Georgia Wrestling History - the Home of Peach State Pandemonium: Cards & Results

1953

JANUARY 2 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Jerry Graham defeated Kola Kwariani > Mayes McLain defeated Mel Meiners > Don & Red McIntyre defeated Jack Steele & Babe Zaharias > Argentina Rocca defeated Gene Stanlee

JANUARY 5 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Jack Steele versus Bill Heirs > Jerry Graham versus Aldo Bogni > No TL Match: Don McIntyre & Herb Welch versus John Bulger & Babe Zaharias / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

JANUARY 8 1953 (THURSDAY) – COLUMBUS, GA – COLUMBUS SPORTS ARENA (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Don McIntyre defeated Red Dugan > Herb Welch defeated Jack Steele by disqualification > Aldo Bogni defeated Jerry Graham

JANUARY 9 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Herb Welch defeated Red Dugan > Aldo Bogni defeated Jerry Graham > Don McIntyre & Bill Heirs defeated Jack Steele & John Bulger > Leslie Carlton defeated Mayes McLain / Notes: Mayes McLain substituted for Argentina Rocca in the match with Leslie Carlton. James Hartley managed Carlton.

JANUARY 12 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Babe Zaharias defeated Bill Heirs > Jerry Graham defeated John Bell > Herb Welch defeated Jack Steele (2-0) > Aldo Bogni defeated Don McIntyre (2-1)

JANUARY 15 (THURSDAY) – COLUMBUS, GA – COLUMBUS SPORTS ARENA (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Aldo Bogni defeated Don McIntyre > Herb Welch defeated John Bell > Red Dugan defeated Jerry Graham

JANUARY 20 (TUESDAY) – MACON, GA – MACON CITY AUDITORIUM (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Aldo Bogni defeated Jerry Graham > Tex Riley defeated Jack Steele by disqualification > Tom Mahoney defeated Mayes McLain

JANUARY 26 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Herb Welch defeated Babe Zaharias by disqualification > Midget Match: Sky Low Low defeated Farmer Pete (2-1) > Tex Riley defeated Jack Steele > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Aldo Bogni defeated Don McIntyre* (2-0) to win title / Notes: Don McIntyre had been billed as Southern Heavyweight Champion since September 19, 1952.

JANUARY 30 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Herb Welch defeated Aldo Bogni by disqualification > Jack Steele defeated Tex Riley > Midget Tag Team Match: Farmer Pete & Tuffy McRae defeated Sky Low Low & Irish Jackie > Mayes McLain defeated Mike Paidousis

FEBRUARY 9 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Bob Shipp versus Red Dugan > Don McIntyre versus Aldo Bogni > Mike Paidousis & Jack Steele versus Tex Riley & Gorgeous Gilpin / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

FEBRUARY 16 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Mike Paidousis versus Aldo Bogni > Women’s Match: Betty White versus Kathleen Wimbley > Don McIntyre versus Leslie Carlton > Jack Steele versus Tex Riley / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found. James Hartley managed Leslie Carlton.

FEBRUARY 20 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM [P] (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Mike Paidousis defeated Jack Steele > Tex Riley versus Red Dugan > Women’s Match: Kathleen Wimbley versus Betty White > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Don McIntyre defeated Aldo Bogni* to win title > Mayes McLain defeated Leslie Carlton / Notes: Tex Riley and Red Dugan were scheduled to wrestle each other, as were Kathleen Wimbley and Betty White, but no results were reported after the card. Aldo Bogni had been the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he defeated Don McIntyre on January 26, 1953, in Augusta. James Hartley managed Leslie Carlton. Of all the programs we have between the last one mentioned, this is the first to resume listing staff members of the Atlanta office, showing that Bill Hartman (Ticket Sales, and now credited also as Bookkeeper) and Simon Davis (Timekeeper) are still involved in the promotion. Ray McCay, despite still doing the main event matches on WQXI 790 AM radio, is not referenced in this program. There is a plug once again for Stan Raymond’s “Sportscope” radio show, seemingly back on WATL AM radio Monday through Friday at 6:15 PM. It was announced that Jim Siskay would debut on March 7, 1953, and that Gorgeous George was scheduled to headline that card. It was also announced that Jack O’Brien would be wrestling in Atlanta soon.

FEBRUARY 23 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Gorgeous Gilpin defeated Harry Smith > Louie Ross & Tex Riley defeated Jack Steele & Mike Paidousis > Aldo Bogni defeated Mayes McLain (2-1)

FEBRUARY 23 (MONDAY) – FITZGERALD, GA (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Don McIntyre defeated Bob Shipp > Red Dugan defeated Tiny Oxford / Notes: It is unclear as to what venue was the site of this card.

MARCH 2 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Leon Kneece and Leroy Hyatt wrestled to a draw > Mike Paidousis defeated Gorgeous Gilpin > Aldo Bogni defeated Mayes McLain (2-1) > Jack Steele defeated Tex Riley by countout

MARCH 7 (SATURDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Mayes McLain defeated Howard Cantonwine > Mike Paidousis defeated Aldo Bogni by disqualification > Henry Harrell and Tex Riley wrestled to a draw > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Gorgeous George defeated Don McIntyre* to win title / Notes: Don McIntyre had been the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he defeated Aldo Bogni on February 20, 1953, in Atlanta. Gorgeous George was escorted to the ring by his valet Jeffries. It had been reported on February 20, 1953, that Jim Siskay would debut on this card. It is unclear why he was not mentioned on the card.

MARCH 11 (WEDNESDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Jack Steele versus Gorgeous Gilpin > Howard Cantonwine versus Aldo Bogni > Don McIntyre versus Mike Paidousis > Tex Riley versus Gorgeous George / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found. Gorgeous George was escorted to the ring by his valet Jeffries.

MARCH 14 (SATURDAY) – SAVANNAH, GA – SAVANNAH MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Joe Cassius – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Don McIntyre defeated Howard Cantonwine > Henry Harrell and Tex Riley wrestled to a draw > Mike Paidousis versus Gorgeous George ruled a no contest / Notes: Gorgeous George was escorted to the ring by his valet Jeffries. It appears that this card was run with cooperation of Paul Jones’ Atlanta office in an effort to add Savannah to the growing territory’s regular circuit.

MARCH 16 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Mike Paidousis versus Farmer Andrews > Henry Harrell versus Gorgeous Gilpin > Jack Steele versus Tex Riley > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Don McIntyre* versus Aldo Bogni / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found. It is unclear as to how Don McIntyre came to be recognized as Southern Heavyweight Champion. The last reference we have shows Gorgeous George winning the title from McIntyre on March 7, 1953, in Atlanta.

MARCH 23 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Henry Harrell versus Terry Foster > Women’s Match: Terry Majors versus Carol Cook > Jack Carter versus Tex Riley > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Don McIntyre* versus Aldo Bogni / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found. Don McIntyre had been billed as Southern Heavyweight Champion since March 16, 1953.

MARCH 27 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Henry Harrell defeated Tex Riley > Mike Paidousis defeated Jack Carter > George & Bobby Becker defeated Jack Steele & the Jungle Boy > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Don McIntyre* defeated Mayes McLain / Notes: Don McIntyre had been billed as Southern Heavyweight Champion since March 16, 1953.

MARCH 30 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Gorgeous Gilpin defeated Jack Carter > Mike Paidousis & Aldo Bogni defeated Don McIntyre & Farmer Andrews > Henry Harrell defeated Tex Riley (2-1)