Becker, Witzig Go After Smith Brothers Tonight

The Spartanburg Herald – April 9, 1955

JACK WITZIG… George Becker’s partner

George Becker and Jack Witzig, who local wrestling fans figure got “rooked” in a battle with the Smith brothers last Saturday night, clash with the bearded New Yorkers in a return number at Memorial Arena tonight.

The Smith were officially declared the winners last week after Al had sneaked into the ring and helped John “pin” Witzig in the third fall.

Nagurski To Headline Friday Program

The Oregonian – October 16, 1953

One of the greatest football players in collegiate grid history, Bronko Nagurski, will take the spotlight in the top attraction of the Portland Wrestling Club’s mat show at the armory Friday night.

Capacity Crowd Expected As Girls Wrestle Again

The Progress-Index – August 23, 1957

ANOTHER CAPACITY CROWD like the one shown above at last week’s Richmond wrestling show is expected tonight as the same girls, Babs Wingo, challenger, (left) and Ethel Johnson, Negro girls champion, tangle in the ARE show tonight.

An extra 500 seats will help take care of an expected capacity gathering tonight at the State Fair Grounds for promoter Bill Lewis’ professional wrestling program which features a pair of Negro girl wrestlers in a Texas-rules match.

‘Battle’ Won By Carl Engstrom

The Oregonian – October 17, 1953

Carl Engstrom was declared the winner of the wrestling “Battle Royal” Friday night at the armory after pinning Jack Kiser with a whip wristlock, outlasting a field of seven grapplers.

Hammerlock King Taken To The Cleaners

Kelso Kelsonian-Tribune – September 13, 1951

The mighty exponent of the hammerlock, Jack O’Reilly, met his match Monday evening (Sept. 10) at Fairgrounds Arena as Carl Engstrom of Minnesota took a two out of three falls decision from the Australian grappler.

Action Provided By Midget Grapplers At Fairgrounds

Kelso Kelsonian-Tribune – November 1, 1951

The mighty midgets put in their appearance Monday night (Oct. 29) at Fairgrounds Arena, giving fans a slam-bang, action-packed show. The colorful, pint-sized athletes staged a tag team match, winners being Sky Low Low and Vito Gonzales. They were pitted against Pee Wee James and Sallie Halassie.

Fans Object To Referee’s Call

Coos Bay OR Times – February 19, 1949

A near riot resulted over last night’s decision in the final fall of the feature wrestling match at the Coos Bay Armory.

Bill Weidner, the favorite, met Bulldog Clements in the feature event, and was one fall behind when he suddenly decided not to take any more rough stuff from Clements and knocked him out of the ring. He also knocked the referee, Jack O’Reilly, out of the ring and refused to let either man back in the ring, kicking them back down on the floor each time they tried to climb through the ropes.

The referee awarded the match to Clements, as they stood beside the ring, but the fans complained loudly. O’Reilly was encircled by irate fans and, when he shoved one of them back into the ringside seats, disaster almost struck. However, the wrestlers came out of the dressing rooms and escorted O’Reilly out of the danger zone.

Weidner returned to the ring, and insisted that promoter Thor Jensen make Clements come back for another fall, but Jensen stated that the referee’s decision stood.

The middle match also was a wild fracas, with Herb Parks trying everything in the books on Maurice LaChappelle. Parks had LaChappelle definitely groggy after 11 minutes of the bout, but lost the fall at the last minute when he ran amok and consistently fouled his opponent. Referee O’Reilly awarded the fall to LaChappelle.

LaChappelle took the second and deciding fall with a punishing series of spinning head locks that left Parks gasping for air.

Rene LaBelle won the opener in 15 minutes from O’Reilly, on a surprise fall, flying off the ropes with a full-speed elbow slam on O’Reilly that caught him unawares.