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Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling - A Time Line of Every Major Event in Pro Wrestling History - 1952

By: Karl Stern

The year 1952 in pro wrestling is covered on the Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - Click Here.

1952

01-03-1952: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 10,000: Jim Wright wrestled Sandor Kovacs to a 20 minute draw… Hans Hermann defeats Stan Mayslack… Bobo Brazil defeats Mike Paidousis… Warren Bockwinkel wrestled Fred Atkins to a 30 minute draw… Whipper Billy Watson & Yukon Eric defeat George Bolas & Lord Athol Layton.

01-06-1952: A meeting of the NWA Board of Directors takes place in St. Louis, MO to cover the topic of regional promoters recognizing only the NWA World and NWA World Junior champions. Specifically, Paul Bowser, who promoted Don Eagle as the Eastern heavyweight champion was told to push NWA World champion Lou Thesz ahead of Eagle.

01-11-1952: St Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 11,737: Al Lovelock & Vincent Lopez defeat Dutch Hefner & Chris Zaharias 2 falls to 1… Alo Leilani defeats Babe Zaharias… Yukon Eric defeats Frederick Von Schacht… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Mighty Atlas (Morris Shapiro).

01-12-1952: In Milwaukee, WI at the Auditorium: Verne Gagne defeated Mighty Atlas… Tarzan Kowalski (Killer Kowalski) defeated Frederich Von Schacht… Johnny Balbo defeated Billy Goelz… Ivan Rasputin & Rudy Kay defeated Walter Palmer & Don Marlin. Attendance: 6,800

01-14-1952: At Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 9,000: Antonino Rocca battled Primo Carnera to a draw… NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Bobby Managoff… Gene Stanlee defeated Gregory Jarque… Ilio DiPaolo defeated Adrien Baillargeon… Dick Steinborn defeated Mike Clancy… Don Leo Jonathan defeated Kola Kwariani… Ace Freeman battled Arnold Skaaland to a draw. This was the first defense of the NWA World title at Madison Square Garden even though it wasn’t specifically billed as that. Whenever Lou Thesz appeared here he was billed as “recognized by the NWA” or “St. Louis champion” or something like that but never specifically for the “NWA World title”. The New York State Athletic commission still didn’t recognize title matches at this point.

01-17-1952: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 13,000: Sandor Kovacs wrestled Stan Mayslack to a 20 minute draw… Great Zorra wrestled Jim Wright to a 20 minute draw… Bob Wagner defeats Sunni War Cloud… Fred Atkins defeats Timothy Geohagan… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Hans Hermann by DQ with special referee: Bobby Managoff.

01-18-1952: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 9,589: Pete Managoff defeats Finice Hall… Ray Eckert defeats Jimmy Coffield… Frank Taylor wrestled Vincent Lopez to a Time Limit Draw… Bobby Managoff defeats Ivan Rasputin… Wladek (Killer) Kowalski defeats Whipper Billy Watson by Count Out.

01-24-1952: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 14,000 Daily Star (or 12,997 according to the Globe & Mail): Warren Bockwinkel wrestled Steve Stanlee to a 20 minute draw… Pat Flanagan wrestled Jim Wright to a 20 minute draw… Bobo Brazil defeats Mayes McLain… Bob Wagner defeats Timothy Geohagan… Hans Hermann defeats Yukon Eric by count out.

01-25-1952: In Chicago, IL at the Amphitheater in front of 11,000 fans, NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz battled Verne Gagne to a one hour draw. Thesz won the first fall and Gagne gained the second fall. With one fall apiece the pair wrestled to the sixty-minute time limit. The Chest (Barney Bernard) defeated Tarzan White… Alo Leilani beat Al Williams by DQ… Don Beitelman (later Don Curtis) & Walter Palmer beat Chris Zaharias & Ivan Rasputin… Elephant Boy (Tony Olivas) battled Balk Estes to a draw.

01-30-1952: Joe “Toots” Mondt, Milo Steinborn, and Rudy Miller sell the Manhattan Booking Agency to Pedro Martinez.

01-29-1952: In San Francisco, CA NWA World tag team champions Mike & Ben Sharpe wrestle just a few hours after their father had been killed in a fall at his home in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The Sharpes defeated Leo Nomellini & Hombre Montana at Winterland Arena before a standing room only crowed that grossed $12,159. Digby Sharpe, 58 year old father of the champions, slipped on the basement steps the day before while going to tend the furnace and was killed.

02-03-1952: Rikidozan travels to Hawaii and trains with Oki Shikina.

02-06-1952: Enrique Llanes vacates the NWA World Middleweight title when he quits EMLL over his treatment. The title lays vacant until 1952.

02-07-1952: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 10,000: Stan Mayslack wrestled Johnny Walker (not the later Mr. Wrestling II) to a 20-minute draw… Warren Bockwinkel wrestled Sandor Kovacs to a 20-minute draw… Lu Kim defeats Chief Sunni War Cloud… Great Zorra wrestled Fred Atkins to a 30-minute draw… NWA British Empire Heavyweight champion Hans Hermann defeats Whipper Billy Watson by DQ.

02-12-1952: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 8,497: Pat McGill wrestled Tarzan White to a 30-minute draw… George Bollas defeats Jim Henry… Pat O'Connor defeats Firpo Zbyszko… Wladek (Killer) Kowalski defeats Tiny Mills.

02-17-1952: Rikidozan wins his first United States match by defeating Chief Little Wolf at Honolulu Civic Auditorium.

02-20-1952: Joe “Toots” Mondt resigns from the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).

02-22-1952: St Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 11,228: Alo Leilani defeats Pete Managoff… Dutch Hefner wrestled Al Lovelock to a 20-minute draw… Mike Mazurki & Ray Eckert defeat Vincent Lopez & Whipper Billy Watson 2 falls to 1… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Bobby Managoff.

02-26-1952: Huracan Ramirez (Hurricane Ramirez) - The first in a series of films about the crime-fighting masked hero is released. That same year the Luchador Daniel Garcia Arteaga would start wrestling as the character.

Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 8,551: Johnny Moochy wrestled Walter Kameroff to a draw… Tiny Mills defeats Jim Henry… Fred Von Schacht defeats Pat McGill… Verne Gagne defeats George Bollas with special referee Bronko Nagurski.

03-01-1952: In Milwaukee, WI at the Arena: NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Tarzan Kowalski (Killer Kowalski)… Verne Gagne defeated Frederich Von Schacht… Violet Viann & Carol Cook defeated Lorraine Johnson & Jean Kennedy… Rudy Kay battled Don Beitelman to a draw. Attendance was a new indoor attendance record for the Milwaukee Arena: 12,821

03-05-1952: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 10,000: Andre Drapp wrestled Marcel Paradis to a Draw… Pat Flanagan defeats Rebel Russell by DQ… Bull Curry wrestled Eddie Auger to a Time Limit Draw… The Dusek Brothers (Emil Dusek & Ernie Dusek) defeat Whipper Billy Watson & Yukon Eric by DQ 2 falls to 1.

03-07-1952: St. Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 11,518: Dick Dusek wrestled Dutch Hefner to a Time Limit Draw… Al Lovelock & Chief Big Heart & Vincent Lopez defeat Frank Taylor & Ivan Rasputin & Joe Dusek 2 falls to 1… Mike Mazurki wrestled Whipper Billy Watson to a Time Limit Draw… Verne Gagne defeats Ray Eckert.

03-12-1952: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 10,000: Bull Curry wrestled Manuel Cortez to a Draw… Eddie Auger defeats Rebel Russell by DQ… Larry Moquin defeats Wee Willie Davis… Special Referee: Jack Dempsey: Whipper Billy Watson & Yukon Eric defeat The Dusek Brothers (Emil Dusek & Ernie Dusek) 2 falls to 1.

03-18-1952: San Francisco, CA: Winterland Arena: Attendance 8,100: Pat Fraley defeats Gino Vagnone… Bobby Nelson wrestled Kay Bell to a Time Limit Draw… Lee Henning defeats Ivan Kameroff 2 falls to 1… The Sharpe Brothers (Ben Sharpe & Mike Sharpe) defeat NWA World Tag Team (San Francisco) champions Hombre Montana & Leo Nomellini to win the titles.

03-21-1952: St Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 10,213: Ralph Garibaldi wrestled Vincent Lopez to a 20 minute draw… Alo Leilani wrestled Frank Taylor to a 20 minute draw… Ivan Rasputin defeats Warren Bockwinkel by DQ… Danny McShain defeats Karol Krauser… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Bobby Managoff.

03-28-1952: St Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 12,402: Ernie Hefner wrestled Otto Kuss to a 20 minute draw… Al Lovelock defeats Vincent Lopez… Ivan Rasputin & Mike Mazurki & Ray Eckert defeat Ernie Dusek & Jack Kennedy & Bill Longson 2 falls to 1… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Verne Gagne.

04-01-1952: San Francisco, CA: Winterland Arena: Attendance: 5,500: Ivan Kameroff wrestled Juan Humberto to a Time Limit Draw… Pete Peterson defeats Pat Fraley… Lee Henning defeats Bob McCune 2 falls to 1… NWA World Tag Team (San Francisco version) champions The Sharpe Brothers (Ben Sharpe & Mike Sharpe) defeat Masa Kimura & Toshio Yamaguchi 2 falls to 1.

04-02-1952: In Montreal, Canada Wladek (Killer) Kowalski defeated Bobby Managoff for the vacant Montreal version of the World heavyweight title. Attendance 10,000: Johnny Rougeau wrestled Tony Angelo to a Draw… Maurice Vachon defeats Andre Drapp… Eddie Auger & Manuel Cortez defeat Bull Curry & Frank Marconi.

04-12-1952: In Milwaukee, WI at the Auditorium: NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz battled Verne Gagne to a draw… Mighty Atlas defeated Johnny Balbo… Irish Jackie & Fuzzy Cupid defeated Sailie Halassie & Little Beaver… Billy Goelz defeated Al Williams by DQ. Attendance: 7,233

04-21-1952: Baron Michele Leone and Lou Thesz sign a contract to meet for the NWA World title in Los Angeles in May.

05-21-1952: Lou Thesz, NWA World champion, defeats Baron Michele Leone in Los Angeles, CA at Gilmore Field for another version of the World title, unifying yet another championship with the NWA World title. The match drew an attendance of 25,256 and a gate of $103, 277 which is believed to be the first over $100,000 gate in pro wrestling history. In other matches: Lee Grable beat Ray Piret… Sky Low Low pinned Cowboy Cassidy… Red Berry drew Billy Varga… NWA World tag team champions Mike & Ben Sharpe beat Sandor Szabo & Vic Christy… NWA World Junior Heavyweight champion Danny McShain drew Rito Romero.

05-28-1952: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 14,827: Bull Curry wrestled Manuel Cortez to a draw… Little Beaver & Pee Wee James defeat Fuzzy Cupid & Pancho The Bull… Mr. Moto defeats Vincent Lopez… Montreal World Heavyweight champion Wladek (Killer) Kowalski defeats Yukon Eric 2 falls to 1.

06-04-1952: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 10,000: Don Leo Jonathan defeats Les Ruffin… Larry Moquin defeats Jimmy Coffield… Mr. Moto defeats Manuel Cortez… Montreal World Heavyweight champion Wladek “Killer” Kowalski defeats Buddy Rogers by DQ 2 falls to 1.

06-11-1952: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 15,093: Manuel Cortez wrestled Vincent Lopez to a Time Limit Draw… Don Leo Jonathan defeated Frank Valois by DQ… Larry Moquin defeats Bull Curry… Little Beaver & Tuffy McCrae defeated Fuzzy Cupid & Tom Thumb… Mr. Moto defeats Buddy Rogers by Count Out 2 falls to 1.

06-24-1952: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 8,236: Otto Kuss wrestled Rebel Russell to a 30-minute draw… Dick Raines defeats Jack Pesek… Joe Pazandak defeats Butch Levy… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Bronko Nagurski.

06-25-1952: Eddie Quinn Promotion: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 9,000: Chief Big Heart wrestled Jim Coffield to a Draw… Don Leo Jonathan & Manuel Cortez defeat Bull Curry & Joe Christie by DQ… Larry Moquin defeats Vincent Lopez… Buddy Rogers defeats Mr. Moto 2 falls to 1.

06-27-1952: In Chicago, IL at Wrigley Field drawing 12,823: Jack Pesek beat Fritz Von Schacht via DQ… Billy Goelz drew Carl Engstrom… Walter Palmer & Ronnie Etchison & Bill Longson beat Ivan Rasputin & Great Togo & The Mighty Atlas… Verne Gagne beat Hans Schmidt… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Pat O'Connor 2 falls to 1.

07-08-1952: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 8,359: Jack Pesek defeats Stan Mayslack… Mike DiBiase defeats Rebel Russell by DQ… Butch Levy defeats Tiny Mills by DQ… Paul Baillargeon defeats Mighty Atlas (Morris Shapiro).

07-13-1952: Tarzán López wins the NWA World Middleweight title in a tournament final in Mexico City, Mexico. The title had been vacant since 1951.

07-22-1952: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 9,387: Jack Pesek wrestled Joe Dusek to a 30-minute draw… Emil Dusek defeats Farmer Don Marlin… Butch Levy defeats Hans Schmidt… Paul Baillargeon & Verne Gagne defeat Dick Raines & Tiny Mills 2 falls to 1.

07-23-1952: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 9,800: Ted Christy wrestled Dr. Lee Grable to a 20-minute draw… Jungle Boy (Lou Bertucci) defeats Al Kashey… Hombre Montana defeats Antone Leone… Becker Brothers (Bobby Becker & George Becker) defeat Karl Davis & Pat Fraley… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Gorgeous George by referee stoppage. Thesz takes fall 1. George is injured in fall 2 and forfeits the match.

07-24-1952: Southern Junior heavyweight champion Henry Harrell attempts to double-cross NWA World Junior champion Danny McShain in Chattanooga, TN. McShain escapes with the title due to a DQ in one of the falls but promoters Nick Gulas and Roy Welch are embarrassed by the situation which they, apparently, did not condone.

07-25-1952: In Knoxville, TN in response to Henry Harrell trying to double cross the NWA World Junior champion the night before, Herb Welch defeats Harrell for the Southern Junior title. It may have been a shoot or just the threat of one to get the belt of Harrell who embarrassed Herb’s brother Roy the night before.

07-30-1952: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 10,200: Jungle Boy (Lou Bertucci) defeats George Dusette… Sandor Szabo defeats Ramon Fernandez… Becker Brothers (Bobby Becker & George Becker) defeat Ali Bey & Ted Christy… Rito Romero wrestled Red Berry to a 45 minute draw… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Hombre Montana 2 falls to 1.

08-06-1952: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 10,400 Sellout: Jungle Boy defeats Paul Matty… Karl Davis defeats Ramon Cernandes… Becker Brothers (George Becker & Bobby Becker) wrestled The Smiths (Al Smith & John Smith) to a draw… Sandor Szabo defeats Tom Renesto… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats  Hombre Montana 2 falls to 1.

08-19-1952: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 9,120: Emil Dusek defeats Maurice Roberre… Otto Kuss defeats Frank Taylor… Butch Levy defeated Bobby Nelson… Hard Boiled Haggerty (Donald Stasiak) defeats Bronko Nagurski. Haggerty had just debuted in Minneapolis two weeks earlier, and went right to the main events.

08-23-1952: In Milwaukee, WI at the Auditorium: Hans Schmidt defeated Tarzan Kowalski (Killer Kowalski)… Pat O'Connor & Reggie Lisowski (Crusher) & Don Beitelman defeated Ivan Rasputin & Frederich Von Schacht & Bobby Nelson… Pee Wee James defeated Irish Jackie. Attendance: 7,012

09-10-1952: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance: 10,400: Rito Romero defeats Karl Davis… Bobby Becker defeats Kola Kwariani… Pepe Pasquale defeats Chief Lone Eagle… Mr. Moto defeats George Becker… Non-Title Best Two Out Of Three Falls Match: Argentina Rocca wrestled Lou Thesz (w/Ed “Strangler” Lewis) to a Time Limit Draw after trading one fall each. 70 minutes.

09-13-1952: Jerry Stubbs (AKA: Mr. Olympia) is born.

09-20-1952: In Milwaukee, WI at the Auditorium: Hans Schmidt defeated Mighty Atlas with special referee Jack Dempsey… Reggie Lisowski (Crusher) & Bill Melby & Billy Goelz defeated Great Togo & Rudy Kay & Gypsy Joe… Johnny Balbo defeated Milt Olsen. Attendance: 7,321.

09-23-1952: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 8,561: Roy McClarity defeats Tony Baillargeon… Joe Pazandak defeats Angelo Martinelli… Paul Baillargeon defeats Danny Plechas… Verne Gagne defeats Hard Boiled Haggerty (Donald Stausiak).

09-24-1952: In Washington, DC: Griffith Stadium drawing 9,260 (one of the best attendances at Griffith Stadium since the 1930s): Roland Meeker drew Ilio DiPaolo… Lu Kim pinned Jack Dillon… Steve & Gene Stanlee beat The Zebra Kid & Man Mountain Dean, Jr… Ethel Johnson beat Kathleen Wimbley… NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz drew Antonino Rocca.

09-26-1952: EMLL: 19th Anniversary Show: in Mexico City, Mexico: Arena Coliseo: El Santo beat Bobby Bonales to win the NWA World Welterweight title.

10-01-1952: Eddie Quinn Promotion: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 10,000: Bull Montana wrestled Billy Darnell to a Draw… Johnny Valentine defeated Al Tucker… The French Angel (Maurice Tillet) defeated Carl Van Dyke… Montreal World Heavyweight champion Wladek (Killer) Kowalski wrestled Tarzan Zorra to Curfew Time Limit Draw after splitting one fall each.

10-03-1952: St Louis, MO: Arena: Attendance 10,106: Johnny Kostas & Al Lovelock defeat Zaharias Brothers (Chris Zaharias & Babe Zaharias) to a 45 minute draw… Ivan Rasputin defeats Chief Big Heart… Hans Hermann defeats Fred Blassie… Pat O'Connor defeats Jim Henry… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Mighty Atlas (Morris Shapiro).

10-14-1952: Don Sugai is killed in a car accident in Ontario, Canada at the age of 39.

10-15-1952: At the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Canada: Yukon Eric loses his ear during at match against Wladek (Killer) Kowalski. Kowalski came off the top rope and grazed Eric’s ear, severing it. The referee, Sammy Mack, picked up the ear and put it in his pocket.

10-17-1952: El Luchador Fenomeno (The phenomenal wrestler) movie is released. In the afterlife, a wrestler's soul is granted permission to mess in the affairs of mortals in order to bring justice in the case of his own murder and to win the world title. He does this by possessing the body of the main character played by long-time comedy star Adalberto Martinez "El Resortes".

10-22-1952: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 14,657: Al Tucker wrestled Ken Ackles to a draw… Larry Moquin defeats Rebel Russell… Billy Darnell & Manuel Cortez defeat Bull Montana & Jim Coffield… Montreal World Heavyweight champion Wladek (Killer) Kowalski defeats Tarzan Zorra by referee stoppage after splitting 2 falls.

10-23-1952: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 10,000: Johnny Barend wrestled Len Montana to a 20 minute draw… Ray Villmer defeats Lou Plummer… Chief Big Heart defeats Toar Morgan… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Whipper Billy Watson by DQ.

10-28-1952: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 9,400 (capacity crowd): Bob Leipler defeats Ivan Kameroff by DQ… Pete Managoff wrestled Roy McClarity to a 30 minute draw… Paul Baillargeon defeats Firpo Zbyszko… Tiny Mills defeats Hard Boiled Haggerty.

10-30-1952: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 9,000: Dick Raines defeats Jim Coffield… Chief Big Heart defeats Tiger Tasker… Jack Pesek wrestled Len Montana to a 20 minute draw… Lou Plummer wrestled Pat Flanagan to a time limit draw… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz wrestled Whipper Billy Watson to a time limit draw. The match had two referees.

11-06-1952: Gypsy Joe (Joe Dorsetti) defeated John Balbo to win the World Light Heavyweight title. The NWA wanted to move toward having one World Lightweight champion and begin recognizing Joe and this championship as the single NWA World Lightweight champion in early 1953.

11-12-1952: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 10,400 sellout: Ray Piret defeats Hardy Kruskamp… Sandor Szabo defeats Kola Kwariani… Hombre Montana defeats Vic Holbrook… Bobby Managoff battled Zebra Kid to a 20 minute draw… Primo Carnera defeats Nanjo Singh… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Antonino Rocca 2 falls to 1.

11-15-1952: Randy Savage (Randy Poffo) is born. He is the son of wrestler Angelo Poffo.

11-17-1952: One of the most famous mask vs mask matches in Mexican wrestling history takes place at Arena Coliseo in Mexico City where El Santo defeats Black Shadow (Alejandro Cruz) in a 70 minute match.

11-18-1952: At Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 18,357: Antonino Rocca defeated Lu Kim (Rube Wright)… NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Gene Stanlee… Lord Leslie Carlton battled Johnny Barend to a no contest… Whipper Billy Watson defeated Gregorio Jarque… Raphael Halpern defeated Lenny Montana… Pedro Escobar defeated Jim Austeri… Ilio DiPaolo battled Steve Stanlee to a draw.

11-22-1952: In Milwaukee, WI at the Arena: NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Hans Schmidt by DQ.

11-28-1952: An episode of the television show Superman titled “No Holds Barred” features a pro wrestling theme.

11-1952: Don Eagle vacates the AWA World title due to a back injury.

12-02-1952: Buddy Rogers defeats Killer Kowalski for the former AWA World title, now billed as the AWA Eastern States title in Boston, MA.

12-09-1952: Indianapolis, IN: Fairgrounds Coliseum: Attendance 12,000: Dizzy Davis defeats Buck Weaver… Ray Gunkel defeats Bill McDaniel… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Baron Michele Leone 2 falls to 1.

12-11-1952: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 9,500: Johnny Barend wrestled Lee Henning to a 20 minute draw… Red Mask (Dutch Hefner) defeats Jim Coffield… Sky Low Low & Fuzzy Cupid wrestled Little Beaver & Gentleman Jim Corbett to a 30 minute draw… The Great Togo defeats Bert Rubi… Lou Plummer & Dick Raines defeat NWA Canadian Open team champions Pat Flanagan & Whipper Billy Watson to win the titles.

12-13-1952: The Junkyard Dog (Sylvester Ritter) is born in Wadesboro, NC.

12-18-1952: Vince McMahon (Sr) officially buys the New York promotional office from Gabe Menendez for $60,000 and begins promoting his style wrestling in January 1953.

12-26-1952: St Louis, MO: Arena: Attendance 9,103: Bill McDaniel defeats Cherry Vallina by DQ… Joe Dusek wrestled Fred Blassie to a 20 minute draw… Ernie Dusek defeated Al Lovelock… Bill Longson & Bill Miller defeat Wladek (Killer) Kowalski & Hans Hermann 2 falls to 1… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Pat O'Connor.

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.

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