Chicago, Illinois: Monday, April 6, 1931 ( ) … "Hard Luck" Hank Bruder b. Rudy Hoffman in 2:38 (Bruder’s professional wrestling debut) Notes: Bruder was captain of the 1930 Northwestern football team. *The October 9, 1931 edition of the Chicago Daily Tribune stated that Wladek Zbyszko sent his $1,000 forfeit to Illinois State Athletic Commission Chairman General John V. Clinnin for his November 2 “championship” bout with Ed “Strangler” Lewis at Chicago Stadium. Governor Emmerson’s unemployment commission would receive receipts for the bout. J. Russell Forgan, chairman of the athletic division for the unemployment commission, said “General Clinnin has announced that the winner of the Zbyszko-Lewis match will be recognized as the world’s champion. General Clinnin is chairman of the National Boxing Association and the title thus will become national.” Chicago, Illinois: October 27, 1931 (Chicago Stadium) … Ed Don George b. Joe Malcewicz (2/3) (George won the first fall in 1: 06) … Jack Sherry b. John Grandovich (20:05) … Len Macaluso b. Boris Demitroff (11:17) (flying tackle) … Karol Zbyszko b. Bull Martin (15:54) … Joe DeVito and Jack Ganson drew (30:00) … (referee: Walter Evans) … (1,500 fans) … (gate: $2,200) Notes: It was said that the talent for this show was supplied by the Bowser syndicate, “a rival booking office to the Londos and Lewis firms.” The local paper stated that this was the debut of wrestling at the Stadium. Chicago, Illinois: November 2, 1931 (Chicago Stadium) … Ed “Strangler” Lewis b. Wladek Zbyszko to become the “new world’s heavyweight champion of Illinois” (2/3) (Lewis won the first fall in 23:52 with a headlock, Zbyszko won the second and Lewis took the third) … Joe Savoldi b. Billy Burns … World Light Heavyweight Champion Charles Fischer b. Zack Malkov (20:21) … Everette Marshall and Darna Ostapovich drew (30:00) … Lou Talaber b. George Kogut (20:45) … King Levinsky vs. Johnny Meyers (mixed boxing and wrestling match) (match was cancelled) … (promoter: Joe Coffey) … (7,244 fans) … (gross receipts: $13,064.70) … (benefit for the unemployment commission) … (an estimated $5,000 was donated to charity) Notes: The bout was billed as a “contest” by the Illinois State Athletic Commission rather than the usual “exhibition.” After the main event, General John Clinnin presented Lewis with a new belt “emblematic of the world’s championship.” It was also called the “Illinois Athletic Commission’s championship belt.” Reports said that Jim Londos rejected an earlier offer to wrestle Lewis on this show for the title. Zbyszko claimed he was 36 years old and had been wrestling for “only 17 years.” Malkov was called a motorcycle policeman from Rogers Park. Burns was from Wichita. Research by Tim Hornbaker March 9, 2010 |
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