|
Al Haft
Albert C. Haft (November 13, 1886 – 10 November 1976) was a wrestler (both professional and amateur), wrestling and boxing promoter and wrestling trainer who was a prominent promoter in the United States from the late 1910s until the 1960s, running his operations primarily from Columbus, Ohio. He founded the Midwest Wrestling Association and was one of the founding members of the National Wrestling Alliance in 1948. Haft's was originally the manager and booker of John Pesek, who would go on to become World Heavyweight Champion. He was also involved in amateur wrestling and was the head wrestling coach at the Ohio State University, leading "The Buckeyes" to their first team title in 1923. He also holds the Ohio State Second-Year Coaching Record to this day. Career Professional wrestling in-ring career (1917-19) In his early life, Haft was an in-ring competitor in professional wrestling, entering the ring in 1917 and competing under the ring name Young Gotch. He competed sporadi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and governing body owned by Billy Corgan and operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA began as the governing body for a group of regional promotions, the heads of which made up the board of directors. The group operated a List of National Wrestling Alliance territories, territory system which sanctioned their own company Championship (professional wrestling), championships while recognizing a singular world champion who defended his title across all the territories, participated in talent exchanges, and collectively protected the territorial integrity of member promotions. Prior to the 1960s, it acted as the sole governing body for professional wrestling in the United States. It remained the largest and most influential body in wrestling until the mid-1980s by which time most of the original member promotions went out of busin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pinkie George
Paul "Pinkie" George (born Paul Lloyd Georgeacopoulos; January 22, 1905 – November 1, 1993) was an American professional wrestling promoter, boxer and businessman best known as the visionary behind, and first president of, the National Wrestling Alliance. He operated the NWA's Iowa territory, one of the primary members of the NWA based in Des Moines. Described by Sam Muchnick as the father of the NWA George was inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2014. Early life Georgeacopoulos was born to Greek parents Limberis "Louis" and Elizabeth Bolanis Georgeacopoulos in Lowell, Massachusetts on January 22, 1905. When he was a teenager he and his family (including younger brother Andrew) relocated to Black Hawk County, Iowa, where their surname was changed to "George". After completing school, Pinkie embarked on a stint as a boxer; first as an amateur and then as a professional. Fighting as a flyweight, he completed in over 160 bouts with limited success. On August 29, 1928, he suffere ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Professional Wrestling Promoters
A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skills necessary to perform their specific role within that profession. In addition, most professionals are subject to strict codes of conduct, enshrining rigorous ethical and moral obligations. Professional standards of practice and ethics for a particular field are typically agreed upon and maintained through widely recognized professional associations, such as the IEEE. Some definitions of "professional" limit this term to those professions that serve some important aspect of public interest and the general good of society.Sullivan, William M. (2nd ed. 2005). ''Work and Integrity: The Crisis and Promise of Professionalism in America''. Jossey Bass.Gardner, Howard and Shulman, Lee S., The Professions in America Today: Crucial but Fragile. Da ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1976 Deaths
Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic relations are established between Bangladesh and Pakistan 5 years after the Bangladesh Liberation War. * January 27 ** The United States vetoes a United Nations resolution that calls for an independent Palestinian state. ** The First Battle of Amgala breaks out between Morocco and Algeria in the Spanish Sahara. February * February 4 ** The 1976 Winter Olympics begin in Innsbruck, Austria. ** The 7.5 Guatemala earthquake affects Guatemala and Honduras with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (''Violent''), leaving 23,000 dead and 76,000 injured. * February 9 – The Australian Defence Force is formed by unification of the Australian Army, the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. * February 13 – General ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1886 Births
Events January * January 1 – Upper Burma is formally annexed to British Burma, following its conquest in the Third Anglo-Burmese War of November 1885. * January 5– 9 – Robert Louis Stevenson's novella '' Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' is published in New York and London. * January 16 – A resolution is passed in the German Parliament to condemn the Prussian deportations, the politically motivated mass expulsion of ethnic Poles and Jews from Prussia, initiated by Otto von Bismarck. * January 18 – Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. * January 29 – Karl Benz patents the first successful gasoline-driven automobile, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen (built in 1885). February * February 6– 9 – Seattle riot of 1886: Anti-Chinese sentiments result in riots in Seattle, Washington. * February 8 – The West End Riots following a popular meeting in Trafalgar Square, London. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into fields outside of wrestling, including film, football, and other business ventures, such as licensing its intellectual property to other companies to produce video games and action figures. As in other professional wrestling promotions, WWE does not promote a legitimate sporting contest but rather entertainment-based performance theater, featuring storyline-driven, scripted, and partially choreographed matches; however, matches often include moves that put performers at risk of serious injury or death if not performed correctly. The pre-determined aspect of professional wrestling (an industry open secret) was publicly acknowledged by WWE in 1989 to avoid regulation by athletic commissions. WWE markets its ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy McMahon ( ; born August 24, 1945) is an American businessman and former professional wrestling promoter. McMahon, along with his later-estranged wife Linda McMahon, Linda, is a co-founder of the modern WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Outside of professional wrestling McMahon has occasionally ventured into promoting other sports; his projects have included the World Bodybuilding Federation and the XFL (2001), XFL American football, football league. McMahon graduated from East Carolina University with a degree in business in 1968, and began his tenure in professional wrestling as a commentator for WWE (then called the World Wide Wrestling Federation or WWWF) for most of the 1970s. He bought the company from his father, Vincent J. McMahon, in 1982 and 1980s professional wrestling boom, almost monopolized the industry, which previously operated as separate entities across the United States. This led to the development of the annual event ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lou Thesz
Aloysius Martin Thesz (April 24, 1916 – April 28, 2002), known by the ring name Lou Thesz, was an American professional wrestler and wrestling coach. Considered to be one of the last true shooters (legitimate wrestlers) in professional wrestling and described as the "quintessential athlete" and a "polished warrior who could break a man in two if pushed the wrong way", Thesz is widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers and wrestling world champions in history, and possibly the last globally accepted world champion. Thesz won various version of the World Heavyweight Championship seven times, including three reigns as NWA World Heavyweight Champion, which he held for a combined total of ten years, three months and nine days (3,749 days) – longer than anyone else in history. In Japan, Thesz was known as the "''God of Wrestling" (like his Belgian counterpart, Karl Gotch) and was called "''Tetsujin''", which means "Ironman", in respect for his speed, conditioning and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Otto Kuss
Otto Robert "Pat" Kuss (March 12, 1911 – March, 1980) was an American professional wrestler who was best known for his work with Central States Wrestling from 1948 to 1950, and 1952 as well as Stampede Wrestling in 1952. NCAA wrestling Otto Kuss lettered four years at Indiana from 1931 to 1934. He earned All-America honors in 1934 with a second-place finish at the NCAA Wrestling Championship. During his four-year career, the Hoosiers went 27-2, including four Big Ten and one NCAA championship. He is the only Hoosier to have lettered on NCAA championship teams in two sports, track and wrestling (1932). He also played football for the Hoosiers. Professional wrestling career Kuss competed in 38 states and in New Zealand, wrestling 331 people in that time. He retired from the sport in 1962. Personal life Kuss grew up in Pine City, Minnesota, the son of Cyril and Rose Kuss. He had three brothers and they all attended Pine City High School. Otto went on to college at Indiana Uni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wild Bull Curry
Fred Thomas Koury Sr. (May 2, 1913 – March 8, 1985), best known under his ring name "Wild Bull" Curry, was an American professional wrestler of Lebanese descent. He is recognized as the originator of the hardcore style, predating legends such as The Sheik, Abdullah the Butcher, and Bruiser Brody. Professional wrestling career Born on May 2, 1913, he lived in the east end of Hartford, Connecticut. He was of Lebanese descent, and grew up with five siblings. At the age of sixteen, Curry left high school and joined the circus in order to help provide for his four brothers and sisters. His job at the circus was that of the “tough man” who took on all comers from the audience in a fight. He had 65 straight wins without anyone going past one 5-minute round. In 1939, Curry joined the Hartford Police Department, where he put his “tough man” background to good use in the streets, quickly earning him a reputation for toughness. It has been claimed that on one occasion, a wild ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pro Wrestler
Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrestling combat. is a form of athletic theaterEero Laine (2017). "Stadium-sized theatre: WWE and the world of professional wrestling". In Chow et al. (2017). ''Performance and Professional Wrestling'', p. 39: "The business of professional wrestling is the business of theatre. Even if on the surface professional wrestling seems anathema to theatrical sensibilities, it is hard to deny the formal similarities. After all, professional wrestling is scripted entertainment performed live in front of an audience by actors portraying characters." centered around mock combat with the premise that its performers are competitive wrestlers. In the United States, the term "professional wrestling" does not refer to authentic wrestling, which was never popul ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nature Boy Buddy Rogers
Buddy Rogers (born Herman Gustav Rohde Jr.; February 20, 1921 – June 26, 1992), better known by the ring name "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, was an American professional wrestler who was one of the biggest professional wrestling stars in the beginning of the television era. His performances influenced future professional wrestlers, including "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, who used Rogers's nickname, as well as his look, attitude and finishing hold, the figure-four leglock. He was also known for his rivalry with Lou Thesz, both in and out of the ring. Rogers was a fourteen-time world champion, notably holding the top championship in both the NWA and the World Wide Wrestling Federation (today known as WWE); was the inaugural WWWF World Heavyweight Champion. He is one of four men in history to have held both championships, along with Ric Flair, AJ Styles and Cody Rhodes. Early life Rogers was the son of Herman Gustav Rohde Sr., and Frieda Stech, both German immigrants. He was athletic, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
