The History of Professional Wrestling

BOOK DETAILS

Paperback: 50 pages

Dimensions: 8.5 x 11

Publisher: Crowbar Press

Item #: hpw-01

Price: $24.95

The History of Professional Wrestling #1
      Tampa, Florida
      1943-1957

The first volume of this series covers the period between 1943 and 1957, the post-war years that saw the rise of pro wrestling in Tampa ... a city that would become a hub of exciting wrestling action in the later, modern age of pro wrestling.

Professional wrestling was a big draw in Tampa prior to World War II, but with the advent of the war, many of the wrestlers were drafted and shipped overseas, or assigned to duty on bases in the U.S.   With a lack of talent available for wrestling promoters to draw from, wrestling hit a lull during the war years.   In 1943, pro wrestling gradually made a comeback with several promoters trying to find their niche in the area.   Most of us are familiar with the two most well-known promoters, 'Cowboy' Luttrall and Eddie Graham, but few people remember the pioneers like Price Daulton, Paul Butler, Chester Dix, Bill Sallade, and ... Nick Gulas.   These were the men in charge of the grunt-and-groan game in Tampa during the '40s.   You'll read about a full-scale wrestling war between rival promotions in 1946 and 1947; the events that moved wrestling from the downtown Municipal Auditorium into Fort Homer Hesterly Armory; the appearance of the first version of the Florida Heavyweight Title; and the beginnings of the promotion headed by C.P. "Cowboy" Luttrall.

The early '50s featured a transformation of wrestling into the style that would become popular in the '60s and '70s.   This was an era that saw the promotion bring in all of the big stars ... Buddy Rogers, Don Eagle, Gorgeous George, Mr. Moto, Lou Thesz, The Great Togo, Argentina Rocca, Baron Leone, Gino Garibaldi, Hans Schmidt ... and unknown young men who were trying to make a name for themselves in the squared circle ... like Eddie Gossett (Eddie Graham), Ray Stevens and Dick Steinborn.   This was the era when Tampa mat fans witnessed the area's first live TV card featuring Harry Smith vs. Chris Zaharias, Mae Young vs. Phyllis Hoffman, and Ray Stevens vs. Bennie Trudell.   Plus, it was a time when Ella Waldek, Dot Dotson, Betty Hawkins, and many other ladies were featured in the main event as the reigning Florida Women's champion.

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To be re-published in The Great Wrestling Venues series in 2024!

To be re-published in
The Great Wrestling Venues
format in 2024!

BOOK DETAILS

Paperback: 50 pages

Dimensions: 8.5 x 11

Publisher: Crowbar Press

Item #: hpw-02

Price: $24.95

The History of Professional Wrestling #2
      Columbus, Ohio
      1920, 1925-1965

The second big issue in this series is finally available.   This issue is filled with all of the results for the city of Columbus, Ohio from the years 1920 and 1925 through 1965.

Buddy Rogers, Bill Miller, Frankie Talaber, Ray and Don Stevens, Don Eagle, Gorgeous George, Johnny Valentine, Roy Shire ... and hundred of others who worked for promoter Al Haft are found in this volume.

This 101-page issue, researched by Don Luce, is packed with information from the golden days of wrestling.

Results from more than 2,000 wrestling shows!!

Sold Out

To be re-published in The Great Wrestling Venues series in 2024!

To be re-published in
The Great Wrestling Venues
format in 2024!

BOOK DETAILS

Paperback: 50 pages

Dimensions: 8.5 x 11

Publisher: Crowbar Press

Item #: hpw-03

Price: $29.00

The History of Professional Wrestling #3
Madison Square Garden:
January 19, 1880 to December 4, 1999

The third massive volume of The History of Professional Wrestling series of books features the results and news of pro wrestling events that have been held in "The World's Most Famous Arena," -- Madison Square Garden.

This encyclopedic work features reports on over 500 wrestling shows that took place between January 19, 1880 and December 4, 1999.

Reprints of over 224 newspaper promotional ads that appeared in the New York newspapers are featured.

Also included, when available, are attendance and gate figures, the time of each match, stipulations of the matches, aliases of wrestlers, title changes, and newspaper reports.

One of the highlights of the book is a 9-page section devoted to the famous riot that broke out after a match on November 9, 1957 between the teams of Argentina Rocca and Edouard Carpentier and Dick the Bruiser and Dr. Jerry Graham.

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Now available in a new, expanded format!

Now available in a
new, expanded format!

Click on the cover
for more info!

BOOK DETAILS

Paperback: 50 pages

Dimensions: 8.5 x 11

Publisher: Crowbar Press

Item #: hpw-04

Price: $24.95

The History of Professional Wrestling #4
      Chattanooga, Tennessee
      1950-1983

This is the fourth in a series of books featuring the results history of the major territories.   This issue contains the results from 1950-1983, the years when the headliners were people like Mike Clancy, Len Rossi, Tex Riley, Jackie and Roughhouse Fargo, Don and Al Greene, Kurt and Karl von Brauner, the Masked Medics, Johnny Walker, Tommy and Eddie Marlin, Tojo Yamamoto, Bob Armstrong, George Gulas, Tommy Rich, and Ken Lucas.

Sold Out

To be re-published in The Great Wrestling Venues series in 2024!

To be re-published in
The Great Wrestling Venues
format in 2024!

BOOK DETAILS

Paperback: 50 pages

Dimensions: 8.5 x 11

Publisher: Crowbar Press

Item #: hpw-05

Price: $24.95

The History of Professional Wrestling #5
      Western Canada
      1911-1956

The fifth issue in the History of Professional Wrestling series is now available.   This issue is filled with all of the results from Western Canada for the years 1911 through 1956.

The results chronicle the beginnings of Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling, as well as many of the smaller promotions, including Alex Turk Promotions, Crescent Boxing and Wrestling Club, Northwestern Wrestling Club, Olympia Wrestling Club, Madison Boxing and Wrestling Club, and Brooklands Wrestling Club.  Names that pop up frequently in the main events include George and Sandy Scott, Tiny and Al Mills, Hard Boiled Haggerty, George Gordienko, Jack McDonald, Legs Langevin, Jim Wright, Earl McCready, Lou Newman, Kurt von Poppenheim, and thousands more.

This 106-page issue, researched by Vern May, is packed with information from the golden days of wrestling.  Thanks to Jim Melby, an added bonus is reprints of covers from the programs sold in the arenas.

Sold Out

To be re-published in
The Great Wrestling Venues
format in 2024!

BOOK DETAILS

Paperback: 50 pages

Dimensions: 8.5 x 11

Publisher: Crowbar Press

Item #: hpw-06

Price: $24.95

The History of Professional Wrestling #6
      St. Louis, Missouri
      1930-1959

The sixth and seventh volumes of The History of Professional Wrestling series feature the results and news from what was considered by most to be the most respected wrestling venue found anywhere in the world — St. Louis, Missouri.

This encyclopedic work features reports on over 1,500 wrestling shows that took place during 1930 to 1985.

Once again, Jim Melby opened his vast library of arena programs and submitted reprints of 45 covers.  Also included, when available, are attendance and gate figures, the time of each match, stipulations of the matches, aliases of wrestlers, and title changes.  60 photos of the wrestlers round out the two volumes.

Sold Out

To be re-published in The Great Wrestling Venues series in 2024!

To be re-published in
The Great Wrestling Venues
format in 2024!

BOOK DETAILS

Paperback: 50 pages

Dimensions: 8.5 x 11

Publisher: Crowbar Press

Item #: hpw-07

Price: $24.95

The History of Professional Wrestling #7
      St. Louis, Missouri
      1960-1985

The sixth and seventh volumes of The History of Professional Wrestling series feature the results and news from what was considered by most to be the most respected wrestling venue found anywhere in the world -- St. Louis, Missouri.

This encyclopedic work features reports on over 1,500 wrestling shows that took place during 1930 to 1985.

Once again, Jim Melby opened his vast library of arena programs and submitted reprints of 45 covers.  Also included, when available, are attendance and gate figures, the time of each match, stipulations of the matches, aliases of wrestlers, and title changes.  60 photos of the wrestlers round out the two volumes.

Sold Out

To be re-published in The Great Wrestling Venues series in 2024!

To be re-published in
The Great Wrestling Venues
format in 2024!