The National Wrestling Association, professional wrestling’s first recognized sanctioning body, is established. The NWA was an outgrowth of the National Boxing Association and, like the NBA, it was a collection of state athletic commissioners who…
Category: 1920s-1930s
December 29, 1937: Following a victory over Everett Marshall in St. Louis, Missouri, a 21 year-old Lou Thesz wins his first World title and becomes the youngest World champion in history by capturing the American…
Joe Stecher defeated Earl Caddock in New York City. The match was held in Madison Square Garden and drew a gate of $80,000 with an attendance of 10,000. The match was considered one of the…
Aleksander “Alex” Aberg, one of the top professional wrestlers in the world, died in Armavir, Armenia. Aberg was one of the great Estonian wrestlers of the day, along with Georg Lurich and George Hackenschmidt. A top contender…
As the Gold Dust Trio (Strangler Lewis, Billy Sandow and Toots Mondt) ruled the wrestling world, promoter Jack Curley decided to challenge the group’s supremacy. With the trio seeking a payday with boxing champion Jack…
In one of the many double-crosses that were so prevalent during this infamous era of professional wrestling, “Jumping” Joe Savoldi defeats reigning the National Wrestling Association World champion Jim Londos in Chicago, Illinois. Referee Bob…