b. Sammy Kohen … George Saleem b.
Mel Peters … (promoter:  Sam Avey)
Notes:  Last show of the year.  Next on January 7, 1942.

Research by Tim Hornbaker
November 27, 2007
Oklahoma City Wrestling Results - 1941