Humboldt Standard – November 8, 1954
Lou Thesz, heavyweight wrestling champion of the world, will defend his title tonight at Eureka’s Municipal Auditorium, meeting Ben Sharpe, one of the giant brothers of tag-team wrestling fame.
The match is the main event of an all-star Lions Club program starting at 8 o’clock.
Thesz, weighing 235 pounds, arrived here by plane this morning. His manager, “Strangler Ed” Lewis, former champion, arrived last night. Lewis will be in the Thesz corner tonight.
Ben Sharpe, accompanied by his brother Mike, was scheduled in on the afternoon plane from San Francisco. Sharpe will enter the ring tonight weighing 250 pounds.
Thesz, from St. Louis, has been heavyweight wrestling champion of the world since 1948 and is recognized as such by the National Wrestling Alliance.
Tonight’s match will be decided by best to out of three falls.
The State Athletic Commission today named two referees for tonight’s program. Johnny Mora of Eureka will referee the two supporting matches, and Frank Malcewicz, former wrestler and brother of the famed SF mat promoter Joe Malcewicz, will referee the Thesz-Sharpe match.
