Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling - A Time Line of Every Major Event in Pro Wrestling History - 1943
By: Karl Stern
The year 1943 in pro wrestling is covered on the Long Form History of Pro Wrestling Podcast - Click Here.
1943
01-14-1943: Lee Wyckoff defeats Ed “Strangler” Lewis for the Midwest title in Kansas City.
01-22-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 9,862: Fred Blassie defeats Cherry Vallina… Ralph Garibaldi wrestled Warren Bockwinkel to a 20-minute draw… Herb Welch defeats Nick Elitch… Emir Badui defeats Joe Dusek… Bill Longson defeats George Koverly. Special Referee: Tony Galento.
01-23-1943: John Pesek defeats Ed “Strangler” Lewis for the Ohio Midwest title in Columbus, OH.
02-18-1943: Orville Brown wins his fourth Midwest title from Lee Wyckoff in Kansas City.
02-19-1943: Bill Longson defeats Bobby Managoff in St. Louis, MO for the National Wrestling Association world title. Managoff disputes the decision and bills himself as World champion on at least one occasion afterward. In other matches: Attendance 9,113: Herb Welch defeats Count Von Zuppe… Warren Bockwinkel defeats Dorv Roche… George Koverly defeats Al Mills… Leroy McGuirk defeats Joe Dusek… Bill Longson defeats NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bobby Managoff to win the title.
02-20-1943: Kanji “Antonio” Inoki is born in Yokohama, Japan.
02-22-1943: Bobby Managoff defends a version of the World title in Texas based on his controversial loss to Bill Longson on February 19. He leaves Texas and disclaims the world title.
03-05-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 9,287: Larry Robert (Moquin) defeats Carlos Rodriguez… Joe Dusek defeats Bad Boy Brown… Leroy McGuirk defeats George Pavich… Yvon Robert defeats Emir Badui… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Bobby Managoff.
03-18-1943: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 11,000: Nanjo Singh defeats Jan Gotch… Earl McCready defeats Pete Managoff… Red Shadow (Leo Numa) defeats Pat Fraley… Blimp Levy defeats Jerry Monahan… Whipper Billy Watson defeats Jack Claybourne.
03-19-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 8,978: Ralph Garibaldi defeats Carlos Rodriguez… Dorv Roche battled Warren Bockwinkel to a 20-minute draw… Roland Kirchmeyer defeats Joe Dusek… George Koverly defeats Ronnie Etchison… NWA World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Yvon Robert.
04-02-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 11,264: Joe Dusek battled Ronnie Etchison to a 20-minute draw… Warren Bockwinkel defeats Dorv Roche… Leroy McGuirk defeats Herb Welch… Vic Holbrook defeats Emil Dusek… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeated Bobby Managoff by count out 2 falls to 1.
04-11-1943: Harley Race is born in Quitman, MO.
04-26-1943: Gorilla Ramos defeats Billy Varga for the World lightweight title in Hollywood, CA.
04-30-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 10,004: John Swenski defeats Cherry Vallina… Joe Dusek battled Ronnie Etchison to a 20-minute draw… Warren Bockwinkel defeats Emir Badui… George Koverly defeats Orville Brown… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Leroy McGuirk.
05-10-1943: Gorgeous George defeats Jack Lipscomb in Eugene, OR to win the Northwest Pacific lightweight title.
05-17-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 8,721: Orville Brown defeats Joe Dusek… Warren Bockwinkel defeats Ronnie Etchison… Fred Blassie defeats George Pavich… Sandor Szabo defeats Everett Kibbons… NWAssociation World champion Bill Longson defeats George Koverly.
05-18-1943: Jimmy Snuka is born.
05-28-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 8,610: Fred Blassie defeats Carlos Rodríguez… Orville Brown defeats Dorv Roche by referee stoppage… Joe Savoldi battled Warren Bockwinkel to a 30-minute time limit… Leroy McGuirk defeats Roy Graham… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion… Bill Longson (c) defeats Sandor Szabo by DQ.
06-1943: Pinkie George, promoter out of Des Moines, IA, gives recognition to Ed Virag’s “National Wrestling Alliance” World title.
06-25-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 9,184: Dorv Roche battled Emil Dusek to a 20-minute draw… Ernie Dusek battled Joe Cox to a 30-minute draw… Joe Dusek defeats Roy Graham… Warren Bockwinkel defeats Al Mills… NWA World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Sandor Szabo by referee stoppage.
07-07-1943: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 10,459: Les Ryan battled Maurice Robert to a 30-minute draw… Whipper Billy Watson defeats George Linnehan… Gino Garibaldi battled John Katan to a double DQ… Montreal World Heavyweight champion Bobby Managoff defeats Yvon Robert 2 falls to 1.
07-09-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 7,696: Fred Blassie defeats George Pavich… Jack Kennedy wrestled Ralph Garibaldi to a 20-minute draw… Karl Davis defeats Babe Zaharias… Tom Zaharias defeats Joe Dusek… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Warren Bockwinkel.
07-23-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 10,197: Ralph Garibaldi defeats Fred Blassie… Dorv Roche wrestled Red Vitale to a 20-minute draw… Ace Freeman defeats Roy Welch… Ernie Dusek defeats Tom Zaharias… The Swedish Angel (Olaf Olson) defeats Emil Dusek… NWAssociation World champion Bill Longson defeats Warren Bockwinkel in 2 falls.
08-05-1943: In Montreal, QB, Canada: Delorimier Stadium drawing 15,000: Maurice Robert drew Manuel Cortez… Larry Moquin pinned Les Ryan… Andre Vadnais beat Jerry Monaghan… British Empire champion Billy Watson pinned Marv Westenberg… Montreal World champion Bobby Managoff beat Yvon Robert.
St Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 10,205: Fred Blassie defeats Whitey Whittler… Joe Dusek defeats Paul Kisselbach… Ace Freeman defeats Herb Welch… Ernie Dusek defeats Ralph Garibaldi… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats The Swedish Angel (Olaf Olson).
08-20-1943: St Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 10,561: Emil Dusek defeats Carlos Rodriguez… Joe Dusek wrestled Ralph Garibaldi to a 20 minute draw… Warren Bockwinkel defeats Red Vitale… Leroy McGuirk defeats Ace Freeman… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Ernie Dusek.
09-01-1943: Pinkie George has printed in the Iowa Sportscaster program that “Wild” Bill Longson had defeated Ed Virag for the World championship in St. Louis. This match never happened and was made up by George to strengthen Longson’s standing in the area.
09-02-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 9,296: Ralph Garibaldi defeats Bob Castle… Emil Dusek defeats Bill Canny… Warren Bockwinkel defeats Joe Dusek… Ernie Dusek defeats Jack Dillon… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Leroy McGuirk in 2 falls.
09-10-1943: “Superstar” Billy Graham (Eldridge Wayne Coleman) is born.
09-15-1943: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 13,000: Les Ryan battled Maurice Robert to a 30 minute draw… Larry Moquin defeats Tony Parkin… Earl McCready battled Gino Garibaldi to a 30 minute draw… Yvon Robert defeated Montreal World Heavyweight champion Bobby Managoff 2 falls to 1 to win the title. First fall: Robert defeats Managoff. Second fall Managoff defeats Robert. Third fall: Managoff is counted out.
09-16-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 10,229: Ace Freeman defeats Whitey Whittler… Dorv Roche wrestled Joe Dusek to a 20 minute draw… Dave Levin defeats Emil Dusek… Ernie Dusek defeats Jack Kennedy… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats The Swedish Angel (Olaf Olson).
09-22-1943: Ole Anderson (Al Rogowski) is born.
09-24-1943: EMLL: 10th Anniversary Show: in Mexico City, Mexico: Arena Coliseo drawing 10,000: El Santo beat Bobby Bonales in a mask vs. hair match.
10-07-1943: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 8,000: Pat Flanagan defeats Joe Maich… Toar Morgan wrestling Jack Claybourne to a 30 minute draw… John Katan defeats Dick Bishop… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson wrestled Whipper Billy Watson to a curfew time limit draw.
10-11-1943: Wild Red Berry defeats Gorilla Ramos for the World lightweight title in Hollywood, CA.
10-15-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 9,249: Johnny Anderson wrestled Milo Occhi to a 20 minute draw… Ralph Garibaldi defeats Carlos Rodriguez… Emil Dusek wrestled Fred Blassie to a 20 minute draw… Warren Bockwinkel defeats Jack Kennedy… Paul Jones defeats Joe Dusek… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Ernie Dusek.
10-22-1943: Pedro Morales is born.
10-24-1943: Bill Dundee (William Crookshankes) is born.
10-27-1943: Montreal, Canada: Forum: Attendance 11,000: Les Ryan wrestled Maurice Robert to a Draw… Larry Moquin defeats George Linnehan by DQ… Joe Cox defeats Pat Flanagan… Montreal World Heavyweight champion Yvon Robert defeats Bobby Managoff 2 falls to 1.
11-03-1943: Ray Steele begins being billed as “National Wrestling Alliance” World champion by Pinkie George in Des Moines.
11-04-1943: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 8,500: Nick Elitch defeats Al Dunlop… Buddy Knox defeats Mike Demitre… Earl McCready wrestled Jack Claybourne to a 30 minute draw… NWA World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson wrestled Whipper Billy Watson to a curfew time limit draw.
11-12-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 10,329: Emil Dusek defeats Jack Kennedy… Ralph Garibaldi defeats Bad Boy Brown… Ernie Dusek wrestled Warren Bockwinkel to a 30 minute draw… Vic Holbrook defeats Paul Jones… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Swedish Angel (Olaf Olson).
12-03-1943: Swedish Angel (Phil Olofson) defeats Orville Brown for the Midwest title in Kansas City.
12-09-1943: Orville Brown wins the Midwest title from the Swedish Angel (Phil Olofson) in Kansas City.
12-10-1943: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 10,366: Miguel Torres defeats Red Vitale… Kola Kwariani wrestled Emil Dusek to a draw… Roy Graham defeats Bad Boy Brown… Ernie Dusek defeats Paul Jones… NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Bill Longson defeats Vic Holbrook.
12-27-1943: Bill Eadie (Masked Superstar / Demolition Ax) is born.
Gray Mask (Possibly Cyclone Mackey) defeats Wild Red Berry for the World lightweight title in Hollywood, CA.
World Lightweight champion Gray Mask. His identity is not known though some historians believe he may be the wrestler Cyclone Mackey)
Orville Brown
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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