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| CARDS & RESULTS: 1940-49 |
| The following is a compilation of all individuals referenced on this page: Abe Ginsberg; Abe Zvonkin; Al Massey; Ben Bennicasa; Ben Morgan; Bill Collins; Bill Longson; Bob Godfrey; Bruce White; Buddy Rogers; Buster White; Charlie Harben; Dick Leonard; Dick Lever; Don Lee; Ed Henegar; Garzo Lozano; George Romanoff; Herb Welch; Jack Dillon; Jack Kelly; Jack LaRue; Jack Singer; Jack Welch; Jack Wentworth; Joe Bennicasa; Joe Estes; John Cretoria; John Mauldin; Juanita Coffman; June Byers; Laverne Baxter; Lou Masters; Mattie Bell; Mike Kilonis; Mr. X; Nell Stewart; Nick Carter; Paul Jones; Ralph Garibaldi; Roy Mitchell; Roy Welch; Rudy Strongberg; Sammy Stein; the Silver Star; Son Almand; Tarzan White; Toar Morgan; Tommy Londos; Vic Emanuel; Vincent Lopez; Wally Greb; and Young Londos. |
| 1940-49 |
| JANUARY - MARCH |
| 1946 |
| 1946
JANUARY 4 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ben Bennicasa defeated Charlie Harben > Rudy Strongberg defeated Wally Greb > Dick Lever and Tarzan White wrestled to a draw > Al Massey & Laverne Baxter defeated Jack LaRue & Vic Emanuel JANUARY 18 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ed Henegar defeated Wally Greb > Charlie Harben defeated Roy Mitchell > John Mauldin and Son Almand wrestled to a draw > Young Londos defeated Joe Estes > Dick Lever & Bill Collins defeated Jack Kelly & Bruce White > Al Massey and Jack LaRue wrestled to a draw > World Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Herb Welch* defeated Vic Emanuel / Notes: Herb Welch had been the reigning World Junior Heavyweight Champion as recognized by the Nashville, TN, office since he defeated the Red Masked Marvel on June 27, 1945, in Nashville, TN. Part of the proceeds for this card went to the Milk Fund, raising $2,133.93 for the cause. Future television talk show host Morton Downey, Jr., at the time a twelve-year old cadet at the Georgia Military Academy, was in attendance for this card, and was invited to the dressing room to meet the wrestlers. JANUARY 26 (SATURDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) [P] > Women’s Match: Nell Stewart defeated Mattie Bell > Women’s Match: June Byers defeated Juanita Coffman > Georgia Heavyweight Title Match: John Mauldin* defeated Jack Kelly by disqualification > Al Massey & Laverne Baxter defeated Dick Lever & Vic Emanuel > Herb Welch defeated Jack LaRue / Notes: Mattie Bell substituted for Peggy Vaughn in the match with Nell Stewart. Bill Crussell and Bill Collins were credited as being referees for this card. Jack Kelly was disqualified in his match with John Mauldin when he hit Crussell. It was reported that “two young sailors climbed into the ring and grappled for about three or four minutes before being asked to leave the ring” by Collins. Billy Wolfe was in attendance at ringside for this card. The program we have for this card notes that Mauldin had “gained possession of the state championship belt put up by promoter Paul Jones”. It added that Jones had “intended for the belt to be competed for in a tournament, although he is willing to concede that Mauldin would have had an excellent chance to win it”. It also featured an ad for Stan Raymond’s “Sportscope” program airing on WATL AM radio, stating it covers “All the News from the World of Sports”, broadcasting Monday through Saturday at 6:30 PM. There was cooperation between the promotion and Raymond’s show to advertise and discuss the local wrestling scene, as well as feature occasional interviews with wrestlers. Besides noting that Jones is the promoter, the staff credits in the program also mention Bert Prather (Publicity), Bill Hartman (Ticket Sales), Fat Elrod (Announcer), Simon Davis (Timekeeper), and Dr. Samuel Green (Physician). Hartman was a former promoter in Atlanta for the company. It was announced that Ralph Garibaldi would be wrestling on the card on February 1, 1946, and that Young Londos and Bill Longson would be wrestling in Atlanta soon. JANUARY 30 (WEDNESDAY) – SAVANNAH, GA – SAVANNAH MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Lou Masters, Dick Leonard, and Buster White – Promoters) > Tommy Londos defeated Garzo Lozano > Nick Carter defeated Vincent Lopez > Jack Wentworth defeated Jack Singer FEBRUARY 1 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) [P] > Tarzan White defeated Ben Bennicasa by disqualification > Dick Lever defeated Ralph Garibaldi > Al Massey defeated Bob Godfrey > Herb & Jack Welch and Jack LaRue & Vic Emanuel wrestled to a draw / Notes: The program for this card said that Jack Kelly was explaining that he hit referee Bill Crussell during his match with John Mauldin on January 26, 1946, because Crussell continually pulled Kelly by the hair when calling for breaks on the ropes. Kelly was demanding a rematch with Mauldin for the Georgia Heavyweight Title with “nothing barred, except Crussell”, adding that besides the purse, he would put up an additional $100, donating his entire share to a charity should he lose. It also mentions that tickets for cards in Atlanta can be purchased at Adam Hat Store at 64 Peachtree Street. As well as listing the same office staff credits as in previous programs, this program notes that Morris Manheim assists Bill Hartman with ticket sales. It was announced that Bill Longson would be wrestling in Atlanta on February 8, 1946. FEBRUARY 8 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Vic Emanuel defeated Jack Welch > Toar Morgan defeated Ben Bennicasa > Jack LaRue & Dick Lever defeated Ralph Garibaldi & Al Massey by disqualification > NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Bill Longson* defeated Laverne Baxter / Notes: Bill Longson had been the reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion since he defeated Bobby Managoff in St. Louis, MO, on February 19, 1943. This version was the one recognized by the National Boxing Association as the National Wrestling Association. Charlie Harben was credited as being a referee for this card. Harben disqualified Ralph Garibaldi & Al Massey in their match with Jack LaRue & Dick Lever after they pushed him around a bit, with Massey sealing the deal when he ripped Harben’s shirt. Harben reportedly demanded a match with Massey, and Paul Jones set it up for February 16, 1946. It was reported that Paul Jones had chose Laverne Baxter to wrestle Longson after also considering Ralph Garibaldi, and that if Garibaldi had defeated Dick Lever on February 1, 1946, the title shot may have been awarded to him instead of Baxter. No attendance was reported for this card, but it was reported that this card drew a record crowd. FEBRUARY 13 (WEDNESDAY) – SAVANNAH, GA – SAVANNAH MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Lou Masters, Dick Leonard, and Buster White – Promoters) > Tarzan White defeated Mr. X by disqualification > Tommy Londos defeated Jack Singer > Jack Wentworth defeated Sammy Stein FEBRUARY 16 (SATURDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) [P] > Al Massey defeated Charlie Harben > Ralph Garibaldi defeated Toar Morgan > Dick Lever defeated Laverne Baxter by disqualification > Jack LaRue, Vic Emanuel & Bill Collins defeated Herb, Jack & Roy Welch / Notes: The match between Jack LaRue, Vic Emanuel & Bill Collins and Herb, Jack & Roy Welch was reported to be the first six-man tag team match in Atlanta. Collins substituted for Rex Mobley in the match, for which there were two referees. The program for this card featured an advertisement for Holiday on Ice, an ice skating show coming to the auditorium in March 1946, reported to be promoted by Paul Jones. FEBRUARY 20 (WEDNESDAY) – SAVANNAH, GA – SAVANNAH MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Lou Masters, Dick Leonard, and Buster White – Promoters) > Tarzan White defeated Jack Dillon > Jack Singer defeated Sammy Stein > Jack Wentworth defeated Charlie Harben FEBRUARY 22 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Bill Collins and Tarzan White wrestled to a draw > Vic Emanuel defeated Mike Kilonis > Ralph Garibaldi defeated Ben Bennicasa > Dick Lever defeated Laverne Baxter > Al Massey defeated Jack LaRue FEBRUARY 27 (WEDNESDAY) – SAVANNAH, GA – SAVANNAH MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Lou Masters, Dick Leonard, and Buster White – Promoters) > Jack Dillon defeated John Cretoria > Jack Singer defeated Charlie Harben > Jack Wentworth defeated Abe Ginsberg MARCH 1 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Dick Lever and Mike Kilonis wrestled to a draw > Ben Morgan defeated Ben Bennicasa > Vic Emanuel and Laverne Baxter wrestled to a draw > Jack LaRue defeated Ralph Garibaldi > Al Massey defeated Toar Morgan / Notes: Laverne Baxter substituted for Herb Welch in the match with Vic Emanuel. Welch had been injured in a severe automobile accident near Nashville, TN, and could not wrestle. MARCH 6 (WEDNESDAY) – SAVANNAH, GA – SAVANNAH MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Lou Masters, Dick Leonard, and Buster White – Promoters) > Jack Dillon versus John Cretoria ruled a no contest > Abe Ginsberg defeated Jack Singer > Jack Wentworth defeated Sammy Stein MARCH 11 (MONDAY) – SAVANNAH, GA – SAVANNAH MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Lou Masters, Dick Leonard, and Buster White – Promoters) > John Cretoria defeated Jack Wentworth > Jack LaRue defeated Jack Dillon by disqualification > The Silver Star defeated Jack Singer MARCH 20 (WEDNESDAY) – SAVANNAH, GA – SAVANNAH MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Lou Masters, Dick Leonard, and Buster White – Promoters) > Jack Dillon & Jack Wentworth defeated John Cretoria & Jack LaRue > The Silver Star defeated Charlie Harben > Joe Bennicasa defeated Jack Singer MARCH 22 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Vic Emanuel and Abe Zvonkin wrestled to a draw > Nick Carter defeated Jack Kelly > Bill Collins defeated Mike Kilonis > Buddy Rogers defeated Dick Lever > Al Massey & Laverne Baxter defeated Ben Morgan & Don Lee MARCH 25 (MONDAY) – SAVANNAH, GA – SAVANNAH MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Lou Masters, Dick Leonard, and Buster White – Promoters) > Jack Dillon & Jack Wentworth defeated John Cretoria & George Romanoff > Joe Bennicasa defeated Sammy Stein MARCH 29 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Jack Kelly defeated Mike Kilonis > Charlie Harben and Abe Zvonkin wrestled to a draw > Nick Carter defeated Vic Emanuel by disqualification > Ralph Garibaldi & Laverne Baxter defeated Dick Lever & Bill Collins > Al Massey defeated Ben Morgan |
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