Walter Joseph Karbo (August 14, 1915 – March 23, 1993) was an American

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 o ...

promoter and co-founder of the

American Wrestling Association The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 until 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo. The territory was originally part o ...

with

Verne Gagne Laverne Clarence Gagne (February 26, 1926 – April 27, 2015) was an American amateur and professional wrestler, football player, wrestling trainer, and wrestling promoter. He was the owner and promoter of the Minneapolis-based American Wrestling ...

. A longtime promoter in the Minneapolis-area, Karbo was a close associate of

Tony Stecher Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leag ...

and attended the first meeting of 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 ...

held by Stecher in 1948. He was born and raised in northeast Minneapolis and graduated from De La Salle High school in 1934. He went to work as an assistant to Minneapolis boxing and wrestling promoter Tony Stecher in the 1930s. He eventually became a referee for wrestling matches and then evolved into a promoter. In 1952, Tony Stecher sold a one-third interest in the Minneapolis Boxing and Wrestling club to Wally Karbo and his son Dennis Stecher. On October 9, 1954, Tony Stecher died and control of the promotion passed to Karbo and Dennis Stecher. In 1959, Dennis Stecher sold his majority stake in the Minneapolis Boxing and Wrestling club to Karbo and Gagne. They became co-owners of the promotion from that point onward. Breaking away from the National Wrestling Alliance, he and Gagne established the AWA in 1960 and together operated the promotion for over thirty years. He would also appear as an on-air personality hosting the AWA's Saturday morning television show ''All-Star Wrestling'' before Karbo sold his interests to Gagne in 1985. Although retiring soon after, he did remain in professional wrestling, most notably appearing as the commissioner of the

Ladies Pro Wrestling Association The Ladies Professional Wrestling Association (LPWA) was a women's professional wrestling promotion which operated in the early 1990s (ca. 1989–1992). It was considered a successor to such women's promotions as Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GL ...

before his death from a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

on March 23, 1993.

Awards and accomplishments

Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) and Museum is an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in Wichita Falls, Texas currently closed to water leaks. The museum was founded by Tony Vellano in 1999, and was previo ...

**Class of 2019

References

External links

1915 births 1993 deaths 20th-century American businesspeople American Wrestling Association Professional wrestling announcers Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum Professional wrestling promoters Professional wrestling trainers Sportspeople from Minneapolis {{US-prowrestling-bio-stub