October 2nd in the Time Tunnel:
Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Paul Boesch 1912
Waldo Von Erich 1933
Wee Willie Wilson 1948
Rodney Anoa’i\Yokozuna 1966
Happy Birthday:
Roberto Frias\El Dandy (63)
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.
Larry Chene 10-2-1964 at the age of 40
Dr. Lee Grable 10-2-2001 at the age of 84
Significant Pro Debuts:
Danny Hodge 10-2-1959
Lance Storm & Chris Jericho 10-2-1990 who wrestled each other to a 10-minute time limit draw at the Moose Hall in Panoka, Alberta, Canada
60 Year Flashback
10-2-1965: Tor Kamata & Tojo Yamamoto defeated Jackie Fargo & Len Rossi (ch) to win the NWA Southern Tag Team Championships at the Hippodrome in Nashville, Tennessee
On September 10, 1965, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Fargo and Rossi had captured the Southern Tag Team titles from Yamamoto and his then-partner, Alex Perez. This set up Yamamoto as a recurring antagonist seeking revenge. Yamamoto then introduced Tor Kamata as his “new partner” for the Nashville challenge, marking a fresh alliance in his string of tag team pairings with fellow “Japanese” wrestlers. Kamata was an American professional wrestler who served in the U.S. Air Force before entering the business in the late 1950s. He had a background in amateur wrestling and worked as a nightclub bouncer in Hawaii. Billed as a menacing Japanese heel (despite his Hawaiian heritage), he was known for his imposing size, chops, and salt-throwing antics to “blind” opponents.
Yamamoto was a Japanese American wrestler who debuted in 1957 and became a staple heel in the Mid-America territory during the 1960s.In the 1960s, he racked up numerous tag title wins in Tennessee, partnering with wrestlers like Alex Perez, Mitsu Hirai, Great Higami, Tamaya Soto, and Professor Ito—often in “Japanese” heel teams to feud with local favorites. This victory marked the ninth Southern Tag Team title reign for Yamamoto and the second for Kamata in the territory.
For Fargo and Rossi, it was their first joint reign as champions going into the match (though both had held the belts with other partners previously), and they would go on to lose the titles again on November 25, 1965, to The Mysterious Masked Medics in Chattanooga.
40 Year Flashback
10-2-1985: Wahoo McDaniel defeated Rick Rude (ch) to win the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship at the Sportatorium in Tampa, Florida
The rivalry between McDaniel and Rude in Florida stemmed from earlier 1985 encounters. They crossed paths in tag team action, where McDaniel teamed with Billy Jack Haynes to defeat Rude and Jesse Barr for the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship on July 9, 1985. This built tension, positioning Rude as a key antagonist. Their singles feud intensified around the Southern Title, with McDaniel challenging Rude in multiple matches following Rude’s successful defense against Haynes at the NWA Battle of the Belts I event on September 2, 1985 (where Rude retained the belt). The storyline played on McDaniel’s veteran status versus Rude’s youthful arrogance.
A key piece of backstory for the title change involves the belt’s vacancy earlier that year. The Southern Title was vacated in July 1985 after champion Hercules Hernandez was fired from CWF following a legitimate backstage fight with McDaniel. This led to a tournament, which Rude won on July 21, 1985, in Orlando by defeating Mike Graham in the final to begin his second reign. This led to a tournament, which Rude won on July 21, 1985, in Orlando by defeating Mike Graham in the final to begin his second reign.
One Thing I Learned Today About Pro Wrestling History
On October 2, 1964, Chene was killed in a single vehicle accident in Ottawa, Illinois when his car flipped over by hitting a telephone pole. Police said that it was speeding as they found a speeding ticket in his car which Chene got earlier that day.
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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