Brief History:
The highly regarded Ed Don George of the Upstate Athletic Club joined the National Wrestling Alliance in 1950, adding a fairly large territory to the organization of booking agencies. George booked and promoted shows in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and a number of other towns in New York and Pennsylvania. Ignacio "Pedro" Martinez, who worked with George in various capacities, broke away from the promotion, and invested a bundle in New York City, gaining membership in the NWA. When the territory began to falter, Martinez sold his percentage, but ended up getting stiffed on the money he was owed. He looked to the NWA for assistance, but received very little support, a fact that would resonate. Martinez, in 1955, bought out George's Upstate New York ventures and again gained NWA membership, but this time around, he knew to look at the conglomerate of offices a little differently. From that point forth, Pedro maintained a very loose connection to the Alliance, but successfully did business with many fellow promoters both while he was a member, and after becoming an "independent." Upstate New York was a valuable territory and boomed for many years with some of the finest wrestlers making regular appearances.
Background:
The articles of incorporation of the Upstate Athletic Club, Inc. was filed with the New York Department of State on July 31, 1947 and Edward’s sister Margaret held a majority of the shares on paper, 149 of the 200 available, and had two other partners. Buffalo opened up he and soon expanded his booking enterprises to Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Albany, Binghamton, and more than ten other cities. George was perhaps the most educated wrestling promoter in the country when he settled in as Buffalo’s leader. The pitfalls of moneymaking that cursed many of his peers did not settle with him, and instead of spending excessively, Ed was saving.
By 1955, he was a millionaire, with a lucrative Upstate New York booking office. He was a steady member of the National Wrestling Alliance, serving as first vice president in 1951-’52. A majority of his towns saw record numbers with him on top, proving that the education he had received from the likes of Jerry Monahan, Paul Bowser, and Frank Tunney had paid off.
George brought a wealthy former wrestler named Ignacio “Pedro” Martinez in as a partner, and Martinez worked as a matchmaker while he eyed business opportunities opening up in New York City. The two were close associates until a problem arose over programs in 1954 that broke up the combine. Martinez sold his shares and worked to get his booking agency in Manhattan in line.
In late August 1955, Ed sold the Upstate A.C. to Martinez for a reported $100,000, and subsequently retired from the wrestling business.
George, and subsequently Martinez, were mindful of the abundance of amateur wrestling talent in the area, and were advocates for making the jump into the pro ranks. Using his vast financial means, George was very convincing, and got the attention of Don Beitlemen of the University of Buffalo and Dick Beyer of Syracuse. Later, Martinez had the likes of Gino Marella of Ithaca and Jim Nance of Syracuse. Yet another top flight amateur was Jim LaRock, Ithaca's product in the early 1950s.
Already a talented football player at Syracuse, Beyer took a chance on wrestling after a favorable pitch by the school's wrestling coach. Joe McDaniel, a three time NCAA and four time AAU champion at Oklahoma A&M, taught Beyer the fundamentals, and turned a tough gridiron star into a gifted heavyweight grappler. In 1979, McDaniel was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
According to the highly informative publication "Whatever Happened To ...?" (Number Four) by Scott Teal, Beyer teamed with Ilio DiPaolo and Billy "Red" Lyons in 1959 to purchase Martinez's wrestling operations in Rochester.
Buffalo became the focal point of a new wrestling operation in 1968. Opening up on Saturday, April 6, 1968 with a "Parade of Champions" event, the Erie Wrestling Club began their promotion under matchmaker Bobby Bruns and his silent partner, wrestler Johnny Powers. Bruns, a masterful behind-the-scenes guy and former wrestler himself, had helped Sam Muchnick in St. Louis for years, and was also instrumental in the rise of pro grappling in Japan. Their April 6 show featured National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champion Gene Kiniski against Hans Schmidt, Edouard Carpentier, Antonino Rocca, Crusher Lisowski, and former football player Jim Nance.
Bruns and his crew had a little trouble finding immediately big-time success, even with the superstars they were able to bring to Buffalo. He opened his club again on October 11, 1968 with the likes of Schmidt, Rocca, Powers, and Moose Cholak, and then staged shows every other week.
Parade of Champions Events in Buffalo:
1939 - Pat McGill vs. Wladyslaw Talun - 7,346 fans
1940 - Ivan Rasputin vs. Wladyslaw Talun - 7,374 fans
1941 - Steve Casey vs. Maurice Tillet - 9,364 fans
1942 - Joe Cox vs. Maurice Tillet - 12,074 fans
1943 - Killer Davis vs. Frank Sexton - 9,485 fans
1944 - Maurice Tillet vs. Marvin Westenberg - 10,321 fans
1945 - Ivan Rasputin vs. Maurice Tillet - 10,332 fans
1946 - Chief Saunooke vs. Frank Sexton - 10,317 fans
1947 - Ray Eckert vs. Frank Sexton - 10,046 fans
1948 - Frank Sexton vs. Bob Wagner - 12,365 fans
1949 - Sky-Hi Lee vs. Frank Sexton - 10,282 fans
1950 - Kay Bell vs. Maurice Tillet - 11,085 fans
1951 - John Barend vs. Great Togo - 12,020 fans
1952 - No Show Held
1953 - Great Togo vs. Yukon Eric - 11,098 fans
1954 - Great Togo vs. Bearcat Wright - 6,887 fans
1955 - Gorgeous George vs. Billy Watson - 9,541 fans
1956 - Baron Gattoni vs. Lou Thesz - 11,221 fans
*Information was provided by noted writer Earl Yetter and printed in the February 1957 edition of Wrestling Life out of Chicago.
Articles:
According to the January 29, 1947 edition of the Berkshire Evening Eagle in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Ed Don George was named matchmaker and vice president of the Great Lakes Athletic Club by organization president Jack Herman. George was expected to sign a 10 year contract.
According to the August 31, 1955 edition of the The Post Standard in Syracuse, New York, Ignacio (Pedro) Martinez bought the Upstate Athletic Club from Ed Don George for a reported $100,000. Included are licenses to promote Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse, Utica, and more than 10 other cities. Also, Martinez would take over George's membership in the NWA.
Wrestlers from Upstate New York:
Barend, Johnny:
Born: 1930 Height: 6’0’’ Weight: 212 Hometown: Rochester, New York Military: United States Navy Trained by: Pedro Martinez Pro Debut: 1948 Nickname: Handsome Finisher: Airplane Spin
Beyer, Dick:
Born: July 11, 1931
Height: 5’10-5’11’’
Weight: 230
Real Name: Dick Beyer
Hometown: Buffalo, New York/ Los Angeles, California (Gimmicked: Parts
Unknown)
Family: Father of Kurt Beyer
High School: Seneca High School (Buffalo) Multiple sports
College: Syracuse University Football/ Wrestling
College Ach.: Co-captain of the football team (1952)
Wrestling Coach: Joe McDaniel
Amateur Titles: Three AAU championships (wrestling)
Education: Masters Degree in Education
Coached: Assistant football coach at Syracuse
Military: United States Army
Guided by: Ed Don George (into business)
Trained at: Al Haft’s Gym (Columbus)
Trained by: Ed Allbers, Dr. Bill Miller, Ray Stevens, Dick Hutton
Pro Debut: October 1954, Ohio
Identities: The Destroyer, Dr. X
Nickname: The Intelligent Sensational Destroyer
Finisher: Figure-four leglock
Trained: Sam Steamboat
Retired: July 28, 1993, Tokyo, Japan
On March 22, 1952 in Buffalo, Beyer beat Walter Ferguson of the University of Buffalo to capture the Niagara District AAU wrestling title in the heavyweight division.
Curtis, Don:
Born: May 22, 1927
Height: 5’11’’
Weight: 220
Real Name: Don Beitelman (Legally changed to Donald B. Curtis in 1967)
Hometown: Buffalo, New York/ Jacksonville, Florida
High School Riverside High School (Buffalo)
College: University of Buffalo (Grad. 1956) Football/ Wrestling
Football Position: Tackle
Military: United States Navy Trained by: Ed Don George
Pro Debut: 1951
Identities: Don Beitelman, Don Lutz, Danny Curtis
Nickname: The Buffalo Bomber
Finisher: Sleeperhold
Managed by: The Mighty Atlas (Advisor) (Late 1950s)
Promoted: Jacksonville, Florida (1960s-’81)
Sun Belt Wrestling (1981) (Jacksonville) (w/ Boris Malenko)
Civilian job: Chief of the Gator Bowl sports complex in Jacksonville, Jacksonville
City Manager until 1990
Beitelman was named "Don Curtis" by Dizzy Davis in West Texas.
LaRock, Jim:
Born: September 3, 1924
Real Name: James C. LaRock
Hometown: Ogdensburg, New York
High School: Ithaca High School
College: Ithaca College Wrestling
Achivements: NCAA All-American (1950)
Pro Debut: January 1, 1954, Columbus, Ohio
After his graduation from high school, he served in the United States Army during World War II in Europe and reportedly earned "five battle stars."
At the Ithaca YMCA, Jim wrestled with his older brother Wilford, who competed at 165 pounds in 1949. That year, Wilford captured an NJAAU championship, while Jim was defeated in the finals.
LaRock placed second in the 1950 NCAA wrestling tournament at 165 pounds. He took National AAU Titles in 1952, held at Cornell University, and 1953 at 160.5 pounds, representing the New York Athletic Club.
On Tuesday, July 1, 1952 at Annapolis, Maryland, Bill Smith beat James LaRock “in his opening test” at 160.5 pounds for a starting spot on the United States Olympic team. “The tryouts, between members of the U.S. squad, will determine the starters in the Helsinki games,” according to the Council Bluffs Iowa Nonpareil (7/2/52) “However,” the paper continued, “all wrestlers now on hand at Annapolis will make the trip.”
LaRock was reportedly lured into the world of professional wrestling by Al Haft, and trained for his debut at the latter's famed gymnasium. He had his first paid bout on January 1, 1954 in Columbus with a victory over Red Kirkpatrick. According to the April 1954 edition of Wrestling World, LaRock was "considered the best leg-wrestler in the U.S. today."
Miscellaneous Notes and Milestones:
In late January 1947, Ed Don George was named matchmaker and vice president of the Great Lakes Athletic Club in Buffalo, New York, the organization's president Jack Herman announced. George was reportedly going to sign a 10-year contract.
After retirement, Ed Don George and his wife Joanne traveled the globe, living off his smart investments and sizable fortune. In the U.S., he bounced back and forth from homes in the Buffalo area and in Santa Monica. They had several children, and although he kept his mind on grappling throughout the rest of his life, he never resumed full-time promotions.
The Georges retired to Fort Lauderdale. In 1981, he was honored by the University of Michigan with the induction to the school’s Athletic Hall of Honor. He was also inducted into the St. Bonaventure Hall of Fame, the Big Ten Hall of Fame, and the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame at the International Wrestling Institute and Museum. Edward died on September 18, 1985 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the age of 80.
Later in life, when questioned about who he thought was his toughest opponent, he answered by saying: “The Strangler, of course.” The 1931 bout in Los Angeles was still fresh on his mind. “We met at Wrigley Field, Los Angeles,” George said. “The old Strangler was considered to be on the way out, but he beat me after two hours of the toughest going I’ve ever experienced. And that won him the title for the third time. There’s no question, he was the best I ever met.”
Obituaries:
Champion wrestler Colonel James McLaughlin (James Hiram McLaughlin) of Oneida County, New York, died on September 11, 1905 in Fairbanks, Alaska. He was a resident of Durhamville, New York.
Hans Furst wrestled in the 1915 and 1917 international tournaments in New York City, and made a name for himself in the United States rings. A product of Austria, Furst helped organize the original Great Lakes Athletic Club in Upstate New York along with Ed Delivuk in the 1920s, and promoted wrestling shows in Buffalo, Syracuse and numerous other towns. Furst, also spelled "Fuerst," died on Saturday, November 2, 1957 on the liner Liberte from France to the United States. He was 67.
Assistant and matchmaker for Pedro Martinez, Herb Rodems died in August 1966 in Erie, New York. Rodems was born on September 7, 1903 and had contributed in many ways to the success of professional wrestling in Upstate New York. He had also been a newspaper man, working in the sports department for the Buffalo Times in the 1920s and '30s.
On Sunday, September 28, 1969, Pinkie Gardner (Carroll Altz Gardner), former middleweight and light heavyweight champion of the world, passed away at his home in New Fane, Vermont. Born in Poughkeepsie, and having lived in Schenectady for decades, Gardner wrestled all of the greats in those two divisions, from Charles Fischer to Johnny Meyers.
Matchmaker for promoter Ed Don George, Bennett Mangin died on Sunday, June 2, 1974 in Syracuse, New York. Mangin was also a promoter in Syracuse and member of the Arena Boxing Club. He was survived by his wife Doris.
Renown Buffalo photographer, correspondent, and wrestling writer Earle Yetter passed away in March 1980. He was born on April 24, 1899 and had contributed to numerous publications from Wrestling Life to Wrestling Revue.
On April 29, 1982, at the age of 63, former wrestler Baron Gattoni (Jose Richardo Gattoni) died in Erie County, New York.
An Olympic competitor, amateur and professional wrestling champion, and successful promoter, Edward "Ed Don" George died on Wednesday, September 18, 1985 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was 80.
Ilio DiPaolo, a longtime wrestler and champion, passed away on Wednesday, May 10, 1995 in Lackawanna at the age of 68 after being hit by an automobile in Hamburg.
Upstate New York Wrestling Results:
Buffalo Wrestling Results - 1932
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