Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling
A Recap of February 1950
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The first card in February was held on Wednesday the 1st in Alexandria. Canadian Jack Wentworth faced Billy Rush in the opening bout. Wentworth used a backbreaker on Rush and pinned him to win the first fall. Rush pinned Wentworth after flooring him with a punch to the jaw to take the second fall. There was only 6 minutes left of the 60 minute time limit at the beginning of the third and deciding fall, but Wentworth managed to score a quick pin to win the fall and the match.
The feature match was a return match between Jack Curtis and George Cologne. Curtis took the first fall when he applied a neckbreaker on Cologne and pinned him. Cologne came back and used a flying head scissors on Curtis and pinned him to win the second fall. Cologne had Curtis reeling throughout much of the third and deciding fall but Curtis managed another neckbreaker and pinned Cologne to win the fall and the match. After the match Cologne punched referee Eddie (Choo-Choo) Gossett, but the man from Chattanooga fought back and chased Cologne from the ring.
The following night in New Orleans the card opened with Eddie Gossett defeated Billy Rush in the first preliminary match.
In the second preliminary match Jack Wentworth scored a victory over the Green Shadow.
The main event was another return match between Jack Curtis and Sockeye Jack McDonald. As was the case with their previous two encounters, this one was a wild one. After 35 minutes of action in the first fall Dr. Edrington, the Louisiana state commission doctor, called for referee Joe Gunther to stop the match. The doctor examined the deep cut over McDonald’s left eye and declared him unable to continue. Gunther awarded the match to Curtis.
A night later, on Friday in Mobile the card saw Eddie Gossett defeat George Cologne. The main event was a best two out of three fall match between Jack Wentworth and Sockeye Jack McDonald. Wentworth won the first fall by pin and was awarded the second fall when McDonald was unable to continue due to a cut suffered over his eye.
It was announced that the Goltsman family had sold the promotional rights for wrestling in Montgomery to Joe Gunther. Gunther would continue to present his wrestling cards at the Lee Street Arena, which was owned by the Goltsman family. Gunther held his first card in Montgomery on this same Friday night.
That card opened with a 60 minute women’s match with Juanita Coffman facing Mae Weston.
The main event was a tag team match with Rex Mobley & Johnny Gallagher taking on Garza Lozano & the Green Shadow.
No results are known for this card.
That same Friday night in Jackson, Joe Wolfe scored a victory over Rodeo Red Ryan in the one fall opening match.
In the semi-final match, Charlie Laye & Henry Harrell faced off with Balk Estes & Wild Bill Steddum. Each team had a fall apiece when the 45 minute time limit expired in the deciding fall. The match was declared a draw.
In the main event Jack Curtis took on the Black Phantom. With both men being proponents of the piledriver, the match was a natural rivalry. The Phantom switched tactics a bit when he used a series of backbreakers on Curtis before pinning him to win the first fall. Curtis flattened the masked man with a series of dropkicks and pinned him to take the second fall. In the deciding fall the two were battling it out at ringside when referee Claude Skidmore started counting both men out. Curtis managed to get back into the ring at the count of 18 and the Phantom was counted out. The fall and the match went to Curtis.
The following Monday in Shreveport, Charlie Laye faced Wild Bill Steddum in the one fall opening match. The match featured very little wrestling as the two spent most of the match slugging each other. Both men were bloodied by the time the 30 minute time limit expired and the match was declared a draw.
In the semi-final match Henry Harrell & Joe Wolfe teamed up to take on Balk Estes & the Black Phantom in a tag team battle. The Phantom pinned Harrell to score the first fall and was himself pinned by Wolfe in the second fall. In the third and deciding fall Estes & the Phantom had a falling out when Estes refused to use the dirty tactics that the masked man was using. As a result, the Phantom left the ring and returned to the dressing room, leaving Estes to carry on alone. Harrell & Wolfe easily overwhelmed him and he was pinned to give the fall and the match to Harrell & Wolfe.
The main event saw the first appearance in the area of The French Angel, the world famed grappler billed as “the ugliest man alive.” His opponent was Paul Amnotte from Buffalo, New York. The Angel pinned Amnotte to score the first fall and came back to take the second with a bone-crushing bear hug, winning the match in straight falls.
On the following night in Monroe Joe Wolfe defeated Paul Amnotte in 22 minutes of the one fall opening match.
The semi-final match featured the French Angel taking on Wild Bill Steddum. The Angel used his bear hug to force Steddum to submit to win the first fall in 8 minutes. The second fall also went to the Angel, this time in 5 minutes and again by the use of the bear hug.
In the main event, Henry Harrell faced the Black Phantom in a best two out of three falls match. The Phantom forced Harrell to submit to a rocking chair hold after 13 minutes. Harrell came back and rocked the masked man with a series of flying tackles and pinned him to win the second fall in 10 minutes. Harrell was again using flying tackles on the Phantom when the masked man side-stepped one and again locked Harrell in the rocking chair hold. Harrell was forced to submit, giving the third and deciding fall to the Phantom in 5 minutes.
Also on Tuesday in Baton Rouge, former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Primo Carnera made his first appearance in the area. Carnera teamed with Jack Wentworth to take on the team of Rex Mobley & Garza Lozano. Mobley pinned Wentworth to win the first fall for his team. During the second fall Lozano made the mistake of trying to trade punches with Carnera and came out on the losing in of that exchange. Wentworth pinned Mobley to win the fall and even the score. In the third and deciding fall Mobley was tossed from the ring and Carnera laid another haymaker on Lozano and knocked him to the mat. Carnera & Wentworth both covered Lozano and pinned him to win the fall and the match.
The card opened with a one fall match between Wentworth and Lozano but no result is known of that match.
There was no wrestling held in Dothan on Tuesday.
On Wednesday in Alexandria, Rex Mobley and Jack Wentworth battled to a 30 minute draw in the one fall opening match.
Both men returned for the main event which saw Mobley teaming with Primo Carnera to take on Wentworth & Garza Lozano. Wentworth had been Carnera’s partner the previous night in Baton Rouge and Mobley had been on the opposing team. Wentworth & Lozano used some rough tactics on Mobley to wear him down and pin him to take the first fall. In the second fall, Lozano was holding Mobley in a full-nelson when Wentworth threw a forearm. Mobley ducked and the blow floored Lozano, who was quickly pinned by Mobley to take the second fall. In the third and deciding fall, Carnera and Wentworth were battling mid-ring with Carnera getting the best of it. Wentworth tried to tag Lozano, but the big Mexican refused to take the tag. George Cologne came to ringside and convinced Lozano to go to his partner’s aid. Lozano jumped into the ring and flattened everyone in sight. Carnera, Mobley referee Phil Brummett and his own partner Wentworth felt the wrath of his fists. Wentworth got back to his feet and floored Lozano which allowed Carnera to pin him, giving the fall and the match to Mobley & Carnera.
Wrestling promoted by Vic Kalfus opened on Thursday night in Pensacola, Florida at the Legion Arena. The first match on the card saw Balk Estes, the reigning World Light-Heavyweight Champion take two out of three falls to defeat Charlie Laye. Estes’ title was not on the line.
The main event in Pensacola featured the French Angel taking on Wild Bill Steddum. The Angel won the first fall when Steddum was disqualified. In the second fall the Angel trapped Steddum in a bear hug and forced him to submit, giving the match to the Frenchman in straight falls.
The same night in New Orleans Sockeye Jack McDonald defeated Rex Mobley taking two out of three falls to win the opening match.
In the main event Jack Curtis teamed with Primo Carnera to take on the team of Garza Lozano & the Green Shadow. The Shadow pinned Curtis to win the first fall for his team. Carnera came back to win the next two falls, the second by pinning Lozano and the deciding fall over the Shadow, giving the team of Carnera & Curtis the match.
On Friday night in Mobile, Rex Mobley defeated the Green Shadow in the opening match. In the main event, Primo Carnera teamed with Mobley to defeat Garza Lozano & the Green Shadow.
That same evening in Montgomery, Eddie Gossett and Billy (Cue Ball) Rush wrestled in a 60 minute opening match.
In the main event Jack Wentworth and Sockeye Jack McDonald met in a 90 minute match.
No results are known for this card.
That same Friday evening in Jackson, Henry Harrell defeated newcomer Jim Howell in the one fall opening match.
In the semi-final match, Joe Wolfe took on the Black Phantom in a best two out of three falls match. Each man had won a fall apiece going into the third and deciding fall. Wolfe hit the Phantom with a series of flying tackles, but tried it one time too many. The Phantom managed to drive a knee into the face of Wolfe and pinned him to win the fall and the match.
The French Angel took on Wild Bill Steddum once again in the main event. The Angel defeated Steddum using the bear hug in 16 minutes to win the first fall. Steddum was unable to continue and the Angel was awarded the second fall by forfeit, giving him the match in two straight falls.
The following week on Monday in Shreveport, Charlie Laye took on Wild Bill Steddum in the one fall opening match. At one point Laye tossed Steddum out of the ring and would not let him return. Referee Paul Amnotte tried to push Laye back into a corner, but was tossed out of the ring as well. Amnotte disqualified Laye and awarded the match to Steddum while they were both on the floor.
The semi-final match was a bout between Joe Wolfe and Balk Estes. Estes won the first fall when he forced Wolfe to submit to an Indian Death Lock. Wolfe came back and used a rolling cradle to pin Estes to win the fall and even the score. In the third and deciding fall, Estes once again tried to apply the Indian Death Lock, but Wolfe managed to reverse it and applied a leglock of his own. Estes was forced to submit to give the fall and the match to Wolfe. Following the match Wolfe challenged Estes to meet him with the World Light-Heavyweight title on the line. Estes accepted the challenge and promoter Gladden Harrison announced that the match would take place the following week in Shreveport.
In the main event, the French Angel faced the Black Phantom in a best two out of three falls match. The Phantom used every dirty trick he knew to punish the Angel, but the Frenchman managed to apply his bear hug and forced the Phantom to submit to win the first fall. The Phantom spent much of the second fall gouging the Angel’s eyes. Finally referee Conway Baker stopped the match, disqualified the masked man and awarded the match to the French Angel.
The next evening in Monroe, Charlie Laye and Paul Amnotte met in a best two out of three falls opening match. Laye won the first fall in 8 minutes and took the second fall in 11 minutes, taking the match in straight falls.
In the main event, the French Angel returned and teamed with Henry Harrell to take on Wild Bill Steddum & the Black Phantom. Steddum & the Phantom had been running roughshod over nearly everyone in Monroe but would face stiff competition in Harrell & the Angel. The Phantom scored the first fall for his team when he forced Harrell to submit in 14 minutes. In the second fall, the Angel weakened Steddum with his bear hug and tagged Harrell in. Harrell easily pinned Steddum to win the fall and even the match. The Phantom & Steddum appeared to have won the third and deciding fall when the masked man had Harrell ready to be pinned after a series of stomps to the throat. Rather than pin Harrell, however, the Phantom continued stomping him until referee Bill Barney disqualified him and awarded the fall and the match to Harrell & the French Angel.
Also on Tuesday in Baton Rouge, Eddie Gossett and Jack Wentworth met in the opening match of the evening. The match was tied at a fall apiece going into the third and deciding fall. The 60 minute time limit expired before either man could score the decisive fall. The match was declared a draw.
In the main event was a match for the World Jr. Heavyweight title with champion Jack McDonald defending the title against Jack Curtis. McDonald used a series of bodyslams on Curtis and pinned him in 20 minutes to win the first fall. Curtis came back with bodyslams of his own and pinned McDonald to win the second fall in 33 minutes. In the third and deciding fall, McDonald continually whipped Curtis into the ropes and hit him with bodyblocks each time he rebounded from them. Suddenly Curtis came off the ropes with a flying tackle and flattened McDonald. Curtis pinned the stunned McDonald to win the fall and the match and become the new World Jr. Heavyweight champion.
Again there was no wrestling in Dothan on Tuesday.
On Wednesday in Alexandria, the card opened with a match between Eddie Gossett and Jack Wentworth. Each man had won a fall apiece when the 60 minute time limit expired. Neither man was able to gain a winning fall so the match was declared a draw.
The main event was a title match for the World Jr. Heavyweight title between new champion Jack Curtis and the man he had taken the title from the previous night, Jack McDonald. Curtis won the first fall in 20 minutes with a series of neck breakers and a pin. McDonald caught Curtis in an airplane spin and pinned him to win the second fall in 5 minutes. In the third and deciding fall McDonald whipped Curtis into the ropes to try and catch him with a bodyblock. Curtis ducked and hit McDonald with a flying tackle and jumped onto him. Referee Hubert Wright counted the fall and awarded the fall and the match to Curtis, who retained his title.
On Thursday in Pensacola, Vic Kalfus, Jr. took on John (Preacher) Smith in the opening match. Kalfus was the son of Pensacola promoter Vic Kalfus. The second match of the evening had Balk Estes facing Wild Bill Steddum.
Estes teamed with The French Angel in the main event as they faced Steddum and the Black Phantom.
No results are known for this card.
The same night in New Orleans, Jack Wentworth and Frankie Hill met in the opening match. Each man had scored a fall apiece with Hill was disqualified in the third and deciding fall, giving the match to Wentworth.
The main event saw Jack Curtis & Primo Carnera team once again, this time taking on the Green Shadow & Sockeye Jack McDonald. To try and maintain order two referees, Hubert Wright and Eddie Gossett, were assigned to the match. Each team had scored a fall apiece going into the third and deciding fall. In that fall, Curtis was tossed from the ring and McDonald & the Shadow began double teaming Carnera. Once they got the huge former champion on the mat they repeatedly stomped and kicked him. Wright and Gossett tried to restore order only to be punched and kicked as well. Finally the match was stopped and Curtis & Carnera were awarded the third fall and the match on a disqualification.
The next night in Mobile, Frankie Hill defeated the Green Shadow in the opener. In the main event Jack Wentworth defeated Sockeye Jack McDonald.
Also on Friday in Montgomery, Eddie Gossett wrestled Rex Mobley in a 60 minute opening match.
The main event featured Al Massey & Billy Rush teaming to take on the team of Primo Carnera & Garza Lozano in a 90 minute tag team match.
No results are known for this card.
That same Friday night in Jackson, Charlie Laye defeated Jim Howell in the one fall opening match.
The semi-final match was between Balk Estes and Henry Harrell. Estes scored two out of three falls to win the match.
In the main event, the French Angel returned to team with Joe Wolfe to face Wild Bill Steddum & the Black Phantom. The Angel forced the Phantom to submit to his bear hug to win the first fall. Wolfe pinned Steddum in the second fall, to give the match to the Angel & Wolfe in straight falls.
The following Monday in Shreveport, George Cologne made his Shreveport debut in a one fall opening match against Wild Bill Steddum. Cologne pinned Steddum to win the match.
Cologne teamed with Charlie Laye in the semi-final match to face Steddum & the Black Phantom in a tag team match. The Phantom pinned Laye to win the first fall for his team. Laye & Cologne pinned both of their opponents to score the second fall. The Phantom forced Cologne to submit to a Boston Crab hold to with the third fall and the match for his team.
The main event had Balk Estes defending his World Light-Heavyweight title against the challenge of Joe Wolfe. Estes pinned Wolfe to win the first fall after some clean action by both men. Wolfe used a rolling leg scissors to pin Estes to take the second fall and even the score. In the third and deciding fall, Wolfe again caught Estes in the leg scissors but Estes made it to the ropes. Referee Conway Baker forced a break, which both men cleanly complied with. The same scenario happened again with Baker calling for the break. Expecting another clean break, Baker turned his attention away from the action. Estes took advantage of that situation and hit Wolfe with sucker punch. He then pinned Wolfe to win the fall and the match and retain his title.
On Tuesday in Monroe, the opening match on the card was between Henry Harrell and George Cologne. Cologne scored the first fall in 12 minutes when he pinned Harrell. Harrell roared back and beat Cologne in just over 1 minute to take the second fall. The third and deciding fall went just 5 minutes when referee Bill Barney disqualified Cologne for illegal tactics.
In the main event Balk Estes faced off with the Black Phantom. Estes pinned the Phantom in 20 minutes to win the first fall. The Phantom won the second fall in 5 minutes when he forced Estes to submit to a leglock. In the third and deciding fall, the Phantom once again caught Estes in the leglock but this time used the ropes to apply added leverage. At first referee Bill Barney counted Estes out, but then noticed the masked man using the ropes. Barney was about to disqualify the Phantom when Estes floored the masked man with a kangaroo kick. Estes then pinned the Phantom to win the fall and the match.
Also on Tuesday in Baton Rouge the card Eddie Gossett was scheduled to meet Rex Mobley in the opening match.
The main event was scheduled to be Jack Curtis, the new World Jr. Heavyweight champion, facing the Green Shadow in a non-title match.
Both matches were to be best two out of three falls with a 60 minute time limit.
The card was cancelled at the last minute by promoter Mrs. Jimmy Kilshaw.
That same Tuesday, wrestling returned to Dothan. That card saw Garza Lozano take on Sockeye Jack McDonald in a best two out of three falls match. In another best two out of three fall match, Jack Wentworth met Frankie Hill.
No results are known for this card.
The next evening, on Wednesday, in Alexandria the card opened with two one fall 15 minute matches. In those matches Jack Curtis drew Rex Mobley while Eddie Gossett drew the Green Shadow. Phil Brummett refereed both matches.
Those same four men squared off in the main event, a tag team match with Curtis & Gossett facing Mobley & the Green Shadow. The Shadow pinned Curtis to win the first fall after coming close to being disqualified by referee Jack Bloomfield for choking. Gossett won the second fall for his team when he pinned the Shadow to even the match. Mobley pinned Gossett to score the third fall and the match for his team.
The following night, Thursday, in Pensacola, Balk Estes faced the Black Phantom in the opening match. Joe Wolfe faced Wild Bill Steddum in the second match on the card. The main event featured Estes & Wolfe facing Steddum & the Black Phantom in a tag team match.
No results are known for this card.
That same night in New Orleans, the Green Shadow defeated Eddie Gossett in the opening match.
In the semi-final match Al Massey and Rex Mobley battled to a draw. Each man had won a fall apiece when the 60 minute time limit expired before either could gain the winning fall.
The main event was match with World Jr. Heavyweight champion Jack Curtis defending the title against the man he had defeated for the title, Sockeye Jack McDonald. A special referee was also assigned to the match in the form of Man Mountain Dean. Dean, a former wrestler who had one of the biggest attractions from the 1920 through the mid-1940s, was a massive 350 pounder and quite capable of maintaining order. Dean had also appeared in the movie Mighty Joe Young the previous year. Curtis won two out of three falls over McDonald to win the match and retain his title.
The following night in Mobile, Rex Mobley and Jack Bloomfield battled to a draw in the opener. In the main event the Green Shadow defeated Sockeye Jack McDonald. Once again McDonald suffered a cut and was unable to continue after the first fall.
Also on Friday in Montgomery, Eddie Gossett wrestled Frankie Hill in the 60 minute opening match.
The main event featured a grudge match between Al Massey and Garza Lozano.
No results are known for this card.
That same Friday night in Jackson, Joe Wolfe defeated Wild Bill Steddum in the one fall opening match.
The semi-final match was a tag team match with Henry Harrell & Charlie Laye facing George Cologne & the Black Phantom. Each team had scored a fall apiece going into the third and deciding fall. Neither team was able to score the deciding fall before the 60 minute time limit expired and the match was declared a draw.
In the main event, Jack Curtis, the World Jr. Heavyweight champion, was hoping to become a double champion as he challenged Balk Estes for the latter’s World Light-Heavyweight title, a title Curtis once held. Estes won the first fall when he forced Curtis to submit to a leglock. Estes used some less than legal tactics on Curtis during the second fall and Curtis tossed Estes from the ring. Curtis also left the ring and the two battled it out on the floor. Curtis grabbed Estes and applied a piledriver on him. Curtis was disqualified for the act and Estes was awarded the match after two straight falls. Promoter Billy Romanoff announced that he would sign a rematch between the two in the near future.
There was no wrestling card held in Shreveport on the following Monday due to the Municipal Auditorium in use for another event.
On Tuesday in Monroe, the card opened with a best two out of three falls match between Charlie Laye and George Cologne. Laye won two straight falls over Cologne, both in 13 minutes, to win the match.
The main event was another World Light-Heavyweight title match between champion Balk Estes and former champion Jack Curtis, now the reigning World Jr. Heavyweight champion. Curtis won the first fall by forcing Estes to submit to a toehold at the 50 minute mark. Estes forced Curtis to submit to a half Boston Crab hold in 16 minutes to win the second fall. In the deciding fall Estes tossed Curtis from the ring and kicked him each time he tried to get back in. Finally Curtis grabbed Estes and pulled him from the ring. As they battled at ringside, referee Bill Barney started counting them out. They both managed to make it back into the ring before the count of 20 and continued slugging away inside the ring. The bell signaling that the 90 minute time limit had expired and Barney declared the match a draw.
Also on Tuesday in Baton Rouge Jack Bloomfield faced Lee Savoldi in the opening match. Savoldi was a replacement for Jack McDonald who was originally scheduled to face Bloomfield. Savoldi won the first fall in 18 minutes following a series of bodyslams and a pin. Bloomfield used a series of bodyblocks and pinned Savoldi to win the second fall in 17 minutes. Savoldi only needed 4 minutes to pin Bloomfield after a series of kangaroo kicks to win the deciding fall and the match.
In the main event Don Keene made his first appearance of the year as he faced Jack Wentworth. The match was tied at a fall apiece going into the third and deciding fall. The two went at each other tooth and nail for 33 minutes before Keene managed to pin Wentworth to win the fall and the match. Wentworth felt that he’d received a fast count and went after Keene again. The two continued to battle until Wentworth floored Keene. Suddenly Jack Bloomfield ran into the ring but Wentworth floored him as well.
The same evening in Dothan, the Green Shadow wrestled Hubert Wright in the opening match. Rex Mobley met Garza Lozano in the second match of the evening. In the main event, Mobley & Wright teamed to take on Lozano & the Green Shadow in a tag team match.
No results are known for this card, which was the final card held in Dothan.
The first card in February was held on Wednesday the 1st in Alexandria. Canadian Jack Wentworth faced Billy Rush in the opening bout. Wentworth used a backbreaker on Rush and pinned him to win the first fall. Rush pinned Wentworth after flooring him with a punch to the jaw to take the second fall. There was only 6 minutes left of the 60 minute time limit at the beginning of the third and deciding fall, but Wentworth managed to score a quick pin to win the fall and the match.
The feature match was a return match between Jack Curtis and George Cologne. Curtis took the first fall when he applied a neckbreaker on Cologne and pinned him. Cologne came back and used a flying head scissors on Curtis and pinned him to win the second fall. Cologne had Curtis reeling throughout much of the third and deciding fall but Curtis managed another neckbreaker and pinned Cologne to win the fall and the match. After the match Cologne punched referee Eddie (Choo-Choo) Gossett, but the man from Chattanooga fought back and chased Cologne from the ring.
The following night in New Orleans the card opened with Eddie Gossett defeated Billy Rush in the first preliminary match.
In the second preliminary match Jack Wentworth scored a victory over the Green Shadow.
The main event was another return match between Jack Curtis and Sockeye Jack McDonald. As was the case with their previous two encounters, this one was a wild one. After 35 minutes of action in the first fall Dr. Edrington, the Louisiana state commission doctor, called for referee Joe Gunther to stop the match. The doctor examined the deep cut over McDonald’s left eye and declared him unable to continue. Gunther awarded the match to Curtis.
A night later, on Friday in Mobile the card saw Eddie Gossett defeat George Cologne. The main event was a best two out of three fall match between Jack Wentworth and Sockeye Jack McDonald. Wentworth won the first fall by pin and was awarded the second fall when McDonald was unable to continue due to a cut suffered over his eye.
It was announced that the Goltsman family had sold the promotional rights for wrestling in Montgomery to Joe Gunther. Gunther would continue to present his wrestling cards at the Lee Street Arena, which was owned by the Goltsman family. Gunther held his first card in Montgomery on this same Friday night.
That card opened with a 60 minute women’s match with Juanita Coffman facing Mae Weston.
The main event was a tag team match with Rex Mobley & Johnny Gallagher taking on Garza Lozano & the Green Shadow.
No results are known for this card.
That same Friday night in Jackson, Joe Wolfe scored a victory over Rodeo Red Ryan in the one fall opening match.
In the semi-final match, Charlie Laye & Henry Harrell faced off with Balk Estes & Wild Bill Steddum. Each team had a fall apiece when the 45 minute time limit expired in the deciding fall. The match was declared a draw.
In the main event Jack Curtis took on the Black Phantom. With both men being proponents of the piledriver, the match was a natural rivalry. The Phantom switched tactics a bit when he used a series of backbreakers on Curtis before pinning him to win the first fall. Curtis flattened the masked man with a series of dropkicks and pinned him to take the second fall. In the deciding fall the two were battling it out at ringside when referee Claude Skidmore started counting both men out. Curtis managed to get back into the ring at the count of 18 and the Phantom was counted out. The fall and the match went to Curtis.
The following Monday in Shreveport, Charlie Laye faced Wild Bill Steddum in the one fall opening match. The match featured very little wrestling as the two spent most of the match slugging each other. Both men were bloodied by the time the 30 minute time limit expired and the match was declared a draw.
In the semi-final match Henry Harrell & Joe Wolfe teamed up to take on Balk Estes & the Black Phantom in a tag team battle. The Phantom pinned Harrell to score the first fall and was himself pinned by Wolfe in the second fall. In the third and deciding fall Estes & the Phantom had a falling out when Estes refused to use the dirty tactics that the masked man was using. As a result, the Phantom left the ring and returned to the dressing room, leaving Estes to carry on alone. Harrell & Wolfe easily overwhelmed him and he was pinned to give the fall and the match to Harrell & Wolfe.
The main event saw the first appearance in the area of The French Angel, the world famed grappler billed as “the ugliest man alive.” His opponent was Paul Amnotte from Buffalo, New York. The Angel pinned Amnotte to score the first fall and came back to take the second with a bone-crushing bear hug, winning the match in straight falls.
On the following night in Monroe Joe Wolfe defeated Paul Amnotte in 22 minutes of the one fall opening match.
The semi-final match featured the French Angel taking on Wild Bill Steddum. The Angel used his bear hug to force Steddum to submit to win the first fall in 8 minutes. The second fall also went to the Angel, this time in 5 minutes and again by the use of the bear hug.
In the main event, Henry Harrell faced the Black Phantom in a best two out of three falls match. The Phantom forced Harrell to submit to a rocking chair hold after 13 minutes. Harrell came back and rocked the masked man with a series of flying tackles and pinned him to win the second fall in 10 minutes. Harrell was again using flying tackles on the Phantom when the masked man side-stepped one and again locked Harrell in the rocking chair hold. Harrell was forced to submit, giving the third and deciding fall to the Phantom in 5 minutes.
Also on Tuesday in Baton Rouge, former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Primo Carnera made his first appearance in the area. Carnera teamed with Jack Wentworth to take on the team of Rex Mobley & Garza Lozano. Mobley pinned Wentworth to win the first fall for his team. During the second fall Lozano made the mistake of trying to trade punches with Carnera and came out on the losing in of that exchange. Wentworth pinned Mobley to win the fall and even the score. In the third and deciding fall Mobley was tossed from the ring and Carnera laid another haymaker on Lozano and knocked him to the mat. Carnera & Wentworth both covered Lozano and pinned him to win the fall and the match.
The card opened with a one fall match between Wentworth and Lozano but no result is known of that match.
There was no wrestling held in Dothan on Tuesday.
On Wednesday in Alexandria, Rex Mobley and Jack Wentworth battled to a 30 minute draw in the one fall opening match.
Both men returned for the main event which saw Mobley teaming with Primo Carnera to take on Wentworth & Garza Lozano. Wentworth had been Carnera’s partner the previous night in Baton Rouge and Mobley had been on the opposing team. Wentworth & Lozano used some rough tactics on Mobley to wear him down and pin him to take the first fall. In the second fall, Lozano was holding Mobley in a full-nelson when Wentworth threw a forearm. Mobley ducked and the blow floored Lozano, who was quickly pinned by Mobley to take the second fall. In the third and deciding fall, Carnera and Wentworth were battling mid-ring with Carnera getting the best of it. Wentworth tried to tag Lozano, but the big Mexican refused to take the tag. George Cologne came to ringside and convinced Lozano to go to his partner’s aid. Lozano jumped into the ring and flattened everyone in sight. Carnera, Mobley referee Phil Brummett and his own partner Wentworth felt the wrath of his fists. Wentworth got back to his feet and floored Lozano which allowed Carnera to pin him, giving the fall and the match to Mobley & Carnera.
Wrestling promoted by Vic Kalfus opened on Thursday night in Pensacola, Florida at the Legion Arena. The first match on the card saw Balk Estes, the reigning World Light-Heavyweight Champion take two out of three falls to defeat Charlie Laye. Estes’ title was not on the line.
The main event in Pensacola featured the French Angel taking on Wild Bill Steddum. The Angel won the first fall when Steddum was disqualified. In the second fall the Angel trapped Steddum in a bear hug and forced him to submit, giving the match to the Frenchman in straight falls.
The same night in New Orleans Sockeye Jack McDonald defeated Rex Mobley taking two out of three falls to win the opening match.
In the main event Jack Curtis teamed with Primo Carnera to take on the team of Garza Lozano & the Green Shadow. The Shadow pinned Curtis to win the first fall for his team. Carnera came back to win the next two falls, the second by pinning Lozano and the deciding fall over the Shadow, giving the team of Carnera & Curtis the match.
On Friday night in Mobile, Rex Mobley defeated the Green Shadow in the opening match. In the main event, Primo Carnera teamed with Mobley to defeat Garza Lozano & the Green Shadow.
That same evening in Montgomery, Eddie Gossett and Billy (Cue Ball) Rush wrestled in a 60 minute opening match.
In the main event Jack Wentworth and Sockeye Jack McDonald met in a 90 minute match.
No results are known for this card.
That same Friday evening in Jackson, Henry Harrell defeated newcomer Jim Howell in the one fall opening match.
In the semi-final match, Joe Wolfe took on the Black Phantom in a best two out of three falls match. Each man had won a fall apiece going into the third and deciding fall. Wolfe hit the Phantom with a series of flying tackles, but tried it one time too many. The Phantom managed to drive a knee into the face of Wolfe and pinned him to win the fall and the match.
The French Angel took on Wild Bill Steddum once again in the main event. The Angel defeated Steddum using the bear hug in 16 minutes to win the first fall. Steddum was unable to continue and the Angel was awarded the second fall by forfeit, giving him the match in two straight falls.
The following week on Monday in Shreveport, Charlie Laye took on Wild Bill Steddum in the one fall opening match. At one point Laye tossed Steddum out of the ring and would not let him return. Referee Paul Amnotte tried to push Laye back into a corner, but was tossed out of the ring as well. Amnotte disqualified Laye and awarded the match to Steddum while they were both on the floor.
The semi-final match was a bout between Joe Wolfe and Balk Estes. Estes won the first fall when he forced Wolfe to submit to an Indian Death Lock. Wolfe came back and used a rolling cradle to pin Estes to win the fall and even the score. In the third and deciding fall, Estes once again tried to apply the Indian Death Lock, but Wolfe managed to reverse it and applied a leglock of his own. Estes was forced to submit to give the fall and the match to Wolfe. Following the match Wolfe challenged Estes to meet him with the World Light-Heavyweight title on the line. Estes accepted the challenge and promoter Gladden Harrison announced that the match would take place the following week in Shreveport.
In the main event, the French Angel faced the Black Phantom in a best two out of three falls match. The Phantom used every dirty trick he knew to punish the Angel, but the Frenchman managed to apply his bear hug and forced the Phantom to submit to win the first fall. The Phantom spent much of the second fall gouging the Angel’s eyes. Finally referee Conway Baker stopped the match, disqualified the masked man and awarded the match to the French Angel.
The next evening in Monroe, Charlie Laye and Paul Amnotte met in a best two out of three falls opening match. Laye won the first fall in 8 minutes and took the second fall in 11 minutes, taking the match in straight falls.
In the main event, the French Angel returned and teamed with Henry Harrell to take on Wild Bill Steddum & the Black Phantom. Steddum & the Phantom had been running roughshod over nearly everyone in Monroe but would face stiff competition in Harrell & the Angel. The Phantom scored the first fall for his team when he forced Harrell to submit in 14 minutes. In the second fall, the Angel weakened Steddum with his bear hug and tagged Harrell in. Harrell easily pinned Steddum to win the fall and even the match. The Phantom & Steddum appeared to have won the third and deciding fall when the masked man had Harrell ready to be pinned after a series of stomps to the throat. Rather than pin Harrell, however, the Phantom continued stomping him until referee Bill Barney disqualified him and awarded the fall and the match to Harrell & the French Angel.
Also on Tuesday in Baton Rouge, Eddie Gossett and Jack Wentworth met in the opening match of the evening. The match was tied at a fall apiece going into the third and deciding fall. The 60 minute time limit expired before either man could score the decisive fall. The match was declared a draw.
In the main event was a match for the World Jr. Heavyweight title with champion Jack McDonald defending the title against Jack Curtis. McDonald used a series of bodyslams on Curtis and pinned him in 20 minutes to win the first fall. Curtis came back with bodyslams of his own and pinned McDonald to win the second fall in 33 minutes. In the third and deciding fall, McDonald continually whipped Curtis into the ropes and hit him with bodyblocks each time he rebounded from them. Suddenly Curtis came off the ropes with a flying tackle and flattened McDonald. Curtis pinned the stunned McDonald to win the fall and the match and become the new World Jr. Heavyweight champion.
Again there was no wrestling in Dothan on Tuesday.
On Wednesday in Alexandria, the card opened with a match between Eddie Gossett and Jack Wentworth. Each man had won a fall apiece when the 60 minute time limit expired. Neither man was able to gain a winning fall so the match was declared a draw.
The main event was a title match for the World Jr. Heavyweight title between new champion Jack Curtis and the man he had taken the title from the previous night, Jack McDonald. Curtis won the first fall in 20 minutes with a series of neck breakers and a pin. McDonald caught Curtis in an airplane spin and pinned him to win the second fall in 5 minutes. In the third and deciding fall McDonald whipped Curtis into the ropes to try and catch him with a bodyblock. Curtis ducked and hit McDonald with a flying tackle and jumped onto him. Referee Hubert Wright counted the fall and awarded the fall and the match to Curtis, who retained his title.
On Thursday in Pensacola, Vic Kalfus, Jr. took on John (Preacher) Smith in the opening match. Kalfus was the son of Pensacola promoter Vic Kalfus. The second match of the evening had Balk Estes facing Wild Bill Steddum.
Estes teamed with The French Angel in the main event as they faced Steddum and the Black Phantom.
No results are known for this card.
The same night in New Orleans, Jack Wentworth and Frankie Hill met in the opening match. Each man had scored a fall apiece with Hill was disqualified in the third and deciding fall, giving the match to Wentworth.
The main event saw Jack Curtis & Primo Carnera team once again, this time taking on the Green Shadow & Sockeye Jack McDonald. To try and maintain order two referees, Hubert Wright and Eddie Gossett, were assigned to the match. Each team had scored a fall apiece going into the third and deciding fall. In that fall, Curtis was tossed from the ring and McDonald & the Shadow began double teaming Carnera. Once they got the huge former champion on the mat they repeatedly stomped and kicked him. Wright and Gossett tried to restore order only to be punched and kicked as well. Finally the match was stopped and Curtis & Carnera were awarded the third fall and the match on a disqualification.
The next night in Mobile, Frankie Hill defeated the Green Shadow in the opener. In the main event Jack Wentworth defeated Sockeye Jack McDonald.
Also on Friday in Montgomery, Eddie Gossett wrestled Rex Mobley in a 60 minute opening match.
The main event featured Al Massey & Billy Rush teaming to take on the team of Primo Carnera & Garza Lozano in a 90 minute tag team match.
No results are known for this card.
That same Friday night in Jackson, Charlie Laye defeated Jim Howell in the one fall opening match.
The semi-final match was between Balk Estes and Henry Harrell. Estes scored two out of three falls to win the match.
In the main event, the French Angel returned to team with Joe Wolfe to face Wild Bill Steddum & the Black Phantom. The Angel forced the Phantom to submit to his bear hug to win the first fall. Wolfe pinned Steddum in the second fall, to give the match to the Angel & Wolfe in straight falls.
The following Monday in Shreveport, George Cologne made his Shreveport debut in a one fall opening match against Wild Bill Steddum. Cologne pinned Steddum to win the match.
Cologne teamed with Charlie Laye in the semi-final match to face Steddum & the Black Phantom in a tag team match. The Phantom pinned Laye to win the first fall for his team. Laye & Cologne pinned both of their opponents to score the second fall. The Phantom forced Cologne to submit to a Boston Crab hold to with the third fall and the match for his team.
The main event had Balk Estes defending his World Light-Heavyweight title against the challenge of Joe Wolfe. Estes pinned Wolfe to win the first fall after some clean action by both men. Wolfe used a rolling leg scissors to pin Estes to take the second fall and even the score. In the third and deciding fall, Wolfe again caught Estes in the leg scissors but Estes made it to the ropes. Referee Conway Baker forced a break, which both men cleanly complied with. The same scenario happened again with Baker calling for the break. Expecting another clean break, Baker turned his attention away from the action. Estes took advantage of that situation and hit Wolfe with sucker punch. He then pinned Wolfe to win the fall and the match and retain his title.
On Tuesday in Monroe, the opening match on the card was between Henry Harrell and George Cologne. Cologne scored the first fall in 12 minutes when he pinned Harrell. Harrell roared back and beat Cologne in just over 1 minute to take the second fall. The third and deciding fall went just 5 minutes when referee Bill Barney disqualified Cologne for illegal tactics.
In the main event Balk Estes faced off with the Black Phantom. Estes pinned the Phantom in 20 minutes to win the first fall. The Phantom won the second fall in 5 minutes when he forced Estes to submit to a leglock. In the third and deciding fall, the Phantom once again caught Estes in the leglock but this time used the ropes to apply added leverage. At first referee Bill Barney counted Estes out, but then noticed the masked man using the ropes. Barney was about to disqualify the Phantom when Estes floored the masked man with a kangaroo kick. Estes then pinned the Phantom to win the fall and the match.
Also on Tuesday in Baton Rouge the card Eddie Gossett was scheduled to meet Rex Mobley in the opening match.
The main event was scheduled to be Jack Curtis, the new World Jr. Heavyweight champion, facing the Green Shadow in a non-title match.
Both matches were to be best two out of three falls with a 60 minute time limit.
The card was cancelled at the last minute by promoter Mrs. Jimmy Kilshaw.
That same Tuesday, wrestling returned to Dothan. That card saw Garza Lozano take on Sockeye Jack McDonald in a best two out of three falls match. In another best two out of three fall match, Jack Wentworth met Frankie Hill.
No results are known for this card.
The next evening, on Wednesday, in Alexandria the card opened with two one fall 15 minute matches. In those matches Jack Curtis drew Rex Mobley while Eddie Gossett drew the Green Shadow. Phil Brummett refereed both matches.
Those same four men squared off in the main event, a tag team match with Curtis & Gossett facing Mobley & the Green Shadow. The Shadow pinned Curtis to win the first fall after coming close to being disqualified by referee Jack Bloomfield for choking. Gossett won the second fall for his team when he pinned the Shadow to even the match. Mobley pinned Gossett to score the third fall and the match for his team.
The following night, Thursday, in Pensacola, Balk Estes faced the Black Phantom in the opening match. Joe Wolfe faced Wild Bill Steddum in the second match on the card. The main event featured Estes & Wolfe facing Steddum & the Black Phantom in a tag team match.
No results are known for this card.
That same night in New Orleans, the Green Shadow defeated Eddie Gossett in the opening match.
In the semi-final match Al Massey and Rex Mobley battled to a draw. Each man had won a fall apiece when the 60 minute time limit expired before either could gain the winning fall.
The main event was match with World Jr. Heavyweight champion Jack Curtis defending the title against the man he had defeated for the title, Sockeye Jack McDonald. A special referee was also assigned to the match in the form of Man Mountain Dean. Dean, a former wrestler who had one of the biggest attractions from the 1920 through the mid-1940s, was a massive 350 pounder and quite capable of maintaining order. Dean had also appeared in the movie Mighty Joe Young the previous year. Curtis won two out of three falls over McDonald to win the match and retain his title.
The following night in Mobile, Rex Mobley and Jack Bloomfield battled to a draw in the opener. In the main event the Green Shadow defeated Sockeye Jack McDonald. Once again McDonald suffered a cut and was unable to continue after the first fall.
Also on Friday in Montgomery, Eddie Gossett wrestled Frankie Hill in the 60 minute opening match.
The main event featured a grudge match between Al Massey and Garza Lozano.
No results are known for this card.
That same Friday night in Jackson, Joe Wolfe defeated Wild Bill Steddum in the one fall opening match.
The semi-final match was a tag team match with Henry Harrell & Charlie Laye facing George Cologne & the Black Phantom. Each team had scored a fall apiece going into the third and deciding fall. Neither team was able to score the deciding fall before the 60 minute time limit expired and the match was declared a draw.
In the main event, Jack Curtis, the World Jr. Heavyweight champion, was hoping to become a double champion as he challenged Balk Estes for the latter’s World Light-Heavyweight title, a title Curtis once held. Estes won the first fall when he forced Curtis to submit to a leglock. Estes used some less than legal tactics on Curtis during the second fall and Curtis tossed Estes from the ring. Curtis also left the ring and the two battled it out on the floor. Curtis grabbed Estes and applied a piledriver on him. Curtis was disqualified for the act and Estes was awarded the match after two straight falls. Promoter Billy Romanoff announced that he would sign a rematch between the two in the near future.
There was no wrestling card held in Shreveport on the following Monday due to the Municipal Auditorium in use for another event.
On Tuesday in Monroe, the card opened with a best two out of three falls match between Charlie Laye and George Cologne. Laye won two straight falls over Cologne, both in 13 minutes, to win the match.
The main event was another World Light-Heavyweight title match between champion Balk Estes and former champion Jack Curtis, now the reigning World Jr. Heavyweight champion. Curtis won the first fall by forcing Estes to submit to a toehold at the 50 minute mark. Estes forced Curtis to submit to a half Boston Crab hold in 16 minutes to win the second fall. In the deciding fall Estes tossed Curtis from the ring and kicked him each time he tried to get back in. Finally Curtis grabbed Estes and pulled him from the ring. As they battled at ringside, referee Bill Barney started counting them out. They both managed to make it back into the ring before the count of 20 and continued slugging away inside the ring. The bell signaling that the 90 minute time limit had expired and Barney declared the match a draw.
Also on Tuesday in Baton Rouge Jack Bloomfield faced Lee Savoldi in the opening match. Savoldi was a replacement for Jack McDonald who was originally scheduled to face Bloomfield. Savoldi won the first fall in 18 minutes following a series of bodyslams and a pin. Bloomfield used a series of bodyblocks and pinned Savoldi to win the second fall in 17 minutes. Savoldi only needed 4 minutes to pin Bloomfield after a series of kangaroo kicks to win the deciding fall and the match.
In the main event Don Keene made his first appearance of the year as he faced Jack Wentworth. The match was tied at a fall apiece going into the third and deciding fall. The two went at each other tooth and nail for 33 minutes before Keene managed to pin Wentworth to win the fall and the match. Wentworth felt that he’d received a fast count and went after Keene again. The two continued to battle until Wentworth floored Keene. Suddenly Jack Bloomfield ran into the ring but Wentworth floored him as well.
The same evening in Dothan, the Green Shadow wrestled Hubert Wright in the opening match. Rex Mobley met Garza Lozano in the second match of the evening. In the main event, Mobley & Wright teamed to take on Lozano & the Green Shadow in a tag team match.
No results are known for this card, which was the final card held in Dothan.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
All research has been completed by the Professional Wrestling Historical Society or by a trusted contributor.
Review of Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling: A Recap of February 1950.
Author: Michael Norris of Gulf Coast Wrestling History: 1950-1977.
Published: July 11, 2019.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
All research has been completed by the Professional Wrestling Historical Society or by a trusted contributor.
Review of Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling: A Recap of February 1950.
Author: Michael Norris of Gulf Coast Wrestling History: 1950-1977.
Published: July 11, 2019.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Click Here for a recap of January 1950.
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Click Here for a recap of June 1951.
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Click Here for a recap of August 1951.
Click Here for a recap of September 1951.
Click Here for a recap of October 1951.
Click Here for a recap of November 1951.
Click Here for a recap of December 19551.
