Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling - A Time Line of Every Major Event in Pro Wrestling History - 1951
By: Karl Stern
The year 1951 in pro wrestling is covered on the Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - click here.
1951
01-07-1951: Chavo Guerrero, Sr. (Salvador Guerrero) is born the son of Salvador “Gory” Guerrero.
01-13-1951: In Milwaukee, WI at the Auditorium: Mighty Atlas defeated Gypsy Joe… Sky Low Low defeated Mighty Fritz… Ada Ash defeated Juanita Coffman… Walter Palmer & Billy Goelz defeated Al Williams & Rudy Kay by DQ. Attendance: 6,000
01-18-1951: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 11,000: Les Ryan defeats Jack Wentworth… Kay Bell defeats Abe Zvonkin… Seelie Samara wrestled Earl McCready to a 30 minute draw… Lord Athol Layton defeats Wee Willie Davis… Masked Manager (Mayes McLain) & Masked Marvel (Lou Newman) defeat Pat Flanagan & Whipper Billy Watson by DQ.
01-19-1951: Chicago, IL: Stadium: Attendance 8,141: Gene Stanlee defeats The Golden Superman (Walter Podolak)… Frankie Talaber defeats George Macricostas… Jackie Nichols & Jimmy Valentine (Johnny ) defeat Fred Bozic & Ali Pasha 2 falls to none… Don Eagle wrestled Antonino Rocca to a one hour draw… Jim Londos defeats Hard Boiled Haggerty 2 falls to none.
01-23-1951: Pinkie George incorporates the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) in Iowa for tax purposes.
01-24-1951: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 15,094: Lee Henning defeats Hugh Shannon… Ernie Dusek defeats Manuel Cortez… Fred Atkins defeats Eddie Auger… Montreal World Heavyweight champion Bobby Managoff defeats Great Togo by DQ 2 falls to 1. Special Referee: Jack Sharkey. Newspapers report this as a new record crowd.
01-25-1951: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 13,000: Abe Zvonkin wrestled George Scott to a draw… Earl McCready wrestled Wee Willie Davis to a draw… Fred Atkins defeated Kay Bell… Lord Athol Layton defeated Lee Henning… Pat Flanagan & Whipper Billy Watson wrestled The Masked Manager (Mayes McLain) & The Masked Marvel (Lou Newman) to a curfew time limit draw.
01-26-1951: Chicago, IL: International Amphitheater: Attendance: Attendance 7,536: Hombre Montana defeats Art Von Saxon… Ramon Cernandes wrestled Walter Palmer to a 30 minute draw… Sky Low Low & Tom Thumb defeat Mighty Fritz & Pee Wee James… Cyclone Anaya wrestled Mighty Atlas to a 30 minute draw… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz wrestled Buddy Rogers to a draw after splitting one fall each. The final fall went to the time limit.
02-20-1951: Dos Caras (Jose Luis Rodriguez) is born. He is the brother of Mil Mascaras and El Sicodelico. He is the father of future WWE champion Alberto del Rio.
03-03-1951: In Milwaukee, WI at the Auditorium: NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Mighty Atlas.
03-06-1951: In Atlanta, GA: Johnny Long defeated the Red Devil and unmasked him as Jack Jordan.
03-16-1951: St Louis, MO: Arena: Attendance 17,796: Mighty Titan wrestled Herman Krauser to a 20 minute draw… Sky Low Low defeats Sonny Boy Cassidy… Bill Longson & Lord Pinkerton defeat Dick Raines & Ivan Rasputin 2 falls to 1… Lone Eagle wrestled Jungle Boy (Lou Bertucci) to a 30 minute draw… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Buddy Rogers.
03-25-1951: Jumbo Tsuruta (Tomomi Tsuruta) is born in Makioka, Yamanishi Prefecture, Japan.
03-26-1951: St. Louis, MO: Arena: Attendance: 12,000: This was a benefit show for a St Louis police officer, AJ Nelke, who was shot and paralyzed. The show raised $19,824 for him and his family. Jim Lewis wrestled Bill Merrick to a draw… Leo Zinn defeats Gus Bouras by DQ… Joe Millich wrestled Jim Dobie to a draw… Little Beaver defeats Irish Jackie… Ralph Garibaldi & John Mercurio defeat Jose Carillo & Larry Wilson… Bill Longson defeats Fred Blassie… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats George Koverly.
04-03-1951: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 7,854: Steve Gob defeats Frank Marconi… George Bollas defeats Tony Angelo… Ray Gunkel defeats Hans Hermann by DQ… NWA World champion Lou Thesz wrestled Verne Gagne to a time limit draw.
04-10-1951: San Francisco, CA: Winterland: Attendance 8,000 (turn away crowd): Antone Leone defeats Chico Gracia… Warren Bockwinkel defeats Pat Fraley… Larry Moquin defeats Kola Kwariani in 2 falls… Leo Nomellini & Antonino Rocca defeat Jack Kennedy & Hard Boiled Haggerty (Lew Rehyneer) in 2 falls.
04-13-1951: St Louis, MO: Arena: Attendance 12,183: Otto Kuss wrestled Dick Raines to a 20 minute draw… Mighty Titan defeats Great Togo… Bill Longson & Earl McCready & Ted Christy defeat Ray Eckert & Ivan Rasputin & Ernie Hefner 2 falls to 1… Lone Eagle wrestled Elephant Boy to a 30 minute draw… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Buddy Rogers.
04-21-1951: In Milwaukee, WI at the Auditorium: Mighty Atlas defeated Gypsy Joe… Verne Gagne defeated Billy Goelz… Mildred Burke defeated Ella Waldek… Al Williams & Rudy Kay defeated Hans & Fritz Schnabel. Attendance: 5,147.
05-04-1951: Louisville, KY: Jefferson County Armory: Attendance 8,000: Fred Davis wrestled Stu Gibson to a Draw… Ivan Rasputin defeats Freddie Blassie… Bill Longson & Fred Blassie & Fred Davis defeat Dutch Hefner & Ivan Rasputin & Stu Gibson… World Women's champion Mildred Burke defeats Mae Young 2 falls to 1… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Pete Managoff in 2 straight falls.
05-05-1951: Buddy Rogers appears on the cover of TV Guide magazine.
05-09-1951: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Sammy Berg defeats Al Tucker… Chris Zaharias wrestled Les Ryan to a draw… Yvon Robert defeats Steve Stanlee… Buddy Rogers defeats Montreal World Heavyweight champion Bobby Managoff to win the title. After no falls in an hour the match went to sudden death.
05-17-1951: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 12,000: Natie Brown defeats Tony Lanza… Sonny Kurgis wrestled Earl McCready to a 20 minute draw… Fred Atkins wrestled Lou Sjoberg to a 20 minute draw… Great Togo defeats Johnny Walker (Not the later Mr. Wrestling II)… Mayes McLain & Sky Hi Lee & Masked Marvel (Lou Newman) defeat Pat Flanagan & Chief Sunni War Cloud & Whipper Billy Watson.
05-24-1951: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 12,000: The Great Togo defeats Sonny Kurgis… Six Man Tag Team With Three Referees Match: Pat Flanagan & Whipper Billy Watson & Yukon Eric defeat Sky Hi Lee & Mayes McLain & The Masked Marvel (Lou Newman).
05-30-1951: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 10,000: Billy Darnell wrestled Bobby Nelson to a 20 minute draw… Sandor Kovacs wrestled Tiny Mills to a 30 minute draw… Sammy Berg defeats Lee Henning… Montreal World Heavyweight champion Buddy Rogers wrestled Bobby Managoff to a double count out after splitting one fall each.
05-1951: Spike Peterson (Curtis Peterson) dies after breaking his neck in a match against Sam Abraham in Richland, VA.
06-12-1951: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 8.837: Pat O'Connor defeats Roy McClarity… Dick Raines wrestled Otto Kuss to a 30 minute draw… Leo Nomellini defeats Howard Cantowine… Gorgeous George defeats Abe Kashey.
06-23-1951: Following a match against Rito Romero in Angleton, TX, Sonny Myers is stabbed by a fan and is nearly killed. It took 258 stitches to close the wound.
06-26-1951: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 9,146: Otto Kuss wrestled Pat O'Connor to a 30 minute draw… Nell Stewart defeats Carol Cook… Abe Kashey defeats Butch Levy by DQ… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Bronko Nagurski with special referee: Jack Morgan.
07-1951: The eighteen year old adopted daughter of World Women’s champion Mildred Burke dies from a blood clot on the brain following a tag team match in Ohio.
07-06-1951: A show at Memorial Auditorium draws 5,435 in Buffalo, NY: Great Togo defeated Ron Etchison… Nanjo Singh defeated Dick Trout… Johnny Barend defeated Tony Verdi… Don Beitelman defeated Zorra… Sandor Kovacs defeated Benito Gardini.
07-13-1951: A show at Memorial Auditorium draws 11,661 in Buffalo, NY: Great Togo defeated Nanjo Singh... Lord Blears defeated Donn Lewin... Ron Etchison went to a draw with Sandor Kovacs... Johnny Barend defeated Sheik Emir Badui... Jim Wright went to a draw with Dick Trout.
Montreal, Canada: Delorimier Stadium: Attendance 12,000: Fernand Payette defeats Al Tucker… Tiny Mills defeats Chris Zaharias… Eddie Auger & Larry Moquin defeat Ivan Rasputin & Rudy Dusek 2 falls to 1… Yvon Robert defeats Montreal World Heavyweight champion Buddy Rogers by referee stoppage to win the title. Rogers won the first fall. Robert won the second. The third was stopped due to injury to Buddy Rogers.
07-20-1951: Buffalo, NY: Memorial Auditorium: Attendance: 9,024: Lord James Blears defeated Great Togo via reversed decision… Ronnie Etchison defeated Chester Hayes… Benito Gardini defeated Tony Verdi… Don Beitelman defeated Steve Kloc… Joe Muscato battled Jim Wright to a draw… Henry Steele battled George Butler to a draw.
08-18-1951: In Milwaukee, WI at the Auditorium: Verne Gagne defeated Mighty Atlas… Gypsy Joe battled George Dusette to a draw… Ada Ash defeated Peggy Lee… Carl Engstrom defeated Al Szasz… Billy Goelz defeated Leo Kirilenko. Attendance: 5,000.
08-23-1951: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 12,000: Dan O'Connor wrestled Bill Stack to a 20 minute draw… Great Zorra defeats Tommy O'Toole… Timothy Geohagen defeats Fred Atkins by DQ… Zebra Kid defeats Yukon Eric by count out… Lord Athol Layton wrestled Masked Marvel (Lou Newman) to a time limit draw.
08-29-1951: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 10,000: Les Ryan defeats Tiny Mills… Ivan Rasputin wrestled Sammy Berg to a draw… Mike Mazurki defeats Bobby Nelson… Larry Moquin & Manuel Cortez defeat Al Lovelock & Joe Christie… Montreal World Heavyweight champion Yvon Robert wrestled Buddy Rogers to a curfew time limit draw after splitting one fall each.
09-07-1951: The annual NWA meeting is held at the Mayo Hotel in Tulsa, OK. The total NWA membership is up to 36 promotions at this point.
09-21-1951: EMLL: 18th Anniversary Show: in Mexico City, Mexico: Old Arena Mexico drawing 10,000: Emilio Charles drew Murcielago Velasquez… Fernando Oses beat Jalisco Gonzales… El Santo beat The Black Shadow… Bobby Bonales beat Cavernario Galindo… Enrique Llanes beat Sugi Sito to win the NWA World Middleweight title.
09-30-1951: The Torii Oasis Shriner's Club of Tokyo: NWA members Al Karasick (Honolulu) and Joe Malcewicz (San Francisco) in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall: Ovira Asselin drew Bobby Bruns… Harold Sakata beat Casey Berger… Len Hall beat Andre Adoree in three falls.
10-14-1951: The Torii Oasis Shriner's Club of Tokyo: NWA members Al Karasick (Honolulu) and Joe Malcewicz (San Francisco) in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall: Ovira Asselin drew Harold Sakata… Andre Adoree beat Casey Berger… Andre Adoree & Harold Sakata beat Ovira Asselin & Bobby Bruns.
10-15-1951: Rikidozan, Masahiko Kimura, Toshio Yamaguchi, and Koukichi Endo begin training at the Shriner’s Club for pro wrestling.
10-24-1951: In one of the most famous shooting matches in history, Masahiko Kimura, a Jiu Jitsu master from Japan defeats Helio Gracie, the patriarch of the famous Gracie family in Brazil with the Brazilian President in attendance.
10-26-1951: In Milwaukee, WI at the Arena: NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz battled Verne Gagne to a draw… Wladek "Tarzan" Kowalski (Killer Kowalski) defeated Chest Bernard by DQ… Billy Goelz & Johnny Balbo defeated Gypsy Joe & Al Williams… Adele Antone defeated Dot Dotson. Attendance: 5,200.
10-28-1951: The Torii Oasis Shriner's Club of Tokyo: NWA members Al Karasick (Honolulu) and Joe Malcewicz (San Francisco) in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall: drawing 10,000: Bobby Bruns drew Rikidozan. This was Rikidozan's debut match… Ovira Asselin beat Casey Berger in two straight falls… Andre Adoree drew Harol Sakata… Ovira Asselin & Bobby Bruns beat Harold Sakata & Red Vagnone.
11-01-1951: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 12,000: Jack Wentworth wrestled Dave Sims to a 20 minute draw… Pat Flanagan wrestled Mike Paidousis to a double count out… Chief Sunni War Cloud defeats Myron Cox… Tarzan Zorra wrestled Timothy Geohagen to a 30 minute draw… NWA British Empire Heavyweight champion Whipper Billy Watson defeats Lord Athol Layton by DQ in a match with two referees.
11-08-1951: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 14,000: Sumo Match: Onoumi defeats Yaketayama… Sumo Match: Maedayama besiegt Onoumi… Sumo Match
Yaketayama defeated Fujitayama… Sonny Kurgis wrestled George Scott to a draw… Wladek (Killer) Kowalski defeats Dan O'Connor… Tarzan Zorra wrestled Mike Paidousis to a draw… NWA British Empire champion Whipper Billy Watson defeats Lord Athol Layton.
11-11-1951: The Torii Oasis Shriner's Club of Tokyo: NWA members Al Karasick (Honolulu) and Joe Malcewicz (San Francisco) in Tokyo, Japan: Korakuen Stadium drawing 15,000: There were six three-round boxing exhibitions. Ovira Asselin drew Rikidozan… Bobby Bruns beat Red Vagnone in three falls… Andrew Adoree drew Harold Sakata… Joe Louis presented a boxing exhibition going one round each with Willie Polite, Lee Giles, Jim Hickey, Buck Decordova, Nat Gray, and Allan Williams.
11-14-1951: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 15,233: Gene Stanlee wrestled Les Ryan to a Time Limit Draw… Sammy Berg wrestled Manuel Cortez to a Time Limit Draw… Billy Darnell defeats Sky Hi Lee… Wladek “Killer” Kowalski defeats Yukon Eric by Count Out 2 falls to 1.
11-16-1951: St Louis, MO: Arena: Attendance 13,160: Ivan Rasputin & Pete Managoff defeat Bert Rubi & Chief Big Heart 2 falls to 1… Tiny Roe defeated Tom Thumb… Gene Stanlee defeats Ben Morgan… Wladek (Killer) Kowalski defeats Barney Bernard… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Bill Longson.
Buffalo, NY at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium the 13th Annual Parade of Champions show takes place. The show was a sellout. It should also be noted that while called the “Parade of Champions” it appears there were no actual champions or title matches on the show. 2,000 people were reported to be turned away: Vic Christy defeats Dick Trout… Len Hughes wrestled Sandor Kovacs to a Time Limit Draw… Farmer Jones defeats Danny Dusek… Danny McShain defeats Kenny Ackles… Yukon Eric defeats Strangler Ed White… Great Togo defeats Johnny Barend by Count Out.
11-18-1951: Joe Louis participates in an outdoor show at Korakuen Stadium which sees Rikidozan battle Obira Asselin to a ten minute draw.
11-19-1951: Danny McShain defeats Verne Gagne in Memphis, TN for the NWA World Junior title.
12-01-1951: In Milwaukee, WI at the Arena: Mighty Atlas defeated Tarzan Kowalski (Killer Kowalski) … Walter Palmer & Don Beitelman defeated Chest Bernard by DQ in a handicap match. Palmer & Beitelman substituted for Verne Gagne whose plane was fogged in and he could not make it… Walter Palmer & Don Beitelman defeated Ivan Rasputin & Benito Gardini by DQ… Don Marlin battled Rudy Kay to a draw. Attendance: 8,700.
12-03-1951: Riki Choshu (Mitsuo Yushido) is born.
12-08-1951: In Chicago, IL at the Marigold: Attendance: 10,000: Verne Gagne battled NWA World champion Lou Thesz to a one hour draw.
12-05-1951: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 14,380: Les Ryan wrestled Maurice Robert to a Draw… Manuel Cortez defeats Hugh Shannon… Whipper Billy Watson defeats Karl Von Schober… Special Referees Sammy Mack & Jack Dempsey: Buddy Rogers & Great Togo defeat Billy Darnell & Yvon Robert 2 falls to 1.
12-06-1951: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 12,000: Tarzan Zorra wrestled Suni War Cloud to a time limit draw… Bobo Brazil defeats Abe Zvonkin… Timothy Geohagen defeats Mike Paidousis… Hans Hermann defeats George Scott… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz wrestled Whipper Billy Watson to a double count out.
Rikidozan
DragonKingKarl (Karl Stern) is a long time pro wrestling historian who has been published in books, newsletters, and podcasts since the mid-1990s.
The Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling Zone is Karl Stern's attempt to chronicle the entire history of pro wrestling and is a work in progress with hundreds of pages of text added each month.
Please spread the word about the Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling project and support this website on Patreon to help it continue to grow and build.
Pro wrestling history. The history of professional wrestling. Timeline of pro wrestling history.
If you found this article interesting consider becoming a Patreon supporter. That is how When It Was Cool keeps our website and podcasts online, plus you get lots of bonus content including extra and extended podcasts, articles, digital comics, ebooks, and much more. Check out our Patreon Page to see what's up!
If you don't want to use Patreon but still want to support When It Was Cool then how about a one time $5 PayPal donation? Thank you!
