St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, January 7, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Buddy Rogers b. Bobby Bruns (44:25) … Ronnie Etchison, Frankie
Talaber and Joe Wolfe b. Finice Hall, Leon “The Great” Kirilenko and Jack Vansky (2/3)
(Hall pinned Wolfe in 9:45 for the first fall, Etchison pinned Kirilenko in 11:46 for the
second, Talaber pinned Vansky in 8:50 for the third) … John Mercurio b. Fred Blassie (DQ)
(14:34) … Don Eagle b. Walter Sirois (10:20) … (promoter:  Sam Muchnick) … (referees:  
Dan Hogan, John Turner) … (10,110 fans)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, January 14, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz b. Enrique Torres (42:
35) (At the 32-minute mark, the top rope collapsed, but the match continued) … Antonino
Rocca b. Jack Moore (13:37) … Rene “Mr. Paris” Florent b. Ellis Bashara (7:51) … Al
Lovelock b. Lou Bernard (7:12) … Larry Moquin and Rebel Russell drew (20:00) (Moquin
was likely traveling with Florent) … (promoter:  Martin Thesz) … (referee:  Whitey Brexler)
… (sponsored by:  Mississippi Valley Sports Club) … (10,579 fans)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, February 4, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Buddy Rogers b. Don Eagle (CO) (21:55) … Bobby Bruns b. Jim Wright
Babe Kasaboski, Lucky Simunovich and Frankie Talaber b. Abe Kashey, Leon Kirilenko
and Walter Sirois … Fred Blassie and Ronnie Etchison drew … (promoter:  Sam Muchnick)
… (10,651 fans)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, February 18, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Buddy Rogers b. Bobby Bruns … Don Eagle b. Lou Newman … Lucky
Simunovich and Frankie Talaber b. Finice Hall and Jim Wright … Jack Pesek b. Charles
Harben … Fred Blassie b. George Valet … (promoter:  Sam Muchnick) … (9,857 fans)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, February 25, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz b. Antonino Rocca … Al
Lovelock and Enrique Torres drew … Fred Von Schacht b. Larry Moquin … Rene Florent
b. Wee Willie Davis (DQ) … Warren Bockwinkel and Joe Dusek drew … Ellis Bashara b.
Bobby Nelson … (promoter:  Martin Thesz) … (sponsored by:  Mississippi Valley Sports
Club) … (10,932 fans)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, March 4, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown b. Bobby Bruns …
Don Eagle and Abe Kashey drew … Tug Carlson, Babe Kasaboski and Ken Kenneth b.
Lou Newman, Jim Wright and Bill Zimovich … Jack Pesek b. Jack Steele … (promoter:  Sam
Muchnick) … (9,577 fans)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, March 18, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Buddy Rogers b. Don Eagle (DQ) … Bobby Bruns b. Abe Kashey …
Billy Darnell b. Herb Freeman … Tug Carlson and Otto Kuss b. Jim Wright and Bill Zimovich
… (promoter:  Sam Muchnick) … (10,276 fans)
Notes:  Prior to the Rogers-Eagle match, Darnell entered the ring to challenge Rogers.  
Rogers refused to shake his hand and then Darnell attacked him.  Missouri State Athletic
Commissioner William H. Herring suspended Darnell for 30 days following the incident.  
Darnell was then reinstated following paying a fine of $50.

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, March 25, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Primo Carnera b. Bill Longson … Enrique Torres b. Dutch Heffner …
Mike Mazurki and Mike Sharpe drew … Fred Von Schacht b. Bobby Nelson … Warren
Bockwinkel b. Ellis Bashara … Vic Holbrook b. Joe Dusek … (promoter:  Martin Thesz) …
(sponsored by:  Mississippi Valley Sports Club) … (10,466 fans)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, April 1, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Buddy Rogers b. Billy Darnell … Frankie Talaber b. Fred Bozic … Don
Lee and Jim Wright b. Tug Carlson and Lucky Simunovich … The Demon b. The Zebra Kid
… (promoter:  Sam Muchnick) … (referee:  Henry Costa) ... (10,598 fans)

Joplin, Missouri:  Thursday, April 7, 1949
(Memorial Hall) … Jimmy Lott b. Dizzy Davis (fourth round of a boxing match) … Johnny
Balbo b. Jack Steele (2/3) (Steele won the first in 13-minutes, Balbo won in 3-minutes for
the second, Balbo won in 4-minutes in the third) (Steele was a substitute for Leroy McGuirk,
who was unable to compete due to an infected tooth) … Ace Freeman and Jack Parks drew
(45:00) (1-1) (Freeman won the first fall in 13-minutes, Parks won the second in 5-minutes)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, April 8, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz b. Enrique Torres (28:
36) ... Sandor Szabo b. Frederick Von Schacht (19:31) ... Al Lovelock b. Jack Terry (27:10)
... Warren Bockwinkel and Ben Sharpe drew (20:00) ... Felix Miquet b. Dutch Meyer (14:13)
... (matchmaker:  Bill Nelson) ... (referee:  Whitey Brexler) ... (8,656 fans)
Note:  Meyer was from Sherman, Texas.

St. Louis, Missouri:  April 16, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Buddy Rogers b. Billy Darnell (23:18) … Dean Detton and Lucky
Simunovich b. Don Lee and Jim Wright (2/3) … Sonny Myers b. Abe Kashey … Fred
Blassie b. Lou Newman (DQ) … The Demon b. Cherry Vallina … (promoter:  Sam
Muchnick) ... (referee:  Lou Spandle) ... (in attendance: NWA World Champion Orville
Brown) ... (8,692 fans)
Note:  After the tag team match, Lee and Wright attacked their opponents, earning a
suspension by the Missouri Athletic Commission.

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, April 22, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz b. Enrique Torres (27:
31) … Primo Carnera b. Bill Longson (DQ) (10:46) … Al Lovelock and Mike Mazurki drew
(30:00) … Felix Miquet b. Fred Von Schacht (15:52) … Warren Bockwinkel and Emil Dusek
drew (20:00) … Dutch Hefner b. Ed Virag (10:06) … (promoter:  Martin Thesz) …
(matchmaker:  Bill Nelson) ... (sponsored by:  Mississippi Valley Sports Club) … (9,129 fans)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, May 13, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown and Buddy Rogers
drew (18:50) (referee stopped bloody match) … Billy Darnell b. Death Valley Demon (13:
17) … Ronnie Etchison and Jack Pesek drew (30:00) … Fred Blassie and Herb Freeman b.
Louis Klein and Bert Rubi (2/3) … (promoter:  Sam Muchnick) … (referee:  Lou Spandle) …
(6,137 fans) … (season closer)
Notes:  Missouri Athletic Commissioner Charley Orchard saw the controversial Brown-
Rogers match and ordered a meeting for Saturday.  Blassie was a replacement for Lou
Newman, who was injured earlier in the week.  The Missouri Athletic Commission, on May
14, 1949, suspended both Rogers and Brown for 90 days and fined $100 each for their
actions Friday night.

According to one source, Lou Thesz wrestled Enrique Torres on May 13, 1949 in St. Louis.  
This would have been the promotions of the Mississippi Valley Sports Club and would have
been head-to-head with Sam Muchnick.  It likely did not happen on this date.

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, May 20, 1949
(The Arena) ... Antonino Rocca b. Primo Carnera (11:03) (backbreaker) (Carnera was
carried from the ring and taken to a local hospital) ... Bill Longson b. Al Lovelock (15:39) ...
Sandor Szabo b. Felix Miquet (12:10) ... Mike Sharpe b. "Tiger" Jack Moore (13:37) ... Ben
Sharpe b. Dutch Hefner (DQ) (13:21) ... George Holmes b. Carlos Rodriguez (9:06) ...
(matchmaker:  Bill Nelson) ... (4,504 fans)
Note:  Carnera had reportedly been undefeated locally before his loss here to Rocca.

St. Louis, Missouri:  June 3, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz b. Sandor Szabo (19:
31) … Bill Longson b. Ben Sharpe (12:47) … Enrique Torres b. Carlos Rodriguez (8:21) …
George Koverly and Al Lovelock drew (20:00) … Mike Sharpe b. George Holmes (6:41) …
Jim Millich b. Dutch Hefner (14:05) … (matchmaker:  Bill Nelson) ... (5,107 fans)
Notes:  Szabo was advertised as a "former Hungarian Olympic wrestler." Walter Palmer of
Chicago was originally booked in the first preliminary against Dutch Hefner.  Palmer was
often a headliner in Chicago.  Holmes was from Hollywood.

*According to one source, a St. Louis show was held on June 10, 1949.  No evidence has
been found.

St. Louis, Missouri:  June 17, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz b. Bill Longson (24:27)
(kangaroo kicks) … Sandor Szabo b. Dutch Hefner (18:24) … George Koverly b. George
Holmes (9:08) … Warren Bockwinkel b. Joe Dusek (DQ) (8:49) … Joe Millich and Carlos
Rodriguez drew (20:00) … (matchmaker:  Bill Nelson) ... (4,759 fans)

St. Louis, Missouri:  June 30, 1949
( ) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz b. Wladek Kowalski

*In August 1949, Lou Thesz and his father Martin Thesz made a deal to combine their
booking offices.  The Thesz combination sold interests in the St. Louis office to Sam
Muchnick, making a 50-50 partnership.

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, September 16, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Mike Sharpe and Enrique Torres b. Bill Longson and Fred Von Schacht
(2-0) (first fall by DQ) … Al Lovelock and Ben Sharpe drew (30:00) … Paul Stanlee b.
Whitey Whittler (13:52) … Warren Bockwinkel b. Danny Plechas (11:45) … (promoter:  
Martin Thesz) … (referees:  Charles Venator, George Groner, Fred Vopel, Walt McMillen,
John Turner) ... (sponsored by:  Mississippi Valley Sports Club)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, September 23, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Don Eagle b. Yvon Robert (10:01) … Bobby Bruns b. Joe Pazandak
(12:15) (Pazandak was unable to continue) … Jack Conley and Jack Pesek drew (20:00) …
The Dusek Brothers (Ernie and Joe Dusek) b. Edward Meske and Frankie Talaber (2/3) …
(promoter:  Sam Muchnick) … (referees:  Henry Costa, Walter McMillen, Fred Vopel) …
(7,437 fans) … (season opener)
Note:  The St. Louis Globe-Democrat on September 24, 1949 billed Yvon Robert as "Yvon
Roberts."

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, October 21, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Bill Longson b. Bronko Nagurski (12:15) … Enrique Torres b. Ivan
Rasputin (17:45) … Al Lovelock and Mike Sharpe drew … Pete Peterson b. Ben Sharpe
(13:11) … Paul Stanlee b. Bobby Nelson (12:18) … (promoter:  Martin Thesz) …
(sponsored by:  Mississippi Valley Sports Club) … (6,836 fans)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Saturday, October 29, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Don Eagle b. Fred Von Schacht (17:50) … Bobby Bruns b. Karl Davis
(9:55) … Frankie Talaber b. Walter Sirois (17:40) … Ronnie Etchison and Leroy McGuirk
b. Jack Conley and Lord Albert Mills (2/3) … (promoter:  Sam Muchnick) … (6,170 fans)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Wednesday, November 16, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Bill Longson b. Sandor Szabo (15:16) … Antonino Rocca b. Ben
Morgan (16:22) … Warren Bockwinkel and Ben Sharpe drew (30:00) … Karol Krauser and
Pete Peterson b. Jack Hader and Whitey Whittler (2-0) … (promoter:  Martin Thesz) …
(sponsored by:  Mississippi Valley Sports Club)  … (5,949 fans)

*In November 1949, wrestling was featured on KSD-TV at 9:00 p.m.

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, November 25, 1949
( ) … National Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz vs. National
Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown (2/3)
Note:  The match was cancelled when Orville Brown was injured in a car accident on
November 1, 1949 in Northwestern Missouri.

*The National Wrestling Alliance held its annual convention between November 25 and
November 27, 1949 at the Claridge Hotel.

*On Sunday, November 27, 1949, the members of the National Wrestling Alliance named
Lou Thesz World Heavyweight Champion during a meeting at the Claridge Hotel in St.
Louis.  Leroy McGuirk was named World Junior Heavyweight Champion.  Pinkie George
was named NWA President, Al Haft was named NWA Vice President, and Sam Muchnick
was named secretary-treasurer.

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, December 2, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Antonino Rocca b. Bill Longson (DQ) (19:29) … Enrique Torres and
“Whipper” Billy Watson b. George Koverly and Ivan Rasputin (2-0) (second fall by DQ) …
Pete Peterson b. Jack Hader … Karl Davis and Mike Sharpe drew (20:00) … Ben Sharpe b.
Kola Kwariani (7:02) … (promoter:  Martin Thesz) … (referee:  Henry Costa) … (sponsored
by:  Mississippi Valley Sports Club) … (6,407 fans)

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, December 9, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … Don Eagle b. Ernie Dusek (26:12) … The Dusek Brothers (Emil and
Joe Dusek) b. Abie Coleman and Ronnie Etchison (2/3) … Fred Blassie and Jimmy Coffield
drew (20:00) … Ruffy Silverstein and Frankie Talaber drew (30:00) … (promoter:  Sam
Muchnick) … (referee:  Ed “Strangler” Lewis) … (4,784 fans)
Note:  Lewis refereed the Eagle-Dusek match.

St. Louis, Missouri:  Friday, December 16, 1949
(Kiel Auditorium) … NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz b. Enrique Torres (33:
50) … NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion Leroy McGuirk b. George Temple (16:12)
… George Koverly b. Al Lovelock (DQ) (11:10) … Pete Peterson and Mike Sharpe drew
(20:00) … Warren Bockwinkel and Karl Davis drew (20:00) … (promoter:  Martin Thesz) …
(referee:  Henry Costa) … (sponsored by:  Mississippi Valley Sports Club) … (4,388 fans)


Research by Tim Hornbaker
January 16, 2011
St. Louis Wrestling Results - 1949