September 15th in the Time Tunnel:
Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Wilbur Snyder 1929
King Curtis Iaukea 1937
Man Mountain Mike 1940
Verne Langdon 1941
Adrian Adonis 1953
Happy Birthday:
Teddy Long (70)
Rhett Titus (38)
RIP Memorial: We stop & remember those who have passed on this day and gave themselves to the business for us, the fans. We salute you and thank you.
Billy Sandow 9-15-1972 at the age of 88
Bulldog Brower 9-15-1977 at the age of 68
Billy Riley 9-15-1977 at the age of 81
Ricky Gibson 9-15-2006 at the age of 53
Jerry Brown 9-15-2020 at the age of 83
*Special Correction for yesterday's piece I wrote about the debut of Pat O'Connor in Issue 152. Our AWA Historian and Analyst, George Schire messaged me to reminded me that O'Connor did debut there at the location and promoter I mentioned, Tony Stecher at the American House in St. Paul, Minnesota, but it was not yet the American Wrestling Association when O'Connor debuted in 1950. The "Minneapolis Territory" was still part of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) at the time of O'Connor's debut match. I am so proud of the great historians and network we have, and I always welcome the help to get these things correct, so thank you George, I appreciate you and your help.
Significant Wrestler Debut:
9-15-1937: Gory Guerrero made his professional wrestling debut against the wrestler known as El Rojo (Rafael "El Rojo") at Arena Nilo in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
At the time, Guerrero was just 16 years old and wrestling under the ring name Joe Morgan. He lost the match (commonly referred to as "jobbing" in wrestling terminology, meaning he took the fall to put over his opponent) and was paid a modest 15 centavos for his performance. This marked the start of his career in Mexican lucha libre, where he would go on to become a legendary figure, innovating techniques like the frog splash and helping popularize the style internationally.
He developed a reputation for his brutal, hard-hitting style that often resulted in bloody matches, earning him a following as a heel (villain) in the early days of lucha Libre. Fans began chanting "Gory! Gory!" during his bouts, a reference to the gory, blood-soaked nature of his matches where opponents were frequently left in pools of their own blood. Recognizing the chant's catchiness and marketability, he officially adopted the name Gory Guerrero, ditching both his real name and the less memorable Joe Morgan alias. This change marked the beginning of his rise to prominence as one of the premier Mexican American wrestlers and laid the foundation for the legendary Guerrero wrestling family dynasty.
Significant Event in Pro Wrestling History
9-15-1985: Denny Brown defeated Gary Royal (ch) to regain the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia
Video: Denny Brown defeats Gary Royal (ch) to win the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship videotape with Ric Flair commentary from the September 21st, 1985 episode of World Championship Wrestling
This victory marked the start of Brown's third overall reign with the title (his second following official NWA recognition after complications with New Japan Pro-Wrestling's withdrawal from the alliance earlier that summer). Brown had lost the belt to Royal just one month prior, on August 15, 1985, in a house show in Kansas City, Kansas, promoted by Central States Wrestling.
Brown held the title for 321 days during this reign, defending it across JCP events until losing it to Regal on August 2, 1986, in Atlanta. This era of the NWA Junior title was marked by fragmentation due to competing promotions' claims, but Brown's regaining unified recognition under JCP and All Japan Pro Wrestling promoter Shohei "Giant" Baba.
60 Year Flashback
A Time Capsule Review of the Pro Wrestling Cards in the North American Wrestling Territories on This Day in Pro Wrestling History
As a regular Monday feature of The Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel's Daily Chronicle, we do a survey of the cards, matches and performers of the decades of territory pro wrestling. This week we flashback to this Day in Pro Wrestling History, Wednesday, September 15th, 1965. The NWA World Championship was still in the hands of Lou Thesz on his last World Title campaign wrestling his future successor Gene Kiniski, as well as Johnny Valentine and former champion, Whipper Billy Watson. The WWWF Champion, Bruno Sammartino was in his first reign as champion fighting off Waldo Von Erich and Bill Watts. The AWA World Champion was The Crusher (Reggie Lisowski) was on his 3rd run as champion and would keep the AWA belt through the Fall until early November of 1965.
Let's crack open the Time Capsule and take a tour around wrestling on September 15th, 1965.
Championship Wrestling from Florida, Tampa, Florida
American Legion Arena, Orlando, Florida
The Blond Bombers (Hawk/Hanson) (ch) vs Hiro Matsuda & Duke Keomuka
Greg Peterson vs Jack Bence
John Heath vs Mr. X
*Tony Note: Rip Hawk & Swede Hanson, known at this time as The Blond Bombers are primarily associated with the Crockett Territory in Charlotte, North Carolina, but they both had great singles careers in many territories and also as a tag team, such as here in the Florida Territory in September 1965. They captured the Florida version of the NWA World Tag Team Titles on August 3, 1965, in Tampa, defeating former champions Hiro Matsuda and Duke Keomuka in a tournament final. This match is a continuation of the return matches created from that tag team tournament finals win. Matsuda and Keomuka were a huge attraction in Florida and stayed with the promotion until it closed its doors in 1987 working as ownership and management. Hawk & Hanson will have a nice run as champions through October 2nd, when they will drop the belts to Sam Steamboat & Ronnie Etchison in Tampa.
The Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida
Danny Miller & Don Curtis defeated Bill Dromo & Rocky Hamilton
Bob Orton, Sr defeated Eddie Graham to retain the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship
Bobby Shane vs Sam Steamboat ended in a time limit draw
Ronnie Etchison defeated El Mongol
Jim Crockett Promotions, Charlotte, North Carolina
WBTV-TV Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina
Chris & John Tolos defeated Steve Blus & Omar Atlas
Johnny Weaver defeated Corsica Jean
Mike Padousis defeated Jesse James
WRAL-TV Studios in Raleigh, North Carolina
Aldo Bogni & Bronko Lubich vs Nelson Royal & Suni War Cloud ended in a time limit draw
George Becker defeated The Viking
Professor Boris Malenko defeated Tinker Todd
Hampton, Virgina
Haystacks Calhoun & Abe Jacobs defeated Brute Bernard & Skull Murphy by DQ by 2 falls to 1 fall
George Scott defeated Gory Guerrero
Sandy Scott defeated Rowdy Red Roberts
ABC Booking Office, Atlanta, Georgia
Municipal Auditorium in Columbus, Georgia
Freddie Blassie defeated Bob Boyer by 2 falls to 1 fall
Mario Galento defeated Billy Boy Hines by referee stoppage by 2 falls to 1 fall
Nick Kozak defeated Dutch Savage by DQ
Dick Steinborn defeated Wildman Phillips
Dale Lewis defeated Bad Boy Hines
*Tony Note: Freddie Blassie was having an amazing run in Georgia through the month of September 1965. At the beginning of the month on 9/3, he defeated Chief Little Eagle at the Atlanta City Auditorium, then one week later on the 10th, he defeated one of the top babyfaces in Ray Gunkel. He made one of his appearances in the WWWF at the Baltimore Civic Center tagging with Gene Kiniski in a losing effort to Bobo Brazil & Haystacks Calhoun. Back in Georgia at the City Auditorium in Atlanta on September 17th in a match called "The Battle of the Neckbreakers", Blassie defeated Mario Galento. Finally, to cap off his dominant September on the 24th, he beat Big Bill Dromo in Atlanta on the Friday night card and had a win on Columbus, Georgia's live Saturday wrestling show over Bad Boy Hines.
Gulas-Welch Enterprises in Nashville, Tennessee
Bowling Green High School in Bowling Green, Kentucky
Dick The Bruiser vs Jackie Fargo
Karl & Eric Von Brauner vs Len Rossi & Mario Milano
Roger Kirby vs Tojo Yamamoto
Civic Auditorium in Kingsport, Tennessee
Rocky Smith defeated Johnny Long by DQ
Terrible Ted The Wrestling Bear defeated Ron Wright & Al Greene in a 2 on 1 Handicap Match
Ron Wright vs Tony Ballargeon ended as a time limit draw
Al Greene defeated Gene DuBois
Tri-State Booking Office in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Shrine Mosque in Springfield, Missouri
Jerry Kozak defeated Nikita Mulkovich by DQ by 2 falls to 1 fall (match time: 34 minutes)
Irish Mike Clancy defeated Ike Eakins by 2 falls to 1 fall (match time 27:30 minutes)
Frank Marconi defeated Don Soto by 2 falls to 1 fall
Sports Arena in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Don Kent defeated Argentina Zuma in a Texas Death Match
Jack Brisco defeated Antone Leone by 2 falls to 0
Paddy Osbourne defeated Chief Kit Fox by 2 falls to 1 fall
All Star Wrestling Booking Office in Omaha, Nebraska
Pershing Center in Lincoln, Nebraska
Mad Dog Vachon & Haru Sasaki vs Igor Vodnik & Tex McKenzie
Bob Brown vs Danny Hodge
Bob Rader vs Reggie Parks
Ivan Kalmikoff vs Stan Pulaski
*Tony Note: The Nebraska Tag Team Championship changed hands in September 1965. Mad Dog Vachon & Haru Sasaki defeated the Nebraska Tag Champions, Verne Gagne and Tex McKenzie in a 2 out of 3 falls match on September 18th, 1965, at the Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska.
American Wrestling Association Office in Minneapolis, Minnesota
*There was no show on 9/15/1965 that we have records for, this show was on 9/11/1965:
The Auditorium in Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Crusher (ch) defeated Larry "The Axe" Hennig to retain the AWA World Heavyweight Title
Harley Race defeated Tex McKenzie
Chris Markoff defeated Santiago Acosta
Reggie Parks defeated Guy Taylor
Larry Heiniemi defeated Bob Sabre
Jose Betancourt defeated Mike Sanchez
*Tony Note: The World Championship was passed around between Mighty Igor Vodik, Mad Dog Vachon and The Crusher in 1965. Crusher had defeated Vachon for the belt back on August 21st. His opponents in September of 1965 included Chris Markoff and Mad Dog but his primary challenger was Larry Hennig, who got three different shots at Crusher with the title in September of 1965. The rest of the month, Crusher was teaming with Verne Gagne to face off with Harley Race and Hennig. Crusher had one occasion where Reggie Parks was his partner against Race and Hennig.
Big Time Wrestling Booking Office in Dallas, Texas
Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio, Texas
The Destroyer defeated Kanji (Antonio) Inoki by 2 falls to 1 fall
Louie Tillet defeated Leon Levinski
Ken Hollis vs Mighty Yankee #1 (Bob Merrill) ended as a time limit draw
Mighty Yankee #2 (Moose Evans) defeated The Great Dane
Mark Lewin vs Victor Rivera in a Workout Match ended without a winner
Mark Lewin vs Tommy O'Brien ended without a winner
Western States Sports Office in Amarillo, Texas
Fair Park Coliseum in Lubbock, Texas
Dory Funk, Jr vs Iron Mike DiBiase in a Texas Death Match
Don McClarity vs Tim Woods
El Medico, Ivan (Pampiero) Firpo & KO Yates vs The Lawman Don Slatton, Jose Lothario & Klondike Bill
NWA Hollywood Booking Office in Los Angeles, California
Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California
Nick Bockwinkel vs Pedro Morales ended as a time limit draw
Gorilla Monsoon defeated Billy Tipton & Al Para in a 2 on 1 Handicap Match
The Kentuckians (Smith\Brown) defeated Al Bonico & Al Para
Alberto Torres defeated The Mummy
Pacific Coast Athletic Corporation Office in San Francisco, California
Civic Auditorium in San Jose, California
Pepper Gomez, Luis Hernandez & Luis Martinez defeated Kinji Shibuya, Mitsu Arakawa & Charley Kalani
Jack Lanza defeated The Spoiler (Vince Bagala)
Eric Froelich vs George Drake ended as a time limit draw
50th State Wrestling Booking Office, Honolulu, Hawaii
The International Center in Honolulu, Hawaii
King Curtis Iaukea defeated Hard Boiled Haggerty (ch) by 2 falls to 1 fall to win the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Hawaii version) (23:37 minutes)
Luther Lindsay & Bearcat Wright defeated Pat Patterson & Ray Stevens (ch) by DQ for the NWA World Tag Team Titles (San Francisco version)
Wilbur Snyder defeated Juan Sebastian
Ripper Collins defeated Johnny Kostas
Fuji Fujiwara vs Pepper Martin ended as a time limit draw
*Tony Note: Ed Francis of 50th State Wrestling had won the wrestling war in Hawaii and had been awarded the singular promoter’s license back in May of 1965. This card on September 15th was a huge event, including the United States Title change to Iaukea, who is just starting his run as a top star in the Islands.
Capitol Wrestling Booking Office in Washington, DC
Sheppard-Myers Athletic Field in Hanover, Pennsylvania
Bruno Sammartino & Argentina Apollo vs Bill Watts & Bill Miller
Golden Terror vs Johnny Valentine
Chief Big Heart vs Waldo Von Erich
Ricky Sexton vs Tarzan Tyler
Arnold Skaaland vs Smasher Sloan
World Championship Wrestling Booking Office, in Sydney, Australia
*There was no show on 9/15/195 that we have records for, this show was on 9/17/1965:
Sydney Stadium in Sydney, Australia
Red Bastien defeated Bulldog Brower
Spiros Arion defeated Roy Hefferman & Bruiser Bob Baker by DQ in a 2 on 1 Handicap Match
Joe Scarpa defeated Buddy Austin
Cyclone Negro vs Czaya Nandor ended as a time limit draw
Karl Gotch defeated Col Peters
Ron Reed (Buddy Colt) defeated Ron Fury
Japan Wrestling Association Office, Tokyo, Japan
**There was no show on 9/15/195 that we have records for, this show was on 9/17/1965:
Riki Sports Palace in Tokyo, Japan
JWA Summer Series: Day 12
Giant Baba & Michiaki Yoshimura defeated Paul Diamond & Johnny Kace
Umanosuke Ueda defeated Kumagoro Okuma
Tadaharu Tanaka defeated Mr. Suzuki
Masami Kimura defeated Ushinosuke Hayashi
Hishakaku Otsubo defeated Gantetsu Matsuoka
Raizo Kojika defeated Iwakichi Hirano
Akhisa Takachiho vs Kazuo Homma ended as a time limit draw
NWA World Championship:
NWA World Champion Lou Thesz was in Canada this week in 1965. There was no show on September 15th, which was a day off for the Champion. Here are the days that week he defended the title:
Saturday, 9/11/1965 Civic Auditorium in Winnipeg, Manitoba: time limit draw with Gene Kiniski
Monday 9/13/1965 PNE Agrodome in Vancouver, British Columbia DDQ with Gene Kiniski
Tuesday 9/14/1965: The Forum in Hamilton, Ontario defeated Professor Hiro by DQ in 2 out of 3 falls
Thursday 9/16/1965: Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario defeated Johnny Valentine
Saturday 9/18/1965: The Forum in Halifax, Nova Scotia vs Whipper Billy Watson ended in a no contest
We will review the Time Capsule Cards for 1975 in next week's Monday edition of The Daily Chronicle.
Thank You for Reading
I'm Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller. I share pro wrestling historical items in each issue of the Time Tunnel Pro Wrestling History Newsletter. Thanks for reading! If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share it with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
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