October 1st in the Time Tunnel:
Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Bob Geigel 1924
Happy Birthday:
Hector Guerrero (71)
Rico Constantine (64)
Robert Stone (42)
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.
Herb Parks 10-1-1956 at the age of 46
Red McIntyre 10-1-2010 at the age of 83
Antonio Inoki 10-1-2022 at the age of 79
Russ Francis 10-1-2023 at the age of 70
Significant Pro Debut:
Kinji Shibuya 10-1-1951
Shibuya decided to give wrestling a try after the NWA Hawaiian promoter Al Karasick suggested he give it a try. Working as “Bob Shibuya” (his real middle name is Robert), he wrestled his first match in Honolulu defeating Buck O’Neil, a big 17-year veteran at that point. O’Neil undoubtedly carried Shibuya to a good enough match for him to come back and try it again on the October 22nd where he defeated Earl Rasmussen in his second match and on October 29th, he wrestled Vilai Su’a to a time limit draw as his. skills were improving.
He went on to have a 25-year career in professional wrestling as an effective Asian heel character, even though he was actually born in Utah and went to school in LA. He retired from the ring in 1976.
One Thing I Learned Today About Pro Wrestling History
After breaking in at the Hawaii promotion, Kenji Shibuya hit the road in 1952 to the Portland, Oregon Territory, followed by working in Idaho, West Texas working for the Amarillo office where he did really well, then to East Texas working for the Houston office where he finished his first year in pro wrestling in 1952.
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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