| Ed ‘Strangler’ Lewis was one of the most respected names in the business in the first third of the twentieth century, and his celebrity reach well beyond the most hardcore wrestling fans. When Lewis first appeared in Georgia in 1916, he was working local shows for promoter Max Bauman, who happened to be the brother of Lewis’ manager, Billy Sandow. Georgia fans reportedly came in droves whenever Lewis was advertised, and he no doubt satisfied the crowds as he beat people such as B.F. Roller, Constant LeMarin, Wladek Zbyszko, and Tom Draak. During the late 1920s, the Strangler wrestled frequently for promoter John Contos, once turning back a challenge for his World Heavyweight Title from future promoter Paul Jones. He would return in the 1930s, without Sandow in his corner, wrestling for Henry Weber, and also had a string of matches in the 1940s. In the 1950s, he was managing perennial NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz as he came through the state. |
