November 12th in the Time Tunnel:
Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Bob Cummings 1909
Frank Tunney 1912
Alan Blake\Vladimir Pietrov 1957
Matt Cappotelli 1979
Happy Birthday:
Glenn Gilberetti\Disco Inferno (58)
Lena Yada (47)
Stokely Hathaway (35)
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.
Roy Lee Alpern\Ripper Collins 11-12-1991 at the age of 58
Randy Fargo 11-12-1996 at the age of 50
Luke Brown 11-12-1997 at the age of 62
William Lehman\Siegfried Stanke 11-12-2012 at the age of 74
Significant Pro Debuts
11-12-1960 Rocket Monroe (Maury High)
Rocket Monroe, whose real name was Maury High, made his professional wrestling debut under the ring name Rocky Montez. The match took place on November 12, 1960, in Marktree, Arkansas (commonly spelled as Marked Tree), against opponent Big Jim Holly, a notably large wrestler billed at 420 pounds. There are no widely documented details on the match outcome, the promotion running the event, or the full card, as records from that era’s regional wrestling scenes are often sparse. High later adopted the Rocket Monroe persona in 1966 to team with Sputnik Monroe (an unrelated “brother” gimmick based on their physical resemblance), but this 1960 bout marked his entry into pro wrestling after training and breaking in through smaller circuits in the Southeast.
11-12-1972 Yoshiaki Fujiwara made his pro debut on the New Japan Pro Wrestling Diamond Series in a loss to Tatsumi Fujinami
Yoshiaki Fujiwara made his professional wrestling debut on November 12, 1972, as the first graduate of the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) dojo. The debut took place during the NJPW New Diamond Series - Day 1 event at Shirahama-cho Public Hall in Shirahama, Wakayama, Japan. In his debut match, Fujiwara faced Tatsumi Fujinami in a singles bout, where Fujinami won by pinfall after 11 minutes and 33 seconds. This match was the third on the card for the event. The full match card for NJPW New Diamond Series - Day 1 was as follows:
Kazuo Sato defeated Masanobu Kurisu
Little Hamada defeated Makoto Arakawa
Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Yoshiaki Fujiwara (11:33)
Don Muraco defeated Shoji Kai
Greg Peterson defeated Kotetsu Yamamoto
Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi defeated Gene Kiniski & Greg Peterson
Prior to his debut, Fujiwara had a background in judo and was trained in the NJPW dojo by Antonio Inoki and Karl Gotch, emphasizing a “Strong Style” approach that blended grappling and striking.
Fujiwara went on to have a long and influential career, known for his technical skills, submissions like the Fujiwara Armbar, and contributions to shoot-style wrestling in promotions like the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF).
The Life & Career of Siegfried Stanke
Siegfried Stanke, born William J. Lehman on March 25, 1938, in New Braunfels, Texas, was a multifaceted athlete whose life spanned accomplishments in football, professional wrestling, and coaching. Known primarily for his ring persona as a formidable wrestler in the 1970s, Stanke’s journey reflected a blend of physical prowess, resilience, and dedication to sports. From his early days as a standout college football player to his later roles as a coach, Stanke left an indelible mark on American athletics before passing away on November 12, 2012, at the age of 74 in Seguin, Texas.
William J. Lehman’s roots were firmly planted in Texas, where he grew up and developed a passion for sports. He attended Texas Lutheran University (TLU), where he excelled as an offensive guard on the football team from 1957 to 1959. During his college career, Lehman earned All-American honors, including recognition as a Lutheran College All-American and an Associated Press Little All-American in his senior year. He also lettered in tennis, showcasing his versatility as an athlete. Lehman graduated from TLU in 1960, laying the foundation for a lifelong connection to the institution that would resurface later in his career.
Following his college success, Lehman pursued professional football. He played in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Rough Riders before joining the San Antonio Toros in the Continental Football League. With the Toros, he spent eight years, six of which he served as both a player and assistant coach. Notably, he was a teammate of Frank Goodish, who later became known in wrestling as Bruiser Brody. This period honed Lehman’s skills in team dynamics and strategy, experiences that would prove invaluable in his future endeavors.
In 1973, at the age of 35, Lehman made a bold career shift into professional wrestling, debuting in Corpus Christi, Texas, under the guidance of trainer Joe Blanchard. Adopting the ring name Siegfried Stanke—a persona that evoked a Germanic flair despite his Texas origins—he stood at 6’2” and weighed 270 pounds, making him an imposing figure in the ring. He also wrestled under aliases such as Spoiler No. 2 (distinct from the more famous Don Jardine version), Bill Lehman, and Wilhelm Lehman.
Stanke’s wrestling career lasted approximately 13 years, during which he competed across numerous promotions in the United States and Canada, including NWA affiliates like Vancouver All-Star Wrestling, World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), Tri-State Wrestling, Gulf Coast Wrestling, and others. His style featured powerful moves such as the Top Rope Elbow Drop, The Claw, and his finisher, the Top Rope Knee Drop. He engaged in memorable feuds with wrestlers like Dutch Savage, Jose Lothario, Fritz Von Erich, Don Leo Jonathan, Scott Casey, Ricky Romero, and the Brisco Brothers, and faced legends such as Andre the Giant. Stanke’s career was marked by his ability to adapt, often teaming with partners like Bob Sweetan, Karl Von Steiger, Dale Lewis, Gene Kiniski, Kurt Von Hess, and Steve Lawler.
Stanke’s in-ring success was highlighted by an impressive array of championships. He captured multiple tag team titles, including the NWA (Tri-State) United States Tag Team Championship twice (once with Bob Sweetan in 1974 and once with Steve Lawler in 1979), the NWA (Gulf Coast) United States Tag Team Championship with Sweetan in 1974, the NWA Western States Tag Team Championship with Karl Von Steiger in 1974, the NWA Louisiana Tag Team Championship with Kurt Von Hess in 1978, and the NWA (Vancouver) Canadian Tag Team Championship three times (twice with Dale Lewis in 1975 and once with Gene Kiniski in 1976). On the singles front, he held the NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship in 1974, the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship twice in 1976, the NWA (Vancouver) Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship twice (in 1975 and 1979), and other regional titles like the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Championship and NWA (Amarillo) North American Championship. These accomplishments solidified his reputation as a reliable and dominant performer in the territorial wrestling era.
Pictured: Seigfried Stanke & Bob Sweetan, NWA United States Tag Team Champions
After retiring from wrestling in the mid-1980s, Lehman returned to his passion for coaching. He spent over 20 years as an assistant football coach at various Texas high schools, including San Antonio East Central, Laredo Martin, San Antonio Southwest, Donna, Mission, and McAllen. Notably, he served as head offensive assistant under Sonny Detmer, coaching future NFL quarterbacks Ty and Koy Detmer. In 1998, he rejoined TLU as the football team’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach until 2000. From 2002 to 2010, he took on the role of head coach for both the men’s and women’s tennis teams at TLU, leading them to conference championships and earning Coach of the Year honors in the American Southwest Conference. He also volunteered as an assistant football coach at TLU in 2010 and 2011. In recognition of his contributions, Lehman was inducted into the TLU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.
Personally, he was married to Sherry Lehman and had a son, Troy, and a granddaughter, Evelyn. His death in 2012 marked the end of an era, but his influence continues through the athletes he mentored and the memories of his in-ring battles. Stanke’s story reminds us that true champions excel not just in one arena, but across many.
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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