Helmer C. Myre
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Helmer C. Myre was born on a farm on January 2, 1891 in the county of Winnebago, Iowa. Myre in many ways is just a footnote in the history of professional wrestling. He appears to have started wrestling in the early 1910s. He would have been 20 in 1911. His started to draw attention to himself during 1915 in the world of pro-wrestling.
On February 4, 1913, Myre married Ethel Trail. They had three children together.
In December of that year he was noted as claiming the Light Heavyweight Championship of Iowa. In the same newspaper article, Myre's manager, C.R. Woods, was announcing Myre's "campaign against all wrestlers of his weight in the United States. By 1917 he had picked up claim to another title:
"Helmer C. Myre, of Forest City, is a wrestler. He defeated Jud Thompson, of Spencer, here recently and now has a clear title to the light heavyweight wrestling championship of Iowa and the northwest.
In winning his title Myre does not bestow all the honor on himself, as his wife, who is his manager, and books all his matches, must be given the credit of handling Helmer's matches in a very business-like manner. She is the only lady known in the wrestling game and she should share the honors of our great wrestler, as much credit is due her for Helmer's success at the mat game."
It must be noted that the above mentioned title was sometimes referred to as the Trans-Mississippi Title. Myre lost to Clarence Eklund on April 26, 1917. From that point forward Eklund claimed the world Light Heavyweight Championship in Iowa and Nebraska. The two wrestlers met again on March 14, 1918, that time Myre came out with the title, as well as nationwide recognition as the World Light Heavyweight Champion. He held if for almost a year when Eklund defeated Myre on February 17, 1919. All three bouts took palce in Charles City, Iowa.
Sometime after losing the title, Myre left Iowa for good. It didn't take him long to start claiming he was the Light Heavyweight Champion of the World. By 1921 Myre found a permanent home in Albert Lea, Minnesota. For a year or more, Myre had claimed the World Light Heavyweight Championship while there and was accepted by most of the state and in the Dakotas too. Eklund showed up to beat Myre on April 4, 1922. Twenty-four days later Myre regained recognition in Minnesota and the Dakotas. He continued to hold his claim until late 1923 or early 1924.
The likely reason he dropped his claim was because he entered into the Albert Lea Police Force. Maybe he still wrestled occasionally, it is not clear, either way he was all-but retired. In 1928 after around four years in the force, Myre was elected the Sheriff of Freeborn County, Minnesota. He held that position until 1939.
While that is quite interesting in itself, a pro-wrestler becoming a sheriff, it's not why I wrote about this man. I wrote about this man, because before Jesse Venture, or Kane, or the many wrestlers who have ran for some kind of political position, Myre did it. He used his local popularity found as a wrestler to help transition into local politics. The reason his role as sheriff ended was due to him getting elected to be the representative of Freeborn County at the House of Representatives.
He served for two sessions; 1939 to 1940 and 1941 to 1942. Then in 1947 he found himself as a senator. Again he served two sessions; 1947 to 1948 and 1949 to 1950.
On October 6, 1951, Helmer C. Myre he died after a short illness caused by a "rare blood disease." There were memorials made to him following his passing and there have been places named after him such as the Myre Big Island State Park.
Helmer C. Myre was born on a farm on January 2, 1891 in the county of Winnebago, Iowa. Myre in many ways is just a footnote in the history of professional wrestling. He appears to have started wrestling in the early 1910s. He would have been 20 in 1911. His started to draw attention to himself during 1915 in the world of pro-wrestling.
On February 4, 1913, Myre married Ethel Trail. They had three children together.
In December of that year he was noted as claiming the Light Heavyweight Championship of Iowa. In the same newspaper article, Myre's manager, C.R. Woods, was announcing Myre's "campaign against all wrestlers of his weight in the United States. By 1917 he had picked up claim to another title:
"Helmer C. Myre, of Forest City, is a wrestler. He defeated Jud Thompson, of Spencer, here recently and now has a clear title to the light heavyweight wrestling championship of Iowa and the northwest.
In winning his title Myre does not bestow all the honor on himself, as his wife, who is his manager, and books all his matches, must be given the credit of handling Helmer's matches in a very business-like manner. She is the only lady known in the wrestling game and she should share the honors of our great wrestler, as much credit is due her for Helmer's success at the mat game."
It must be noted that the above mentioned title was sometimes referred to as the Trans-Mississippi Title. Myre lost to Clarence Eklund on April 26, 1917. From that point forward Eklund claimed the world Light Heavyweight Championship in Iowa and Nebraska. The two wrestlers met again on March 14, 1918, that time Myre came out with the title, as well as nationwide recognition as the World Light Heavyweight Champion. He held if for almost a year when Eklund defeated Myre on February 17, 1919. All three bouts took palce in Charles City, Iowa.
Sometime after losing the title, Myre left Iowa for good. It didn't take him long to start claiming he was the Light Heavyweight Champion of the World. By 1921 Myre found a permanent home in Albert Lea, Minnesota. For a year or more, Myre had claimed the World Light Heavyweight Championship while there and was accepted by most of the state and in the Dakotas too. Eklund showed up to beat Myre on April 4, 1922. Twenty-four days later Myre regained recognition in Minnesota and the Dakotas. He continued to hold his claim until late 1923 or early 1924.
The likely reason he dropped his claim was because he entered into the Albert Lea Police Force. Maybe he still wrestled occasionally, it is not clear, either way he was all-but retired. In 1928 after around four years in the force, Myre was elected the Sheriff of Freeborn County, Minnesota. He held that position until 1939.
While that is quite interesting in itself, a pro-wrestler becoming a sheriff, it's not why I wrote about this man. I wrote about this man, because before Jesse Venture, or Kane, or the many wrestlers who have ran for some kind of political position, Myre did it. He used his local popularity found as a wrestler to help transition into local politics. The reason his role as sheriff ended was due to him getting elected to be the representative of Freeborn County at the House of Representatives.
He served for two sessions; 1939 to 1940 and 1941 to 1942. Then in 1947 he found himself as a senator. Again he served two sessions; 1947 to 1948 and 1949 to 1950.
On October 6, 1951, Helmer C. Myre he died after a short illness caused by a "rare blood disease." There were memorials made to him following his passing and there have been places named after him such as the Myre Big Island State Park.
Thank you to Wrestling Titles and Minnesota Legislature.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Biography of Helmer C. Myre.
Author: Jimmy Wheeler.
Published: July 2014.
Biography: #104.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Updated: December 7, 2019.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Biography of Helmer C. Myre.
Author: Jimmy Wheeler.
Published: July 2014.
Biography: #104.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Updated: December 7, 2019.