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

1958

APRIL 4 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ronnie Etchison defeated Jack Steele > Karl Heinkler and Rocky Columbo wrestled to a draw > International Tag Team Title Match: Don Lee & the Mighty Yankee defeated Ray Gunkel & Billy Red Lyons* to win title / Notes: Ray Gunkel & Billy Red Lyons had been billed as International Tag Team Champions since February 14, 1958.

APRIL 7 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Robert McCoy – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ronnie Etchison & Rocky Columbo versus Don Lee & the Mighty Yankee > No DQ / No TL Match: Ray Gunkel & Billy Red Lyons versus Karl Heinkler & Kurt Von Brawner / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

APRIL 11 (FRIDAY) – MARIETTA, GA – LARRY BELL AUDITORIUM (Elmo Chappell – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ronnie Etchison & Rocky Columbo versus Karl Heinkler & Kurt Von Brawner / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

APRIL 14 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Robert McCoy – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Angelo Martinelli & Rocky Columbo versus Karl Heinkler & Kurt Von Brawner > The Mighty Yankee defeated Don McIntyre (2-1) / Notes: Angelo Martinelli & Rocky Columbo and Karl Heinkler & Kurt Von Brawner were scheduled to wrestle each other, but no results were reported after the card.

APRIL 18 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Angelo Martinelli defeated Jack Dillon > Ray Gunkel and Ronnie Etchison wrestled to a draw > International Tag Team Title Match: Karl Heinkler & Kurt Von Brawner defeated Don Lee & the Mighty Yankee* to win title / Notes: Don Lee & the Mighty Yankee had been the reigning International Tag Team Champions since they defeated Ray Gunkel & Billy Red Lyons on April 4, 1958, in Atlanta.

APRIL 22 (TUESDAY) – MARIETTA, GA – LARRY BELL AUDITORIUM (Elmo Chappell – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Kurt Von Brawner versus Billy Red Lyons > Angelo Martinelli versus the Mighty Yankee / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

APRIL 25 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ronnie Etchison defeated Al Galento > Don Lee defeated Billy Red Lyons > International Tag Team Title Match: Angelo Martinelli & Rocky Columbo defeated Karl Heinkler & Kurt Von Brawner* to win title > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Don McIntyre defeated the Mighty Yankee* to win title / Notes: Karl Heinkler & Kurt Von Brawner had been the reigning International Tag Team Champions since they defeated Don Lee & the Mighty Yankee on April 18, 1958, in Atlanta. The Mighty Yankee had been the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he defeated Ray Gunkel on January 10, 1958, in Atlanta. Paul Jones was the special referee for the match between Don McIntyre and the Yankee.

APRIL 29 (TUESDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – WILLIAM BELL AUDITORIUM (Robert McCoy – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Don McIntyre versus Don Lee > Texas Death Tag Team Match: Angelo Martinelli & Rocky Columbo versus Karl Heinkler & Kurt Von Brawner / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

APRIL 29 (TUESDAY) – MARIETTA, GA – LARRY BELL AUDITORIUM (Elmo Chappell – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ray Gunkel & Ronnie Etchison versus Don Lee & the Mighty Yankee > Angelo Martinelli versus Karl Heinkler / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

MAY 2 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM [P] (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Jack Dillon & the Mighty Yankee defeated Angelo Martinelli & Rocky Columbo > Ronnie Etchison defeated Don Lee > Ray Gunkel defeated Kurt Von Brawner > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Don McIntyre* defeated Karl Heinkler at 13:00 / Notes: Don McIntyre had been the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he defeated the Mighty Yankee on April 25, 1958, in Atlanta. Chris Averoff was credited as being a referee on this card. The program we have for this card continues to reference Bill Hartman (Ticket Sales) and Simon Davis (Timekeeper) as part of the office staff in Atlanta. In the program there is a photo of Ray Gunkel and Jack Dempsey together, stating that Dempsey had managed Gunkel in Chicago at one time. It went on to say that Dempsey still offered Gunkel advice from time to time. It was announced that Verne Gagne would be wrestling in Atlanta soon.

MAY 5 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – ARMORY HALL (Robert McCoy – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Women’s Match: Nell Stewart versus Corinne Cordero > Ray Gunkel & Ronnie Etchison versus Don Lee & the Mighty Yankee / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

MAY 9 (FRIDAY) – MARIETTA, GA – LARRY BELL AUDITORIUM (Elmo Chappell – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Rocky Columbo defeated Jack Dillon > Ray Gunkel and the Mighty Yankee wrestled to a draw > Ray Gunkel, Rocky Columbo & Ronnie Etchison defeated Jack Dillon, Bob Shipp & the Mighty Yankee

MAY 12 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – ARMORY HALL (Robert McCoy – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Mixed Tag Team Match: Ray Gunkel & Corinne Cordero versus Nell Stewart & the Jungle Boy > Ronnie Etchison versus the Mighty Yankee / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

MAY 16 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM [P] (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ronnie Etchison and the Jungle Boy wrestled to a draw > Women’s Match: Nell Stewart defeated Corinne Cordero > Ray Gunkel defeated Angelo Poffo > Southern Heavyweight Title versus Mask Match (No DQ): Don McIntyre* versus the Mighty Yankee wrestled to a draw / Notes: Don McIntyre had been the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he defeated the Mighty Yankee on April 25, 1958, in Atlanta. Bronko Lubich managed Angelo Poffo. Charlie Harben was credited as being a referee on this card. The program we have for this card features a photo of artist Dimitri Vail painting a portrait of the posing Ray Gunkel. It was announced that Don Lee, Dick the Bruiser, Farmer Powell, and Yukon Eric would be wrestling in Atlanta soon.

MAY 19 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – ARMORY HALL (Robert McCoy – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Jack Dillon defeated Rocky Columbo > Ray Gunkel versus the Jungle Boy > Ronnie Etchison versus the Mighty Yankee / Notes: Aside from the match between Jack Dillon and Rocky Columbo, no documented results for the remaining matches on this card have been found.

MAY 23 (FRIDAY) – MARIETTA, GA – LARRY BELL AUDITORIUM (Elmo Chappell – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ronnie Etchison and the Jungle Boy wrestled to a draw > Women’s Match: Judy Glover defeated Nell Stewart > The Mighty Yankee & the Jungle Boy defeated Ronnie Etchison & Rocky Columbo at 40:00

MAY 26 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – ARMORY HALL (Robert McCoy – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ray Gunkel versus Jack Dillon > Ronnie Etchison versus the Jungle Boy > Freddie Blassie versus the Mighty Yankee / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

MAY 30 (FRIDAY) – MARIETTA, GA – LARRY BELL AUDITORIUM (Elmo Chappell – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Women’s Match: Judy Glover defeated Catherine Simpson > Mixed Tag Team Match: Freddie Blassie & Catherine Simpson defeated Ronnie Etchison & Judy Glover > The Mighty Yankee defeated Don Lee by disqualification

JUNE 6 (FRIDAY) – MARIETTA, GA – LARRY BELL AUDITORIUM (Elmo Chappell – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ray Gunkel defeated Jack Dillon > Ronnie Etchison defeated the Jungle Boy > Don McIntyre, Ray Gunkel & Ronnie Etchison defeated Freddie Blassie, Jack Dillon & the Jungle Boy at 50:00

JUNE 9 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – ARMORY HALL (Robert McCoy – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Charlie Harben versus the Jungle Boy > Ronnie Etchison versus Kurt Von Brawner > Ray Gunkel versus Freddie Blassie / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

JUNE 13 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Kurt Von Brawner versus Tarzan White > International Tag Team Title Match: Ray Gunkel & Ronnie Etchison defeated Jack Dillon & Don Lee* to win title > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Freddie Blassie defeated Don McIntyre* to win title / Notes: Kurt Von Brawner and Tarzan White were scheduled to wrestle each other, but no results were reported after the card. It is unclear as to how Jack Dillon & Don Lee came to be recognized as International Tag Team Champions. The last reference we have shows Angelo Martinelli & Rocky Columbo winning the title from Karl Heinkler & Kurt Von Brawner on April 25, 1958, in Atlanta. Don McIntyre had been the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he defeated the Mighty Yankee on April 25, 1958, in Atlanta.

JUNE 16 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – ARMORY HALL (Robert McCoy – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ronnie Etchison & Charlie Harben versus Kurt Von Brawner & the Jungle Boy > Ten-Round Boxing Match: Freddie Blassie versus Ray Gunkel / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

JUNE 20 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Tarzan White versus the Jungle Boy > International Tag Team Title Match: Ray Gunkel & Ronnie Etchison* versus Don Lee & Kurt Von Brawner > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Freddie Blassie* defeated Don McIntyre / Notes: Aside from the match between Freddie Blassie and Don McIntyre, no documented results for the remaining matches on this card have been found. Blassie had been the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he defeated McIntyre on April 25, 1958, in Atlanta. McIntyre had vowed to leave if he could not defeat Blassie, and he left for about a month following this match. Ray Gunkel & Ronnie Etchison had been the reigning International Tag Team Champions since they defeated Jack Dillon & Don Lee on June 13, 1958, in Atlanta.

JUNE 23 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – ARMORY HALL (Robert McCoy – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Kurt Von Brawner versus Bibber McCoy > Jack Pesek versus Jack Dillon > Ronnie Etchison versus Freddie Blassie / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found.

JUNE 27 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Tarzan White and Bibber McCoy wrestled to a draw > Jack Pesek defeated Jack Dillon > Ray Gunkel defeated Don Lee > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Freddie Blassie* defeated Ronnie Etchison / Notes: Freddie Blassie had been the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he defeated Don McIntyre on April 25, 1958, in Atlanta.

JUNE 30 (MONDAY) – AUGUSTA, GA – ARMORY HALL (Robert McCoy – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Jack Pesek & Frank Townsend versus the Bowery Boys > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Freddie Blassie* versus Ronnie Etchison / Notes: No documented results for this card have been found. Freddie Blassie had been the reigning Southern Heavyweight Champion since he defeated Don McIntyre on April 25, 1958, in Atlanta.