Kansas City KS: January 2, 1947 (Thursday) (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Bobby Bruns (2-1) ... Ray Villmer beat Ernie Dusek (2-1) ... Ede Virag beat Herbie Freeman (as Karl Von Herbert) ... Jack Hader beat Cal Rees ... Referee: Louis Spandle St. Joseph MO: January 3, 1947 (Friday) (City Aud, att. 1,800) ... Orville Brown beat Ray Villmer (2-1) ... Marshall Esteppe beat Red Streak (unmasked as Gene Reardon) (2-0) ... Cal Rees beat Joe Adelman (cor) ... Jack Hader (sub for Herbie Freeman as Frenchy LaSartes) drew Bad Boy Brown (15:00) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTE: The name attached to the unmasked Reardon in press accounts was, variously, Roma or Rhomer ... Whatever, he succumbed in falls lasting 16:00 and 8:00 ... Freeman/LaSartes/Von Herbert reportedly is sidelined with a broken toe. Hutchinson KS: January 6, 1947 (Convention Hall) ... Orville Brown vs Herbie Freeman (as Karl Von Herbert) ... Ede Virag vs Jim Parker ... Paul Nelson vs Jack Hader ... NOTE: Nelson is billed as "the Wichita fireman" ... The Drum and Bugle Corps sponsors this infantile paralysis benefit show. Kansas City KS: January 9, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... Everette Marshall beat Bobby Bruns (2-1) ... Ray Schwarz drew Lee Wykoff (45:00, 1-1) ... George Becker beat Herbie Freeman (as Karl Von Herbert) ... Joe Adelman beat Jack Hader (dq) ... Referee: Louis Spandle St. Joseph MO: January 9, 1947 (City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Ray Villmer (2-1) ... Referee: Jimmy Parker … Ken Fenelon drew Marshall Esteppe (45:00, 0-0) … Lou Newman beat Bad Boy Brown (7:00) … Ede Virag beat Gene Reardon (as Gene Rohmer) (7:00) Emporia KS: January 13, 1947 (Monday) (Civic Aud) ... Wee Willie Davis Kansas City MO: January 14, 1947 (Scottish Rite Temple) ... Marshall Esteppe vs Karl Davis ... Willie Davis vs Herbie Freeman (as Karl Von Herbert) ... Joe Adelman vs Jim Parker ... Ivan Kameroff vs Bill Bartush Kansas City KS: January 16, 1947 (Memorial Hall, att. 4,000) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Everette Marshall (2-0, dq) ... George Becker drew Ernie Dusek drew (45:00, 1-1) ... Ray Schwarz beat Bill Bartush (15:12) ... Paul Nelson beat Bad Boy Brown (12:32) ... Referee: Louis Spandle ... Promoter: George D. Simpson ... NOTE: The local American Legion post continued to provide its auspices for mat shows ... “Becker is recognized as the Pacific Coast titleholder.” ... Paul Nelson a “Wichita newcomer” St. Joseph MO: January 16, 1947 (City Aud) ... Ken Fenelon beat Marshall Esteppe (2-1) ... Willie Davis beat Lou Newman (2-1) ... Karl Davis beat Gene Bowman (18:00) ... Ivan Kameroff beat Herbie Freeman (as Frenchy LaSartes) (3:00) ... NOTE: Fenelon reportedly "defended his junior heavyweight world wrestling championship." Emporia KS: January 20, 1947 (Monday) (Civic Aud) ... Wee Willie Davis ... Ivan Kameroff Jefferson City MO: January 22, 1947 (Selinger Centre, att. 800) ... Swedish Angel beat Ray Schwarz (2-1) ... Marshall Esteppe drew Ivan Kameroff (45:00, 1-1) ... Joe Adelman beat Bad Boy Brown (of New Orleans LA) (dq) ... Referee: Harry Cohen ... NOTE: This was the top crowd to date here. Kansas City KS: January 23, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* drew George Becker (1-1, midnight curfew) ... Ray Schwarz beat Lou Newman (2-1, dq) ... Gene Bowman drew Lee Wykoff (30:00) ... Bill Bartush beat Tiger Joe Marsh (22:28) ... Referee: Louis Spandle ... NOTE: Becker won the first fall in 29:12, Brown won the second in 31:34 ... (Per usual, a lot of Kansas City KS research is the dominion of Tim Hornbaker) St. Joseph MO: January 23, 1947 (City Aud) ... Ken Fenelon beat Swedish Angel (2-1, dq) ... Referee: Bad Boy Brown ... Willie Davis beat Roberto Pico (sub for Karl Davis) (45:00, 1-0, only fall) ... Ivan Kameroff beat Scotty Dawkins (7:00) ... Jimmy Parker drew Joe Adelman Emporia KS: January 27, 1947 (Monday) (Civic Aud) ... Wee Willie Davis Des Moines IA: January 27, 1947 Orville Brown vs Swedish Angel ... NOTE: Brown is to defend his "world heavyweight wrestling championship" across a two-out-of-three-fall, 90-minute stretch. Kansas City KS: January 30, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Everette Marshall (2-1) ... George Becker beat Ray Schwarz (2-0) ... Tom Zaharias beat Frank Jares ... Charles Harben beat Scotty Dawkins St. Joseph MO: January 30, 1947 (Thursday) (City Aud) ... Wee Willie Davis beat Gene Bowman (sub for Ken Fenelon) (2-1) ... Roberto Pico beat Tiger Joe Marsh (13:59) ... Ivan Kameroff beat Joe Adelman (2-0) ... Lou Newman beat Jimmy Parker (8:00) ... Promoter: Gust Karras ... NOTE: Fenelon ran afoul of "Iowa roads which were snow-blocked" ... Marshall Esteppe was Karras' first choice as sub, but he couldn't reach the arena on time, either. Emporia KS: February 3, 1947 (Monday) (Civic Aud) ... Orville Brown vs Wee Willie Davis ... Ray Schwarz vs Bill Bartush ... Ivan Kameroff vs Gene Bowman ... Promoter: Sam Perdaris Kansas City KS: February 6, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... George Becker beat Tom Zaharias (2-1) ... Jack Kennedy drew Ray Schwarz (45:00, 1-1) ... Ede Virag beat Bill Bartush (9:48) ... Leo Jensen beat Frank Jares ... Referee: Jack League St. Joseph MO: February 6, 1947 (City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Willie Davis (2-1) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... Ras (Seelie) Samara beat Tiger Joe Marsh (2-0) ... Ivan Kameroff beat Lou Newman (19:00) ... Roberto Pico drew Gene Bowman (sub for Charles Harben) (15:00) ... NOTE: Gust Karras bills the main go as being for Brown's "Mid-Western championship." ... For some reason, Karras was adverse to letting "Midwest Wrestling Association" or "M.W.A." into his press accounts and almost never did it. Hutchinson KS: February 10, 1947 (Convention Hall) ... George Becker beat Ede Virag Postville IA Herald: February 12, 1947 Under the headline, "ARREST CHAMPS," discerning mat fans were given another behind- the-scenes glimpse with this tiny story: "Highway patrolmen Andre Carstensen and Kenneth Hanna took a 'fall' out of two heavyweight wrestling champs near Indianola recently. They tagged a car on a speeding charge, found the two occupants were Orville Brown, claimant to the heavyweight wrestling crown, and an wrestler known as 'Angel Face.' The champ paid a $15 fine." ... Substitute "Swedish Angel" for "Angel Face" and you've got a pretty good picture of who was filling up the passenger seat, this time, in Orville's late-model Cadillac ... Compounding the embarrassment is the fact the story ran in nearly every newspaper in the state of Iowa. Jefferson City MO: February 12, 1947 (Wednesday) (Selinger Centre) ... Karl Davis beat Ray Schwarz (2-1) ... Roberto Pico vs Ivan Kameroff ... Promoter: Jim Chemi ... NOTE: Schwartz is said to have served three years with the U. S. Army Engineer Corps during the war. Kansas City KS: February 13, 1947 (Memorial Hall, att. 4,241) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Everette Marshall (2-1) ... Wee Willie Davis beat Jack Kennedy (26:12) ... Ray Schwarz beat Karl Davis (dq) ... Vic Christy drew Dan O’Connor (30:00) St. Joseph MO: February 14, 1947 (Friday) (City Aud, att. 3,200) ... Everette Marshall beat Ras (Seelie) Samara (2-1, cor) … Vic Christy beat Willie Davis (2-0) … Jack Kennedy beat Karl Davis (20:00, dq) … Leo Jensen drew Cal Rees (15:00) ... Referee: Lou Spandle Hutchinson KS: February 17, 1947 (Convention Hall) ... George Becker vs Ede Virag Jefferson City MO: February 19, 1947 (Wednesday) (Selinger Centre) ... Ray Schwarz beat Karl Davis (2-1) ... Marshall Esteppe drew Gene Bowman (45:00, 1-1) ... Bill Bartush beat Ivan Kameroff Kansas City KS: February 20, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... George Becker beat Wee Willie Davis (2-1) ... Vic Christy beat Dan O’ Connor (2-1) ... Jack Kennedy beat Karl Davis ... Ray Schwarz beat Leo Jensen (14:29) ... Referee: Louis Spandle ... St. Joseph MO: February 21, 1947 (Friday) (City Aud) ... Vic Christy beat Karl Davis (2-1) … Referee: Lou Spandle ... Ras (Seelie) Samara beat Bill Bartush (2-1) … Dan O’Connor drew George Becker (30:00) … Jack Kennedy beat Ivan Kameroff (11:00) Des Moines IA: February 24, 1947 (KRNT Radio Theater) ... (NWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Willie Davis (2-0) ... Ray Steele beat Abe Coleman ... Frank Taylor drew Earl Wampler ... NOTE: Orville Brown defended the National Wrestling Alliance heavyweight title. Jefferson City MO: February 26, 1947 (Wednesday) (Selinger Centre) ... Orville Brown beat Ray Schwarz (2-1) ... Jack Kennedy beat Bill Bartush ... Roberto Pico (of Eunice NM) vs Gene Bowman (of Des Moines IA) ... NOTE: In one of Brown's favorite finishes, both men are knocked silly in a collision and Orville, as it always seems to happen, crumples to the mat – but on top of Schwartz. Kansas City KS: February 27, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat George Becker (2-1) ... Vic Christy beat Wee Willie Davis (2-1) ... Jack Kennedy drew Dan O’Connor (30: 00) ... Ray Schwarz beat Bill Bartush (dq) ... Referee: Louis Spandle St. Joseph MO: Feburary 28, 1947 (City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Ras (Seelie) Samara (2-0) ... Vic Christy beat Dan O'Connor (2-1) ... George Becker drew Jack Kennedy (30:00) ... Bill Bartush beat Roberto Pico (11:00) ... NOTE: "Brown took the first fall in 21 minutes with a series of flying headlocks, a body slam and a smother. He took the clincher eight minutes later with a smother, after pulling a sneak attack on Samara, who was helping the referee to his feet when the latter individual was knocked down during the scuffle. Samara vigorously protested the decision but referee Lou Spandle awarded the match to Brown." – St. Joseph MO Gazette, Mar. 1, 1947 Jefferson City MO: March 5, 1947 (Wednesday) (Selinger Centre) ... Orville Brown vs Ray Schwarz ... Jack Kennedy vs Marshall Esteppe ... Joe Adelman vs Cal Rees Kansas City KS: March 6, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... Vic Christy beat George Becker (2-1) ... Marvin Jones beat Jack Kennedy (2-1) ... Dan O’Connor beat Ray Schwarz ... Bill Bartush beat Cal Rees ... Referee: Louis Spandle St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, March 7, 1947 (The Auditorium) … Orville Brown b. Ras Samara (2-0) … Vic Christy b. Marvin Jones (2/3) … Dan O’Connor b. George Becker … Jack Kennedy and Ray Schwartz drew St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, March 14, 1947 (The Auditorium) … Vic Christy b. Orville Brown to capture the MWA World Heavyweight Title (2/3) (Brown took the initial fall with an Indian deathlock in 13:00, Christy won the second in 30 seconds and then took the third by disqualification) … Roy Graham b. Jack Kennedy (2/3) … Marvin Jones and Dan O’Connor wrestled to a bloody draw (referee stopped match in 17:00) … Joe Alderman and Michele “Mike” Leone drew (Alderman was a substitute for Bill Bartush) … (referee: Lou Spandle) St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, March 21, 1947 (The Auditorium) … MWA World Heavyweight Champion Vic Christy b. Roy Graham (2/3) (Christy’s first defense) … Dan O’Connor b. Albert Alexenis (2/3) … Jack Kennedy b. Marvin Jones (20:00) … El Pulpo b. Michele Leone (DQ) St. Joseph, Missouri: Saturday, March 29, 1947 (The Auditorium) … Roy Graham b. Vic Christy to capture the MWA World Heavyweight Title (2/3) (Graham won the first fall in 7:00, Christy took the second in 7:00 and Graham pinned Christy for the third in 4:00) … Dan O’Connor b. Jack Kennedy (2/3) … Marshall Esteppe b. Michele Leone (DQ) … Albert Alexinis and Abe Yourist drew … (promoter: Gust Karras) … (2,650 fans) Note: The show was moved from Friday to Saturday to give room to the finals of the women’s national AAU basketball tournament. St. Joseph, Missouri: Friday, April 4, 1947 (The Auditorium) … MWA World Heavyweight Champion Roy Graham b. Dan O’Connor (2/3) (Texas Rules) … Vic Christy b. Michele Leone (2-0) … George Thomas b. Jack Kennedy … El Pulpo and Abe Yourist drew Kansas City MO: April 5, 1947 (Scottish Rite Temple) ... Ras (Seelie) Samara beat Lee Wykoff (2-1) ... Marshall Esteppe drew Ede Virag ... Bill Bartush beat Jimmy El Pulpo ... Joe Adelman beat Al Getz Kansas City KS: April 10, 1947 (Memorial Hall, att. 4,227) ... (MWA Title*) Orville Brown beat Roy Graham (2-1) ... Vic Christy beat Dan O’Connor (2-0) ... (Man vs Alligator) Tuffy Truesdale beat Alligator (7: 00) ... Michele Leone beat Jimmy El Pulpo (14:10) ... Referee: Louis Spandle St. Joseph MO: April 11, 1947 (City Aud) ... Vic Christy beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-1) ... Sonny Myers beat Dan O’ Connor (2-1) ... Michele Leone beat George Thomas (13:00) ... BIll Bartush drew Albert Alexinis (15:00) ... NOTE: "As an aftermath of the feature bout, Graham, after arguing with the referee (Bill Atkinson), suddenly hit him behind the head, causing the official to turn a complete somersault in mid-air before hitting the canvas." – St. Joseph MO Gazette, Apr. 12, 1947 Kansas City KS: April 17, 1947 (Thursday) (Memorial Hall) ... Vic Christy beat Roy Graham (2-0) ... Dan O’Connor beat Michele Leone (2-1) ... Ed (Strangler) White beat George Thomas ... Great Mephisto beat Albert Alexinis ... Promoter: George D. Simpson St. Joseph MO: April 18, 1947 (City Aud, att. 3,500) ... Orville Brown beat VIc Christy (2-1) ... Roy Graham beat Sonny Myers (2-0, dq) … Ed White beat Albert Alexinis (14:00) ... Abe Yourist beat Jimmy El Pulpo (10:00) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTE: Brown's "Mid-West Heavyweight Championship" was again at stake ... Promoter Gust Karras insists, before the show, Myers has won 75 of his most recent 77 bouts, with the other two draws ... Myers also is alleged to hold "the heavyweight title of the South" ... Ed (Strangler) White, the former U of Alabama grid star, is remembered here for a series of matches with Ivan Managoff "some years back." He is now described as "Roly Poly Ed." Kansas City KS: April 24, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Vic Christy (2-1) ... Ralph Garibaldi beat Dan O’Connor (2-1) ... Warren Bockwinkel beat Ed White ... George Thomas beat Bil Bartush (dq) ... Referee: Jack League St. Joseph MO: April 24, 1947 (Thursday) (City Aud, att. 3,400) ... Sonny Myers beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-1) ... (Ladies) Violet Viann beat Nell Stewart ... Great Mephisto beat Michele Leone (15:00, dq) ... Ede Virag beat Abe Yourist (12:00) Des Moines IA: April 28, 1947 Elmer Estep beat Ray Steele ... Frank Taylor beat Fred Blassie ... Tug Carlson beat Jack Conley Jefferson City MO: April 30, 1947 (Wednesday) (Selinger Centre) ... Orville Brown vs Cowboy Roy Graham ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... Ralph Garibaldi vs Great Mephisto ... Michele Leone vs Sonny Myers ... NOTE: Promoter Jim Chemi, like Gust Karras in St. Joseph, bills Brown's appearance as the "Mid-West heavyweight championship" defense. Kansas City KS: May 1, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Vic Christy (2-1, utc) ... Ralph Garibaldi beat Michele Leone (2-0) ... Frank Taylor drew Lee Wykoff (30:00) ... Ede Virag beat Abe Yourist ... Referee: Louis Spandle St. Joseph MO: May 1, 1947 (City Aud, att. 3,100) ... Sonny Myers beat Cowboy Roy Graham (2-1) ... Referee: Harry Cohen (of Kansas City MO) ... Dan O’Connor beat Ede Virag (sub for Warren Bockwinkel) (2-1) ... Sailor Fred Blassie beat Ed White (15:00, dq) … George Thomas drew Joe Adelman (15:00) Kansas City KS: May 8, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Vic Christy (2-0) ... Ralph Garibaldi drew Jack McDonald (45:00, 1-1) ... Dan O’Connor beat Ray Schwarz ... Michele Leone beat George Thomas ... Referee: Louis Spandle St. Joseph MO: May 9, 1947 (Friday) (City Aud, att. 4,000) ... Orville Brown beat Sonny Myers (2-1) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... (Ladies) Mae Young beat Evelyn Wall ... (Ladies) Christine Adams beat Ann LaVerne ... Ed White beat George Thomas (12:00) Kansas City KS: May 15, 1947 (Thursday) (Memorial Hall) ... Swedish Angel beat Ralph Garibaldi (2-1) ... Vic Christy beat Jack McDonald (2-1, dq) ... Dan O’Connor beat Abe Yourist ... Ed White beat Michele Leone (dq) ... Referee: Louis Spandle St. Joseph MO: May 16, 1947 (City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Ed White (2-0) ... (Ladies) Mae Young beat Mae Weston ... Ralph Garibaldi beat Sockeye Jack McDonald (21:00, dq) ... (Ladies) Gladys Galento beat Christine Adams ... NOTE: Brown clung to his "Mid-Western wrestling championship" by annexing falls in 12 and 5 minutes, respectively. Jefferson City IA: May 21, 1947 (Selinger Centre) ... Orville Brown & Vic Christy vs Bobby Bruns & Dan O'Connor ... Jack McDonald vs Jack Page ... Promoter: Jim Chemi ... NOTE: (advertisement, or how Chemi put the HYPER in hyperbole) "ANNOUNCING THE GREATEST CARD EVER PRESENTED IN ANY CITY! IT'S THE BEST OF THE SEASON IN JEFFERSON CITY! SIX OF THE NATION'S LEADING PRO WRESTLERS IN ONE PROGRAM! BY ALL MEANS ... DON'T MISS WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S MATCHES ... NEVER AGAIN WILL THIS CARD BE POSSIBLE!" St. Joseph MO: May 23, 1947 (Friday) (City Aud) ... (M.W.A. Title) Orville Brown* beat Vic Christy (2-1) ... Referee: Marshall Esteppe ... Bobby Bruns drew Sockeye Jack McDonald (45:00, 1-1) ... Dan O’Connor beat Michele Leone (15:00) ... Cal Rees drew Jack Page (15:00) ... NOTE: The acronym "M.W.A." sneaks into the next day's St. Louis MO Gazette ... "Jack" Page was generally "Jimmy" Page here. St. Joseph MO: May 29, 1947 (Thursday) (City Aud) ... Orville Brown drew Marshall Esteppe (1-1) ... Ralph Garibaldi beat Babe Zaharias (2-1) ... Cal Rees drew Dan O’Connor (30:00) ... Sockeye Jack McDonald beat Jack Page (11:00) ... NOTE: The main event was later described as "a torrid, double- knockout fracas." Kansas City KS: June 5, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Swedish Angel (2-1) ... Ralph Garibaldi beat Jack McDonald (2-1, dq) ... Tug Carlson beat Dan O’Connor ... Jack Hader beat Jack Page ... Referee: Louis Spandle ... (sponsored by: American Legion) St. Joseph MO: June 6, 1947 (City Aud, att. 2,600) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Lee Wykoff (2-1) ... Tug Carlson (sub for Marshall Esteppe) drew Ralph Garibaldi (45:00, 0-0) ... Tug Carlson beat Sockeye Jack McDonald (18:00) ... Cal Rees beat Joe Adelman (9:00) ... NOTE: The promotion says Wykoff recently broke the leg of Ras (Seelie) Samara in Kansas City KS and "since that time has had trouble getting matches." ... Esteppe was prevented from appearing by rising flood waters Waterloo IA: June 8, 1947 (Electric Park) ... Ken Fenelon beat Swedish Angel ... Referee: Dr. Gil Knutson (of Davenport IA) ... Ras (Seelie) Samara beat Carlos Rodriquez (21:00) ... Tug Carlson drew Earl Wampler (30:00) ... NOTE: Promoter Pinkie George asserts that he turned away 500 folks from his sold-out venue. Kansas City KS: June 12, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Lee Wykoff (2-1) ... Sailor Fred Blassie beat Jack McDonald (2-1, dq) ... Ralph Garibaldi drew Jack Hader (30:00) ... Great Mephisto beat Jack Page ... Referee: Louis Spandle St. Joseph MO: June 13, 1947 (City Aud) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Marshall Esteppe (2-0) ... (Ladies) June Byers beat Ann LaVerne ... Ralph Garibaldi drew Sockeye Jack McDonald (30:00) ... Great Mephisto beat Jack Hader (10:00, dq) ... NOTE: Brown and Esteppe struggled for one hour and 11 minutes before the former garnered the first fall; Brown required only four more minutes to finish off the considerably lighter Esteppe. Waterloo IA: June 15, 1947 (Sunday) (Electric Park) ... Orville Brown vs Ras (Seelie) Samara ... Joe Dusek vs Danny Plechas (of Ravenna NE) ... Promoter: Pinkie George ... NOTE: This card was scrubbed by heavy rainfall and flooding in the area. Kansas City KS: June 19, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... Lee Wykoff beat Jack McDonald (2-0, dq) ... Tug Carlson beat Jack Hader (2-1) ... Sailor Fred Blassie drew Wally Dusek (30:00) ... Ralph Garibaldi beat Jack Page ... Referee: Louis Spandle St. Joseph MO: June 20, 1947 (Friday) (City Aud) ... Tug Carlson & Ralph Garibaldi beat Orville Brown & Sockeye Jack McDonald (2-1) ... Ras (Seelie) Samara beat Wally Dusek (2-1, dq) … Sailor Fred Blassie beat Jack Page (15:00) ... Don Anderson drew Harry McGinnis (15:00) Waterloo IA: June 22, 1947 (Electric Park) ... Orville Brown beat Ras (Seelie) Samara (41:00) ... Tug Carlson beat Carlos Rodriquez (15:02) ... Danny Fenelon drew Earl Wampler (30:00) ... NOTE: Brown's "world championship" is at stake. Kansas City KS: June 26, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Jack McDonald (2-1) ... Wally Dusek beat Fred Blassie (45:00, 1-0, only fall) ... Tug Carlson beat Ralph Garibaldi ... Jack Hader beat Jack Page St. Joseph MO: June 27, 1947 (Friday) (City Aud, att. 3,000) ... Tug Carlson beat Wally Dusek (2-1) ... (Mud Match) Fred Blassie beat Jack Hader (2-1) ... Ras (Seelie) Samara drew Ralph Garibaldi (30:00) ... Sockeye Jack McDonald beat Les Grimes (5:00) ... Referee: Harry Cohen ... NOTE: Said to be the wrap-up to the 1946-47 Gust Karras wrestling season. Waterloo IA: June 29, 1947 (Electric Park) ... Marshall Esteppe vs Ken Fenelon ... NOTE: Esteppe is to defend junior heavyweight laurels against the man from whom he won them. Kansas City KS: July 10, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Wally Dusek (22:17, utc) ... Tug Carlson drew Sockeye Jack McDonald drew (45:00, 1-1) ... Sailor Fred Blassie beat Rudy Strongberg ... Marshall Esteppe drew Jack Hader (30:00) ... Referee: Louis Spandle Kansas City KS: July 17, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... Tug Carlson beat Sockeye Jack McDonald (2-1) ... Cardiff Giant beat Sailor Fred Blassie (2-0) ... Wally Dusek drew Ronnie Etchison (30:00) ... Jack Hader beat Rudy Strongberg ... NOTE: Cardiff Giant bearhugs flattened Blassie twice inside of four minutes. Kansas City KS: July 24, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Tug Carlson (2-1) ... Cardiff Giant beat Ronnie Etchison (2-0) ... Sockeye Jack McDonald beat Terry McGinnis ... Sailor Fred Blassie drew Jack Hader (30:00) ... Referee: Louis Spandle Kansas City KS: July 31, 1947 (Thursday) (Memorial Hall) ... Cardiff Giant beat Sockeye Jack McDonald (2-0) ... Tug Carlson beat Wally Dusek (2-1) ... Warren Bockwinkel beat Jack Hader ... Sailor Fred Blassie drew Ronnie Etchison (30:00) ... Referee: Louis Spandle Kansas City KS: August 7, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... Cardiff Giant beat Tug Carlson (2-0) ... Warren Bockwinkel beat Sockeye Jack McDonald (2-0) ... Sailor Fred Blassie beat Wally Dusek (dq) ... Ronnie Etchison drew Jack Hader (30:00) ... Referee: Hollie Havley) Waterloo IA: August 10, 1947 (Electric Park) ... Tug Carlson vs Sockeye Jack McDonald Kansas City KS: August 14, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... Cardiff Giant beat Warren Bockwinkel (2-1) ... Sockeye Jack McDonald beat Tug Carlson (45:00, 1-0, only fall) ... Wally Dusek beat Carlos Rodriquez ... Sailor Fred Blassie drew Finice Hall (30:00) ... Referee: Hollie Havley) ... NOTE: As always, the shows here were sponsored by the local American Legion post. Waterloo IA: August 17, 1947 (Sunday) (Electric Park) ... Tug Carlson vs Sockeye Jack McDonald ... Cardiff Giant vs Sailor Fred Blassie ... Leo Jensen vs Jay Steele ... Matchmaker: Andy George ... NOTE: Adult tickets are 80 and 50 cents, with children in for a quarter. Kansas City KS: August 21, 1947 (Memorial Hall, att. 3,807) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Cardiff Giant (2-1) ... Warren Bockwinkel beat Wally Dusek (2-1) ... Tug Carlson drew Jay Steele (30:00) ... Sockeye Jack McDonald beat sailor Fred Blassie ... Referee: Louis Spandle Waterloo IA: August 24, 1947 (Sunday) (Electric Park) ... Orville Brown vs Sockeye Jack McDonald ... Ras (Seelie) Samara vs Cardiff Giant Kansas City KS: August 28, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... Warren Bockwinkel beat Cardiff Giant (2-1) ... Antone Leone beat Tug Carlson (2-0) ... Sockeye Jack McDonald drew Dick Trout (30:00) ... Jay Steele beat Cal Rees ... Referee: Louis Spandle Kansas City KS: September 4, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (Tourney Finale) Warren Bockwinkel beat Antone Leone (23:40) ... (semifinals) Warren Bockwinkel beat Jay Steele ... Antone Leone beat Dick Trout ... (first round) Warren Bockwinkel beat Lee Wykoff (dq) ... Jay Steele beat Roberto Pico ... Dick Trout beat Cardiff Giant (dq) ... Antone Leone beat Sockeye Jack McDonald ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTE: Bockwinkel earns an MWA title shot at Orville Brown. Waterloo IA: September 7, 1947 (Sunday) (Electric Park) ... Orville Brown beat Ras (Seelie) Samara (36:10) ... Dick Trout beat Antone Leone (22:00) ... Roberto Pico beat Cardiff Giant (12:00, dq) ... Referee: Bob Jessen Kansas City KS: September 11, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* drew Warren Bockwinkel (1-1, nc) ... Rudy Strongberg beat Cardiff Giant (2-1, dq) ... Jack O’Brien beat Jay Steele (1:03) ... Antone Leone drew Dick Trout (30:00) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTE: This was what happened, leading to the unusual "continuation" of the bout the following week: The referee was knocked out (!), and then Bockwinkel pinned Brown ... The fall was disallowed, and the match continued, and then Brown pinned Bockwinkel (!) ... Neither fall was counted, and the match was declared a no contest ... (Tim Hornbaker research) St. Joseph MO: September 12, 1947 (Friday) (City Aud) ... Tug Carlson beat Jack O'Brien (2-1) ... Antone Leone drew Rudy Strongberg (45:00, 1-1) ... Cardiff Giant (320, of Venezuela) beat Roberto Pico ... Dick Trout (220, of Columbus OH) drew Jay Steele (218, of Lincoln NE) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTE: Promoter Gust Karras launches his 15th season of pro wrestling here ... O'Brien is billed as a "250-pound hillbilly" ... Pico was squashed, and quick, in his first match since suffering a broken jaw in Kansas City several months ago. Waterloo IA: September 14, 1947 (Sunday) (Electric Park) ... Orville Brown drew Marshall Esteppe (35:05, nc) ... Joe Dusek drew Tug Carlson (30:00) ... Al Williams beat Dick Trout (21:00) ... NOTE: " The mixup at the end of the affair had fans booing and yelling, and during the melee. Brown said after the match, he was cut slightly on the shoulder and leg by a fan who drew a pocket knife at the ringside. When the end came after 35 minutes and five seconds, Esteppe was out of the ring and climbing over ringside seats the wrong direction, apparently unable to find the right way back to the ring. Brown, at the same time, was on his back in the ring. The referee counted out both men and declared it no contest. Esteppe and Brown, however, resumed the match for a few minutes before they could be convinced it was all over." Kansas City KS: September 18, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Warren Bockwinkel (35:17) ... Jack O’Brien beat Antone Leone (2-1) ... Cardiff Giant beat Mile High Ross (14:40) ... Rudy Strongberg beat Jay Steele (18:22)... Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTE: The main event was resumed from the week before with both men having been awarded a fall ... Brown used an Indian deathlock to conclude matters (Tim Hornbaker research) St. Joseph MO: September 19, 1947 (Friday) (City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Tug Carlson (2-1) ... (Ladies) Nell Stewart beat Helen Hild ... Jack O'Brien beat Rudy Strongberg ... Dick Trout drew Antone Leone ... NOTE: After the main event "Carlson dropkicked (Brown) out of the ring three times by way of demonstrating his displeasure with the decision." – St. Joseph MO News-Press, Sept. 20, 1947 ... Brown was once again defending that "Mid-Western" title. Waterloo IA: September 21, 1947 (Sunday) (Electric Park) ... Orville Brown beat Marshall Esteppe (39:16) ... Joe Dusek beat Cardiff Giant (15:00) ... Al Williams beat Antone Leone (21:15) ... Referee: Dick Trout ... NOTE: This was the final card of the summer season. Kansas City KS: September 25, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... Joe Dusek beat Cardiff Giant (2-1) ... Emil Dusek drew Jack O’Brien (45:00, 1-1) ... Ernie Dusek beat Dick Trout (19:37) ... Antone Leone beat Hank Metheny (25:40) ... Referee: Lou Spandle St. Joseph MO: September 26, 1947 (City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Tug Carlson (2-0) ... Henry Piers beat Jack O'Brien (2-1) ... Ray Schwarz drew Antone Leone ... Roberto Pico beat Jay Steele (dq) ... NOTE: Brown went more than 75 minutes to obtain the first fall, and then quickly (two minutes) snatched the second as well in another defense of his title claim. Kansas City KS: October 2, 1947 (Memorial Hall, att. 4,000) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Joe Dusek (2-1) ... Referee: Jack Dempsey ... Jack O’Brien beat Cardiff Giant (2-1) ... Antone Leone drew Steve Stanlee (as Paul Stanlee) (30:00) ... Henry Piers beat Jay Steele (18:35) ... Promoter: George Simpson ... NOTE: Piers was billed as the “Flying Dutchman” from the Netherlands. St. Joseph MO: October 3, 1947 (Friday) (City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Cardiff Giant ... Referee: Jack Dempsey ... Ras (Seelie) Samara beat Henry Piers ... Steve Stanlee (as Paul Stanlee) beat Jack O’Brien ... Jay Steele drew Joe Adelman ... NOTE: Adelman regularly was called "Alderman" here, in the mecca of misspelled names ... Dempsey was busy before the show, visiting the Catholic Boys' Orphanage and doing an interview over Radio KFEQ ... "Physically, Dempsey shows a flat midriff, a trace of gray at the temples and a hint that store teeth have replaced his natural dentures since he was last in St. Joseph." – St. Joseph MO News- Press, Oct. 4, 1947 ... Dempsey admitted to radio interviewer Dan Pitts that, in 1923 the ringside writers had not pushed the Manassa Mauler back into the ring against Luis Angel Firpo, "there'd have been a new champion." Kansas City KS: October 9, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Jack O’Brien (2-0) ... Steve Stanlee (as Paul Stanlee) beat Antone Leone (2-0) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Henry Piers (18:35) ... Rudy Strongberg beat Jay Steele (cor)... Referee: Lou Spandle St. Joseph MO: October 10, 1947 (Friday) (City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Ras (Seelie) Samara (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Antone Leone (2-0) ... Steve Stanlee (as Paul Stanlee) beat Mile High Ross (15:00) ... Jack O’Brien beat Jay Steele (7:00) Kansas City KS: October 16, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... Ernie Dusek beat Warren Bockwinkel (2-1) ... Sonny Myers beat Cardiff Giant (2-1) ... Terry McGinnis beat Pete Schuh (14:40) ... Steve Stanlee (as Paul Stanlee) beat Henry Piers (17:16) ... Referee: Lou Spandle St. Joseph MO: October 17, 1947 (City Aud) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Sonny Myers (2-1, dq) … Referee: Lou Spandle ... Terry McGinnis beat Jack O’Brien (2-1) ... Cardiff Giant drew Ras (Seelie) Samara (30: 00) ... Pete Schuh drew Henry Piers (15:00) ... NOTE: Promoter Gust Karras credited Etchison with winning the "St. Joseph heavyweight title." ... The winner claimed nine years of pro experience, the loser three Kansas City KS: October 23, 1947 (Thursday) (Memorial Hall) ... Sonny Myers beat Ernie Dusek (2-1) ... Terry McGinnis beat Jack O’ Brien (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison drew Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) (30:00) ... Lou Laird beat Antone Leone (14:00) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... Promoter: George Simpson St. Joseph MO: October 24, 1947 (City Aud) ... Ron Etchison drew Sonny Myers (1-1, nc) ... Referee: Lou Spindle ... Terry McGinnis beat Cardiff Giant (2-0) ... Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) beat Steve Stanlee (as Paul Stanlee) (8:00) ... Pete Schuh drew Louis Laird (15:00) ... Promoter: Gust Karras Kansas City KS: October 30, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... Sonny Myers beat Terry McGinnis (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Cardiff Giant (2-1) ... Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback, of Fairbanks AK) beat Jack O’Brien ... Lou Laird (of Baltimore MD) beat Tom George (of Nashville TN) (12:00) ... Referee: Lou Spandle St. Joseph MO: October 31, 1947 (City Aud) ... Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) beat Terry McGinnis (2-1) ... (Ladies) Violet Viann & Helen Hild beat Nell Stewart & Ann Miller ... Ras (Seelie) Samara beat Pete Schuh (17:00) ... George Thomas drew Steve Stanlee (as Paul Stanlee) Kansas City KS: November 6, 1947 (Memorial Hall, att. 4,000) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* drew Sonny Myers (1-1, midnight curfew) ... Referee: Jack Dempsey ... Ronnie Etchison drew Terry McGinnis (45:00, 1-1) ... Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) beat Steve Stanlee (as Paul Stanlee) ... Lou Laird beat Pete Schuh (17:20) ... NOTE: "Myers won the first fall in 57:00, Brown won the second in 33:00. The local newspaper stated that Myers launched one of the most sensational offensive attacks in a decade, and nearly stole the match. Fans, according to the paper, sensed an upset." – Tim Hornbaker St. Joseph MO: November 7, 1947 (City Aud, att. 4,559) … Sonny Myers beat Ronnie Etchison (2-1) ... Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) beat Lou Laird (2-0) ... Terry McGinnis drew Steve Stanlee (as Paul Stanlee) (30:00) ... George Thomas beat Pete Schuh ... NOTE: The previous paid attendance mark for the grapplers here was 4,420 for an Orville Brown-Roy Graham headliner ... Additionally, there were nearly 300 passes collected at the turnstiles ... The Knights of Columbus circus will occupy the building next week. Kansas City KS: November 13, 1947 (Memorial Hall, att. 4,200) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* drew Sonny Myers (1-1, midnight curfew) ... Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) beat Terry McGinnis (2-0) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Natie Brown (23:17) ... Bill Sledge drew Larry Tillman (30:00) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTE: "Brown won the first fall in 1:05:00, and Myers took the second in 30: 15 with an Australian crabhold. According to the newspaper, many fans proclaimed Myers the 'real' champion after the draw." – Tim Hornbaker Kansas City KS: November 20, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... Sonny Myers beat Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) (2-0, dq) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Lou Laird (2-0) ... Al Lovelock beat Steve Stanlee (as Paul Stanlee) (19: 45) ... Bill Sledge beat Tom George (17:00) St. Joseph MO: November 21, 1947 (City Aud) ... Orville Brown beat Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Bill Sledge (45:00, 1-0, only fall) ... Al Goetz beat Lou Laird (17:00) ... Natie Brown beat Steve Stanlee (as Paul Stanlee) (11:00) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTE: One more time, Brown defends the "Mid-West wrestling title" here. Kansas City KS: November 27, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Sonny Myers (0-1, utc) ... Ronnie Etchison drew Al Lovelock (of Columbus OH) (45:00) (1-1) ... Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) beat Natie Brown (17:43) ... Jack Hader drew Bill Sledge (of Thornton TX) (30:00) ... Promoter: George Simpson ... NOTE: "Brown was disqualifed in the first fall after using three illegal piledrivers in 55:00. Myers was unable to continue for the second and third falls, and lost by default. A group of fans ran into the ring and attempted to punch Brown, and a riot ensued. Police broke up the riot, and protected Brown away from the ring. Myers was carried from the ring on a stretcher." – Tim Hornbaker St. Joseph MO: November 28, 1947 (City Aud) ... Ron Etchison beat Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) ... Al Lovelock beat Sonny Myers (2-1) ... Ras (Seelie) Samara beat Jack Hader (17:00) ... Bill Sledge beat George Thomas (3:00) Kansas City KS: December 4, 1947 (Thursday) (Memorial Hall, att. 4,180) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown* beat Sonny Myers (2-1, utc)... Al Lovelock beat Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Fred Blassie (31:35) ... Bill Sledge beat Larry Tillman (20:00, dq) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTE: "The local newspaper stated that Myers was 'overanxious, and caused his own loss ... The referee stopped the match during the third fall when Myers was unable to continue after sailing over the top ropes with a missed dropkick." – Tim Hornbaker St. Joseph MO: December 5, 1947 (City Aud, att. 3,800) … Sonny Myers beat Al Lovelock (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison drew Tug Carlson (45:00, 0-0) ... Ras (Seelie) Samara beat Yukon Eric (as Eric Homback) (19: 00, dq) … Sailor Fred Blassie beat Larry Tillman (12:00) ... NOTE: The next day's St. Joseph MO Gazette said Yukon Eric/Holmback was disqualified for tossing Samara over the top rope, apparently one of the few niceties observed in this bastion of Texas rules and "roughers." Kansas City KS: December 11, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... Swedish Angel beat Ronnie Etchison (2-1) ... Al Lovelock drew Sonny Myers (45:00, 0-0) ... Sailor Fred Blassie drew Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) (30:00) ... Bill Sledge beat Natie Brown (18:00) ... Referee:Lou Spandle St. Joseph MO: December 12, 1947 (City Aud) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Sonny Myers (2-1) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... Ras (Seelie) Samara beat Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) (2-1) ... Al Lovelock beat Bill Sledge (16:00) ... Sailor Fred Blassie beat Natie Brown (12:00) ... NOTE: Etchison is said to regain Gust Karras "city wrestling championship." Kansas City KS: December 18, 1947 (Memorial Hall) ... (MWA Title) Orville Brown beat Al Lovelock (2-1) ... Fred Blassie beat Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Bill Sledge (19:00) ... Larry Tillman beat Natie Brown (17:36) ... Referee: Lou Spandle ... NOTES: "Promoter George Simpson announced his next show for January 8, 1948 (saying he) was going to take advantage of the time off to spend five days touring the Northwest and Rocky Mountain regions, scouting for new talent. Several new heavyweights had reportedly been brought to his attention, compiling impressive records, and he wanted to interview them about possible trips to Kansas City." – Tim Hornbaker St. Joseph MO: December 19, 1947 (City Aud) ... (Mid-West Title*) Tug Carlson beat Orville Brown (2-1) ... Ron Etchison beat Ras (Seelie) Samara (2-1) ... Sailor Fred Blassie beat Bill Sledge (16:00) ... Frank Hickey drew Larry Tillman (15:00) ... NOTE: Two drop kicks and a smother won the first flop for Carlson in 13 minutes, but a series of rodeo headlocks led to Brown capturing the second fall in nine minutes ... The men were then said to go at it "fast and furious," at least until Brown missed a tackle and knocked himself out by smashing his head into a turnbuckle ... Carlson fell on him for the pin and for what history will recall as the "Midwest Wrestling Association title." Rochester NY: December 26, 1965 "Jules Bauman, 65 years old, sports promoter, died today. He specialized in professional wrestling shows in the days of Ed (Strangler) Lewis and Joe Stecher. His survivors include his brother, William (Billy) Sandow, formerly Lewis' manager." – Associated Press St. Joseph December 26, 1947 (City Aud, att. 4,450) ... (Mid-West Title*) Orville Brown beat Tug Carlson (2-1) ... Ronnie Etchison beat Wally Dusek (2-0) ... Ras (Seelie) Samara beat Sailor Fred Blassie (16:00) ... Jack Hader drew Frank Hickey (15:00) ... NOTE: The "M.W.A." title goes back to its nominal resting place, with Orville Brown ... Carlson lost the first and third falls in 22 and 15 minutes, respectively, but was awarded the middle flop by referee Lou Spandle who disqualified Brown for repeatedly refusing to break clean and employing other illegal tactics. Research by J Michael Kenyon, Tim Hornbaker |
St. Joseph Wrestling Results - 1947 |