




04/09/2012 – April 9 Georgia Wrestling Nostalgia
From Rich Tate:
April 9, 1934 (Monday) – Atlanta, GA – Fair Street Arena (Jason Thompson – Promoter) > John Dameron and Young Londos went to a draw > Frank Remille over Pancho
Villa (01) > Tarzan Jordan over Bill Crussell / Notes: It was reported that Georgia Governor Eugene Talmadge was in attendance.
April 9, 1934 (Monday) – Atlanta, GA – Westlake Arena (Luke Appling – Promoter) > Eddie Wagner versus Young Londos > John Mauldin versus Pancho Villa (01) /
Notes: A preliminary match was also advertised with reports only identifying the wrestlers as two newcomers, Clancy and Leach.
April 9, 1937 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Theatre (Frank Speer – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Chief Saunooke versus George Hagen ended in a no
contest > Lou Thesz over Frank Brown > Ali Baba (01) over Dorv Roche by disqualification
April 9, 1937 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Northside Arena (Frank Bettis and Cleve Roby – Promoters) > Battle Royal featuring Young Londos, Tarzan Jordan, Mike Cassidy,
Tony Papalino, Farmer Mack, and Chin Lee (01) / Notes: It is unclear as to the reason or the result for the battle royal.
April 9, 1940 (Tuesday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Theatre (Bill Hartman and Thad Holt – Promoters / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Bill Lee versus Juan Humberto >
John Grandovich versus Lou Nyman > Lou Thesz and Hans Schnabel went to a draw at 90:00
April 9, 1941 (Wednesday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Abe Simon – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Joe Millich over Young Brown >
Harry Kent over Ray Eckert > Everett Marshall over Dorv Roche / Notes: Brown substituted for Ray Villmer in the match against Millich. Brown was billed as Orville Brown’
s younger brother.
April 9, 1943 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Sammy Friedman – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Tiny Ruff over Charlie Harben >
Rudy Strongberg over John Mauldin > Al Massey & the Black Panther (02) over Ralph Garibaldi & Dorv Roche / Notes: Harben replaced Mauldin in the match against
Ruff, as Mauldin substituted for Roland Kirchmeyer in the match against Strongberg.
April 9, 1948 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Jack Ross, Jr., over Natie Brown >
Tom Mahoney and Iron Man Talun went to a draw > Chief Indio Cherokee over Jack Reeder > Bibber McCoy over Laverne Baxter > Jim Coffield over Al Massey / Notes:
McCoy was declared the winner of his match when Baxter was deemed unable to continue.
April 9, 1948 (Friday) – Blue Ridge, GA (Fred Ward – Promoter / Fred Ward Promotions) > Tommy Ward versus Red Dugan > Tony Mello (01) versus Curtis Nack / Notes:
It is unclear as to what venue was the site of this card.
April 9, 1949 (Saturday) – Griffin, GA (Fred Ward – Promoter / Fred Ward Promotions) > Tommy Ward over Joe Estes > Bill Cazzell over Bob Shipp / Notes: It is unclear as
to what venue was the site of this card.
April 9, 1954 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Don Big Kettle and the Swedish
Angel went to a draw > Clyde Steeves over Lee Grable > Southern Heavyweight Title Match: Freddie Blassie* over Don McIntyre to retain the title / Notes: Blassie had
been billed as Southern Heavyweight Champion since he allegedly over Mr. Moto on February 8, 1954, in Birmingham, AL.
April 9, 1956 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Bill McDaniel – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Women’s Match: Belle Starr over Ethel
Brown > Texas Death Match: Jerry Graham over Chief Big Heart / Notes: It was reported that 3,000 were in attendance for this card.
April 9, 1962 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Steve Manderson – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Don Whittler versus Johnny King
(01) > Charley Laye versus Andre Drapp > No Disqualification / No Time Limit Match: Diana Beamon versus Sweet Georgia Brown > Eddie Graham & Ray Villmer versus
Tojo Yamamoto & Taro Myaki (02)
April 9, 1963 (Tuesday) – Macon, GA – Macon City Auditorium (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > George Bell over Buck Jones (02) > Jack
Armstrong over the Bat (03) by disqualification > International Tag Team Title Match: Lenny Montana & Tarzan Tyler* over Ted Evans & Chief Little Eagle to retain the title /
Notes: It is unclear as to how Montana and Tyler came to be recognized as International Tag Team Champions. The last reference we have shows Jean Gaullois and
Paul Gaullois defending the title against Jack Steele and Jerry Graham on January 5, 1962, in Atlanta.
April 9, 1964 (Thursday) – Thomaston, GA (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Billy Hines versus Don Carson > Women’s Match: Andrea
Swenson versus Margaret Garcia > Stan Stasiak (02) versus Tex Riley / Notes: It is unclear as to what venue was the site of this card.
April 9, 1969 (Wednesday) – Columbus, GA – Columbus Municipal Auditorium (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Tim Geohagen and Silento
Rodriguez went to a draw > Women’s Match: Dottie Bray over Patti Neilson > the Kentuckians (02) (Grizzly Smith & Little John (01)) over Dale Lewis & Skandor Akbar >
NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Dory Funk, Jr.,* over Assassin #1 (01) by disqualification to retain the title / Notes: Assassin #2 (01) was barred from ringside during
the Funk, Jr.-Assassin #1 match. Funk, Jr., had been the reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion since he went over Gene Kiniski on February 11, 1969, in Tampa,
FL.
April 9, 1971 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Jim Wilson over Krusher Karlson >
Bill Dromo over Michel Dubois > Bob Griffin & Roberto Soto over Mr. Koma & the Great Ota > Buddy Fuller over Luke Graham > Klondike Bill over Buddy Colt by
disqualification > Georgia Tag Team Title Texas Tornado Tag Team Match: Ray Gunkel & El Mongol* over the Assassins (01) (Assassin #1 (01) & Assassin #2 (01)) to
retain the title / Notes: Jones was the special referee for the Gunkel/Mongol-Assassins match. Gunkel and Mongol had been the reigning Georgia Tag Team Champions
since they went over the Assassins on April 2, 1971, in Atlanta. Homer O’Dell managed Colt. Charlie Harben was credited as being a referee for this card. Klondike
participated in an autograph session for fans.
April 9, 1974 (Tuesday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Ann Gunkel – Promoter / All-South Wrestling Alliance) > Georgia Junior Heavyweight Title Match:
Wayne Cowan* over Bearcat Wilkerson > Ray Candy & El Mongol & Ron Pritchard and Ox Baker & Crusher Verdu & the Missouri Mauler went to a draw > Assassin #2
(01) over the Mighty Yankee (03) > Thunderbolt Patterson over Rock Hunter / Notes: The Magnificent Zulu was the special referee for Patterson-Hunter match. Hunter
managed Verdu and the Yankee.
April 9, 1974 (Tuesday) – Macon, GA – Macon Coliseum (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ron Michaels over Jerry Oates > Jerry Brisco over
Tiger Conway, Jr. > Art Nelson over Bobby Duncum > Southeastern Tag Team Title Match: Ron Garvin & Terry Garvin* and Bob Armstrong & Robert Fuller went to a draw
> Jerry Lawler versus Mr. Wrestling #2 (01) ended in a no contest / Notes: Conway, Jr., substituted for Ricky Gibson in the match with Brisco. Jimmy Garvin managed the
Garvins.
April 9, 1976 (Friday) – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Municipal Auditorium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Ervin Smith over Rip Hawk > Skip
Young over Karl Von Steiger > Rick Martel versus Greg Valentine ended in a no contest > Bob Armstrong & Mark Lewin & Mr. Wrestling #2 (01) over Moondog Mayne & the
Red Devils (Black Gordman & the Great Goliath (02)) > Texas Death Match: Dusty Rhodes over the Spoiler (02) / Notes: Gary Hart managed the Spoiler. Ron West and
Doug Smith were credited as being referees for this card.
April 9, 1978 (Sunday) – Savannah, GA – Savannah Civic Center (Aaron Newman – Promoter / Jim Crockett Promotions) > Joe Furr over Scott Irwin > Jan Nelson over
Jimmy Garvin > Don Kernodle over Hartford Love > Johnny Weaver over the Masked Superstar by disqualification > Ricky Steamboat & Paul Jones (02) over Greg
Valentine & Baron Von Raschke / Notes: Boris Malenko managed the Superstar.
April 9, 1979 (Monday) – Augusta, GA – William Bell Auditorium (Charlie Harben – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Mike Stallings and Kurt Von Hess went
to a draw > Rufus R. Jones over Larry Latham > Bob Armstrong & Tommy Rich over Ron Bass & Blackjack Lanza > Georgia Heavyweight Title Match: Wahoo McDaniel
over the Masked Superstar* by disqualification > Stan Hansen over Ole Anderson / Notes: Bobby Heenan managed Bass and Lanza. Hansen substituted for Dusty
Rhodes in the match against Anderson. It had been advertised that police would surround the ring during the Rhodes-Anderson match. Bass substituted for Ivan Koloff
to team with Lanza in the match against Armstrong & Rich. Bass was initially advertised for a match against Frank Dusek. It is unclear as to whether Dusek was in
attendance. Also, a match featuring Latham versus Stallings had been advertised, but with the aforementioned replacements, that was changed.
April 9, 1979 (Monday) – Tate, GA – Tate Elementary School Gymnasium (Paul Jones (01) – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) Notes: A card was advertised
for this date, but no details were provided. Rufus R. Jones and Thunderbolt Patterson were advertised.
April 9, 1980 (Wednesday) – Columbus, GA – Columbus Municipal Auditorium (Fred Ward – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Mike Sharpe over Charlie
Fulton > the French Angel (02) over Chick Donovan > Kevin Sullivan & Tony Atlas and Ivan Koloff & Alexis Smirnoff went to a draw > Lars Anderson & Mr. Wrestling #2 (01)
over Austin Idol & Baron Von Raschke > NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Tommy Rich over Harley Race* by disqualification / Notes: Rock Hunter managed Koloff
and Smirnoff.
April 9, 1983 (Saturday) – Cincinnati, OH – Riverfront Coliseum (Les Thatcher – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Destruction, Inc. (Matt Borne & Arn
Anderson) over Brett Wayne & Joe Lightfoot > Killer Brooks over Brian Blair > Larry Zbyszko over Tito Santana > Buzz Sawyer over Dick Murdoch > Tony Atlas over Ivan
Koloff > Tommy Rich over Ric Flair / Notes: Homer O’Dell managed Koloff. Paul Ellering managed Destruction.
April 9, 1984 (Monday) – Toledo, OH (Les Thatcher – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) > Tommy Rogers over Rocky Jones > Sweet Brown Sugar over Jake
Roberts > Tim Horner over Les Thornton > Ron Garvin & King Kong Bundy over the Road Warriors (Animal & Hawk) > Lights Out Match: Ron Garvin over Jake Roberts /
Notes: Paul Ellering managed Roberts and the Warriors.
