Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling - A Time Line of Every Major Event in Pro Wrestling History - 1929
By: Karl Stern
Much of the text of this entry comes from issue 82 of the DragonKing Press Newsletter available as a downloadable .pdf in the digital downloads section.
The year 1929 is covered on the Long Form History of Pro Wrestling Podcast - Click Here.
1929
01-04-1929: Gus Sonnenberg is awarded the World heavyweight title after knocking Ed “Strangler” Lewis out of the ring with a shoulder tackle and Lewis refuses to return.
01-21-1929: At Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 6,000: Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeated Renato Gardini… Howard Cantowine defeated Dan Koloff… Rudy Dusek defeated George Vassal… Nat Pendleton battled Jack Ganson to a draw… Carlos Henriquez defeated Ted Batenoff… Karl Pojello defeated Stanley Stasiak.
01-23-1929: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance: 8,000: Joe Stecher defeated Paul Jones… John Spellman wrestled Dick Daviscourt to a draw… Jack Roller defeated Dr. P.A. Mulligan.
01-28-1929: Hassen “The Terrible Turk” Nuhammed dies at the age of 38 in a car accident near Phoenix, AZ.
02-01-1929: Philadelphia, PA: Arena: Attendance 10,000: Einar Johannessen defeats Harry Stevens… Dick Shikat defeats Moose Norbeck… Rudy Dusek defeats Toots Mondt… World heavyweight champion Gus Sonnenberg defeats Jack Smith.
02-04-1929: At Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 3,500: World heavyweight champion Gus Sonnenberg defeated Howard Cantowine… Wladek Zbyszko battled Rudy Dusek to a draw… Matros Kirilenko defeated Abe Kaplan… Renato Gardini defeated Pete Zilinskas… Toots Mondt battled Vanka Zelesniak to a draw… Carlos Henriquez defeated Jim Zabriskie.
02-15-1929: Philadelphia, PA: Arena: Attendance 9,000: Pat McGill defeats Frank Bronowicz… Dick Shikat defeats Jim Clinstock… Jim Londos defeats Howard Cantowine.
02-20-1929: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance: 6,800: Pete Sauer defeated Paul Jones… John Spellman defeated Dick Daviscourt… Yoshio Fujita defeated Felix Lopez in a Jiu-Jitsu match.
02-28-1929: Memphis, TN: Ellis Auditorium: Attendance 7,000: Bill Kennedy defeated Bill Hudson… Jim McMillen defeats John Grandovich… Jim Londos defeats Rudy Dusek.
03-08-1929: Hugh Nichols wins the World middleweight title from Gust Kallio.
03-15-1929: Cowboy Bob Ellis is born in Texas.
03-21-1929: Griffin, GA at the High School: Les Moore - Promoter: World Heavyweight champion Gus Sonnenberg defeated Don Kolman at 17:14.
04-12-1929: Jess McMahon begins promoting boxing at the New York Coliseum.
04-18-1929: Memphis, TN: Ellis Auditorium: Attendance 7,500: Pete Sauer (Ray Steele) wrestled Paul Jones to a 30 minute draw… Jim Londos defeats Rudy Dusek. Match had only one fall in two hours won by Londos.
05-01-1929: After attempting a retirement to work his farm, a drop in grain prices forces Joe Stecher to return to wrestling.
Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance: 10,398: Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeated Joe Stecher 2 out of 3 falls… Nick Lutze defeated Jack O’Malley… Billy Beth defeated John Hennell.
05-08-1929: Ed “Strangler” Lewis is married for a third time. His new wife is Elaine Tomaso. Billy Sandow is his best man for the California wedding.
05-15-1929: Gus Sonnenberg is suspended by the Pennsylvania state athletic commission for “wrestling unworthy opponents and refusing to give logical contenders a chance to wrestle him.”
05-17-1929: Philadelphia, PA: Arena: Attendance 10,000: Wladek Zbyszko defeats George Hagen… Ray Steele defeats Constant Le Marin… Kola Kwariani defeats Toots Mondt… Jim Londos defeats Rudy Dusek in 2 hours 9 minutes, 21 seconds.
06-27-1929: Dick the Bruiser (William Richard Afflis) is born in Indiana.
07-06-1929: Ray Mendoza (Jose Diaz Velazquez) is born in Mexico City, Mexico.
07-09-1929: In Boston, MA at Fenway Park drawing 25,000: Joe Turner beat Al Thomas… Mike Nazarian drew Charley Manogian… Stanley Stasiak drew Axel Anderson… Charlie Fisher drew Charley Gripp… Joe Wagner beat Stanley Pinto… Charlie Hansen drew Farmer McLeod… Martin Plestina drew Wladek Zbyszko… World heavyweight champion Gus Sonnenberg beat Ed “Strangler” Lewis.
07-21-1929: Bob Orton, Sr. is born.
Matty Matsuda dies of tuberculosis in Battle Creek, MI.
08-01-1929: Toronto, Canada: Arena Gardens: Attendance: 5,000: Wladek Zbyzsko defeated Jim Maloney... Renato Gardini defeated Ali Hassan... Stanley Stasiak defeated Jack Taylor (Taylor breaks his leg during the match)
08-07-1929: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance: 8,800: Nick Lutz defeated Joe Malewicz.
08-08-1929: The Pennsylvania state athletic commission strips Gus Sonnenberg of world title status in the state of Pennsylvania for refusing to meet “worthy contenders.”
Toronto, Canada: Arena Gardens: Attendance: 5,000: Renato Gardini defeated Wladek Zbyzsko... Stanley Stasiak wrestled Karl Pospeshil to a draw... Jackie Adams wrestled Alex Kasaboski to a draw.
08-15-1929: Toronto, Canada: Arena Gardens: Attendance: 6,000: Stanley Stasiak defeated Renato Gardini... Karl Pospeshil defeated Frank Altman... Einar Johanneson defeated Ali Hassan.
08-16-1929: Fritz Von Erich (Jack Barton Adkisson) is born in Jewett, TX.
08-22-1929: Toronto, Canada: Arena Gardens: Attendance: 5,600: Jim Maloney defeated Stanley Stasiak... Renato Gardini defeated Al Thomas... Frank Altman wrestled Abe Kaplan to a draw.
08-23-1929: Dick Shikat defeats Jim Londos in Philadelphia, PA. The National Boxing Association’s wrestling division (later the National Wrestling Association) recognizes Shikat as the new world champion. The crowd is reported to be around 30,000. In other matches: Bull Komar beat Jack Washburn… Hans Steinke beat Joe Rogaski… Kola Kwariani beat Mike Romano.
08-26-1929: In Phoenix, AZ at Riverside Park: Casey Birger defeated Carl Ruyl for the Arizona state heavyweight championship.
08-29-1929: Toronto, Canada: Arena Gardens: Attendance: 6,500: Jim Maloney defeated Renato Gardini... Stanley Stasiak wrestled Stanislaus Zbyzsko to a draw... Karl Pospeshil defeated Karl Vogel.
09-04-1929: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 10,000: Dr. PA Mullikan defeats Ad Herman… Jack O'Malley defeats Nick Velcoff… Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeats Joe Stecher 2 falls to 1.
09-09-1929: In what was described as one of the greatest matches ever in Phoenix, AZ, Jim Londos defeated Pete Sauer.
09-13-1929: Philadelphia, PA: Arena: Attendance 8,000: Bull Komar defeats George Hills… Hans Steinke defeats Joe Boganz… Karl Pojello defeats Hans Bauer… World heavyweight champion Dick Shikat defeats Rudy Dusek.
09-14-1929: The Arizona Republic newspaper claims that Jim Londos had wrestled in Greece in 1928 in front of 65,000 people. Londos is photographed with his father in front of the crowd.
Jim Londos wrestling in Greece
09-15-1929: Wilbur Snyder is born.
09-18-1929: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 10,400: Zack Malkov defeats Ad Herman… Marin Plestina defeats Nick Velcoff… Nick Lutze defeats Jack O'Malley… World heavyweight champion Gus Sonnenberg defeats Joe Stecher 2 falls to 1.
10-11-1929: Philadelphia, PA: Arena: Attendance 9,000: Karl Pojello defeats Angelo Roberti… Jim Clinstock defeats Frank Bronowicz… Hans Steinke battled Joe Komar to a 30 minute time limit draw… World heavyweight champion Dick Shikat defeats Kola Kwariani.
10-22-1929: World heavyweight champion Gus Sonnenberg was knocked out by amateur boxer Pete Ladjone on 7th and Broadway in Los Angeles, CA in a street fight.
10-23-1929: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance 10,000: Dr. PA Mullikan defeats Zack Malkov… Everett Marshall defeats Don DeLaun… George Kotsonaros defeats Leo Papiano… World heavyweight champion Gus Sonnenberg defeats Ed “Strangler” Lewis 2 falls to 1.
11-04-1929: New York City, NY: 71st Regiment Armory: Attendance 8,000: Jim McMillen defeats Marshall Blackstock… George Manish battled Karl Pojello to a 30 minute draw… George Calza battled Hans Steinke to a 30 minute draw… Vanka Zelesniak defeats Dimitri Demetroff… World heavyweight champion Dick Shikat defeats Gino Garibaldi.
11-08-1929: Philadelphia, PA: Arena: Attendance 8,000: Vanka Zelesniak defeats Rudy LaDitzi… Frank Judson battled Karl Pojello to a 30 minute draw… Hans Steinke battled Kola Kwariani to a 45 minute draw… World heavyweight champion Dick Shikat defeats Rudy Dusek.
11-13-1929: Los Angeles, CA: Olympic Auditorium: Attendance: Sellout 10,400: Leo Papiano defeats Ad Herman… Everett Marshall defeats Don DeLaun… Dick Daviscourt defeats Jack O'Malley… World heavyweight champion Gus Sonnenberg defeats Ed “Strangler” Lewis 2 falls to 1.
11-16-1929: New York City, NY: 71st Regiment Armory: Attendance 8,000: George Manich defeats Tom Draak… Vanka Zelesniak defeats Jess Peterson… Jim McMillen defeats Leon Labriola… NYSAC World & NWAssociation World Heavyweight champion Dick Shikat battled George Calza to a curfew time limit draw.
11-22-1929: Philadelphia, PA: Arena: Attendance 8,000: Jim McMillen defeats John Maxos… Bull Komar battled Ray Steele to a 30 minute draw… Karl Pojello defeats Mike Romano… Jim Londos defeats Kola Kwariani.
11-25-1929: New York City, NY: 71st Regiment Armory: Attendance 8,500: Matros Kirilenko defeats Dimitri Demetroff… Jim McMillen battled Vanka Zelesniak to a 30 minute draw… George Hagen battled Hans Steinke to a 30 minute draw… Renato Gardini defeats Charley Blackstock… World heavyweight champion Dick Shikat defeats George Calza.
12-06-1929: Philadelphia, PA: Arena: Attendance 8,000: Karl Pojello defeats Tony Labriola… Matros Kirilenko defeats Charley Blackstock… Jim McMillen defeats Bull Komar… Jim Londos defeats Rudy Dusek in 86 minutes 5 seconds.
12-20-1929: Philadelphia, PA: Arena: Attendance 9,500: Ray Steele defeats Buck Olsen… Matros Kirilenko defeats Vanka Zelesniak… Karl Pojello defeats George Calza… World heavyweight champion Dick Shikat defeats Jim McMillen.
DragonKingKarl (Karl Stern) is a long time pro wrestling historian who has been published in books, newsletters, and podcasts since the mid-1990s.
The Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling Zone is Karl Stern's attempt to chronicle the entire history of pro wrestling and is a work in progress with hundreds of pages of text added each month.
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