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Pawtucket Times – May 17, 1928

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Renato Gardini, Italian wrestling idol, has been matched to meet Demetrius Tofalos, Greek matman, for the National Athletic Club here May 25. Gardini and Tofalos staged a heated argument after the Italian’s recent victory over Anthony Pedisich, Austrian champion.

Spellman to Get Test in Bout With Stevens

Pawtucket Times – February 28, 1926

Arrangements are being perfected for the revival of wrestling on a monster scale at the Marieville A. C. next Thursday night, when Matchmaker Dick Curley will present an all-star bill of heavyweight wrestlers. John Spellman, Olympic champion and former Brown football star, is to appear in the special attraction against Harry Stevens of Ireland. Spellman impressed followers of the grappling sport when he easily defeated Jimmy Gentwell at the Grand Opera House in Boston last week. It took Johnny but 27 minutes to pin Gentwell’s shoulders to the mat to score the fall. Boston dispatches stated that Spellman shaped up like a future champion. In addition to the Spellman-Stevens match, Matchmaker Curley has arranged for a well-balanced card. Wladek Zbyszko, younger brother of Stanislaus Zbyszko, former heavyweight wrestling champion of the world, and himself Graeco-Roman champion, will stack up against Joe Zigmund of Ukrainia. The winner best two in three falls. Renato Gardini, idol of Italian wrestling fandom, champion of Italy, will be pitted against Tommy Draak, the rough and tumble champion of Holland. Abe Kaplan, Jewish champion, who hails from ‘Frisco, meets Frank Bruno of Poland.

Sport Topics

The Pawtucket Times – June 18, 1921
E. W. Farnum

Wrestling as a “big time” sport in this section is to break in at Marieville arena, with the first show set for Monday, June 27, if present plans remain unchanged. It would not be surprising if the grappling game, well staged, caught on immediately. A real “man mountain” from the West, an Italian mat artist who is said to be considerably better than the much-heralded Renato Gardini, will be a drawing card for the opener. He is best described as a “bone crusher,” Chicago sport critics say.

Gardini Faces Test In Siki Go

Chicago Daily Tribune – December 6, 1923

Italian mat fans have been wondering if Renato Gardini is as great a wrestler as Stanislaus Zbyszko.  They will have an opportunity of determining this much mooted question tomorrow night at the Star and Garter, when their favorite takes on Reginald Siki, the giant colored heavyweight.  It took Zbyszko a little more than an hour to flop the dusky mauler the first time.

Reginald Siki Acclaimed By Fans As He Holds Gardini To Draw

The Yonkers Statesman – November 21, 1930
By Jack Wertis

Senegalese Wrestler Cheered As He Leaves Local Ring

Gardini, Previous Favorite of Yonkers Fans, Is Booed After Upset – Stan Zbyszko Is Easy Winner Over Jack Russell

It was amid unprecedented cheering that Reginald Siki, 210-pound Negro wrestler left the ring at Columbus Hall last night after his bout with Renato Gardini, Italian favorite with whom he had just grappled 45 minutes to a draw in one of the feature bouts on the card.  Quite contrary to all expectations, Gardini was virtually ousted from the ring by a torrent of “boos” and catcalls.

Some Beef

Los Angeles Evening Express – September 7, 1926

The gentlemen of huge proportions pictured above who earn their livelihood by twisting one another into various pretzel shapes will grapple on Lou Daro’s card of eight bouts at the Olympic Auditorium tomorrow evening.

Gardini’s Strength Overcomes Meyers

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle – March 7, 1928

Renato Gardini and Fred Meyers wrestled for 40 minutes at the New Ridgewood Grove last night with neither having any perceptible advantage.  Then Meyers suddenly surprised Gardini by grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and hurling him sidewise across the ring.

Gardini arose, scowling, and met Meyers’ attack by encircling his arms about the body of the Jewish champion.  Meyers was lifted over Gardini’s head and thrown to the mat.  The bout was to have been to a finish.

Londos Grapples Siki On 71st Regiment Mat

The Daily Star – February 22, 1928

Jim Londos is preparing himself for a tough tussle when he encounters Reginald Siki in the finish match at the Seventy-first Regiment Armory, Monday night.

Siki is young, speedy and is master of the toe hold, and those who follow wrestling know that Londos doesn’t care much for this trick hold.

Wrestling Last Night

Malone Evening Telegram – May 8, 1931
By The Associated Press

SYRACUSE, N. Y. – Jim McMillen and Billy Bartush drew, 45 minutes without fall; Hans Steinke, Germany, threw Willie Davis, Virginia, 12:20; Renato Gardini, Italy, threw Casey Berger, Texas, 36:00; Glen Stafford threw George Tragos, St. Louis, 10:43.

BOSTON – Al Morelli, 210, Boston college, defeated Pat McKay, 205, Memphis, Tenn., straight falls, 15:00 and 26:00; Stanley Stasiak, 240, Boston, and Nick Lutze, 215, California, drew, 30 minutes; George Zarynoff, 200, Russia, threw Louis Loew, 210, France, 19:00.

Siki, Negro Wrestler, Champion Of Tomorrow, Say Sport Experts

The Humboldt Times – November12, 1925

The wrestling match between Renato Gardini and Reginald Siki, negro, at Armory Hall Saturday night, is causing more comment than any match booked here for a number of years.

Siki, who has jumped from obscurity to fame virtually overnight, is rated by Los Angeles and San Francisco sportsmen as the “champion of tomorrow.”