Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling - A Time Line of Every Major Event in Pro Wrestling History - 1938
By: Karl Stern
Much of the text of this entry comes from issue 82 of the DragonKing Press Newsletter available as a downloadable .pdf in the digital downloads section.
The year 1938 in wrestling is covered on the Long Form History of Pro Wrestling Podcast - Click Here.
1938
01-06-1938: Chattanooga, TN: Memorial Auditorium: Attendance 5,100: Angelo Cistoldi defeats Jimmy Morris… John Katan defeats Karl Davis 2 falls to 1… Ali Baba defeats Joe Cox.
01-12-1938: St Louis, MO: Municipal Auditorium: Attendance 9,091: Frank Sexton battled Paul Jones to a 20-minute draw… Ivan Managoff defeated George Ryan… Dorv Roche battled John Katan to a 30-minute draw… Ernie Dusek defeated Young Gotch by referee stoppage… AWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Danno O'Mahoney.
01-21-1938: In Boston, MA: Montreal World champion Yvon Robert defeated Danno O’Mahoney.
01-23-1938: Shohei “Giant” Baba is born in Niigata, Japan.
01-25-1938: Yvon Robert is stripped of Paul Bowser’s AWA World title after a newspaper report called Lou Thesz the “AWA” champion. Rather than change the title, Bowser simply began recognizing Thesz as champion of his promotion also. Bowser had plans to change the title to Steve Casey anyway. Robert carries his claim to the world title with him to Montreal.
01-26-1938: St Louis, MO: Arena: Attendance 12,262: Paul Jones battled Warren Bockwinkel to a 20 minute draw… Young Gotch defeats Joe Marsh… Ivan Managoff defeats John Katan… Ernie Dusek defeats Dorv Roche… AWA World champion Lou Thesz defeats Everett Marshall.
02-03-1938: Stanislaus Zbyszko announces the debut of his new protégé Wladyslaw Talun who is reported to be seven feet tall and 262 pounds. Zbyszko tells a newspaper that Talun is “… the nearest thing to Yousouf the Terrible Turk I have ever seen…”
02-06-1938: Octavio Gaona defeats Black Guzman for the Mexican National Middleweight title in Mexico City.
02-08-1938: St Louis, MO: Municipal Auditorium: Attendance 7,990: Doug Wykoff battled Steve Savage to a 20 minute draw… Gino Garibaldi defeats Pat McGill… Ivan Managoff defeats Milo Steinborn… Rudy Dusek defeats Abe Coleman… AWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Ernie Dusek.
02-11-1938: Steve “Crusher” Casey defeated Lou Thesz for the AWA World title in Boston, MA at Boston Garden: Attendance 13,000. In other matches: Hans Steinke defeats Joe Swan… Wee Willie Davis defeats Angelo Lorenzo… George Mansor defeats Les Ryan… Bibber McCoy battled Harry Mamos to a 10 minute draw… Ed Don George defeats Pat Reilly… George Clark battled Paul Jones to a 15 minute draw… Cliff Olson defeats Chief Saunooke… AWA World Heavyweight champion Steve Casey defeats Lou Thesz to win the title 2 falls to 1.
03-03-1938: Vic Christy defeats Yvon Robert for the Montreal AWA World title in Toronto. Yvon Robert broke his collarbone early in the first fall. Christy was awarded the match and the Montreal World Title in 7:28.
03-09-1938: St Louis, MO: Municipal Auditorium: Attendance 10,173: Mike Strelich battled Warren Bockwinkel to a 20 minute draw… Young Gotch defeats Billy Bartush… Ivan Managoff defeats Doug Wycoff… Ernie Dusek battled Gino Garibaldi to a 30 minute draw… AWA World champion Steve Casey defeats Everett Marshall.
03-18-1938: Loft Bloomfield wins a tournament in Auckland, New Zealand to win the rights to come to the United States and wrestle for the world title.
03-23-1938: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 10,400 sellout: Sammy Menacker defeats Al Billings by DQ… Jack Donovan defeats Pat Fraley… Chief Little Wolf battled Nick Campofreda to a 20 minute draw… George Zaharias defeats Lofty Bloomfield 2 falls to 1… World & Los Angeles World Heavyweight champion Bronko Nagurski defeats Vincent Lopez 2 falls to 1. Nagurski wins fall 1. Lopez wins fall 2 by count out. Nagurski wins fall 3 by DQ.
03-30-1938: Steve Casey defeated Danno O’Mahoney to keep his world titles in Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY before 6,000 fans, which would become the last pro wrestling show in the building for 11 years. In other matches: Wladek Zbyszko defeated Slim Zimbleman… Wladyslaw Talun defeated Charlie Strack… Ernie Dusek defeated Ralph Garibaldi… Jesse James defeated George Becker… Pietro Gobbo defeated Tor Johnson… Bob Gregory defeated Henri Lassartes.
Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 10,400 sellout: Del Kunkel battled Sammy Stein to a 20 minute draw… Vincent Austeri defeats Jack Holland by count out… Jack Donovan defeats Tom Zaharias… Al Billings defeats Lee Henning… Len Hall defeats Danny Dusek… George Zaharias defeats Nick Campofreda 2 falls to 1… World Heavyweight & Los Angeles World Heavyweight champion Bronko Nagurski defeats Vincent Lopez in 2 falls.
04-03-1938: El Murcielago Enmascardo (Jesus Velazquez Quintero) makes his debut at Arena Mexico losing to Jack O’Brien by DQ.
04-06-1938: A record attendance of 12,099 is set in St. Louis, MO to see Steve Casey defeat Lou Thesz. In other matches on the show: Young Gotch Juan Humberto… Ed Don George defeated Dr. Karl Sarpolis… Ernie Dusek defeated Pat Kelly… Pierre le Belle defeated Walter Stratton… Abe Coleman went to a draw with Jim Coffield. It should be noted that the St. Louis Star & Times has the attendance at 11,144.
The first tag team match in Kansas City, MO history takes place: Fred Carone & George Rigosky battled Rasputin & Steve Savage to a draw.
04-12-1938: Buffalo, NY: Broadway Auditorium: Attendance 8,549: Cowboy Luttrall defeats Pete Managoff… Don McIntyre defeats Joe Marsh… Danno O'Mahoney wrestled Felix Miquet to a Time Limit Draw… Bob Wagner defeats Ed Don George… Wladyslaw Talun defeats Pat McGill in 2 straight falls.
04-24-1938: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 10,000: Glen Wade wrestled Maurice Robert to a 20-minute draw… Chief Chewacki defeats Dan O'Connor… Don Evans defeats Felix Miquet… Montreal World Heavyweight Champion The Masked Marvel (Ted Cox) defeats Yvon Robert… The main event was 2/3 falls, but after one hour became sudden death.
05-11-1938: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 9,000: Casey Kazanjian wrestled Stan Mayslack to a 20 minute draw… Babe Zaharias defeats John Strelich… Leonardo Garcia defeats George Maloney… Tommy O'Toole defeats Laverne Baxter… Ignacio Martinez defeats Eli Fischer… Ivan Rasputin defeats Jack Donovan… Jim Londos defeats Dean Detton by DQ in 2 falls… Ali Baba defeats Jumbo Kennedy in an additional match after the main event.
05-16-1938: Leroy McGuirk defeated Danny McShain for the World Junior championship as recognized by the NWAssociation in Tulsa OK before 6,000 fans.
05-18-1938: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 9,500: Mitsugi Hamanaka defeats Bronco Valdez… Babe Zaharias wrestled Laverne Baxter to a 20 minute draw… Jack Donovan defeats Eli Fischer… Ali Baba defeats Al Billings… El Pulpo defeats Nick Campofreda… Tommy O'Toole defeats Ignacio Martinez… Leonardo Garcia defeats Louie Miller… Jim Londos defeats Dean Detton by referee stoppage. Jim Londos wins the first fall then Dean Detton is injured and can not continue.
05-31-1938: World hammer throwing champion Dr. Patrick O’Callaghan makes his pro wrestling debut defeating Cy Williams.
06-02-1938: In Washington, DC: Griffith Stadium drawing 1,000: World heavyweight champion (as recognized by the state of Maryland) Jim Londos beat Bobby Bruns. This is one of the lowest attendances ever for a show featuring Jim Londos. Griffith Stadium had been drawing over 10,000 over the years until a 1936 match between Jack Donovan pinned Mike Romano when Romano suffered a heart attack and died. After that, the attendance never topped 5,000 again.
06-09-1938: The Masked Marvel (Ted Cox) defeats Vic Christy for the Montreal AWA World title in Toronto. Toronto, Maple Leaf Gardens. Attendance 10,000. Also on the card Yvon Robert defeats John Katan.
06-15-1938: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 9,500: Raoul Lopez defeats Danny Dusek… Abe King Kong Kashey battled Nick Lutze to a 20 minute draw… Ali Baba defeats Tiny Roebuck… Chief Little Wolf defeats Ignacio (Pedro) Martinez… Tommy O'Toole defeats George Koverly by DQ… Man Mountain Dean defeats Killer Shikuma… Sandor Szabo defeats Dean Detton… World Heavyweight & Los Angeles World Heavyweight champion Bronko Nagurski defeats Joe Savoldi. Nagurski wins fall 1. Savoldi is injured in fall 2 and the referee stops the match.
06-16-1938: In Washington, DC: Griffith Stadium drawing 3,000: World heavyweight champion (as recognized by the state of Maryland) Jim Londos beat Bobby Bruns.
06-19-1938: Wahoo McDaniel is born.
06-29-1938: Indianapolis ,IN: Perry Stadium: Attendance 5,200: Milo Steinborn defeats John Doering… Dorv Roche defeats Jim Morris… Lou Thesz defeats Billy Bartush… AWA World champion Steve Casey defeats MWA World champion Everett Marshall 2 falls to 1. Casey defeats Marshall in fall 1. Marshall defeats Casey in fall 2. Casey wins fall 3 by DQ.
07-26-1938: In Boston, MA at Fenway Park drawing 5,000: Jim Wallis drew Hermie Olsen… Wladek Zbyszko pinned John Podubny… Hans Steinke pinned Joe Swan… John Maloney drew Charlie Strack… Roy Dunn drew Tommy Rae… World heavyweight champion Steve Casey beat Dick Shikat.
08-02-1938: Everette Marshall defeats Kansas World champion Lee Wyckoff in Colorado Springs, CO in a non-title match. Wyckoff, however, relinquishes his claim to the title.
08-03-1938: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 10,400 (sellout): George Koverly wrestled Tommy O'Toole to a 20-minute draw… Chief Little Wolf defeats Killer Shikuma… Nick Lutze defeats Jack Donovan… Harry Fields defeats Bobby Stewart… Stanley Mayslack defeats Rusty Westcott… Dr. Patrick O'Callaghan defeats Abe “King Kong” Kashey by Count Out… World Heavyweight & Los Angeles World Heavyweight champion Bronko Nagurski defeats Gus Sonnenberg 2 falls to 1.
08-04-1938: In Washington, DC: Griffith Stadium drawing 2,000: AWA World champion Steve Casey beat Ernie Dusek.
08-08-1938: Man Mountain Dean withdraws from his run for Legislature in Georgia.
08-17-1938: The National Wrestling Association withdraws their recognition of John Pesek as world heavyweight champion.
Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 10,400 (Sellout): El Pulpo defeats Hans Schultz… Bob Gregory defeats George Maloney… Nick Lutze defeats Bronco Valdez… Gus Sonnenberg defeats Al Sparks… Tom Zaharias defeats Stanley Mayslack… Dr. Patrick O'Callaghan wrestled George Koverly to a 20-minute draw… World Heavyweight & Los Angeles World champion Bronko Nagurski wrestled Sandor Szabo to a time limit draw after splitting one fall each.
08-18-1938: Padre de mas de cuatro (Father of more than four), a movie about a boxer and wrestler trying to get out of debt is released. This movie is noteworthy for featuring the first known plot about a wrestler, and also featuring footage shot at Arena Modelo, AKA the original Arena Mexico. This movie is not considered the first Lucha Libre movie because it doesn't follow the normal action-adventure format of the genre.
08-22-1938: Dean Detton wins the New Zealand title from Lofty Bloomfield in Auckland.
08-23-1938: Bronko Nagurski unmasks The Purple Shadow in San Francisco revealing him to be Bill Longson.
08-26-1938: In Dublin, Ireland: Danno O’Mahoney battled Steve Casey to a draw in front of 16,000 fans
09-05-1938: Bob Kenaston defeats Dude Chick in Hollywood, CA for the World Junior title.
09-10-1938: Lofty Bloomfield wins the New Zealand title over Pat Fraley in Auckland.
09-14-1938: Everette Marshall is awarded world title recognition by the National Wrestling Association at the associations 1938 annual meeting.
The AWA title splits further. Yvon Robert had taken a version of the title in 1935 to Montreal which has been defended there and in Toronto. Now Robert defeats the Masked Marvel (Ted Cox) for the title and continues it still in Montreal but Cox takes a new version to Toronto and is billed as champion there. Montreal Forum: Attendance 13,000: In other matches: Nanjo Singh defeats Maurice Robert… Mayes McLain defeats Alonzo Wood… Don Evans battled Felix Miquet to a 30 minute draw… Dick Shikat defeats Bob Langevin.
09-16-1938: EMLL: 5th Anniversary Show: in Mexico City, Mexico: Old Arena Mexico: Tarzan Lopez beat Don Hill… Pete Pancoff beat Jack O'Brien in a "super libre" match.
10-19-1938: St. Louis, MO: Municipal Auditorium: Attendance 5,669: Mike Stampolis battled Warren Bockwinkel to a 20 minute time limit draw… Joe Dusek defeats Benny Stein… Jim Coffield defeats Ray Eckert… Tom Sawyer defeats John Grandovich… Ali Baba defeats Abe Coleman… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Everett Marshall defeats Lee Wyckoff.
Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 10,000: Tiny Roebuck defeats Vic Hill… Pat Fraley wrestled Ted Christy to a 20 minute draw… Dave Levin defeats Raoul Lopez… Vic Christy defeats Cy Williams… Bob Gregory defeats Killer Shikuma… El Pulpo defeats Al Billings… Hard Boiled Haggerty (Pat McClary) defeats Nick Lutze 2 falls to 1… World Heavyweight & Los Angeles World champion Bronko Nagurski defeats Sandor Szabo.
11-1938: John Pesek is awarded recognition as Mid-West champion.
11-01-1938: In Kansas City, MO: NWAssociation World heavyweight champion Everett Marshall defeated Joe Dusek.
11-09-1938: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 10,000: Dan O'Connor defeats Otto Von Buesing… Lee Yat Wing defeats Frank Cutler… Tiny Roebuck defeats Vic Hill… Dave Levin wrestled Killer Shikuma to a 20-minute draw… Terry McGinnis wrestled Tom Zaharias to a 20-minute draw… Chief Saunooke defeats Floyd Marshall… El Pulpo defeats Bob Gregory… California State champion Sandor Szabo defeats Hard Boiled Haggerty by DQ in 2 straight falls.
11-14-1938: Jack McAdams wins the Southern Lightweight title from Eddie Williams in Atlanta, GA.
11-15-1938: Bill Longson defeats Sandor Szabo for the Pacific Coast title in San Francisco.
In Kansas City, MO: NWAssociation World heavyweight champion Everette Marshall defeated Lee Wyckoff.
11-18-1938: Jim Londos defeats Bronco Nagurski in Philadelphia, PA to win a version of the World heavyweight championship. Attendance is said to be 10,000.
11-22-1938: In Kansas City, MO: World champion Everett Marshall defeated Young Stecher (George Wilcheski)
12-01-1938: Mildred Burke regains the World Women’s title from Betty Nichols. Burke would hold the title until a controversial 1954 shoot match in Atlanta, GA.
12-05-1938: Danny McShain defeats Leroy McGuirk in Hollywood, CA to win the world lightweight title.
12-10-1938: Ray Steele wins the British Empire title from Lofty Bloomfield in Auckland, New Zealand.
12-12-1938: NFL and college football star and world champion wrestler Bronko Nagurski is granted his U.S. citizenship. Nagurski had lived virtually his whole life in the United States but was born and lived just a few miles into Canada.
12-19-1938: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 5,000: Maurice Robert defeats Joe Marsh… Mayes McLain defeats Sid Nabors… Don Evans battled Ed Don George to a 30 minute draw… Cy Williams defeats Montreal World Heavyweight champion Yvon Robert to win the title. Main event was 2/3 falls, until it passed the one hour mark with no falls. Williams wins sudden death.
Bronko Nagurski
DragonKingKarl (Karl Stern) is a long time pro wrestling historian who has been published in books, newsletters, and podcasts since the mid-1990s.
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