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| CARDS & RESULTS: 1950s |
| January – March |
| 1953 |
| 1950s |
References to the following individuals and organizations are made throughout this section: Aldo Bogni; Argentina Rocca; Babe
Zaharias; Betty White; Bill Hartman; Bill Heirs; Bob Shipp; Bobby Becker; Carol Cook; Don McIntyre; Farmer Andrews; Farmer Pete; Fred
Ward; Gene Stanlee; George Becker; Gorgeous George (01); Gorgeous Gilpin; Harry Smith; Henry Harrell; Herb Welch; Howard
Cantonwine; Irish Jackie; Jack Carter; Jack O’Brien; Jack Steele; James Hartley; Jeffries; Jerry Graham; Jim Siskay; Joe Cassius;
John Bell; John Bulger; the Jungle Boy; Kathleen Wimbley; Kola Kwariani; Leon Kneece; Leroy Hyatt; Leslie Carlton; Louie Ross; Mayes
McLain; Mel Meiners; Mike Paidousis; Paul Jones (01); Ray McCay; Red Dugan; Red McIntyre; Simon Davis; Sky Low-Low; Stan
Raymond; Terry Foster; Terry Majors; Tex Riley; Tiny Oxford; Tom Mahoney; Tuffy McRae.
January 2, 1953 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Jerry Graham over Kola Kwariani > Mayes McLain over Mel Meiners > Don McIntyre & Red McIntyre over Jack Steele & Babe
Zaharias > Argentina Rocca over Gene Stanlee
January 5, 1953 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling)
> Jack Steele versus Bill Heirs > Jerry Graham versus Aldo Bogni > No Time Limit Match: Don McIntyre & Herb Welch versus John Bulger
& Babe Zaharias
January 8, 1953 (Thursday) – Columbus, GA – Columbus Sports Arena (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling)
> Don McIntyre over Red Dugan > Herb Welch over Jack Steele by disqualification > Aldo Bogni over Jerry Graham
January 9, 1953 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Herb Welch over Red Dugan > Aldo Bogni over Jerry Graham > Don McIntyre & Bill Heirs over Jack Steele & John Bulger >
Leslie Carlton over Mayes McLain / Notes: McLain substituted for Argentina Rocca in the match against Carlton. James Hartley managed
Carlton.
January 12, 1953 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling)
> Babe Zaharias over Bill Heirs > Jerry Graham over John Bell > Herb Welch over Jack Steele two falls to none > Aldo Bogni over Don
McIntyre two falls to one
January 15, 1953 (Thursday) – Columbus, GA – Columbus Sports Arena (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Aldo Bogni over Don McIntyre > Herb Welch over John Bell > Red Dugan over Jerry Graham
January 20, 1953 (Tuesday) – Macon, GA – Macon City Auditorium (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) >
Aldo Bogni over Jerry Graham > Tex Riley over Jack Steele by disqualification > Tom Mahoney over Mayes McLain
January 26, 1953 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling)
> Herb Welch over Babe Zaharias by disqualification > Midget Match: Sky Low-Low over Farmer Pete two falls to one > Tex Riley over Jack
Steele > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Aldo Bogni over Don McIntyre* two falls to none to win the title / Notes: McIntyre had been
billed as Southern Heavyweight Champion since September 19, 1952.
January 30, 1953 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Herb Welch over Aldo Bogni by disqualification > Jack Steele over Tex Riley > Midget Tag Team Match: Farmer Pete & Tuffy
McRae over Sky Low-Low & Irish Jackie > Mayes McLain over Mike Paidousis
February 9, 1953 (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
February 16, 1953 (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: James Hartley managed Carlton.
February 20, 1953 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium [Program] (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia
Championship Wrestling) > Mike Paidousis over Jack Steele > Tex Riley versus Red Dugan > Women’s Match: Kathleen Wimbley
versus Betty White > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Don McIntyre over Aldo Bogni* to win the title > Mayes McLain over Leslie Carlton /
Notes: Bogni had been the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he went over McIntyre on January 26, 1953, in Augusta.
James Hartley managed 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 Gorgeous
George (01) was advertised to headline that card. It was also announced that Jack O’Brien would be wrestling in Atlanta soon.
February 23, 1953 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Gorgeous Gilpin over Harry Smith > Louie Ross & Tex Riley over Jack Steele & Mike Paidousis > Aldo Bogni over Mayes
McLain two falls to one
February 23, 1953 (Monday) – Fitzgerald, GA (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Don McIntyre over Bob
Shipp > Red Dugan over Tiny Oxford / Notes: It is unclear as to what venue was the site of this card.
March 2, 1953 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) >
Leon Kneece and Leroy Hyatt went to a draw > Mike Paidousis over Gorgeous Gilpin > Aldo Bogni over Mayes McLain two falls to one >
Jack Steele over Tex Riley by countout
March 7, 1953 (Saturday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Mayes McLain over Howard Cantonwine > Mike Paidousis over Aldo Bogni by disqualification > Henry Harrell and Tex Riley
went to a draw > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Gorgeous George (01) over Don McIntyre* to win the title / Notes: McIntyre had been
the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he went over Bogni on February 20, 1953, in Atlanta. 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, 1953 (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 (01) / Notes: George was escorted to the ring by his valet Jeffries.
March 14, 1953 (Saturday) – Savannah, GA – Savannah Municipal Auditorium (Joe Cassius – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Don McIntyre over Howard Cantonwine > Henry Harrell and Tex Riley went to a draw > Mike Paidousis versus Gorgeous
George (01) ended in a no contest / Notes: George was escorted to the ring by his valet Jeffries. It appears that this card was run with
cooperation of Jones’ Atlanta office in an effort to add Savannah to the growing territory’s regular circuit.
March 16, 1953 (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: It is unclear as to how McIntyre came to be recognized as Southern Heavyweight
Champion. The last reference we have shows Gorgeous George (01) winning the title from McIntyre on March 7, 1953, in Atlanta.
March 23, 1953 (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: McIntyre had been billed as Southern Heavyweight Champion since
March 16, 1953.
March 27, 1953 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Henry Harrell over Tex Riley > Mike Paidousis over Jack Carter > George Becker & Bobby Becker over Jack Steele & the
Jungle Boy > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Don McIntyre* over Mayes McLain to retain the title / Notes: Don McIntyre had been billed
as Southern Heavyweight Champion since March 16, 1953.
March 29, 1953 (Sunday) Notes: Paul Jones attended a special meeting of NWA promoters in Chicago, IL, though it is unclear why this
meeting was called.
March 30, 1953 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) >
Gorgeous Gilpin over Jack Carter > Mike Paidousis & Aldo Bogni over Don McIntyre & Farmer Andrews > Henry Harrell over Tex Riley two
falls to one
Zaharias; Betty White; Bill Hartman; Bill Heirs; Bob Shipp; Bobby Becker; Carol Cook; Don McIntyre; Farmer Andrews; Farmer Pete; Fred
Ward; Gene Stanlee; George Becker; Gorgeous George (01); Gorgeous Gilpin; Harry Smith; Henry Harrell; Herb Welch; Howard
Cantonwine; Irish Jackie; Jack Carter; Jack O’Brien; Jack Steele; James Hartley; Jeffries; Jerry Graham; Jim Siskay; Joe Cassius;
John Bell; John Bulger; the Jungle Boy; Kathleen Wimbley; Kola Kwariani; Leon Kneece; Leroy Hyatt; Leslie Carlton; Louie Ross; Mayes
McLain; Mel Meiners; Mike Paidousis; Paul Jones (01); Ray McCay; Red Dugan; Red McIntyre; Simon Davis; Sky Low-Low; Stan
Raymond; Terry Foster; Terry Majors; Tex Riley; Tiny Oxford; Tom Mahoney; Tuffy McRae.
January 2, 1953 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Jerry Graham over Kola Kwariani > Mayes McLain over Mel Meiners > Don McIntyre & Red McIntyre over Jack Steele & Babe
Zaharias > Argentina Rocca over Gene Stanlee
January 5, 1953 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling)
> Jack Steele versus Bill Heirs > Jerry Graham versus Aldo Bogni > No Time Limit Match: Don McIntyre & Herb Welch versus John Bulger
& Babe Zaharias
January 8, 1953 (Thursday) – Columbus, GA – Columbus Sports Arena (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling)
> Don McIntyre over Red Dugan > Herb Welch over Jack Steele by disqualification > Aldo Bogni over Jerry Graham
January 9, 1953 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Herb Welch over Red Dugan > Aldo Bogni over Jerry Graham > Don McIntyre & Bill Heirs over Jack Steele & John Bulger >
Leslie Carlton over Mayes McLain / Notes: McLain substituted for Argentina Rocca in the match against Carlton. James Hartley managed
Carlton.
January 12, 1953 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling)
> Babe Zaharias over Bill Heirs > Jerry Graham over John Bell > Herb Welch over Jack Steele two falls to none > Aldo Bogni over Don
McIntyre two falls to one
January 15, 1953 (Thursday) – Columbus, GA – Columbus Sports Arena (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Aldo Bogni over Don McIntyre > Herb Welch over John Bell > Red Dugan over Jerry Graham
January 20, 1953 (Tuesday) – Macon, GA – Macon City Auditorium (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) >
Aldo Bogni over Jerry Graham > Tex Riley over Jack Steele by disqualification > Tom Mahoney over Mayes McLain
January 26, 1953 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling)
> Herb Welch over Babe Zaharias by disqualification > Midget Match: Sky Low-Low over Farmer Pete two falls to one > Tex Riley over Jack
Steele > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Aldo Bogni over Don McIntyre* two falls to none to win the title / Notes: McIntyre had been
billed as Southern Heavyweight Champion since September 19, 1952.
January 30, 1953 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Herb Welch over Aldo Bogni by disqualification > Jack Steele over Tex Riley > Midget Tag Team Match: Farmer Pete & Tuffy
McRae over Sky Low-Low & Irish Jackie > Mayes McLain over Mike Paidousis
February 9, 1953 (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
February 16, 1953 (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: James Hartley managed Carlton.
February 20, 1953 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium [Program] (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia
Championship Wrestling) > Mike Paidousis over Jack Steele > Tex Riley versus Red Dugan > Women’s Match: Kathleen Wimbley
versus Betty White > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Don McIntyre over Aldo Bogni* to win the title > Mayes McLain over Leslie Carlton /
Notes: Bogni had been the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he went over McIntyre on January 26, 1953, in Augusta.
James Hartley managed 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 Gorgeous
George (01) was advertised to headline that card. It was also announced that Jack O’Brien would be wrestling in Atlanta soon.
February 23, 1953 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Gorgeous Gilpin over Harry Smith > Louie Ross & Tex Riley over Jack Steele & Mike Paidousis > Aldo Bogni over Mayes
McLain two falls to one
February 23, 1953 (Monday) – Fitzgerald, GA (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Don McIntyre over Bob
Shipp > Red Dugan over Tiny Oxford / Notes: It is unclear as to what venue was the site of this card.
March 2, 1953 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) >
Leon Kneece and Leroy Hyatt went to a draw > Mike Paidousis over Gorgeous Gilpin > Aldo Bogni over Mayes McLain two falls to one >
Jack Steele over Tex Riley by countout
March 7, 1953 (Saturday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Mayes McLain over Howard Cantonwine > Mike Paidousis over Aldo Bogni by disqualification > Henry Harrell and Tex Riley
went to a draw > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Gorgeous George (01) over Don McIntyre* to win the title / Notes: McIntyre had been
the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he went over Bogni on February 20, 1953, in Atlanta. 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, 1953 (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 (01) / Notes: George was escorted to the ring by his valet Jeffries.
March 14, 1953 (Saturday) – Savannah, GA – Savannah Municipal Auditorium (Joe Cassius – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Don McIntyre over Howard Cantonwine > Henry Harrell and Tex Riley went to a draw > Mike Paidousis versus Gorgeous
George (01) ended in a no contest / Notes: George was escorted to the ring by his valet Jeffries. It appears that this card was run with
cooperation of Jones’ Atlanta office in an effort to add Savannah to the growing territory’s regular circuit.
March 16, 1953 (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: It is unclear as to how McIntyre came to be recognized as Southern Heavyweight
Champion. The last reference we have shows Gorgeous George (01) winning the title from McIntyre on March 7, 1953, in Atlanta.
March 23, 1953 (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: McIntyre had been billed as Southern Heavyweight Champion since
March 16, 1953.
March 27, 1953 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship
Wrestling) > Henry Harrell over Tex Riley > Mike Paidousis over Jack Carter > George Becker & Bobby Becker over Jack Steele & the
Jungle Boy > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Don McIntyre* over Mayes McLain to retain the title / Notes: Don McIntyre had been billed
as Southern Heavyweight Champion since March 16, 1953.
March 29, 1953 (Sunday) Notes: Paul Jones attended a special meeting of NWA promoters in Chicago, IL, though it is unclear why this
meeting was called.
March 30, 1953 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Tom Mahoney – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) >
Gorgeous Gilpin over Jack Carter > Mike Paidousis & Aldo Bogni over Don McIntyre & Farmer Andrews > Henry Harrell over Tex Riley two
falls to one