Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Dec 31, 2013 20:49:30 GMT -6
Bob Luce's Emergence as Chicago "Promoter".
(From the Kayfabe Memories message board from some time back.)
From Flying Vic:
First Card Promoted by Bob Luce
I ran across this article in the June 1966 issue of The Ring boxing magazine. I've retyped as it was originally written:
Chicagoland Wrestling by Ken Ames
The king bowed out in December, and the new king was sworn in several weeks ago. Fred Kohler who has promoted wrestling of every kind here in Chicago, has signed over the wrestling promotion business to the new Chicago Wrestling Club. Kohler will now devote all his time to the electrical engineer business he runs with his son. The CWC, is being headed up by one of wrestling’s most exciting personalities, Bob Luce, with famed Buddy Lee acting as matchmaker. Their first card proved successful before a crowd of 7000. A triple main event was presented on this first card, and featured stars from all over the world.
The featured main event had NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Gene “Big Thunder” Kiniski in a Congo Death Match against the meanest man in wrestling, Dick The Bruiser. It was a non-title match and the rules stipulated no pin falls, no disqualification, and no time limit. The match lasted 49 minutes before the referee stopped it and awarded the match to the champion Kiniski. Believe it or not the fans were behind the Bruiser in this bout. The second main event brought together Wilbur Snyder and Johnny Valentine in another of their wild and bloody matches. This one was declared a no contest.
In an unprecedented move, the CWC brought back the one big star Chicago fans had pestered Kohler for several times in the past. This was Verne Gagne, who is the greatest star wrestling has ever produced. Verne’s opponent was the Great Chris Markoff, who had racked up great victories since coming to America. The bout went down to the wire with Gagne picking up a sensational victory. In a tag team event, World Tag Team Championship claimants The Assassins wasted no time in disposing of Huey Long and George Drake. The match lasted only about ten minutes. Other matches: The Crusher drew with Prince Pullins and Jose Betancourt defeated Boris Volkoff.
Mat Notes
The long and loud standing ovation given to Verne Gagne proved to Verne that Chicago hadn’t forgotten him. Gagne had his doubts about his popularity in Chi, since he hadn’t appeared in seven years. He hasn’t now.
Pretty Boy Henning and Harley Race are making their Chicago debut.
Dale Lewis has been waiting a long time to appear in the Windy City and Chicago fans have waited long to see him. It took the CWC to get him here.
Some questions begs to be asked: 1) date of the show? 2) who's (was) Buddy Lee? 3) by chance, was Gagne AWA champion on this date and maybe he wasn't billed as such with Kiniski there? And was this Kiniski's only appearance in Chicago as champ before somehow Gagne took over with his AWA? 4) Pullins drew with The Crusher??? 5) Anyone have the results from the second Luce card?
6) Again, I ask, did Bob Luce really have anything to do with booking cards?
Clawmaster responded with:
Re: First Card Promoted by Bob Luce
Great article Flying Vic. The questions you raised have been ones we have all been trying to figure out for a long time.
Here's the card referred to in the article.
01/08/66 Chicago, IL International Amphitheatre
Gene Kiniski beat Dick the Bruiser- Kiniski had won the NWA title from Lou Thesz the night before in St Louis, Missouri. Bruiser had defeated Kiniski for the WWA title on 12/25/65 in Indianapolis, Indiana. So in essence this was the NWA champion defeating the WWA champion. Kiniski and Bruiser had been feuding over the WWA title throughout the second half of 1965. This was Kiniski's last Chicago appearance as Chicago became an AWA city later in 1966 and Kiniski was on the road defending the NWA belt in NWA cities.
Johnny Valentine and Wilbur Snyder battled to a no decision.
Verne Gagne downed Chris Markoff
The Assassins (Guy Mitchell and Joe Tomasso) defeated Dennis Hall and Huey Long.
The Crusher beat Prince Pullins
Jose Bentancourt downed Boris Volkoff
Fred Kohler was the promoter in Chicago since the early 50s. Sometime around the summer of 1963, Jack Pfefer began promoting in Chicago. It's not clear whether Kohler gave Chicago to Pfefer or if Pfefer bought the territory from Kohler or there was some type of power play. Instead of booking great wrestlers like the Fabulous Kangaroos and Buddy Rogers, Pfefer began booking sound a like famous wrestlers such as Bummy Rogers, Hobo Brazil and Bruno Nassartino. Pfefer killed the Chicago territory with his promotional shenanigans.
Dick the Bruiser bought an interest in the Chicago promotion sometime in the middle of 1964. Pfefer's band of freaks were ushered out and the territory had to be rebuilt. For several months, Bruiser used his Indianapolis crew on the Amphitheatre cards in Chicago. In late 1965 or early 1966, Verne Gagne struck a deal with Bruiser and the two became partners in Chicago. The first time AWA wrestlers appeared alongside WWA wrestlers on an Amphitheatre card is the January 8th 1966 card listed above.
Bob Luce was the publicist for the Chicago promotion and worked in the office. Bruiser and Gagne were in charge but since Bruiser lived in Indiana and Gagne in Minnesota and Illinois law required a state resident be the promoter of the cards, Luce was listed as the promoter.
(From the Kayfabe Memories message board from some time back.)
From Flying Vic:
First Card Promoted by Bob Luce
I ran across this article in the June 1966 issue of The Ring boxing magazine. I've retyped as it was originally written:
Chicagoland Wrestling by Ken Ames
The king bowed out in December, and the new king was sworn in several weeks ago. Fred Kohler who has promoted wrestling of every kind here in Chicago, has signed over the wrestling promotion business to the new Chicago Wrestling Club. Kohler will now devote all his time to the electrical engineer business he runs with his son. The CWC, is being headed up by one of wrestling’s most exciting personalities, Bob Luce, with famed Buddy Lee acting as matchmaker. Their first card proved successful before a crowd of 7000. A triple main event was presented on this first card, and featured stars from all over the world.
The featured main event had NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Gene “Big Thunder” Kiniski in a Congo Death Match against the meanest man in wrestling, Dick The Bruiser. It was a non-title match and the rules stipulated no pin falls, no disqualification, and no time limit. The match lasted 49 minutes before the referee stopped it and awarded the match to the champion Kiniski. Believe it or not the fans were behind the Bruiser in this bout. The second main event brought together Wilbur Snyder and Johnny Valentine in another of their wild and bloody matches. This one was declared a no contest.
In an unprecedented move, the CWC brought back the one big star Chicago fans had pestered Kohler for several times in the past. This was Verne Gagne, who is the greatest star wrestling has ever produced. Verne’s opponent was the Great Chris Markoff, who had racked up great victories since coming to America. The bout went down to the wire with Gagne picking up a sensational victory. In a tag team event, World Tag Team Championship claimants The Assassins wasted no time in disposing of Huey Long and George Drake. The match lasted only about ten minutes. Other matches: The Crusher drew with Prince Pullins and Jose Betancourt defeated Boris Volkoff.
Mat Notes
The long and loud standing ovation given to Verne Gagne proved to Verne that Chicago hadn’t forgotten him. Gagne had his doubts about his popularity in Chi, since he hadn’t appeared in seven years. He hasn’t now.
Pretty Boy Henning and Harley Race are making their Chicago debut.
Dale Lewis has been waiting a long time to appear in the Windy City and Chicago fans have waited long to see him. It took the CWC to get him here.
Some questions begs to be asked: 1) date of the show? 2) who's (was) Buddy Lee? 3) by chance, was Gagne AWA champion on this date and maybe he wasn't billed as such with Kiniski there? And was this Kiniski's only appearance in Chicago as champ before somehow Gagne took over with his AWA? 4) Pullins drew with The Crusher??? 5) Anyone have the results from the second Luce card?
6) Again, I ask, did Bob Luce really have anything to do with booking cards?
Clawmaster responded with:
Re: First Card Promoted by Bob Luce
Great article Flying Vic. The questions you raised have been ones we have all been trying to figure out for a long time.
Here's the card referred to in the article.
01/08/66 Chicago, IL International Amphitheatre
Gene Kiniski beat Dick the Bruiser- Kiniski had won the NWA title from Lou Thesz the night before in St Louis, Missouri. Bruiser had defeated Kiniski for the WWA title on 12/25/65 in Indianapolis, Indiana. So in essence this was the NWA champion defeating the WWA champion. Kiniski and Bruiser had been feuding over the WWA title throughout the second half of 1965. This was Kiniski's last Chicago appearance as Chicago became an AWA city later in 1966 and Kiniski was on the road defending the NWA belt in NWA cities.
Johnny Valentine and Wilbur Snyder battled to a no decision.
Verne Gagne downed Chris Markoff
The Assassins (Guy Mitchell and Joe Tomasso) defeated Dennis Hall and Huey Long.
The Crusher beat Prince Pullins
Jose Bentancourt downed Boris Volkoff
Fred Kohler was the promoter in Chicago since the early 50s. Sometime around the summer of 1963, Jack Pfefer began promoting in Chicago. It's not clear whether Kohler gave Chicago to Pfefer or if Pfefer bought the territory from Kohler or there was some type of power play. Instead of booking great wrestlers like the Fabulous Kangaroos and Buddy Rogers, Pfefer began booking sound a like famous wrestlers such as Bummy Rogers, Hobo Brazil and Bruno Nassartino. Pfefer killed the Chicago territory with his promotional shenanigans.
Dick the Bruiser bought an interest in the Chicago promotion sometime in the middle of 1964. Pfefer's band of freaks were ushered out and the territory had to be rebuilt. For several months, Bruiser used his Indianapolis crew on the Amphitheatre cards in Chicago. In late 1965 or early 1966, Verne Gagne struck a deal with Bruiser and the two became partners in Chicago. The first time AWA wrestlers appeared alongside WWA wrestlers on an Amphitheatre card is the January 8th 1966 card listed above.
Bob Luce was the publicist for the Chicago promotion and worked in the office. Bruiser and Gagne were in charge but since Bruiser lived in Indiana and Gagne in Minnesota and Illinois law required a state resident be the promoter of the cards, Luce was listed as the promoter.