Magazines
Chapter Two: Relive History with Wrestling Life August 1955
#PWHS #Article #Magazines #WrestlingLife
My first impression of this magazine is that it is about 90% of the size of the magazines that most of us grew up with. It measures 7 and 3/8 inches wide (19 centimeters approximately) and 10 inches tall (25 centimeters approximately). It has a great action photo on the front cover to draw the reader inside. The only headline says, “Historic Londos-Lewis Bout” and “plus Other Features”.
Inside Front Cover
Action Picture ad for Fred Kohler’s summer cards in the air-conditioned Marigold Arena of Chicago. It includes the address and phone number for Fred Kohler Enterprises.
Page One; continued on Page Twenty-Nine
A wrestling column called, “Generally Speaking…” This column is very interesting explaining how the rules are different in the different promotions and states. The highlights include how in Illinois no ref can be touched or opponent thrown out of the ring, while in Texas the ref can be pushed around without a disqualification and it is very common for wrestlers being thrown out of the ring without a disqualification. In Australia, they wrestle by rounds of specific minutes followed by several minutes of rest. Wrestlers lose 6-8 pounds in a summer match under the lights.
Page One
Lists the information about this magazine. It is Volume 1, #6. It lists the contents under four headings: Features, Biographies, Departments, and Other Features. It lists Dick Axman as the Editor and Bob Luce as the Advertising Manager. The annual subscription is $3.
Note: it is published in Chicago, but if you are a dealer desiring Wrestling Life you need to write to a post office box in Sepulveda, California.
Page Two
A column by the editor entitled, “The Voice of Wrestling”. Interesting column comparing how wrestling Athletic Commissions are much stricter than other major sports. It lists Verne Gagne and Hans Schmidt drawing a thirty day suspension after a match in the Chicago International Amphitheater. Also Hard Boiled Haggerty was suspended for sixty days in Minnesota. The editor gives his opinion that wrestling would be boring without the wrestlers giving their all. Lou Thesz won his title from Wild Bill Longson in 1948 and defends his belt “at least” thirty times a year (that sure changed in later years). He travels some 200,000 miles per year to face worthy opponents. In closing, Axman mentions that Joe Stecher and Frank Gotch weighed around 200 pounds in their heyday.
There is a small column entitled, “Why Jap Wrestlers are Huge”. The answer is that they are force-fed every day with rice and get twice the amount of sleep as non Sumo wrestlers. It concludes that the four mentioned sumo wrestlers in the article were pretty dull and did not cause much of a stir in a recent tour.
Page Three
“Two Gals on the Rise” tells the bio of twenty-two year old Judy Glover and twenty year old Penny Banner. Judy studied judo while stationed in Japan. Penny is so athletic and has been involved in many sports her entire life. Also, “she hopes to marry and have a large family since she loves children.”
(She said she had five dates with Elvis Presley between 1956 and 1958. She only had one child and was married to Johnny Weaver for thirty-five years before divorcing him in 1994.)
A great action shot of Glover and Banner on top of the page.
Inside Front Cover
Action Picture ad for Fred Kohler’s summer cards in the air-conditioned Marigold Arena of Chicago. It includes the address and phone number for Fred Kohler Enterprises.
Page One; continued on Page Twenty-Nine
A wrestling column called, “Generally Speaking…” This column is very interesting explaining how the rules are different in the different promotions and states. The highlights include how in Illinois no ref can be touched or opponent thrown out of the ring, while in Texas the ref can be pushed around without a disqualification and it is very common for wrestlers being thrown out of the ring without a disqualification. In Australia, they wrestle by rounds of specific minutes followed by several minutes of rest. Wrestlers lose 6-8 pounds in a summer match under the lights.
Page One
Lists the information about this magazine. It is Volume 1, #6. It lists the contents under four headings: Features, Biographies, Departments, and Other Features. It lists Dick Axman as the Editor and Bob Luce as the Advertising Manager. The annual subscription is $3.
Note: it is published in Chicago, but if you are a dealer desiring Wrestling Life you need to write to a post office box in Sepulveda, California.
Page Two
A column by the editor entitled, “The Voice of Wrestling”. Interesting column comparing how wrestling Athletic Commissions are much stricter than other major sports. It lists Verne Gagne and Hans Schmidt drawing a thirty day suspension after a match in the Chicago International Amphitheater. Also Hard Boiled Haggerty was suspended for sixty days in Minnesota. The editor gives his opinion that wrestling would be boring without the wrestlers giving their all. Lou Thesz won his title from Wild Bill Longson in 1948 and defends his belt “at least” thirty times a year (that sure changed in later years). He travels some 200,000 miles per year to face worthy opponents. In closing, Axman mentions that Joe Stecher and Frank Gotch weighed around 200 pounds in their heyday.
There is a small column entitled, “Why Jap Wrestlers are Huge”. The answer is that they are force-fed every day with rice and get twice the amount of sleep as non Sumo wrestlers. It concludes that the four mentioned sumo wrestlers in the article were pretty dull and did not cause much of a stir in a recent tour.
Page Three
“Two Gals on the Rise” tells the bio of twenty-two year old Judy Glover and twenty year old Penny Banner. Judy studied judo while stationed in Japan. Penny is so athletic and has been involved in many sports her entire life. Also, “she hopes to marry and have a large family since she loves children.”
(She said she had five dates with Elvis Presley between 1956 and 1958. She only had one child and was married to Johnny Weaver for thirty-five years before divorcing him in 1994.)
A great action shot of Glover and Banner on top of the page.
Pages Four to Seven
Londos Vs. Lewis. 35,625 fans in Wrigley Field saw Jim Londos defeat the famed Ed “Strangler” Lewis in forty-nine minutes and twenty-seven seconds. Londos defended his world belt by pinning the ten time titleholder on September 23, 1934. This is a great background story including the fact that Lewis had beaten Londos fourteen times during his heyday and had four world championship reigns.
One hour and thirty minutes had been the time limit and with it to be decided by judges if there was no definitive winner at the end of the time-limit. Londos had held his belt for four years. The two combatants had not met for ten years, the last time had been in St. Louis. The crowd was the largest on record at the time of the match and drew a gate of $96,302 (said to be the largest gate at the time). Lewis weighed two-hundred-and-forty and Londos two-hundred-and-five.
The first twenty minutes had Lewis in charge, but it took seventeen minutes before Lewis got Londos off his feet for the first time for either wrestler. Londos fought on and finally pinned Lewis at the forty-nine minute mark to retain his world heavyweight championship.
Page Seven
“Veteran Going Strong”. Small four paragraphs about eighteen year veteran George Bruckman.
Pages Eight to Nine; continued on Pages Twenty-Three and Twenty-Seven
"Style + Skill = Billy Goelz." The article calls Billy a scientist; mixing ingredients for success. He supposedly has three hundred different grips he uses but claims there are over two thousand. A great bio piece that includes how Billy has time for kids and disabled veterans.
Pages Ten and Thirteen
“People and Personalities”. Interesting article about the colorful personalities in Professional wrestling. Tells of how Gorgeous George was an unknown for fifteen years until he became the Gorgeous One. Tony Olivas was getting nowhere until he hired a slave girl (The Fabulous Moolah) to beat a tom tom as he changed his appearance and became "Elephant Boy.” Ali Bey used a turban and bowed to Allah to become a new wrestling persona. A mention of Gypsy Joe, Shiek of Araby (Original Shiek), Lord Blears, and Lord Layton.
Pages Fourteen to Sixteen; continued on Page Twenty-Nine
“Red – Head Rose Roman”. She won the right for lady wrestlers in Illinois. Good bio including how she even raced stock cars in Texas. Tells the usual information but centers on her winning Illinois rights.
Pages Seventeen to Nineteen; continued on Page Twenty-Seven
"Tolos – Master of the Trojan Claw”. Good story about Chris Tolos and his love of Greek history. The article tells of a gory fight between him and Hans Schmidt that took nineteen stitches to patch his head up. The Greeks are looking for someone to replace Jim Londos, but Chris is not the total good-guy fans demand. Chris wrestled in Europe and Northern Africa to learn more styles and to be the best. He is an avid stamp collector in his free time at age twenty-five.
Pages Twenty to Twenty-One
“Golden Gate Promoter”. Joe Malcewicz has been involved in professional wrestling for forty plus years which includes promoting for twenty. His largest card drew 16,487 fans and a $52,339 gate by signing Leo Nomellini to challenge world champ Lou Thesz at the Cow Palace. Malcewicz once was acclaimed as world champion when Joe Stecher refused to wrestle him. In comparing promoting to wrestling, Joe said promoting gives you more headaches and wrestling gives you more backaches.
Pages Twenty-Two to Twenty-Nine
“California Capers”. This, of course, is what is happening in California but this month it features The Blonde Bombshells, Gene and Steve Stanlee, and how they are bringing top action and humor to the fans. Gene has an extensive wardrobe as he has not been seen wearing the same jacket into the ring twice.
Pages Twenty-Four to Twenty-Five
“New York State News”. Though entitled New York, this article spends a lot of print talking about Canadian wrestlers. One such wrestler is John (Skull) Murphy who is twenty-three years old and a great villain. It correctly talks about him contracting scarlet fever at age thirteen and being unable to grow hair on his chest or head.
Texas tag champs, Lou Plummer and Dirty Dick Raines, fighting top stars such as the Kalmikoffs, and Lord Layton and Roy McClarity. Rumor has it that lady wrestlers may be allowed to wrestle in New York soon. Ends with Lord Layton doing well after coming back from a possible career-ending left eye retina injury.
Page Twenty-Four
Advertisement - “With Our Compliments we will send this edition of Wrestling Life to two of your friends…” (All you had to do is write your friends’ names and addresses and mail it in; what a deal!)
Page Twenty-Six
"Canadian Breezes”. This article starts by praising Stu Hart for developing Sandor Kovacs. It mentions Whipper Bill Watson, Sky-Hi-Lee and Earl McCready. The article ends by praising Montreal promoter Eddie Quinn for giving twenty-five year old Johnny Rogeau his first chance.
Page Twenty-Seven
“Joan’s Jottings”. This column mentions Bob McCune taking a world tour which leads to saying how wrestling is so popular world-wide. Crowds are over 10,000 in Australia and 100,000 in India.
Page Twenty-Eight
“London Reports”. This entire article tells the bio of Ray Apollon from Trinidad, the "Black Prince of Wrestling." He is the heavyweight champ of the West Indies. He was actually born in New York and returned with his parents aged two years old to Trinidad. It tells of his world travels and his vast resume.
Page Thirty
“Fan Mail”. Highlights include learning that Bobby Managoff was a world champion from November 27, 1942 to February 19, 1943 by defeating Yvon Robert and losing to Bill Longson. Managoff has a professional singing sister by the name of Kay Armen. Verne Gagne lives in Excelsior, Minnesota with a home on a lake.
Page Thirty-One
“Styles of Wrestling”. Informative page speaking of four different styles of wrestling: Cumberland, West Country Style, Graeco-Roman, and Catch-as-Catch-Can.
Page Thirty-Two
Advertisement to get advertisers for Wrestling Life and also an advertisement to subscribe for twelve issues costing $3.
Inside Back Cover
Get a free wrestling record, “Wrestling Polka” (I am not kidding) for each $1 order for:
a) A Wrestling Calendar of 1955.
b) A Photo Album of Sixty-Four Wrestling.
c) 8x10 Glossy Photos of Wrestlers; 25 cents each.
d) An Autographed Pen by Verne Gagne, Argentina Rocca, Hans Schmidt, Roy McClarity, Pat O’Connor, Whipper Watson, or Billy Darnell.
Back Cover
Advertisement for Fohrman Motors of Chicago and Evanston featuring the Packard Four Hundred.
This magazine was very informative historically and contained beautiful photography.
In closing, I am always interested in obtaining pre-1970 magazines.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Magazines: Chapter Two.
Author: Terry Kent.
Published: June 28, 2018.
Article: #205.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Magazines: Chapter Two.
Author: Terry Kent.
Published: June 28, 2018.
Article: #205.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Magazines: Chapter One - Read Here.
Other articles by Terry can be Read Here.