Gagne Beats McClarity In ‘Sleeper’ Bout

Chicago Tribune – August 7, 1954
By Frank Mastro

Verne Gagne beat Roy McClarity in their wrestling match in International Amphitheater last night, but not before the underdog, McClarity, had put Gagne away once with Verne’s patented sleeper hold. A capacity crowd of 9,891 paid a gross gate of $26,310.

Thesz, Rogers Draw On Mat, Also At Gate

Chicago Tribune – January 27, 1951
By Charles Bartlett

Louis Thesz, a St. Louis scientist, and Buddy Rogers, a quarrelsome character from Camden, N.J., last night wrestled 60 minutes to a draw in Promoter Fred Kohler’s mat extravaganza in the International Amphitheater. Each of the artists won a fall, Thesz after 29:45 and Rogers after 41:35, but the end of the prescribed hour found both exhausted athletes unable to pin his opponent a second time, and referee Jack Dempsey was unable to render a decision.

Gagne Meets McClarity On Mat Tonight

Chicago Tribune – August 6, 1954
By Frank Mastro

Verne Gagne will put his United States television heavyweight championship on the block against Roy McClarity in the main event of tonight’s wrestling show in International Amphitheater.

Buddy Rogers Seeks Thesz Title Tonight

Chicago Tribune – January 26, 1951

Lou Thesz will defend his National Wrestling Alliance heavyweight wrestling championship against Buddy Rogers of Camden, N.J., in the main event of promoter Fred Kohler’s mat show tonight in International Amphitheater, 42nd and Halsted Sts. Jack Dempsey will referee the event, which is set for two of three falls with a one hour time limit. Ed (Strangler) Lewis will second Thesz.

Pesek Battles Lou Plummer

The Leader-Post – September 27, 1955

Jack Pesek and John Foti are two fellows who think Texan Lou Plummer is nothing more than a blow-hard.  Pesek will have his chance to prove it Thursday night at the Auditorium when he and Plummer meet in the main event of a pro wrestling card.

Macera Tops Mike Dibiase

Eugene Register-Guard – February 27, 1961

Luigi Macera and the “battling midgets” stole the show before a capacity wrestling crowd at the fairgrounds Cow Palace Saturday night.

Referee Elton Owen disqualified Mike Dibiase in the first fall of the headliner with Macera.  Macera had “Iron Mike” in a bad way in the second fall with punches and drop kicks and Wild Bill Savage avenged an out-side-the-ring trick by Savage last week and head-butted Dibiase.  Macera pinned Savage with ease.

Little Beaver, with his partner Red Taylor, beat Sky Lo-Lo with drop kicks and a flip to win the howling special event.  Tom Thumb was Lo-Lo’s partner.

The team tilt ended in a draw when Savage downed Kenny Ackles in the first fall.  Lorenzo Parente, Ackles’ partner, whip-wristlocked Savage so hard into the ropes that the top strand snapped and Savage plunged to his face and Parente scored an easy press.  Tito Kopa was Savage’s partner.

Kurt Von Poppenheim beat Pancho Valdez in the one-fall opener.

Big Heart Faces Jerry Graham Tonight

Baltimore Sun – April 23, 1957

Chief Big Heart and Dr. Jerry Graham renew their wrestling feud tonight in the top mat attraction at the Coliseum.

The two grapplers have accepted terms to don boxing gloves for ten two-minute rounds, so that a definite winner can be established.

Secondary feature to the main bout will be a midget tag-team match, with the team of Tom Thumb and Pee Wee James matching wits with the duo of Tito Infante and the Brown Panther.

The tag team match will as usual be a two-out-of-three-fall match, with a one-hour time limit.

Two preliminaries are also slated on tonight’s card. Czaya Nandor, a newcomer from Hungary, will meet Rocky Lee, the Texas star, in a one-fall, one-hour limit test, while Lou Klein and Oyama Kato tangle in the first match of the evening.