Elmer Claybourne (March 8, 1910 – January 7, 1960), was an American
professional wrestler, better known by the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
Jack Claybourne.
Professional wrestling career
Claybourne began his wrestling career in 1931.
On September 2, 1941, Claybourne won the Kentucky Negro Wrestling Championship from Hallie Samara in Louisville, KY. The following year he lost the title to King Kong Clayton. He won the Negro World Heavyweight and the Light Heavyweight Wrestling Titles in the United States. He was a recognized champion in Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Also he wrestled mainly in the
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc.
Founded in 1948, the NWA ...
's
Toronto and
Hawaii territories where he became a major star during the 1940s and 1950s.
Death
On January 7, 1960, Claybourne committed suicide in Los Angeles,
California.
Championships and accomplishments
*
50th State Big Time Wrestling
50th State Big Time Wrestling (sometimes referred to as NWA Hawaii or Mid-Pacific Promotions) was a professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii in the United States that promoted professional wrestling matches throughout Ha ...
**
Hawaii Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Kentucky
**Kentucky Negro Championship
**Kentucky Negro Wrestling Championship
**World Negro Heavyweight Title
**Negro Light Heavyweight Wrestling Titles
*
Maple Leaf Wrestling
**
NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship(
1 time) - with
Luther Lindsay
**
NWA British Empire Heavyweight Championship (Toronto version)(
1 time)
See also
*
List of premature professional wrestling deaths
References
External links
*
1910 births
1960 deaths
20th-century African-American sportspeople
20th-century professional wrestlers
American male professional wrestlers
African-American male professional wrestlers
People from Mexico, Missouri
Professional wrestlers from Missouri
NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Champions
NWA British Empire Heavyweight Champions (Toronto version)
{{US-prowrestling-bio-stub