Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling - A Time Line of Every Major Event in Pro Wrestling History - 1942
By: Karl Stern
The year 1942 is covered on the Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - Click Here.
1942
01-23-1942: Buffalo, NY: Memorial Auditorium: Attendance 13,046 (record crowd): George Koverly wrestled Tommy O'Toole to a time limit draw… Wladyslaw Talun defeats Joe Marsh… Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeats John Grandovich… Lou Thesz defeats Tony Kawka… George Macricostas wrestled Steve Casey to a Time Limit Draw… AWA World Heavyweight champion The French Angel defeats Joe Cox.
02-02-1942: Jack Veneno is born Rafael Sanchez February 2, 1942, in San Jose de Ocoa, Dominican Republic. Veneno would have a brief and largely unrecognized reign as NWA World heavyweight champion in 1983 when champion Ric Flair did a clean pinfall loss to him in the Dominican Republic in order to avoid a riot.
02-11-1942: Tarzán López (Carlos Lopez) defeated Black Guzman in Mexico City, Mexico to win the NWAssociation World Middleweight title.
02-17-1942: Juan Humberto defeats Bobby Managoff in Dallas, TX to win the Texas title. The belt would later become the NWA Texas title and have a long history lasting until 1990.
02-19-1942: Bill Longson defeats Sandor Szabo in St. Louis, MO for the National Wrestling Association World title. Attendance was 7,461.
03-05-1942: Babe Kasaboski defeats Morris Sahpiro via DQ to win the Florida Junior heavyweight title in Jacksonville, FL.
Tom Zaharias defeats Orville Brown for the Midwest title in Kansas City.
St. Louis, MO: Municipal Auditorium: Attendance 9,667: John Grandovich defeats Jack Reeder… Am Rascher battled Joe Dusek to a 20 minute draw… Warren Bockwinkel defeats Ray Eckert by DQ… Ali Baba defeats Alf Johnson… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Ray Steele.
03-15-1939: The Iron Sheik (Karasow Vazari) is born.
03-19-1942: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 11,000: Roland Kirchmeyer defeats Pat Healy… John Katan defeats Tommy O'Toole… Earl McCready wrestled Ed Don George to a 30 minute draw… Lou Thesz defeats Rudy Patek… The French Angel (Maurice Tillet) defeats Ed “Strangler” Lewis.
03-20-1942: St Louis, MO: Municipal Auditorium: Attendance 8,668: Vic Hill defeats Bob Castle… John Grandovich battled Vic Holbrook to a 20 minute draw… Chief Little Wolf defeats Joe Dusek… Ray Eckert battled Vic Christy to a 30 minute draw… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Sandor Szabo 2 falls to 1 with special referee Ed “Strangler” Lewis.
Buffalo, NY: Memorial Auditorium: Attendance 10,047: Earl McCready wrestled Rudy Patek to Time Limit Draw… Abe Coleman defeats Tony Kawka… Wladyslaw Talun defeats Tommy O'Toole… Lou Thesz defeats Roland Kirchmeyer… AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Maurice Tillet defeats Yvon Robert.
03-24-1942: Sam Muchnick runs an opposition wrestling show against Tom Packs under threat of being arrested for running without a license. Muchnick obtains a court injunction and runs anyway at the St. Louis arena. Muchnick obtained wrestlers from Ed White, Jack Pfeffer, Max Baumann, and Billy Sandow.
04-08-1942: An attendance record is set for St. Louis, MO with a crowd of 12,896 to see Bill Longson (managed by Ray Steele) retain the NWAssociation World title over Ed “Strangler” Lewis by pinfall with Jack Dempsey as referee. The newspaper calls Stranger Lewis “fat and 50”.
04-21-1942: Superman II defeats Orville Brown for the Midwest title. Superman II is unmasked during the match revealing himself to be NWAssociation champion Bill Longson.
04-24-1942: Buffalo, NY: Memorial Auditorium: Attendance 8,944: Earl McCready wrestled Rudy LaDitzi to a Time Limit Draw… Steve Casey defeats Tony Kawka… Roland Kirchmeyer defeats Rudy Patek… Leo Numa defeats Lee Henning by Count Out… Joe Cox wrestled Vic Christy to a Time Limit Draw… AWA World Heavyweight champion The French Angel (Maurice Tillet) defeats Lou Thesz.
04-28-1942: Ed Virag (Ede Ebner) defeats Roy Dunn for the “National Wrestling Alliance” World title in Wichita, KS.
05-08-1942: George Wagner (AKA: Gorgeous George) wins the California light heavyweight title from Wild Red Berry in Santa Monica.
St Louis, MO: Municipal Auditorium: Attendance 8,009: Joe Millich defeats Vic Hill… Dorv Roche battled Warren Bockwinkel to a 30 minute draw… George Koverly defeats Jack Hader… Ray Eckert battled Vic Holbrook to a 30 minute draw… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Lou Thesz by DQ.
05-13-1942: Steve Casey defeats The French Angel (Maurice Tillet) for the American Wrestling Association World title in Boston, MA.
05-15-1942: Sam Muchnick is drafted into the Army. He spends the next two years working on the Panama Canal.
05-25-1942: Buffalo, NY: Memorial Auditorium: Attendance 14,229 (sellout, new record crowd). Reported 3,000 turned away: Leo Numa wrestled Roland Kirchmeyer to a Time Limit Draw… Marvin Westenberg defeats Tony Kawka… Len Macaluso defeats Gus Sonnenberg by Count Out… George Macricostas wrestled Steve Casey to a Time Limit Draw (Steve Casey is the reigning AWA World champion but this was not mentioned as being a title match)… Billy Hanson wrestled Lou Thesz to a draw… The French Angel (Maurice Tillet) defeats Wladyslaw Talun
06-04-1942: St Louis, MO: Municipal Auditorium: Attendance 7,110: Lee Henning defeats Vic Hill… Rudy LaDitzi battled Warren Bockwinkel to a 30 minute draw… Chief Little Wolf defeats George Koverly by DQ… Vic Holbrook defeats Ernie Dusek… NWA World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Lou Thesz.
06-21-1942: Black Shadow makes his debut under the name Jungla Cruz against Rito Romero.
06-25-1942: Orville Brown wins his third Midwest title from Tom Zaharias in Kansas City.
07-15-1942: Mil Mascaras (Aaron Rodriguez) is born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
07-17-1942: St Louis, MO: Municipal Auditorium (wasn't named the Kiel until 1943) Attendance 8,782: Fred Blassie defeats Carlos Rodriguez… Warren Bockwinkel defeats Joe Dusek… Dorv Roche battled Ernie Dusek to a 20 minute draw… George Koverly defeats Emil Dusek… Chief Little Wolf battled Ray Steele to a 30 minute draw… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Vic Holbrook by count out 2 falls to 1.
07-22-1942: Bill Longson defeated Orville Brown to retain the NWAssociation World title and to win the MWA (Mid-West) World title. Des Moines IA: Riverview Park: Attendance 2,000: Cowboy Luttrall battled Hans Schultz to a draw… Babe Zaharias defeats Don McIntyre… Gene Bowman defeats Jack Kennedy.
07-26-1942: Rodolfo Guzman Huertas, who had previously wrestled under several different names, debuts his new identity of the masked El Santo in an eight man battle royal at Arena Mexico in Mexico City. El Santo won the battle royal and went on to become one of the most well known and respected luchadores in history.
08-07-1942: Masa “Mr.” Saito (Masanori Saito) is born.
08-12-1942: John Grandovich defeats Ed Virag for the “National Wrestling Alliance” World title in Topeka, KS.
08-19-1942: Montreal, Canada: Forum: Attendance 14,000: Les Ryan battled George Linnehan to a 20 minute draw… Ignacio Martinez defeats Jerry Monahan… Ray Steele battled Gus Sonnenberg to a 30 minute draw… NWAssociation World champion Bill Longson defeats Montreal World champion Yvon Robert to hold both titles. Robert won the 1st fall. Longson won the 2nd. Longson won the 3rd by count out.
Rube Wright defeats Swedish Angel (Philip Olofson) in Los Angeles, CA in a match billed for the California State title.
08-20-1942: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 10,000: NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Whipper Billy Watson.
08-27-1942: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 10,000: Roland Kirchmeyer wrestled Jan Gotch to a 20 minute draw… John Katan defeats Rudy Patek… Pedro Martinez defeats Pete Managoff… Ray Steele defeats Nanjo Singh by DQ… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson wrestled Whipper Billy Watson to a time limit draw.
09-1942: Promoter Ed White retires leaving Fred Kohler as the head promoter in Chicago, IL.
09-25-1942: EMLL: 9th Anniversary Show: in Mexico City, Mexico: Arena Coliseo: Lobo Negro & Tarzan Lopez beat El Santo & Charro Aguayo.
10-07-1942: Montreal, Canada: Forum: Attendance 15,029: Frank Valois battled Jean Pusie to a 30 minute draw… Larry Moquin defeats Jim Spencer… Nanjo Singh battled Ray Steele to a 30 minute draw… Montreal World champion Yvon Robert defeats NWAssociation World champion Bill Longson 2 falls to 1 to hold both championships.
10-13-1942: Herb Welch defeats Gus Johnson in Nashville, TN for the Nick Gulas & Roy Welch promoted World Junior title.
10-22-1942: Montreal, Canada: Forum: Attendance 10,000: Art LeGrand battled Joe Devalteau to a 20 minute draw… Nanjo Singh defeats Frank Valois by referee's decision… Danno O'Mahoney defeats Billy Hanson… NWAssociation World & Montreal World Heavyweight champion Yvon Robert defeats Bill Longson. Longson wins the 1st fall. Robert wins the 2nd fall. Longson is injured and forfeits the 3rd fall.
10-26-1942: Ed Virag wins his second “National Wrestling Alliance” World title from John Grandovich in Wichita, KS.
11-05-1942: Orville Brown meets Ed “Strangler” Lewis in Kansas City and loses to Lewis but the outcome is controversial. The match was for Brown’s Midwest title and Brown is allowed to keep the belt but a rematch is set for November 26.
11-10-1942: Hallie Samara defeats King Kong Clayton for the Kentucky Negro title in Louisville, KY.
11-26-1942: Ed “Strangler” Lewis wins the Midwest title from Orville Brown in Kansas City.
11-27-1942: Bobby Managoff defeats Yvon Robert in Houston, TX for the NWAssociation World title.
Buffalo, NY: Memorial Auditorium: Attendance 10,074: Len Macaluso defeats Ed Barnes… Ignacio (Pedro) Martinez defeats Pete Managoff by Count Out… Earl McCready wrestled Frank Sexton to a Time Limit Draw… Pat Fraley defeats Jack Wentworth… Walter Sirois wrestled Whipper Billy Watson to a Time Limit Draw… The French Angel defeats The Swedish Angel
12-09-1942: Boston, MA: Arena: Attendance 8,000: Tiger Tasker defeats Walter Lipson… George Linnehan wrestled Les Ryan to a Time Limit Draw… Billy Hanson wrestled Rebel Russell to a Time Limit Draw… Leo Numa defeats Winn Robbins… Special Referee: Steve Casey: The French Angel defeats The Swedish Angel 2 falls to 1.
12-17-1942: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 10,000: Nanjo Singh defeats Wild Man Zimm… Pat Fraley wrestled Pedro Martinez to a 20 minute draw… Earl McCready defeats Andy Meixner… Whipper Billy Watson defeats Walter Sirois… The French Angel (Maurice Tillet) defeats The Swedish Angel (Olaf Olson).
Yvon Robert
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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