Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling
A Recap of June 1951
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On Friday June 1 the card in Jackson, Johnny James and Al Perry battled to a draw in a fast moving match.
Both men returned for the second match of the evening as James teamed with Rex Mobley to face Perry & Al Getz in a tag team match. James & Mobley took two out of three falls to win the match.
The main event featured Buff Sirois meeting Dutch Schultz. Neither man paid any attention to referee Claude Skidmore or the rules and fought each other all over the arena. Finally Skidmore called a halt to the match and called the match a no contest. Both Sirois and Schultz suffered bloody cuts on their heads during the melee.
The following week in Shreveport the match opened with three 20 minute one fall matches. Henry Harrell and Dutch Schultz battled to a draw in the opening match. Rex Mobley and Al Getz ended with the same result in the second bout.
In the third match of the evening Paddy Mack defeated Johnny James.
The main event had Harrell, Mobley & James teaming to take on Schultz, Getz & Mack in a six man tag team match. The threesome of Harrell, Mobley & James scored two out of three falls to win the match.
On Tuesday in Monroe Henry Harrell and Walt Sirois fought to a draw in the opening match of the evening.
In the second match, Rex Mobley, World Light-Heavyweight king, defeated Paddy Mack in a non-title match.
In the main event Harrell & Mobley joined forces to meet Sirois & Mack in a tag team match. Sirois & Mack took two out of three falls to win the match.
That same evening in Baton Rouge Lee Savoldi faced off with Prince Omar in the opening match of the evening. Omar won the first fall when he pinned Savoldi after 17 minutes. In the second fall Savoldi pinned Omar after 15 minutes to take the match and even the score.
The main event featured Irish Jack Kelly facing a newcomer named Cyclone Johnny Bence. Kelly won the first fall but Bence came back and won the next two straight to take the match.
On Wednesday in Alexandria Lee Savoldi and Prince Omar battled to a draw in the opening match. Neither man was satisfied with the decision and remained in the ring hurling challenges at each other until referee Phil Brummett forced them from the ring.
In the main event Cyclone Johnny Bence and Irish Jack Kelly met once again. The match was a clean and scientific affair all the way, with them splitting the first two falls. The advantage went back and forth throughout the third and final fall, but neither was able to score the fall before the time limit expired. The match was declared a draw and the two combatants shook hands at the end of the match.
That same evening in Gulfport, Johnny James met Al Perry in the opening match. James took the first fall when he flattened Perry with a series of dropkicks and a pin. Perry came back in the second fall with some rough tactics, punching James in the face out of view of referee Charlie Laye. Perry battered James down enough to pin him to take the second fall and even the match. The third and deciding fall was an all-out battle but the 45 minute time limit ended without either man scoring the fall. Laye declared the match a draw.
In the main event Gulfport’s favorite son Pat Newman squared off with Dutch Schultz. Schultz started off the match wrestling cleanly but switched tactics when he failed to gain the advantage. He pounded on Newman and pinned him to take the first fall in 18 minutes. Newman came back and hit Schultz with dropkicks and pinned him to win the second fall in 14 minutes. Schultz was disqualified by referee Charlie Laye in the third and deciding fall for continually choking Newman.
Also on Wednesday in Decatur, Nick Carter and Wild Bill Steddum met in the opening match, which was a one fall 10 minute bout.
The second bout of the evening between Al Massey and newcomer Steel Dawson was also a one fall 10 minute match.
In the main event Carter & Massey met Steddum & Dawson in a tag team match that was best two out of three falls with a 90 minute time limit.
No results are known for this card.
On Thursday in New Orleans the card opened with three preliminary matches. Red Byrd defeated Lee Savoldi in the opening match while Al Massey won over Bill Cazzell by disqualification in the second.
The third prelim bout saw Cyclone Johnny Bence defeat Prince Omar.
The main event was an 8 man tag team match, which was quickly becoming a staple in New Orleans. In that match Steel Dawson teamed with Savoldi, Massey & Bence to defeat Irish Jack Kelly, Byrd, Cazzell & Prince Omar.
That same Thursday evening in Hattiesburg, Paddy Mack defeated Rex Mobley in the opening match. It was Mobley’s first defeat for Mobley in Hattiesburg in quite a while. Mobley’s World Light-Heavyweight title was not on the line.
In the second event of the evening Charlie Laye also scored an upset as he defeated the highly touted Dutch Schultz by disqualification.
In the main event Mobley & Laye joined forces to take on Mack & Schultz in a tag team match. The team of Mobley & Laye scored two out of three falls to win the event.
The next evening in Jackson Rex Mobley and Al Getz battled to a draw in the one fall opening match.
In the second match Henry Harrell faced off with former World Light-Heavyweight champion Buff Sirois. The match was tied at a fall apiece heading into the third and final fall. The two battled back and forth but the time limit expired before either man could gain the final fall and the match was declared a draw.
In the semi-final match Johnny James faced off with Paddy Mack. Both men were anxious to earn a title match with Rex Mobley and hoped a victory in this match would prove to be a stepping stone. Mack took two out of three falls over James to score a victory and immediately approached promoter Billy Romanoff to get him a title match.
The main event in Jackson was an odd one with Dutch Schultz facing referee Claude Skidmore in a 10 round boxing match. The two had gotten into a scuffle at the end of the previous week’s main event and Schultz challenged Skidmore. Surprisingly Skidmore held his own throughout the first 4 rounds and 40 seconds into the fifth round he knocked Schultz from the ring. Schultz was unable to get back into the ring and was counted out.
The following week in Shreveport Al Getz defeated Al Perry in the one fall opening match. Paddy Mack took two straight falls to beat Johnny James in the second match of the night.
The semi-final match was a 6 man Battle Royal featuring Henry Harrell, Buff Sirois, Getz, Perry, Mack and James. Henry Harrell was the last man standing to earn the victory.
Harrell and Sirois met in the main event of the night with Harrell pinning Sirois to take the first fall. Sirois was disqualified in the second fall giving the match to Harrell in two straight falls.
On Tuesday in Monroe the card opened with a match between Henry Harrell and Paddy Mack. Both men were considered top contenders for the World Light-Heavyweight crown currently in the hand of Rex Mobley and were hoping a victory would earn them a title shot. Harrell won the first fall with a pin on Mack. Mack came back and slammed Harrell around before pinning him to take the second fall and even the match. Harrell won the third and deciding fall when he leapt on Mack from the ropes and pinned him to win the match.
In the main event Johnny James, the young Houstonian, face former World Light-Heavyweight champion Buff Sirois. James looked good when he flattened Sirois with a dropkick and pinned him to win the first fall. Sirois spent much of the second fall kicking James around, even kicking him from the ring twice. Finally James was battered enough for Sirois to easily pin him to win the fall and even the match. James was still in bad shape at the start of the deciding fall and Sirois took full advantage of it. He battered James and pinned him in 2 minutes to take the fall and the match.
Monroe promoter Gus Kallio announced following the main event that he was putting the wrestling cards on hiatus until sometime in August, citing the hot and humid weather as the reason.
That same Tuesday evening in Baton Rouge the opening match was between Lee Savoldi and Prince Omar. Steel Dawson met Bill Cazzell in the second match of the evening.
The main event was a tag team match with the team of Savoldi & Dawson going against the duo of Omar & Cazzell.
No results are known for this card.
On Wednesday in Alexandria Prince Omar won two straight falls to take the opening match over Steel Dawson.
Lee Savoldi took on Bill Cazzell in the main event of the evening. Savoldi used dropkicks to weaken Cazzell enough to pin him to win the first fall. Cazzell forced Savoldi to submit to a leglock to win the second fall. Cazzell spent most of the third and deciding fall working over Savoldi’s back. Cazzell stomped on the prone Savoldi several times and pinned him to take the final fall in under 5 minutes.
That same evening in Gulfport, Rex Mobley, current World Light-Heavyweight champion, faced Al Perry in a non-title opening match. Mobley used a rolling cradle on Perry and pinned him in 11 minutes to take the first fall. In the second fall Perry tossed referee Al Getz from the ring and proceeded to tie Mobley in the ropes. Getz climbed back into the ring and immediately disqualified Perry and awarded the fall and the match to Mobley.
In the main event, Charlie Laye faced Dutch Schultz. The first fall lasted 23 minutes before Schultz was disqualified to give the fall to Laye. Laye tossed Schultz from the ring during the second fall and twice knocked him from the ring apron as he tried to get back into the ring. On Schultz’s third attempt to get back into the ring, referee Al Getz had Laye pushed back into the center of the ring. Schultz climbed the ropes and jumped on top of Laye in a pin attempt. Laye managed to roll Schultz over and pinned him to win the second fall and the match after 11 minutes.
Also on Wednesday in Decatur, the opening match was best two out of three falls, with a 60 minute time limit. The opponents were Cyclone Johnny Bench and Al Massey.
The main event, best two out of three falls with a 90 minute time limit, was a grudge match between Nick Carter and Irish Jack Kelly.
No results are known for this card.
On Thursday In New Orleans Lee Savoldi defeated Steel Dawson in the opening match of the evening.
The semi-final featured a tag team match with Al Massey teaming with Cyclone Johnny Bence to defeated the duo of Prince Omar & Red Byrd.
The main event was a match with Irish Jack Kelly taking on Bill Cazzell. The match was tied at a fall apiece starting the third and final fall. Although suffering a cut over his left eye, Kelly managed to pin Cazzell to win the final fall and the match.
Also on Thursday in Hattiesburg, Charlie Laye faced Al Getz in the opening preliminary match. During the match Laye suffered a pulled muscle in his leg and was unable to continue. The match was awarded to Getz by default.
Laye was supposed to team with Johnny James in the main event tag team match to face the duo of Getz & Dutch Schultz. With Laye done for the night the second match of the evening, scheduled to be a one fall match between James and Schultz, was changed to a best two out of three falls match. Schultz won the first and third falls to take the match from James.
The next evening in Jackson, Rex Mobley and Al Getz battled to a 15 minute draw in the opening match.
In the semi-final Henry Harrell and Paddy Mack squared off. Harrell took the match by winning two straight falls.
The main event was a six man tag team match with the trio of Rex Mobley, Johnny James & Charlie Laye combining forces to take on Al Getz, Buff Sirois & Dutch Schultz. The threesome of Getz, Sirois & Schultz took two out of three falls to win the match.
That same Friday evening a wrestling card was held in Franklin, Louisiana at the Hanson Gym. The promoter was Jim Murtagh, the semi-retired former New Orleans promoter who wife Ernestine now promoted in the Crescent City. On the Franklin card Prince Omar took on Steel Dawson in the opening match. Omar forced Dawson to submit to a surfboard hold to win the first fall and came back to gain another submission over Dawson with a Boston Crab to take the match in straight falls.
The main event featured a match between Lee Savoldi and Red Byrd. Savoldi won the first fall when he pinned Byrd following a series of body slams. The veteran Byrd pinned Savoldi to win the second fall to even the match. The two battled back and forth at an even pace in the third and deciding fall. Just when it appeared the match would end in a stalemate, Byrd surprised Savoldi with a body slam and pinned him to win the fall and the match.
The following Monday in Shreveport Al Getz and Dutch Shultz battled to a 30 minute draw in the opening match.
In the semi-final match Henry Harrell defeated Paddy Mack by taking two straight falls int their match.
The main event was a World Light-Heavyweight title match between champion Rex Mobley and the man he had taken the title from, Buff Sirois. Mobley took an early advantage when he pinned Sirois to take the first fall. Sirois came back to win the next two falls to win the match and reclaim the World Light-Heavyweight title.
With Monroe on hiatus the only wrestling card held on Tuesday was in Baton Rouge. In the opening match on that card Irish Jack Kelly battled to a 30 minute draw with newcomer Danny Ferrazzo.
The semi-final was a midgets’ match between The Mighty Fritz and Irish Jackie. Fritz took the first fall when he forced Jackie to submit to a Boston Crab in 15 minutes. Jackie won the second fall in 13 minutes after a body slam and a pin on Fritz. Fritz used a monkey flip and shoulder press to pin Jackie to score the third fall in 14 minutes to win the match.
In the main event Cyclone Johnny Bence took on Prince Omar. Bence pinned Omar to win the first fall, but Omar came back to tie things up in the second. Omar looked to be well on his way to taking the deciding fall when he got a little carried away. The result was his disqualification by referee Blackie Harrelson, who awarded the fall and the match to Bence.
On Wednesday in Alexandria, Prince Omar defeated Danny Ferrazzo in the opening match. Not content with the win, Omar pitched Ferrazzo out of the ring to the arena floor following the match.
Cyclone Johnny Bence and Irish Jack Kelly tangled in the semi-final match. The two had met in Alexandria two weeks prior and neither man was happy with the result of that match, which was a draw. This match was the same as their last, with plenty of clean, scientific action. Each man scored a fall apiece and the match was even heading into the third and deciding fall. The final fall was pretty much even and they looked to be headed for another draw as the time limit approached. With just under a minute left in the match Bence missed a dropkick and Kelly quickly pinned him to take the fall and win the match. After the win, Kelly helped Bence to his feet and embraced him. The two left the ring together to the thunderous applause of the fans.
The main event featured another match between midget wrestlers the Mighty Fritz and Irish Jackie. Fritz used a body slam and pin to beat Jackie to win the first fall. Jackie used all sorts of questionable tactics on Fritz to batter him enough to pin him and take the second fall. Jackie used much the same tactics in the deciding fall and appeared to be on his way to a win when Fritz upended him for a pin to take the third fall and the match.
That same night in Gulfport, Rex Mobley and Dutch Schultz met in the opening match. Schultz forced Mobley to submit to a step-over toehold to win the first fall in 13 minutes. Mobley came back and caught Schultz in a rolling cradle and pinned him in 13 minutes to take the second fall. The 45 minute time limit expired before either man could take the deciding fall and the match ended in a draw.
In the main event Charlie Laye met Paddy Mack once again. Laye won the first fall when he pinned Mack with a rolling crucifix after 14 minutes. In the second fall Mack grabbed Laye by the hair and ran him throat first into the top rope. This knocked the breath from Laye and Mack pinned him to win the fall in 6 minutes. Mack was disqualified by referee Pat Newman for gouging Laye’s eyes, giving the final fall and the match to Laye. Mack and Newman exchanged blows and Mack quickly bailed form the ring.
No wrestling was held in Decatur on Wednesday.
On Thursday in New Orleans newcomer Antone (Ripper) Leone made his debut a successful one as he defeated Prince Omar in the opening match.
In the second bout of the evening Bill Cazzell overwhelmed Danny Ferrazzo and defeated him to win the match.
The semi-final match was yet another midgets’ match between the Mighty Fritz and Irish Jackie. Jackie took two out of three falls over Fritz to win the match.
In the final match of the evening Irish Jack Kelly took two out of three falls over Cyclone Johnny Bence to score the victory.
That same evening in Hattiesburg, Rex Mobley was awarded his match over Al Getz by disqualification.
Dutch Schultz defeated Al “Tuffy” Olsen in the second match of the evening. Olsen, a longtime veteran wrestler was a last minute substitute for Pat Newman, who was unable to appear.
In the main event Mobley and Olsen took two out of three falls to defeat Getz & Schultz in a tag team match.
On Friday night in Jackson, Charlie Laye defeated Dutch Schultz in the opening match of the evening.
In the second bout, Paddy Mack was disqualified in his match with Rex Mobley.
The main event saw Buff Sirois, who had just reclaimed the World Light-Heavyweight title, putting his crown on the line against Henry Harrell. Harrell had defeated Sirois the week before in Vicksburg and was confident that he could do it once again to claim the title. Sirois took the first fall over Harrell, but Harrell came back to win the second. In the third and deciding fall Harrell sent Sirois over the ropes with an uppercut to the jaw. Each time Sirois tried to reenter the ring Harrell blasted him again. Referee Pat Cronin tried to restore order but Harrell slugged him too. Cronin disqualified Harrell and awarded the final fall and the match to Sirois. Harrell was still incensed and grabbed the title belt from the timekeeper and carried it back to the dressing room. He refused to turn the belt over to promoter Billy Romanoff or the state officials on hand.
Al Bragg, who had been promoting in Anniston until closing down there in mid-May, started promoting wrestling in Talladega, Alabama at the VFW Hall.
His first card there featured a double main event with Lee Savoldi facing Charley Keene in one match and Cyclone Johnny Bence meeting Irish Jack Kelly in the other.
No results are known for this card.
The final week of June began on Monday in Shreveport, That card opened with a one fall match between Charlie Laye and Al Getz. Laye pinned Getz in 20 minutes to win the match.
In the semi-final match Rex Mobley faced Paddy Mack. Each man had won a fall apiece at the start of the third and deciding fall. With 58 minutes of the 60 minute time limit expired, the two were battling along the ropes. Each man fell from the ring and the time limit expired before either could return to the ring. The match was declared a draw.
The main event was another match between World Light-Heavyweight champion Buff Sirois and Henry Harrell. Sirois entered the ring wearing the title belt, so Harrell had evidently been persuaded to give it back to him following their match in Jackson. Sirois forced Harrell to submit to a Boston Crab to take the first fall. Sirois attempted to apply the hold again in the second fall but Harrell was able to reverse it and hold Sirois down for a pin to win the fall. The third and deciding fall turned into a bloody brawl as both men pounded each other with their fists. Finally Harrell caught Sirois in a jackknife and pinned him to take the fall and the match and claim the World Light-Heavyweight title officially.
On Tuesday in Baton Rouge Lee Savoldi and Al Massey faced off in the opening match. Savoldi hit Massey with kangaroo kicks and pinned him in just under 2 minutes to win the first fall. Massey took the second fall in 11 minutes when he hit Savoldi with a flying tackle and pinned him. Massey pinned Savoldi with a shoulder slide in 17 minutes to take the deciding fall and the match.
In the main event Irish Jack Kelly met Bill Cazzell, Kelly forced Cazzell to submit to an octopus hold to win the first fall after 17 minutes. Cazzell used a series of backbreakers on Kelly and pinned him in 15 minutes to win the second fall. Cazzell caught Kelly in a reverse body slide and pinned him after 18 minutes of the final fall to win the fall and the match.
No wrestling was held in Alexandria on Wednesday.
On the Wednesday night card in Gulfport the card opened with two one fall 15 minute preliminary matches with Rex Mobley and Paddy Mack meeting in one and Charlie Laye and Al Getz meeting in the other. Both matches ended in draws.
In the main event Mobley & Laye took on Mack & Getz in a tag team match. The first fall ended in confusion when Mobley had Getz in a full nelson. Mack rushed in to his partner’s aid and the two forced Mobley into their corner. Laye came to Mobley’s aid as Getz climbed up the ropes. Getz jumped hoping to land on either Mobley or Laye but they moved and he wound up on top of his own partner. Mack rolled over but Getz was still under him so Mobley and Laye quickly jumped on top of Mack and helped him pin his own partner to win the fall. In the second fall the advantage went back and forth until Mobley caught Mack in his rolling cradle. Getz rushed in and attempted to break it up only to have Mobley catch him in the same hold. Referee Pat Newman pushed Mack from the ring and counted Getz out, giving the match to Mobley & Laye in two straight falls.
Also on Wednesday in Decatur, Charley Keene and Prince Omar fought to a 20 minute draw in the one fall opening match.
The second match, also a one fall affair, featured the Mighty Fritz and Irish Jackie meeting in a midgets’ match. Fritz pinned Jackie following a body slam to win the match in 18 minutes.
In the main event, Nick Carter, the popular mailman now residing in Oneonta, Alabama, faced off with Ripper Leone from Oyster Bay, New York. Leone took the first fall when he pinned Carter after 24 minutes. Leone totally overwhelmed Carter and made short work of him, taking the second fall in 6 minutes to win the match.
On Thursday in New Orleans Irish Jack Kelly and Danny Ferrazzo wrestled to a 20 minute draw in the opening match.
Ripper Leone defeated Al Massey in the one fall second match of the night.
In the semi-final bout Cyclone Johnny Bence took two out of three falls to defeat Bill Cazzell.
The main event was a return midgets’ match with the Mighty Fritz once again taking on Irish Jackie. Fritz took two out of three falls from Jackie to win the match and avenge his loss the previous week in New Orleans.
Also on Thursday in Hattiesburg the card opened with a match that saw Buff Sirois taking two straight falls from Tuffy Olsen to score a victory.
In the main event Henry Harrell, the new World Light-Heavyweight champion, faced Dutch Schultz in a non-title match. Schultz was disqualified in the first fall for illegal tactics. Harrell came back to pin Schultz in the second fall to take the match in straight falls.
The following evening in Jackson, the card opened with Al Getz and Dutch Schultz wrestling to a draw in the one fall bout.
The second match between Charlie Laye and Paddy Mack also ended in a draw. Each man had scored a fall apiece but the time limit expired before either could score the deciding fall.
The main event was a return match between Henry Harrell and Buff Sirois for the World Light-Heavyweight title. This time it was Harrell that entered the ring as champion but Sirois also had a surprise. He was accompanied to the ring by Pat (Big Boy) Cronin, who had served as the referee for the previous match between Harrell and Sirois in Jackson. Cronin, a former pro boxer who claimed the Mississippi Heavyweight boxing title, sat in Sirois’ corner and served as his second. The match was a wild and bloody one with each man winning one each of the bout’s first two falls. Sirois had the upper hand through much of the third and deciding fall until Harrell began to fight back. When he thought referee Claude Skidmore had his attention turned away from the action, Cronin levelled Harrell with a right cross. Skidmore saw what he did, however, and called for the bell. He raised Harrell’s hand in victory but was soon attacked by Sirois and Cronin. Harrell joined in the fray and all four men fought all the way back to the dressing room before promoter Billy Romanoff and 10 policemen calmed things down.
Also on Friday in Talladega the card featured three matches. Lee Savoldi met Prince Omar in one of the opening matches while Danny Ferrazzo and Charley Keene faced off in the second.
The main event was yet another midgets’ match between the Mighty Fritz and Irish Jackie.
No results are known for this card. This was the last card held in Talladega.
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 June 1951.
Author: Michael Norris of Gulf Coast Wrestling History: 1950-1977.
Published: August 28, 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 June 1951.
Author: Michael Norris of Gulf Coast Wrestling History: 1950-1977.
Published: August 28, 2019.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Click Here for a recap of January 1950.
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Click Here for a recap of May 1950.
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Click Here for a recap of July 1951.
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Click Here for a recap of October 1951.
Click Here for a recap of November 1951.
Click Here for a recap of December 19551.
