Red Letter Day
Chapter One: Pro-Wrestling's First (Known) $100,000
#PWHS #Article #RedLetterDay #FirstEver
April 22, 1952 - Los Angeles Times
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Over seventeen years before on September 20, 1934, World Champ "Strangler" Lewis met handsome Jim Londos with 35,265 fans paying a gross of $96,302. This took years of build-up by the most powerful promoters of the time….In less than a year this time, many ingredients were stirred and mixed to produce a winning recipe to break this long-standing record. We now share with you the winning ingredients:
1. One “regional” California World Champion by the name of “Baron” Michele Leone. Even though he was definitely a heel, his infectious personality of arrogance, strutting, and unique humor was causing people to line-up and sell-out such famed auditoriums as the Olympic with thousands unable to get a ticket. He was a successful ingredient from the moment he hit John Doyle’s rings in California in October of 1949. In August 1950 he defeated Leo Girabaldi to become the “region’s” World Junior Heavyweight Championship and became a dual champion by beating the “regional” World Champion Enrique Torres of almost four years on November 22. He was a fixture at Muscle Beach, training in front of the locals and wrestling regularly 6 days a week from San Diego to Los Angeles. In addition to this, he was one of Pro Wrestling’s first cross-over star as he appeared on many local TV shows such as the Dennis Day Show.
2. One NWA World Champion Lou Thesz. Thesz arrives in July 1951 to a scene he had not encountered since the popularity of Whipper Billy Watson; Thesz was in the unique circumstance of being in the shadow of the Regional star. Thesz began to push back publicly-by signing an open contract to meet any opponent any time-and privately to the NWA Headquarters to get their promoter in line.
3. Doyle began hyping a potential championship match-up like California fans had never seen the likes of - even before a formal contract had been signed. He spoke to journalists, and whoever would listen.
4. TV commentator Dick Lane’s excellent coverage kept fans attention week-in and week-out. He is credited by many of selling as many tickets for that night than all the other channels of advertisement combined. February 16, 1952, Doyle was joined by Leone to fuel the fire and why this match had to be signed.
5. April 21, 1952, photo taken that would appear in the LA Times showing Doyle in the middle of the two contestants after they had signed a formal contract. The event would culminate on May 21.
6. The contract called for a two out of three fall match with a TWO HOUR TIME LIMIT. That put the exciting aspect of seeing these two stars wrestling for a much longer time than usual
7. In addition, if the time limit expires and the falls were even, then the referee and two selected judges would pick a winner. That put the aspect of there HAVING TO BE A WINNER; the fans would not face the possibility of shelling out large amounts of money and still go home with no definite winner.
8. The last ingredient actually provided for another exciting ingredient: what if there was a controversial decision by the three voters and the fans disagreed?
9. Thesz came into the territory the beginning of May and the all-out advertising began. One huge advantage this pairing had that the Lewis-Londos lacked was the magic of Television. People at home could not only hear the rhetoric, but could see the body language and personality of both wrestlers in addition. At least two two hour TV shows were broadcast called Wrestling Workouts that showed these two champions preparing to do battle. What made it special were special guests in appearance that were top name wrestlers.
10. One of these wrestlers was the famed Ed “Strangler” Lewis himself, who accompanied Lou Thesz as his manager. Strangler was still respected as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. More importantly, he could be the mouthpiece for the NWA Champion. It was Strangler that could emphasize and brag what talents its took for Thesz to have held this prestigious belt for the past almost three years at this time.
11. To add icing on these successful ingredients, Doyle made two final announcements on that final Sunday before the match on Wednesday: A. the proceeds from the daily workout sessions at the Olympic Auditorium would be donated to the U.S. Olympic Committee (publicity points gained usually with little dollars actually donated) and B. the fans would receive FREE AUTOGRAPHED PHOTOS OF THE WRESTLERS. This little extra marketing could have well put this match into the record-making position it wanted to be in. This was not your usual Top Card, but something SPECIAL THAT COULD NOT BE MISSED.
12. A special referee that fit perfectly in this scenario was like a well-placed cherry placed on top of a winning desert. 6’4” Mike Mazurki was chosen to keep these two combatants under control. He was a former pro wrestler and a popular film star of fifty-plus films that fans thought was the perfect choice.
This well-orchestrated recipe worked to perfection. 25,256 walked through the turnstiles that day with thousands being turned away. (If a larger venue had been chosen, the attendance record of 35,265 could have been challenged.) The gate was A NEW RECORD OF $103,277.75, almost eclipsing the previous record by $7,000. After the expenses were paid, the event’s net was supposedly a whopping $81,523.45!
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Red Letter Day: Chapter One.
Author: Terry Kent.
Published: July 2014.
Article: #11.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Red Letter Day: Chapter One.
Author: Terry Kent.
Published: July 2014.
Article: #11.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Despite the record dollars generated, only as wrestling can somehow manage to do it, the non-combatants got the larger percentage. The ten preliminary wrestlers got paid the California minimum of $15! While the California “World” Junior Heavyweight Champion (Rito Romero) and the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion (Danny McShain) semi-finalists were paid only a few hundred dollars. Thesz got $9,000 of his $10,000 and Leone got around $4,500. A Red Letter Day for Pro Wrestling records, but another tragedy in how the workers were compensated for their involvement.
Red Letter Day: Chapter
Other articles by Terry can be Read Here.