On April 27, 1944 in Moline, Illinois, Tillet was seriously injured during a match against Don Koch of Platesville, Wisconsin. Koch reportedly threw Tillet over his shoulder and the latter landed on his head. Tillet was said to have been unconscious for more than 30 minutes. A report in the April 6, 1945 edition of the St. Joseph Herald Press (MI) stated that Tillet made about "$45,000 a year," wrestling five nights a week. "Once in Paris, he wrestled 42 days in a row in a pro tourney." Maurice Tillet was in a Los Angeles Superior Court on October 4, 1945 and was facing a $30,000 suit brought against him by longtime wrestling promoter and manager Jack Pfefer. Pfefer claimed Tillet had struck him in the face in the dressing room of the Olympic Auditorium on August 5, 1942 when Ray Fabiani introduced the two. Tillet claimed Pfefer called him a "big monkey" in Russian, while Pfefer stated that Tillet had attacked him without warning. Pfefer also said that Ed "Strangler" Lewis stepped in and prevented Tillet from doing additional damage. The Los Angeles Times (10/5/1945) stated that there had been a rivalry between Tillet and Pfefer since the latter introduced his own Swedish Angel. Tillet admitted to pushing Pfefer, and saying, "Maybe I pushed a little bit hard." He denied stricking the minature manager, but just pushing him. Superior Judge Myron Westover awarded Pfefer $250 for "some humiliation" because his check swelled "after the attack," according to the paper. Research by Tim Hornbaker |
Maurice Tillet Wrestling History |
Career Record Legends of Pro Wrestling |