Amarillo, Texas: Thursday, August 21, 1947
(Municipal Auditorium) … Al Getz b. “Sailor” Tex Watkins in a tournament final to capture the initial Southwest Junior Heavyweight Title (2-0) … Billy Weidner b. Art Brady (2-0) … Gorilla Poggi and Billy McEuin drew … (promoter: Dory Detton) … (referees: George Bruckman, Walter Stratton) … (3,300 fans) (hundreds turned away)
Notes: This was the ending of a 15-week wrestling tournament for the Southwest Junior Heavyweight Title (190-pound limit), recognized by the Texas Labor Commission and the National Wrestling Association. Getz also won $1,800 and the right to wrestle NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk next week. To get to the finals, Getz beat Rex Mobley, Ace Freeman and Wayne Martin. Watkins was said to be a draw going back to the days of Dutch Mantell, and was the “dark horse” of the tournament. He beat Pat O’Dowdy, Art Brady and Billy Weidner to reach the final bout.
Amarillo, Texas: Thursday, February 19, 1948
(New Sports Arena) … Wayne Martin b. Al Getz to capture the Southwest Junior Heavyweight Title (2/3) … Ace Freeman b. Rod Fenton (2/3) (third fall by DQ) … Dory Funk and Gordon Hessell drew … Karl Gray b. Leon Kirilenko … (promoter: Dory Detton) … (referees: Dutch Jones, Jack Sanders) … (3,400+ fans) (standing room only)
Notes: This was the opening show at the new Sports Arena. The Amarillo Globe stated that the “crowd seemed to approve, generally, of the new arena.” There was good parking, fans to leave the facility quickly, and it was “heated adequaltely.” The paper stated that “It appeared that the building lacks a great deal of coming up to the 5,000 capacity which was announced originally. Its worst feature is the way it holds tobacco smoke.” Gray was said to be from Milwaukee.
Amarillo, Texas: Thursday, September 9, 1948
(Sports Arena) … Billy Weidner b. Wayne Martin to capture the Southwest Junior Heavyweight Title (2/3) … Al Getz b. Jack Carter (18:00) … Rod Fenton and Karl Gray b. George Curtis and Rex Mobley (tag team match) … Sammy Kohen and Gorilla Poggi drew (15:00) … (promoter: Dory Detton) … (3,400 fans)
Notes: Weidner reportedly won Detton’s summer elimination tournament. Martin has been champion since beating Al Getz last February.
Amarillo, Texas: Thursday, October 14, 1948
(Sports Arena) … Wayne Martin b. Billy Weidner to capture the Southwest Junior Heavyweight Title (2/3) (third fall by DQ) … Jack Steele and Dick Trout drew (30:00) … Rod Fenton b. Ace Abbott … Rex Mobley and Benny Trudell drew … (promoter: Dory Detton) … (referee: Al Getz) … (2,377 fans)
Notes: The newspaper stated that Trout was returning to Amarillo after “many years.” He “hails from Carbondale, Ill., by way of Tulsa and Hollywood.” Abbott was from Abilene.
Amarillo, Texas: Thursday, December 9, 1948
(Sports Arena) … Dick Trout b. Wayne Martin to capture the Southwest Junior Heavyweight Title (2/3) (second fall to Trout by DQ when Martin threw him over the top rope) … Dory Funk b. Eddie Gideon (21:00) … Vic Weber b. Benny Trudell (DQ) … Olan Boynton and Pat O’Dowdy drew … (promoter: Dory Detton) … (referee: Al Getz) … (3,100 fans)
Notes: Tossing a wrestler over the top rope was a violation of National Wrestling Association rules and Col. Harry J. Landry, president of the organization, reportedly wanted that rule adhered to especially in this title match. The Southwest Junior Title had a 190 pound limit. With the win, Trout earned a title match with NWA World Junior Champion Leroy McGuirk. The Amarillo Daily News stated that Trout and McGuirk were “great rivals” as 175 pounders. “Trout was one of McGuirk’s successors as the world 175-pound king, holding the title for two years.” Weber was from Plainview and O’Dowdy from Big Spring.
Amarillo, Texas: Thursday, December 23, 1948
(Sports Arena) … Dory Funk Sr. b. Dick Trout to capture the Southwest Junior Heavyweight Title (2/3) … Al Getz b. Olan Boynton (16:00) … Monte LaDue and Benny Trudell wrestled Eddie Gideon and Milt Olsen to a draw (1-1) … (promoter: Dory Detton) … (1,500 fans) … (benefit for the Boys Ranch)
Notes: It was said to be Trout’s first defense of the championship. He won it from Wayne Martin of Tulsa two weeks earlier. Funk was from Hammond, Indiana. LaDue was a newcomer from Quebec, Canada. During the show, the “Woodpecker song” was sung by Dallas Hiller, Billy Hiller and Toby Gardner. David Ash sang “Texarkanababy” and Dale Galvin did “sound effects.”
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