Ganson Offers To Give Low Down On Mat Racket

San Francisco Chronicle – December 10, 1935
By Harry B. Smith, Chronicle Sports Editor

Jack Ganson, San Francisco deposed wrestling promoter, is willing to tell the commission all he knows about the wrestling game. But Ganson makes two stipulations about his willing to talk of the inside workings of the mat game. There will be a commission meeting in San Francisco next Saturday.

First of all, Ganson demands that he be subpoenaed by the commission. Secondly, he insists, if he is to testify, it must be under oath. The State Athletic Commission has the authority both to subpoena a witness and to let him testify under oath.

But so far in early announcements it has merely come from the commissioners that wrestling heads who in the past have made complaints of the way things have been run are free to testify if they care to do so. Pete Visser, Sacramento’s successful wrestling promoter, who started the investigation by making certain charges, has been blowing hot and cold so far.

Smiling Jack Ganson, after his dethronement as the wrestling boss at Dreamland, with Joe Malcewicz put in charge, attended a meeting before Governor Merriam recently at Sacramento. But Ganson didn’t have anything to say at the time.

Now the ex-wrestling head, who is making his home in Oakland, although he has declared his intention of going to Europe for a vacation, will have another opportunity to talk. Commissioner George Payne of San Jose, who conducted the preliminary investigation, has asked all the wrestling heads to appear before the commission next Saturday morning.

So far no subpoenas has been issued. Under the circumstances wrestling men have the right to attend or stay away as they see fit.

Ganson says, frankly, he will stay away unless the commission legally compels his attendance.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone in the wrestling game,” Ganson said yesterday. “But at the same time if the commission compels me to attend and will put me under oath I will tell what I know. I will not only answer questions but I will make a statement as to existing conditions. It would be foolish for me or any other man in the mat game to attend voluntarily and make a statement without being placed under oath. If I am to tell anything, I want it to count.”

Such word has been passed to Commissioner George Payne. The commissioner from the Garden City, who is reported as being in complete charge of looking over the wrestling situation, has been reported as anxious to get at the facts.

Ganson says he can help if he is ordered to be there. And Smiling Jack hints there are others in the wrestling game who can help make the Saturday meeting an interesting one.