St. Joseph Wrestling Results

St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, January 4, 1946
(The Auditorium) … Bobby Bruns b. Ralph Garibaldi (2/3) … Red Vagnone b. Jay Steele
… Evelyn Wall b. Juanita Coffman … Rose Evans b. Ann LaVerne … (promoter: Gust
Karras) … (4,000+ fans)
Notes: Bruns was said to be the most popular wrestler in St. Joseph. Coffman was from
Passaic, New Jersey, LaVerne from Fort Worth and Wall from Atlanta. Evans was from
Toronto. Steele was from Centerville, Iowa.

St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, January 11, 1946
(The Auditorium) … Orville Brown b. Roy Graham (2/3) … June Byers b. Rose Evans
(2/3) … Lou Newman and Red Vagnone drew … Ann LaVerne b. Nell Stewart …
(promoter: Gust Karras) … (5,000+ fans, 4,852 paid – city record)
Notes: Jack Dempsey was going to give an interview on KFEQ at 6:55 on Friday
evening. He was also to going to talk to local Golden Gloves candidates at the St.
Joseph YMCA at 5:00. He was arriving from Council Bluffs and planned leaving town
right after the show. Dempsey was also going to appear at a convention dinner of the
Northwest Missouri Press Association. The previous paid record was 4,500 for an earlier
bout between Brown and Graham. Graham was called the “most disliked wrestler in the
history of St. Joseph.”

St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, January 18, 1946
(The Auditorium) … Dan O’Connor b. Roy Graham (2-0) (first fall by DQ) … The Swedish
Angel b. Gino “Red” Vagnone (2/3) … Evelyn Wall and Betty Weston b. Juanita Coffman
and Ann LaVerne … Ray Hatcher b. Elmer Esteppe … (promoter: Gust Karras)

St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, January 25, 1946
(The Auditorium) … Orville Brown b. Dan O’Connor (2/3) … Vic Holbrook b. Wally Greb
(16:00) … Marshall Estepp and Frank Murdock drew … Jean Colbert and Jack Hader
drew … (promoter: Gust Karras)

St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, February 1, 1946
(The Auditorium) … Orville Brown b. Vic Holbrook (2/3) … Dan O’Connor b. Babe
Zaharias (2/3) (third fall by DQ) … Rube Wright b. Roy Graham … Sonny Myers b. Frank
Murdock … (promoter: Gust Karras)

St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, February 8, 1946
(The Auditorium) … Bobby Bruns b. The Swedish Angel (2/3) … Babe Zaharias b.
Ronnie Etchison (2/3) … Dan O’Connor b. Brother Jonathan (DQ) … Sonny Myers and
Larry Tillman drew … (promoter: Gust Karras) … (referee: Jimmy Parker)
Notes: The St. Joseph News Press stated that Etchison was going to “make his first
home town appearance as a civilian,” and that he “got back less than a week ago
following service with the Army in Europe.” Jonathan was making his local debut.

St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, February 15, 1946
(The Auditorium) … Ronnie Etchison b. Babe Zaharias (2/3) … Ken Fenelon b. Marshall
Estepp … Brother Jonathan b. Leo Numa … “Sailor” Fred Blassie and Jimmy Parker drew
… (promoter: Gust Karras) … (referee: Sonny Myers) … (3,700 fans)
Notes: Estepp was from Sturgeon, Missouri and Parker was from St. Joseph. Leo Numa,
reportedly, put Rube Wright in the hospital earlier in the week, in Wichita. Wright
suffered a fractured jaw. Etchison was said to have seen “action in Europe under the
late General Patton.”

St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, February 22, 1946
(The Auditorium) … Orville Brown b. Brother Jonathan (2-0) … Bobby Bruns b. Leo
Newman (2/3) (Newman was a substitute for Vic Holbrook) … Dan O’Connor and Babe
Zaharias drew … Sonny Myers b. Jack Hader … (promoter: Gust Karras)
Notes: Brown was a substitute for Ronnie Etchison, who was forced to pull out of the
show due to the death of his stepfather on Thursday evening. Bruns was called the
“Chicago lawyer-grappler.”

St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, March 1, 1946
(The Auditorium) … Orville Brown vs. The Swedish Angel (2/3) … Ronnie Etchison vs.
Leo Newman (2/3) … “Sailor” Fred Blassie vs. Babe Zaharias … Brother Jonathan vs.
Dan O’Connor … (promoter: Gust Karras)
Notes: Karras was said to have been trying to get Brown and Angel matched for the “last
18 months.”

Council Bluffs IA: March 5, 1946 (Tuesday)
(Auditorium) ... Al Billings beat Dan O'Connor (2-1, cor) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Harold
(Sonny) Myers (sub for Golden Terror (320, from "parts unknown") (2-0) ... Dick Hatcher
beat Jack Hader (sub for Brother Jonathan) ... Referee: Harry Cohen ... NOTE: "The
National Wrestling Alliance has announced its current ratings of heavyweight challengers
for [Orville] Brown's title, placing Bobby Bruns, The Swedish Angel, Rube Wright, Babe
Zaharias and Vic Holbrook in that order." – Council Bluffs IA Nonpareil, Mar. 3, 1946

St. Joseph MO: March 8, 1946
(City Aud) ... Sailor Fred Blassie beat Babe Zaharias (2-1) ... Bobby Bruns beat Lou
Newman (sub for Bobby Stewart) (2-1) ... Ken Fenelon beat Dan O'Connor (14:00) ... Al
Billings beat Dick Hatcher (9:00) ... Don Anderson drew Alfred McCallahan (10:00) ...
Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTE: Promoter Gust Karras announces he'll present twice-
monthly amateur boxing shows in the Auditorium, beginning Monday night, March 18 ...
Karras was mad enough at Bobby Stewart to ask that he be suspended for no-showing.

St. Joseph MO: March 15, 1946
(City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Bobby Bruns (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison drew Ken Fenelon
(45:00, 0-0) ... Sonny Myers beat Larry Tillman (14:00) ... Lou Newman drew Dan
O'Connor (15:00) ... Promoter: Gust Karras

Council Bluffs IA: March 19, 1946
(City Aud) ... Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) beat Al Billings (2-1) ... Larry Tillman beat
Harold (Sonny) Myers ... Lou Newman beat Sammy Feeback

St. Joseph MO: March 22, 1946
(City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison
beat Lou Newman (2-1) ... Ken Fenelon drew Babe Zaharias (30:00) ... Al Galento beat
Sonny Myers (14:00)

Hutchinson KS: March 25, 1946 (Monday)
(Convention Hall) ... Orville Brown vs Al Billings

Council Bluffs IA: March 26, 1946
(City Aud) ... Earl Wampler drew Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) (1-1, nc) ... Referee: Bill
Atkinson ... Johnny Seal (of Des Moines IA) beat Larry Tillman (of Muskogee OK) (dq) ...
Al Billings beat Wally Greb (of Chattanooga TN) ... NOTE: Wampler, said to be in his late
40s, is the Iowa heavyweight champion

St. Joseph MO: March 30, 1946 (Saturday)
(City Aud) ... (Tourney Finale) Bill Lee beat Sailor Fred Blassie ... NOTE: Promoter Gust
Karras conducted a "gala" one-day tournament to mark his 13th year here in the mat
business ... Also entered were Ray Villmer, Ronnie Etchison, Al Mills (as Lord Albert
Mills), Ken Fenelon, Jerry Meeker, Lou Newman, Al Galento, Earl Wampler, Al Billings,
Larry Tillman, Babe Zaharias and Sammy Feeback

Des Moines IA: April 1, 1946
(att. 4,000) ... Orville Brown beat Swedish Angel

Council Bluffs IA: April 2, 1946
(City Aud) ... Ken Fenelon beat Larry Tillman (2-0) ... Earl Wampler beat Sailor Fred
Blassie (2-1) ... Bill Lee beat Lou Newman ... NOTE: Fenelon was defending the NWA
world junior heavy title

St. Joseph MO: April 5, 1946
(City Aud, att. 3,500) ... Orville Brown beat Bill Lee (2-1) ... Ray Villmer beat Babe
Zaharias (2-0) ... Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) beat Lou Newman (16:00) ... Jimmy Parker
drew Earl Wampler ... Don Anderson beat William Schaffer (5:00)

Council Bluffs IA: April 9, 1946
(City Aud) ... Earl Wampler beat Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) (2-1) ... Bill Lee beat Al
Billings (2-0) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Babe Zaharias (23:30)

St. Joseph MO: April 12, 1946
(City Aud, att. 4,000) ... Bill Lee beat Ronnie Etchison (2-1) ... Al Mills (as Lord Albert
Mills) beat Sailor Fred Blassie (27:00, utc) ... Wayne Martin drew Joe Adelman (30:00) ...
Babe Zaharias drew Lou Newman (15:00) ... NOTE: A series of three backbreakers
finished Blassie for the night.

Wichita KS: April 13, 1946 (Saturday)
(Forum) ... Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) beat Lou Newman (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison beat
Babe Zaharias (sub for Bill Lee) ... Earl Wampler beat Sailor Fred Blassie (16:49) ...
Sammy Feeback beat Joe Adelman (18:11) ... Referee: Jack Hader ... Promoter: Bill
Atkinson ... NOTE: Bouts here were held under the auspices of the local American Legion
post.

Hutchinson KS: April 15, 1946 (Monday)
(Convention Hall) ... Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) beat Don McIntyre (2-1) ... Referee:
Billy Atkinson ... Ronnie Etchison beat Lou Newman (19:00) ... Earl Wampler beat ?? (17:
00) ... NOTE: "Mills kicked like a mule, butted like a goat, bit like a rat, pulled hair like
some angry women. He took the first fall with a series of body rolls. Mclntyre won the
second with an arm twist after referee Atkinson told him to get In there and protect
himself. Mills won the third fall with a body smother." – Hutchinson KS News-Herald, Apr.
16, 1946 ... Mills and Orville Brown are "tentatively set" to meet here next Monday night.

Council Bluffs IA: April 16, 1946
(City Aud) ... Earl Wampler beat Ken Fenelon (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Jack Hader
... Sammy Feeback drew Joe Adelman

St. Joseph MO: April 19, 1946
(City Aud) ... Ray Villmer beat Ken Fenelon (2-0) ... Ronnie Etchison drew Al Mills (as
Lord Albert Mills) (45:00, 1-1) ... Don McIntyre beat Lou Newman ... Earl Wampler drew
Jimmy Parker

Wichita KS: April 20, 1946
(Forum, att. 1,800) ... Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) beat Ronnie Etchison (2-1) ... Ray
Villmer beat Lou Newman (15:56) ... Don McIntyre beat Mike Burnell (as Buzz Burnell) (16:
21) ... Joe Adelman beat Mel Peters (10:18) ... Referee: Dick Raines ... NOTE: Dick
Raines “recently returned from war service and still wears his army slacks and shirt." (Tim
Hornbaker research)

Wichita KS: April 22, 1946 (Monday)
(Forum) ... Ede Virag beat Elmer Wiggins (9:40) ... Roy Dunn beat Charlie Strack (15:41)
... Charlie Lutkie beat Danny Woods (26:05, dq) ... Gama Singh beat Count Von Zuppi (9:
46) ... NOTE: Shows of this rival promotion were presented by the Wichita Athletic Clubeat

Hutchinson KS: April 22, 1946
(Convention Hall) ... Orville Brown beat Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) (2-1) ... Ronnie
Etchison drew Dick Raines (45:00) ... Jim Lankas (of Wichita KS) beat Lou Newman (17:
00, dq) ... Referee: Billy Atkinson ... NOTE: With both main eventers outside the ring
during the third fall "the spectators went into action. One woman beat on Mills with her
shoe. Several men kicked and stamped him. Two officers finally pulled the fans away
from Mills, but the Britisher had taken half a beating, and Brown wasn't long in giving him
the other half with body slams." – Hutchinson KS News-Herald, Apr. 23, 1946

Council Bluffs IA: April 23, 1946
(City Aud) ... Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) beat Earl Wampler (2-1, dq) ... Ray Villmer
beat Ronnie Etchison (2-1) ... Dick Raines (sub for Joe Adelman) beat Doug Lawrence
(of Iowa City IA) (14:00)

St. Joseph MO: April 25, 1946 (Thursday)
(City Aud) ... (NWAssoc Title) Wild Bill Longson beat Ray Villmer (2-1) ... Ken Fenelon
beat Earl Wampler (2-1) ... Marshall Esteppe beat Joe Adelman ... Mel Peters drew Mike
Burnell ... NOTE: This card is held one night early to allow for the annual Boy Scout
Jamboree at the Auditorium on Friday.

Wichita KS: April 27, 1946
(Forum) ... Ray Villmer beat Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) (2-1) ... Dick Raines beat
Ronnie Etchison (15:05) ... Joe Kugat drew Don McIntyre... Jim Larkas beat Mike Burnell
(as Buzz Burnell) (9:13) ... Promoter: Billy Atkinson

Wichita KS: April 29, 1946 (Monday)
(Forum) ... Roy Dunn beat Ede Virag (2-1) ... Jimmy Britt drew Charlie Lutkie ... Paul
Nelson (sub for Elmer Wiggins) beat Buck Fanning (18:00) ... Gama Singh beat Jimmy
Howard ... Referee: Buddy Siegel ... NOTE: Dunn won the first and third falls and was
presented with a trophy by the Wichita Athletic Club ... Wiggins failed to pass his physical
exam ... (Tim Hornbaker research)

Council Bluffs IA: April 30, 1946
(City Aud) ... Ken Fenelon beat Ray Villmer (sub for Earl Wampler) (18:00) ... Dick
Raines drew Ray Villmer ... Joe Adelman beat Mel Peters ... NOTE: Wampler later told
promoter Ralph Hayes he had missed a train connection, thus accounting for his no-show

St. Joseph MO: May 3, 1946
(City Aud, att. 4,000) ... Orville Brown beat Dick Raines (2-1) ... Al Mills (as Lord Albert
Mills) beat Ray Villmer (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison drew Ken Fenelon (30:00) ... Don
McIntyre beat Joe Kujot (9:00) ... George Lippold & Big Ben Ellis beat Jimmy Merritt &
Don Anderson

Wichita KS: May 4, 1946 (Saturday)
(Forum) ... Ray Villmer beat Dick Raines (2-1) ... Ray Eckert beat Don McIntyre (27:22) ...
Ronnie Etchison beat Joe Kujot (12:27, dq) ... Sammy Feeback beat Mel Peters (14:51)
... Referee: Jim Lankas ... NOTE: Eckert reportedly had flown to Wichita after a Derby
eve show in Louisville (Tim Hornbaker research)

Wichita KS: May 6, 1946 (Monday)
(Forum) ... Roy Dunn beat Elmer (Man Mountain) Wiggins (2-0) ... Charlie Lutkie beat
Jimmy Britt (34:11) ... Gama Singh beat Bill Ely (16:34) ... Buck Fanning beat Tony
Hatcher (15:39) ... Referee: Buddy Siegel

Council Bluffs IA: May 7, 1946
(City Aud) ... Earl Wampler beat Ken Fenelon (2-1) ... Referee: Bob Foster ... Dick
Raines beat Harry Cohen (sub for Joe Kojut) (2-0) ... Bill Steddum beat Joe Adelman ...
NOTE: Raines said to be just out of the U.S. Army

St. Joseph MO: May 10, 1946 (Friday)
(City Aud, att. 3,500) ... Orville Brown beat Dick Raines (2-1) ... Ray Villmer beat Al Mills
(as Lord Albert Mills) (2-1) ... Ray Eckert drew Ronnie Etchison (30:00) ... Big Ben Ellis
(of St. Joseph MO) beat George Lippold (3:00) ... Referee: Marshall Esteppe

Wichita KS: May 11, 1946 (Saturday)
(Forum, att. 2,500) ... Ray Eckert beat Ray Villmer (2-1) ... George Temple beat Bill
Steddum (aka Tex Lintol) (48 seconds!) ... Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) beat Jules
Strongbow (19:00) ... Don McIntyre drew Dick Raines ... Referee: Jim Lankas ...
Promoter: Billy Atkinson

Council Bluffs IA: May 14, 1946
(City Aud, att. 1,100) ... Ken Fenelon beat Earl Wampler (2-1) ... George Temple beat Bill
Steddum (2-0) ... Joe Adelman beat Sammy Feeback (sub for Leon Kirilenko) ... Referee:
Jules Strongbow

St. Joseph MO: May 17, 1946
(City Aud, att. 5,000) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Bill Lee (2-1) ... Al Mills (as Lord Albert
Mills) beat Jules Strongbow (2-0) ... George Temple beat Sammy Feeback (15:00) ... Don
McIntyre drew Ray Eckert (15:00) ... NOTE: Strongbow was traveling road agent for
George Temple, Shirley's brother.

Dodge City KS: May 20, 1946 (Monday)
(Wright Park) ... Orville Brown vs Ronnie Etchison ... Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) vs Don
McIntyre ... NOTE: The outdoor wrestling season opens here under sponsorship of the
American Legion.

Council Bluffs IA: May 21, 1946
(City Aud) ... Ken Fenelon beat Jimmy Langford (2-0) ... Ray Villmer beat Bill Lee (2-1,
dq) ... Joe Adelman beat Bill Steddum ... Referee: Al Caddell

St. Joseph MO: May 24, 1946
(City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Ronnie Etchison (2-1) ... Bill Lee drew Ray Villmer (45:
00) ... Ray Eckert drew Don McIntyre ... Al Mills (as Lord Albert Mills) beat Bill Steddum
(of Oklahoma City OK)

St. Joseph MO: May 31, 1946
(City Aud, att. 5,000) ... Bill Lee beat Vic Holbrook (2-1) ... (Ladies) June Byers beat Nell
Stewart ... Ken Fenelon drew Gene Bowman (30:00) ... (Ladies) Juanita Coffman beat
Gladys Galento

St. Joseph MO: June 7, 1946
(City Aud, att. 4,500) ... Bill Lee beat Ray Villmer (2-1, dq) ... (Ladies) Juanita Coffman
beat June Byers ... Ronnie Etchison drew Bobby Bruns ... (Ladies) Nell Stewart beat Ann
LaVerne ... Referee: Lou Spandle

St. Joseph MO: June 14, 1946
(City Aud) ... Ray Villmer beat Bill Lee ... (Handicap) Orville Brown FTT Marshall Esteppe
(2 falls, 60:00) ... Don McIntyre beat Mike Brendell ... Joe Adelman beat Bill Steddum ...
NOTE: Brown grabbed a fall in 13 minutes, but Esteppe stunned the longtime reigning
king of Mid-West rings by snatching back the fall in 14 minutes.

Hutchinson KS News-Herald: June 15, 1946 (Saturday)
(excerpt from column of Sylvia Sage, who attempts to dispense answers to "any problem
of general interest") ... DEAR MISS SAGE: Can you tell me which Is the champion
heavyweight wrestler of the world, Orville Brown or Bill Longson? If Orville Brown is not,
why do the posters advertise him as 'World's Heavyweight Champion'? --MERNA.

"ANSWER -- Wrestling champions are not determined as prize flghters are. The country
is divided roughly into circles or territories. In each territory the title of champion Is more
or less arbitrarily placed on one man something in the same manner that a certain
newspaper will dub itself the world's greatest newspaper. The champion of each territory
rather religiously guards himself against being matched against the 'champion' of any
other territory. In that way his claim to the title remains safe. At one time and another
there have been as many as 12 or 15 so-called 'world champion' wrestlers."
++++

St. Joseph MO: June 21, 1946
(City Aud) ... Ray Villmer & Bobby Bruns beat Bill Lee & Orville Brown (2-1) ... Dean
Detton drew Marshall Esteppe (45:00, 1-1) ... Natie Brown beat Ray Eckert ... NOTE: By
terms of promoter Gust Karras, Villmer and Bruns were awarded the "St. Joseph tag team
title."

St. Joseph MO: June 28, 1946 (Friday)
(City Aud, att. 4,200) ... (Ladies) Mildred Burke beat Juanita Coffman ... Bobby Bruns vs
Ray Villmer ... Bill Lee vs Dean Detton ... Natie Brown vs Sonny Myers ... Promoter: Gust
Karras ... NOTE: Final St. Joseph show of the 1945-46 season

Kansas City KS: September 5, 1946
(Memorial Hall) ... Ray Schwarz beat Marvin Jones (2-1) ... Walter Sirois beat Fred
Blassie (2-0) ... Dick Hatcher drew Don McIntyre (30:00) ... Mickey Gold beat Dick Bishop
(12:45) ... Referee: Louis Spandle ... Promoter: George D. Simpson

Kansas City KS: September 12, 1946
(Memorial Hall, att. 4,023) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Ray Schwarz (2-1) ... Walter
Sirois beat Marvin Jones (2-0) ... Ronnie Etchison drew Mickey Gold (30:00) ... Dick
Hatcher beat Dick Bishop (12:50) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTE: Promoter George
Simpson revealed net gate receipts to be $4,380.

St. Joseph MO: September 13, 1946
(City Aud, att. 2,673) ... Marshall Esteppe beat Ray Schwarz (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison
beat Walter Sirois (2-1) ... Ray Schwarz drew Mickey Gold (30:00) ... Don Ciro beat Dick
Hatcher (7:00) ... Promoter: Gust Karras ... NOTE: "Don Ciro" was best known, especially
to nationwide fans of Chicago-produced TV in the 1950s, as Benito Gardini, "The Little
Flower" ... He also would work as Dominic (Dom) Serio (probably his given name) and
Carlos Mojica.

Kansas City KS: September 19, 1946
(Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Walter Sirois (2-1)
... Vincent Lopez beat Ray Schwarz (2-1) ... Mickey Gold drew Terry McGinnis (30:00) ...
Don Ciro beat Dick Hatcher (10:20) ... Referee: Louis Spandle

St. Joseph MO: September 20, 1946
(City Aud, att. 3,400) ... Orville Brown beat Marshall Esteppe (2-1) ... Vincent Lopez drew
Ronnie Etchison (45:00, 1-1) ... Terry McGinnis beat Walter Sirois (dq) ... Ray Schwarz
drew Cal Rees ... Referee: Lou Spandle

Kansas City KS: September 26, 1946
(Memorial Hall) ... Ernie Dusek beat Ray Schwarz (2-0) ... Vincent Lopez beat Walter
Sirois (2-1) ... Terry McGinnis beat Tom Bradley ... Don Ciro beat Joe Szabo ... Referee:
Louis Spandle

St. Joseph MO: September 27, 1946
(City Aud, att. 3,000) ... Orville Brown beat Ronnie Etchison (2-1) ... Vincent Lopez beat
Mickey Gold (2-0) ... Ray Schwarz beat George Bruckman (19:00) ... Cal Rees drew Don
Ciro (15:00) ... NOTE: Five forearm smashes led to Etchison's snaring the first fall in 90
seconds ... An hour and 11 minutes later, representing the second longest fall in St. Joe
wrestling history, Brown evened the match when Etchison swung at and missed him,
injuring his hand on a ring post ... The latter was easy prey in the final fall, with Brown
stamping on and smashing the wounded hand until Etchison surrendered in apparent
agony.

Kansas City KS: October 3, 1946
(Memorial Hall, att. 3,000) ... Orville Brown beat Ernie Dusek (2-1) ... Vincent Lopez beat
Ralph Garibaldi (2-1) ... Warren Bockwinkel beat Tom Bradley ... George Bruckman drew
Don Ciro (30:00) ... Referee: Louis Spandle

St. Joseph MO: October 4, 1946
(City Aud) ... Danno O'Mahoney beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-1, dq) ... Referee: Lou
Spandle ... Ralph Garibaldi drew Warren Bockwinkel (45:00, 1-1) ... Ronnie Etchison beat
George (Red) Ryan (14:00) ... Cal Rees beat Dick Hatcher (10:00).

Kansas City KS: October 10, 1946
(Memorial Hall) ... Orville Brown beat Vincent Lopez (2-1) ... Cowboy Roy Graham drew
Walter Sirois (1-1) ... Ede Virag beat Mickey Gold (1:05) ... George (Red) Ryan beat
George Bruckman (16:00) ... Referee: Louis Spandle ... Promoter: George D. Simpson

St. Joseph MO: October 11, 1946
(City Aud) ... Cowboy Roy Graham beat Vincent Lopez (2-1) ... Danno O'Mahoney beat
Walter Sirois (2-1) ... Ede Virag beat Tony Felice (12:00) ... George (Red) Ryan drew Jim
Virag (212, of Wichita KS) (15:00)

Council Bluffs IA: October 15, 1946
(City Aud, att. 2,000) ... Maurice T illet (as French Angel) beat Black Panther (2-0) ...
Sailor Fred Blassie beat Gene Reardon (2-0) ... Curtis Nash (of Butternut WI) drew Pat
McGill ... NOTE: The Angel scored straight falls in 16:00 and 7:00 over the 220-pound
Negro

Kansas City KS: October 17, 1946 (Thursday)
(Memorial Hall) ... Orville Brown beat Danno O’Mahoney (2-1) ... Roy Graham drew
Vincent Lopez (45:00, 1-1) ... Ede Virag beat Tony Felice ... George Ryan drew Pete
Schuh (30:00) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTE: Promoter George Simpson held no
show the next week, Oct. 24, due to the American Royal Livestock and Horse show taking
over the building.

St. Joseph MO: October 18, 1946
(City Aud, att. 4,200) ... Orville Brown beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-1) ... Marshall
Esteppe beat Wally Dusek (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Pete Schuh (12:00) ... Ede
Virag drew Walter Sirois (15:00) ... NOTE: Promoter Gust Karras continues to prefer
referring to the title Brown claims as the "Mid-West wrestling championship" (which,
incidentally, he once again defends).

Wichita KS: October 19, 1946 (Saturday)
(Forum) ... Orville Brown beat Vincent Lopez (2-1) ... Cowboy Roy Graham beat Danno
O'Mahoney (21:37) ... Wally Dusek beat George (Red) Ryan ... Walter Sirois beat
George Bruckman ... Referee: George Woodward ... NOTE: Brown is defending as
"world heavyweight champion"

Wichita KS: October 21, 1946 (Monday)
(Forum) ... Roy Dunn beat Jack Nasworthy (of Vinita OK) (2-1) ... Jon Plechas (of
Ravenna NE) beat Buck Fanning (17:28) ... Paul Nelson (of Wichita KS) beat Abe
Friedman (of Philadelphia PA) (12:27) ... Joe Adelman beat Joe Koetz (of St. Mary's KS)
(17:46) ... NOTE: The Wichita researches are products of Tim Hornbaker's labors.

Emporia KS: October 21, 1946 (Monday)
(Civic Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Vincent Lopez (2-1) ... Danno O'Mahoney beat Pete
Schuh (2-1) ... Bill Dusen beat Frank Hewitt (dq) ... Promoter: Sam Perdaris ... NOTE:
Brown is "the recognized wrestling champion of the world ... He was first discovered and
placed in the wrestling ring by Emporia's own promoter, Sam Perdaris. At that time he
was a farm lad from Wallace, Kan., and was decidedly large for his age. Perdaris took
Brown under contract and promoted several matches for the unknown and inexperienced
Kansas lad." – Emporia KS Gazette, Oct. 19, 1946 ... Brown successfully defends the
claim "in the wildest match ever staged in an Emporia ring ... Lopez, who hails from
Mexico City, tossed everything in the books at the champion, Including an egg, an over-
ripe tomato and a basketful of epithets. Brown took them all, and came back to win two
falls after losing the first to the aggressive Lopez." – Emporia KS Gazette, Oct. 22, 1946

St. Joseph MO: October 25, 1946
(City Aud, att. 4,500) ... Orville Brown beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-1) ... Ray Villmer
drew Marshall Esteppe (45:00, 1-1) ... Vincent Lopez beat Pete Schuh (13:00) ... Harry
Finkelstein beat Walter Sirois (8:00, dq) ... NOTE: Another rough, rugged, brawling,
bashing "Mid-West title" defense for the rougher from Wallace KS.

Wichita KS: October 26, 1946 (Saturday)
(Forum) ... Orville Brown beat Vincent Lopez (2-1) ... Cowboy Roy Graham beat Walter
Sirois (18:05) ... Wally Dusek beat Joe Kojut ... Frank Hewitt beat Pete Schuh ...
Referee: George Woodward ... NOTE: Orville Brown was billed as "world heavyweight
champion wrestler."

Emporia KS: October 28, 1946
(Civic Aud) ... Danno O'Mahoney beat Vincent Lopez (2-1) ... Frank Hewitt beat Pete
Schuh (of Chicago IL) (2-0) ... Laszlo Karolyi beat Bill Dusen (12:00) ... NOTE: "Matches
last night were not characterized by the action and wild excitement which featured the
preceding week's card and proved somewhat of a disappointment to the crowd." –
Emporia KS Gazette, Oct. 29, 1946 ... Sportswriters and promoters played hell trying to
achieve a consensus on the spelling of Karolyi's first name; eventually, and mostly
universally, it became "Stan" ... In the mid-1950s, English mat journalist Charles Mascall
would write that "Stanislaus Karolyi was born in Nagykanisza HUNGARY on March 2,
1906."

Hutchinson KS: October 28, 1946
(Convention Hall) ... Cowboy Roy Graham beat Walter Sirois (1-1, utc) ... Wally Dusek
beat George (Red) Ryan ... Joe Kujot beat Harry Finkelstein ... NOTE: In the 1950s,
Finkelstein would become known to wrestling fans all over North America – as Harry
Lewis, road agent and driver for Antonino Rocca.

Kansas City KS: October 31, 1946
(Memorial Hall) ... Orville Brown beat Danno O’Mahoney (2-1) ... Referee: Marshall
Esteppe ... Cowboy Roy Graham beat Ronnie Etchison (2-1) ... Emil Dusek beat Harry
Finkelstein (21:10) ... Wally Dusek beat Dick Bishop ... Referee: Lou Spandle

St. Joseph MO: November 1, 1946 (Friday)
(City Aud) ... Cowboy Roy Graham beat Marshall Esteppe (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison beat
Emil Dusek 2-1, dq) ... Ray Villmer beat Walter Sirois (15:00) ... Cal Rees drew George
(Red) Ryan (15:00)

Wichita KS: November 2, 1946
(Forum) ... Everette Marshall beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-0) ... Vincent Lopez beat
Ronnie Etchison (18:27) ... Frank Hewitt beat Walter Sirois (19:46) ... Joe Kojut beat Pete
Schuh (17:04) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... Matchmaker: Bill Atkinson ... NOTE: Marshall
challenged Orville Brown ... Then, in the Wichita KS Eagle of Nov. 6, 1946, "a challenge
from Ede Virag to Orville Brown was printed. Virag stated that this was going to be his
last attempt to get Brown into the ring. He wanted to wrestle Brown on November 16 in a
winner-take-all, $1,000 side bet match. Matchmaker Bill Atkinson originally scheduled
Brown to face Everette Marshall on November 16." – Tim Hornbaker

Hutchinson KS: November 4, 1946
(Convention Hall) ... Orville Brown beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison
beat Wally Dusek ... Pete Schuh vs George (Red) Ryan ... Promoter: Orval McCain

Emporia KS: November 4, 1946
(Civic Aud) ... Ray Villmer (sub for Vincent Lopez) beat Frank Hewitt (2-1) ... Referee: Ed
(Strangler) Lewis ... Cal Rees beat Walter Sirois (2-0, dq) ... Joe Kujot drew Dick Bishop
... NOTE: "The former titleholder [Lewis] has appeared in Emporia once before but that
was when he wore the crown and laid it on the line against Clarence Jenkins. Jenkins did
not defeat the Strangler in his first Emporia appearance but the standing room only sign
was placed in front of the Wigwam 45 minutes before the wrestling show started. It was a
sell-out show and Emporians who paid $3 for each seat were well pleased." – Emporia KS
Gazette, Nov. 4, 1946

Kansas City KS: November 7, 1946
(Memorial Hall) ... Vincent Lopez beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-1) ... Referee: Ed
(Strangler) Lewis ... Ronnie Etchison beat Walter Sirois (2-1) ... Ray Villmer beat Pete
Schuh ... George Ryan beat Joe Kujot ... Referee: Louis Spandle

St. Joseph MO: November 8, 1946
(City Aud, att. 4,800) ... Ray Villmer beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-1) ... (Ladies) Violet
Viann beat Nell Stewart ... Ronnie Etchison beat Pete Schuh (9:00) ... (Ladies) Mattie Bell
beat Evelyn Wall

Council Bluffs IA: November 12, 1946
(City Aud, att. 1,900) ... Emil Dusek beat Danny Plechas (2-1) ... (Ladies) Dot Dotson
beat June Byers... Sailor Fred Blassie drew Jack Conley ... Referee: Pat McGill

Kansas City KS: November 14, 1946
(Memorial Hall) ... Everette Marshall beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-0, dq) ... Vincent Lopez
drew Ray Villmer (45:00, 1-1) ... George
Temple beat George (Red) Ryan ... Cal Rees beat Joe Kujot ... Referee: Lou Spandle

St. Joseph MO: November 14, 1946 (Thursday)
(City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Ronnie Etchison (2-1) ... Marshall Esteppe beat Frank
Hewitt (2-0) ... (Ladies) Violet Viann beat Mattie Bell ... (Ladies) Nell Stewart beat Evelyn
Wall ... NOTE: In a rare instance, promoter Gust Karras (and tub thumper Jim Chemi)
refer to Brown's title as the "Mid-Western Wrestling Association championship" and, oh,
yes, he defends it still another time.

Wichita KS: November 16, 1946 (Saturday)
(Forum, att. 4,500) ... (MWA Title & NWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Ede Virag (28:50, 1-0,
utc) ... Referee: Ed (Strangler) Lewis ... Cowboy Roy Graham beat Vincent Lopez (dq) ...
Ray Villmer beat George Temple (16:40) ... Ronnie Etchison beat George (Red) Ryan
(19:04) ... Referee: Frank Hewitt ... Matchmaker: Bill Atkinson ... NOTE: The "National
Wrestling Alliance" rears its head! ... The Wichita KS Eagle "said the Brown-Virag match
was several years in the making. The winner was going to receive 'the belt and side bets
of $1,000 each.' The winner also was going to take all gate receipts. Virag was reportedly
taken to a hospital after the match ... Brown was able to unify the Virag's title claims with
his own claim to the MWA & NWA 'world heavyweight titles' (when) physician Dr. House of
the Kansas state athletic commission stopped the match after Virag suffered a cut on his
head from the buckle on the ringpost." – Tim Hornbaker ... Buddy Rogers, called the
'Sinatra of the mat,' was originally booked to wrestle Red Ryan in a local debut.

Wichita KS: November 18, 1946 (Monday)
(Forum) ... Roy Dunn beat Ivan (Hippo) Michaeloff (2-1) ... John Pesek beat Johnny
Plummer (of Iowa City IA) ... Jack Nasworthy beat Buck Fanning ... Charlie Lutkie (of
Butternut WI) beat Tony Hatcher (of Wichita KS)... Referee: Buddy Siegel ... NOTE: A
"slim turnout" greeted the show ... Michaeloff was billed as being from Khibinogorsk,
Russia (Tim Hornbaker research)

Hutchinson KS: November 18, 1946
(Convention Hall) ... Cowboy Roy Graham vs Ronnie Etchison ... George Temple vs Don
Ciro ... Frank Hewitt vs George (Red) Ryan (225, of Philadelphia PA)

Emporia KS: November 18, 1946
(Civic Aud) ... Vincent Lopez beat Ray Villmer (2-1) ... Cal Rees beat Dick Bishop (2-0) ...
Laszlo Karolyi beat Joe Adelman (of Kansas City MO, sub for Joe Kujot) (6:00)

Council Bluffs IA: November 19, 1946
(City Aud, att. 1,600) ... Ken Fenelon beat Black Panther (2-1) ... (Ladies) Ann LaVerne
vs Gladys Gillem ... Al Galento beat Sammy Feeback ... Referee: Joe Kresji

Kansas City KS: November 21, 1946
(Memorial Hall) ... Everette Marshall beat Roy Graham (2-0, dq) ... Vincent Lopez beat
Ronnie Etchison (2-1) ... Ray Villmer beat Frank Hewitt (16:42) ... Don Ciro beat Dick
Bishop ... Referee: Louis Spandle ... Promoter: George Simpson

St. Joseph MO: November 22, 1946
(City Aud) ... Ray Villmer beat Vincent Lopez (2-1) ... (Ladies) Nell Stewart beat Mattie
Bell ... Ronnie Etchison beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-1, dq) ... (Ladies) Violet Viann beat
Gladys Gillem ... Referee: Lou Spandle

Wichita KS: November 23, 1946 (Saturday)
(Forum) ... Vincent Lopez beat Roy Graham (2-1) ... Laszlo Karolyi (of Hungary) drew Cal
Rees ... Bobby Roberts (of Seattle WA) beat Frank Hewitt (17:00) ... Ray Villmer beat
Herbie Freeman (as Karl Von Herbert) (of Germantown PA) (20:25, dq) ... Referee: Lou
Spandle

Wichita KS: November 25, 1946 (Monday)
(Forum) ... Charlie Lutkie beat Joe Adelman (2-1) ... Billy Raburn (of Jersey City NJ) vs
Larry Tillman ... Paul Nelson vs Gene Reardon (as Gene Rohmer, of Toledo OH) ... Alex
Burke (of Butte MT) vs Bill Ely (of Seattle WA) ... NOTE: The Eagle reported another “slim
crowd” for this show, which it said included three substitutions – only, as researcher Tim
Hornbaker notes, it didn't indicate who were the no-shows and who the substitutes were
... Charlie Lutkie is said to be a protégé of Charles (Midget) Fischer, probably Butternut's
most famous native.

Emporia KS: November 25, 1946
(Civic Aud) ... Orville Brown vs Vincent Lopez ... Bobby Roberts vs George Bruckman ...
Bill Dusen (190, of Kansas City MO) vs Herbie Freeman (as Jack Herman, 242, of St.
Joseph MO)

Kansas City KS: November 28, 1946
(Memorial Hall) ... Orville Brown beat Everette Marshall (1-1, utc) ... Cowboy Roy Graham
beat Ray Villmer (2-1) ... Vincent Lopez drew Terry McGinnis (30:00) ... Frank Hewitt beat
Gene Reardon ... Referees: Al Galento, Jack Pettit ... NOTE: "Marshall won the first fall in
17:25 with an airplane spin, Brown won the second in 4:15 when Marshall was injured
and unable to continue. Marshall missed a flying tackle and suffered a dislocated
shoulder." – Tim Hornbaker

Wichita KS: November 29, 1946 (Friday)
(Wichita Forum) ... Everette Marshall beat Vincent Lopez (2-0) ... Terry McGinnis beat
Cowboy Roy Graham (14:38) ... Bobby Roberts drew Herbie Freeman (as Karl Von
Herbert) ... Frank Hewitt beat Al Galento (22:04) ... Matchmaker: Bill Atkinson ... NOTE:
The next show is set for Dec. 14, with the following week the building being occupied by
the Shrine Circus.

St. Joseph MO: November 29, 1946
(City Aud) ... Ray Villmer beat Ernie Dusek (2-1, dq) ... Referee: Jack Pettit ... Emil Dusek
drew Marshall Esteppe (45:00, 1-1) ... Gene Reardon (as Red Streak, sub for Bobby
Roberts) beat George Bruckman (20:00) ... Mel Peters drew Cal Rees (15:00) ... NOTE:
"It was the first appearance in St. Joseph for Dusek in five years ... The third fall was wild
and woolly, finally going to Villmer when Dusek was disqualified for striking the referee.
The end came after six minutes of terrific going which saw kicking, gouging, slugging and
what-have-you tactics used by both grapplers." – St. Joseph MO Gazette, Nov. 30, 1946
... Promoter Gust Karras had advertised "newcomer Bobby Nelson of Hollywood" for his
special event, but wound up using Gene Reardon as the hooded "Red Streak" when
Nelson/Bobby Roberts worked Wichita KS instead ... Seldom one to prolong the life of
wrestlers wearing a sock, Karras had him unmasked inside of a month.

Council Bluffs IA: December 3, 1946
(City Aud) ... Ken Fenelon beat Jack Conley (2-1) ... Referee: Pat McGill ... (Alligator vs
Man) Osceola drew Gil Woodward (of Tampa FL) ... Danny Plechas drew Chief
Saunooke (of Jacksonville FL) (30:00)

Kansas City KS: December 5, 1946
(Memorial Hall) ... Ray Villmer beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-1) ... Vincent Lopez drew Lou
Thesz (45:00, 1-1) ... Terry McGinnis beat Frank Hewitt ... Cal Rees beat George
Bruckman ... Referee: Louis Spandle

St. Joseph MO: December 6, 1946
(City Aud) ... Lou Thesz beat Ernie Dusek (2-1) ... Ray Villmer beat Emil Dusek (45:00, 1-
0, only fall) ... Terry McGinnis beat Cowboy Roy Graham (dq) ... Bobby Roberts beat
George Bruckman (9:00) ... Referee: Al Galento ... NOTE: Promoter Gust Karras says
regular referee Lou Spandle remains sidelined with a knee injury.

Wichita KS: December 9, 1946 (Monday)
(Wichita Forum) ... Charlie Lutkie beat Larry Tillman (2-0) ... Lee Wykoff beat Jack
Warner ... Joe Adelman drew Gene Reardon (as Gene Rohmer) ... Buck Fanning beat
Billy Ely (15:58) ... Referee: Buddy Siegel

Council Bluffs IA: December 10, 1946
(City Aud) ... Ken Fenelon & Danny Fenelon vs Jack Conley & Ivan Michaeloff ... Danny
Plechas vs Chief Saunooke (of Jacksonville FL) ... NOTE: Final show of the year ... The
Swedish Angel is said to be booked for a January 7, 1947 card

Kansas City KS: December 12, 1946
(Memorial Hall) ... Everette Marshall beat Vincent Lopez (2-1) ... Ray Villmer beat Terry
McGinnis (2-0) ... Cowboy Roy Graham beat Bobby Roberts ... Herbie Freeman (as Karl
Von Herbert) beat Frank Hewitt ... Referee: Louis Spandle

St. Joseph MO: December 13, 1946
(City Aud) ... Ray Villmer beat Chief Osley Saunooke (2-1) ... Cowboy Roy Graham drew
Terry McGinnis (45:00, 1-1) ... Vincent Lopez beat Bobby Roberts (18:00) ... Referee:
Pat McKee ... NOTE: Gil Woodworth, 160, wrestled an 8 ½-foot, 400-pound alligator for
purposes of a "special attraction."

Wichita KS: December 14, 1946 (Saturday)
(Forum) ... Cowboy Roy Graham vs Everette Marshall ... Terry McGinnis vs Vincent
Lopez ... Frank Hewitt vs Herbie Freeman (as Karl Von Herbert) ... Al Galento vs Bobby
Roberts ... Referee: Pat McKee ... NOTE: Graham and Marshall were booked for a
"Texas rules match," forerunner of the modern Texas Death Match

Kansas City KS: December 19, 1946
(Memorial Hall) ... Swedish Angel beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-1) ... Bobby Bruns beat
Ray Villmer (2-1) ... Lee Wykoff beat Herbie Freeman (as Karl Von Herbert) ... Frank
Hewitt beat Jack Warner ... Referee: Louis Spandle

St. Joseph MO: December 20, 1946
(City Aud) ... Bobby Bruns beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-0) ... Ray Villmer beat Herbie
Freeman (as Frenchy LaSartes) (2-1) ... Jim Brendell drew Joe Adelman (30:00) ... Gene
Reardon (as Red Streak) beat Frank Hewitt (12:00)

St. Joseph MO: December 27, 1946
(City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Bobby Bruns (2-1) ... Marshall Esteppe beat Jim Brendell
(2-0) ... Jack Hader beat Herbie Freeman (as Frenchy LaSartes) (dq) ... Cal Rees drew
Joe Adelman (15:00)
++++

Research by Tim Hornbaker, J Michael Kenyon

St. Joseph Wrestling Results - 1946