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1949 In Professional Wrestling
1949 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling. List of notable promotions Only one promotion held notable shows in 1949. Calendar of notable shows Championship changes EMLL NWA Debuts *Debut date uncertain: **Angelo Poffo **Bobo Brazil **Harold Sakata **Ilio DiPaolo **Johnny Rougeau **Red Bastien **Rip Hawk **The Sheik (wrestler), The Sheik **Verne Gagne **Fritz Von Goering **Baillargeon Brothers, The Baillargeon Brothers *November The Crusher (wrestler), The Crusher Births *Date of birth uncertain: **Johnny Rivera (wrestler), Johnny Rivera **John Garea *January 2 Samoan Joe (died in 2015) *January 2 Tommy Lane (died in 2022) *January 7: **Chavo Guerrero Sr. (died in 2016) **Scott LeDoux (died in 2011) *January 15 Tony Salazar *January 16 Sir Oliver Humperdink (died in 2011) *January 17 Andy Kaufman (died in 1984) *February 11 T. John Tibbedeux (died in 2013) *February 19 Black Man (wrestler ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Professional Wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or—as in televised wrestling shows—in backstage areas of the venue, in similar form to reality television. Professional wrestling as a form of theater evolved out of the widespread practice of match fixing among wrestlers in the early 20th century. Rather than sanction the wrestlers for their deceit as was done with boxers, the public instead came to see professional wrestling as a performance art rather than a sport. Professional wrestlers responded to the public's attitude by dispensing with verisimilitude in favor of entertainment, adding melodrama and outlandish stuntwork to their performances. Although the mock combat they performed ceased to resemble any authentic wrestling form, the wrestlers nevertheless continued to pr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cavernario Galindo
Rodolfo Galindo Ramirez (September 27, 1923 – July 19, 1999) was a Mexican luchador and film actor, best known by his ring name Cavernario Galindo (Caveman Galindo), who was active in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre from the 1930s to the 1990s. Well known for inventing La Cavernaria (a Modified surfboard hold), a commonly used submission hold in modern Lucha Libre. Biography Ramirez was born and raised in Chihuahua, Mexico. As a young boy he would survive a car accident that would leave him with noticeable facial scars for the rest of his life.Madigan, Dan, Mondo Lucha a Go-Go: The Bizarre & Honorable World of Wild Mexican Wrestling, HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2007, Galindo made his debut as a wrestler in 1938 at the age of fifteen under the name Ruddy Valentino. He would also wrestle as Ruddy Galindo before taking up the name that made him famous. His slight build combined with his brawler style of fighting made it unlikely that he would find much success in Mexican lucha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Sheik (wrestler)
Edward George Farhat (June 7, 1926 – January 18, 2003) was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring name The Sheik (often called The Original Sheik to distinguish him from The Iron Sheik, who debuted in 1972). Farhat is credited as one of the originators of the hardcore wrestling style. He was also the promoter of Big Time Wrestling (Detroit), Big Time Wrestling, and the uncle of Extreme Championship Wrestling, ECW wrestler Sabu (wrestler), Sabu. Farhat promoted his shows at Cobo Hall in Detroit and was the booker for Frank Tunney's shows at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto from 1971 to 1977. Early life Edward George Farhat was born one of ten children in Lansing, Michigan, on June 7, 1926, to Lebanese immigrants. Unlike most of his older brothers, he did not attend college as myth says. His older brother Edmund did, which is where the confusion usually takes place. Edward quit school in the eighth grade and worked during the depression ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rip Hawk
Harvey Maurice Evers (June 6, 1930 – December 22, 2012) was an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name, Rip Hawk. He began his wrestling career in the Mid-Western United States before joining Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in the early 1960s. In the company, he teamed with fellow wrestler Swede Hanson as the "Blond Bombers," and the duo held several championships. In the 1970s, he worked as a booker in JCP. Early life Evers was born on June 6, 1930 in Indiana. He was raised in Ohio. Professional wrestling career Early career Hawk made his wrestling debut in 1949. He began as an amateur in Ohio and was discovered by professional boxer Jack Dempsey, who convinced him to wrestle professionally. His ring name came from a variety of sources: his sister called him "Rip" as a nickname, while a promoter gave him the last name "Hawk" due to his nose and his movements in the wrestling ring. His nickname, "The Profile", was taken from actor John Barrymore. He began wre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red Bastien
Rolland "Red" Bastien (January 27, 1931 – August 11, 2012) was an American professional wrestler best known for his time in Capital Wrestling Corporation where he was a 3 time WWWF United States Tagteam champion with his kayfabe brother, Lou Bastien. Professional wrestling career He took part in football and swimming in high school and broke in on Midwest carnivals, fighting local toughs and learning wrestling the hard way. Turning professional, he began in Chicago, Illinois and toured the United States with great success. Bastien was small for a wrestler at 185 pounds, but he was quick, vigorous, fast and employed a wide assortment of aerial moves. His teachers were Henry Kolln, Einar Olsen, Joe Pazandak and Verne Gagne, and his peak years were from 1959 to 1971. His favorite finishing moves were the dropkick, flying head scissors, atomic drop and abdominal stretch. Bastien teamed up with Lou Klein to form the Bastien Brothers tag team and, in 1960, won the United States ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johnny Rougeau
Jean Rougeau (June 9, 1929 – May 25, 1983) was a professional wrestler better known as Johnny Rougeau. Rougeau started wrestling in 1951 as Johnny Rougeau after an amateur wrestling career. In 1956, he was joined by his brother, Jacques Rougeau, Sr. He is also the uncle to former wrestlers Jacques Rougeau and Raymond Rougeau who would go on to great fame in the World Wrestling Federation as the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers as well as Armand Rougeau whose full-time career was cut short by injury. He had feuds with Abdullah the Butcher, The Sheik, Ivan Koloff, Hans Schmidt and Killer Kowalski. He founded All-Star Wrestling in 1967. Amateur wrestling Rougeau began his amateur wrestling career in 1943. Professional wrestling career Rougeau was also one of the premier promoters in Quebec. In the late 60s, Rougeau gave Ivan Koloff his ring name. He mainly worked in Montreal but wrestled in Ohio, Ottawa, Texas, Detroit, Toronto, New York, Minnesota and Florida. Ice hockey Rougeau also ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ilio DiPaolo
Ilio DiPaolo (November 7, 1926 – May 10, 1995), was an Italian professional wrestler and restaurateur who lived in the Buffalo, New York area. Professional wrestling career DiPaolo was born in Italy and lived there until he moved to Venezuela in 1949. There, he met promoter Toots Mondt, who taught him to wrestle. While waiting to get the proper paperwork to move to the United States, he relocated to the Dominican Republic to wrestle in the meantime. After the paperwork was completed, he moved to Buffalo, New York in 1951. He then began to work for Frank Tunney out of the Toronto area. Around this time he teamed with Whipper Billy Watson to win the NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship. Also in Toronto, he wrestled Pat O'Connor for the NWA World title in 1959, but the match went to a one-hour time limit draw. His last match was against Lou Thesz for the same title; a match that also went to a one-hour time limit draw. Personal life DiPaolo met his wife Ethel, stepdaughter of p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harold Sakata
, better known as Harold Sakata, was an American Olympic weightlifter, professional wrestler, and film actor of Japanese descent. He won a silver medal for the United States at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London in weightlifting, and later became a popular professional wrestler under the ring name Tosh Togo, wrestling primarily for various National Wrestling Alliance territories as a tag team with Great Togo. He also wrestled extensively in Japan for All Japan Pro Wrestling, and was a one-time All Asia Tag Team Championship with Rikidōzan. On the basis of his wrestling work, he was cast in the James Bond film '' Goldfinger'' (1964) as the villain Oddjob, a role he would be closely associated with for the rest of his life. Early life Toshiyuki Sakata was born on July 1, 1920, in Holualoa, Hawaii, to Japanese-American parents who worked at a Kona coffee farm. His father Risaburo was ''issei'' (first-generation), and his mother Matsue was ''nisei''. He had ten siblings, six ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bobo Brazil
Houston Harris (July 10, 1924 – January 20, 1998) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Bobo Brazil. Credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling, Harris is considered one of the first successful African-American professional wrestlers. Early life Houston Harris was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, but later lived in East St. Louis, Illinois, and Benton Harbor, Michigan. His father died when he was seven years old, which resulted in him doing odd jobs such as working on a local fruit farm for fifty cents a container. He played baseball in the Negro leagues for The House of David, where he was discovered to become a wrestler at a steel mill. Professional wrestling career Harris was trained by Joe Savoldi after meeting him at matches at the Naval Armory. Savoldi originally named Harris, BuBu Brasil, "The South American Giant," where he wrestled using a sequined satin cape stitched together by his wife, but a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Angelo Poffo
Angelo John Poffo (April 10, 1925 – March 4, 2010) was an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He ran International Championship Wrestling for a number of years, holding cards in Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas. He was the father of "Macho Man" Randy Savage and "The Genius" Lanny Poffo. Early life, family and education Poffo was born in Downers Grove, Illinois (near Chicago) to Italian immigrants. Poffo attended DePaul University and was a catcher for its baseball team. He studied physical education and was a competitive chess player. He enlisted in the Navy during World War II where in 1945, he set a world record for sit-ups. He completed 6,033 sit-ups in four hours and ten minutes. According to his son Lanny, after 6,000 sit-ups he did 33 more, one for each year of Jesus's life. Professional wrestling career Poffo started wrestling in 1948 at Karl Pojello's gym in Illinois. His first match was in 1949 against Ruffy Silverstein. He sometimes wrestle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sonny Myers
Harold "Sonny" Myers (January 22, 1924 – May 7, 2007) was an American professional wrestler, involved in the business for sixty years. Professional wrestling career Myers held prominent heavyweight championships in several territories, most notably the Central States territory, where he was the NWA Central States Heavyweight Champion fourteen times. He also held various tag team championships, as well as a brief reign as NWA World Heavyweight Champion having defeated Orville Brown in November 1947. His championship was largely forgotten when the National Wrestling Alliance was formed a year later, recognizing Brown as champion. After wrestling Myers acted as sheriff in Buchanan County, Missouri and promoted a Sonny Myers Carnival for 22 years. Sonny Myers died after a long illness on May 7, 2007. Championships and accomplishments * Central States Wrestling ** NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship ( 14 times) ** NWA Central States Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lou Thesz
Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz (April 24, 1916 – April 28, 2002) was an American professional wrestler. He was a three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion and held the title for a combined total of 10 years, three months and nine days (3,749 days) – longer than anyone else in history. Considered to be one of the last true shooters in professional wrestling and described as the "quintessential athlete... a polished warrior who could break a man in two if pushed the wrong way", Thesz is widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time and the single greatest wrestling world champion in history, and probably the last globally accepted world champion. In Japan, Thesz was known as the 'God of Wrestling' and was called ''Tetsujin'', which means 'Ironman', in respect for his speed, conditioning and expertise in catch wrestling. Alongside Karl Gotch and Billy Robinson, Thesz later helped train young Japanese wrestlers and mixed martial artists in catch wrestling. A s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
