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Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling - A Time Line of Every Major Event in Pro Wrestling History - 1953

By: Karl Stern

The year 1953 in pro wrestling is covered on the Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - Click here.

1953

01-02-1953: Houston, TX: Sam Houston Coliseum: Attendance 12,000 (Record crowd in Houston): Billy Varga defeats Red Berry by DQ…. Mr. Moto defeats Paul Boesch… Gory Guerrero wrestled Ricki Starr to a Time Limit Draw… Texas Women's champion Nell Stewart defeats Ethel Brown… World Negro champion Woody Strode defeats Tex Brady in 2 falls… NWA World Junior champion Danny McShain defeats Cyclone Anaya by referee's decision after splitting one fall each… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Killer Kowalski 2 falls to 1.

01-05-1953: At Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 11,693: NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Antonino Rocca by DQ… Gene & Steve Stanlee defeated Rudy Kay & Al Williams… Primo Carnera defeated Bobby Nelson… Whipper Billy Watson defeated Lenny Montana… Raphael Halpern defeated Kola Kwariani… Pedro Escobar battled Jack Steele to a draw… Lu Kim (Rube Wright) defeated Hardy Kruskamp.

01-06-1953: The 1949 “Mr. California” and 1951 “Mr. Muscle Beach” bodybuilding champion Pepper Gomez makes his wrestling debut in El Paso, Texas. Gomez, who had been trained by Miguel “Blackie” Guzman injures his knee in his debut and is out of action for several months.

01-07-1953: Vincent J. McMahon, son of boxing promoter Jess McMahon and father of Vincent Kennedy McMahon, along with Toots Mondt, form Capitol Wrestling Corporation and promote wrestling in the New York area. Capitol Wrestling Corporation evolves into the World Wide Wrestling Federation and eventually into World Wrestling Entertainment. Their first card features such names as Primo Carnera, Lu Kim, Zebra Kid, and Golden Terror.

01-08-1953: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 8,000: Joe Christie defeats Bill Stack… Johnny Barend defeats Kenny Ackles… Earl McCready defeats Howard Cantonwine… Sky Hi Lee defeats Frank Taylor… Gorgeous George defeats Chief Big Heart by referee stoppage.

01-10-1953: Joe “Toots” Mondt is reinstated into the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).

01-11-1953: The NWA recognizes Gypsy Joe (Joe Dorsetti) as the official NWA World Lightweight champion. There had been several versions of the world lightweight championship floating around prior to this.

01-14-1953: At the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Canada in front of a crowd of 16,042 the first televised wrestling show in Canada takes place. It is also the first time that Wladek (Killer) Kowalski faced Yukon Eric since severing his ear during a match in October 1952. Whipper Billy Watson defeats Johnny Valentine… Emil & Ernie Dusek defeat Larry Moquin & Manuel Cortez… Don Leo Jonathan defeats Oyama Kato… Montreal World Heavyweight champion Wladek (Killer) Kowalski defeats Yukon Eric by DQ.

01-15-1953: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 10,500: Earl McCready wrestled Joe Christie to a 20 minute draw… Pat Flanagan defeats Howard Cantonwine… Man Mountain Dean Jr. defeats George Scott… Wladek (Killer) Kowalski defeats Frank Taylor… Chief Big Heart wrestled Gorgeous George to a curfew draw.

01-16-1953: Chicago, IL: International Amphitheater: Attendance 10,040: Billy Parks defeats Bobby Nelson by DQ… Sky Low Low & Irish Jackie defeat Haile Selassie & Sonny Boy Cassidy… Bill Melby wrestled Sonny Myers to a time limit draw… Pat O'Connor defeats Bob Orton… Hans Schmidt wrestled NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz to a double count out after splitting one fall each. Special Referee: Jack Dempsey.

01-17-1953: In Milwaukee, WI at the Auditorium: Verne Gagne & Bill Melby defeated Mighty Atlas & Hans Schmidt by DQ with special referee Jack Dempsey… Sky Low Low defeated Pee Wee James… Billy Parks battled Al Williams to a draw. Attendance: 5,200.

01-22-1953: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 9,500: Larry Moquin defeats Kenny Ackles… Frank Taylor wrestled Ovila Asselin to a 20 minute draw… Lou Plummer wrestled Pat Flanagan to a double count out… Wladek (Killer) Kowalski defeats Chief Big Heart… Yukon Eric defeats Man Mountain Dean Jr. by count out.

01-25-1953: Honky Tonk Man (Wayne Farris) is born.

01-27-1953: A discrimination complaint was filed against the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) with the FBI in Boston, MA. While this allegation was not followed up on, soon the Federal Government would begin looking into anti-trust and Sherman Act violations against the NWA.

01-30-1953: St Louis, MO: Kiel Auditorium: Attendance 10,430: Little Beaver & Jim Corbett defeat Fuzzy Cupid & Mighty Schultz in 2 falls… Karol Krauser defeats Jack Britton… Chest Bernard wrestled Great Zorro to a double knock out… Bill Melby defeats Ivan Rasputin… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Bill Longson by DQ.

02-10-1953: Kansas City, MO: Municipal Auditorium: Attendance 8,972: Joe Adelman defeats Jerome Zachary… Jim Wright wrestled Pat Fraley to a 30-minute draw… World Women's champion Mildred Burke defeats Babs Wingo 2 falls to 1… Tarzan Kowalski defeats Hans Schmidt 2 falls to 1.

02-19-1953: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 11,000: Steve Stanlee defeats Hardy Kruskamp… Joe Christie wrestled Sammy Berg to a 20-minute draw… Earl McCready defeats Frank Valois by DQ… Sky Hi Lee wrestled Larry Moquin to a 30-minute draw… Primo Carnera defeats Man Mountain Dean Jr. (Fred Volrich) by count out.

02-24-1953: Ad Santel is interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper and says about Lou Thesz, “I tried him out in the Athens Club gym before I booked him. There wasn’t much I could teach him. He followed the old style of catch-as-catch-can of my day. He was fast, strong, and shifty. What I liked about him then was his ability to ‘tear away’. I couldn’t keep a hold on him, and I wasn’t so old.”

Lou Thesz defeated Leo Nomellini in San Francisco, CA to retain the NWA World heavyweight title with an attendance of 7,200.

02-26-1953: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 13,000: Sammy Berg defeats Frank Taylor… Don Beitelman wrestled Joe Christie to a 20-minute time limit draw… Pat Flanagan defeats Hardy Kruskamp… Sky Hi Lee wrestled Larry Moquin to a 20-minute draw… Wladek (Killer) Kowalski defeats Primo Carnera.

02-28-1953: Ricky Steamboat (Richard Blood) is born.

03-06-1953: Wrestling legend has the first “Brass Knux” match taking place on this date between Danny McShain and Wild Bull Curry in Houston, TX with Curry winning on the Paul Boesch promoted show.

03-09-1953: Memphis, TN: Ellis Auditorium: Attendance 7,000: Great Zorra defeats Howard Cantonwine… Kurt Von Poppenheim defeats Danno McDonald… World Women's champion Mildred Burke defeats Ella Waldek… Gorgeous George defeats Farmer Jones 2 falls to 1.

03-10-1953: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 8,267: Don Leo Jonathan wrestled Pat McGill to a 30 minute draw… Jack Pesek defeats Len Hughes by DQ… Farmer Marlin wrestled Tiny Mills to a 30 minute draw… Hard Boiled Haggerty defeats Ike Eakins by DQ.

03-13-1953: St. Louis, MO: Arena: Attendance 9,285: Karol Krauser (Kalmikoff) defeats Ellis Bashara… Bud Curtis defeats Bobby Nelson by DQ… Bill Miller & Ivan Rasputin wrestled Frankie Talaber & Whipper Billy Watson to a Time Limit Draw after swapping one fall each… Danny McShain defeats Vincent Lopez… Hans Schmidt defeats Bill Melby & Wladek (Killer) Kowalski in a handicap match.

03-17-1953: Minneapolis, MN: Attendance 9,232: Don Leo Jonathan defeats Stan Mayslack… Millie Stafford defeats Ella Waldek… Farmer Marlin defeats Harold Nelson… Tiny Mills defeats Pat McGill… Ike Eakins defeats Hard Boiled Haggerty by DQ.

03-20-1953: Buffalo, NY: Memorial Auditorium: 14th Annual Parade of Champions Show (though it appears there were no champions on the show) Attendance 11,098: Ivan Kamaroff wrestled Johnny Barend to a Time Limit Draw… Steve Gob defeats Benito Gardini… Lucky Simunovich wrestled Whipper Billy Watson to a Time Limit Draw… Wladek Kowalski defeats Vincent Lopez… Great Togo defeats Yukon Eric by Count Out.

03-24-1953: Lou Thesz wrestled Antonino Rocca to a curfew draw at Madison Square Garden to retain the NWA World heavyweight title. Attendance: 9,300. In other matches: Buddy Rogers defeated Johnny Valentine… Lu Kim (Rudy Wright) defeated Adrian Baillargeon… Raphael “Mr. Israel” Halpern defeated Tiger Joe Marsh… Clyde Steeves defeated Jack Rush… Dick Shikat defeated Lenny Montana by DQ… Vic Holbrook defeated Chuck Morgan.

03-27-1953: St Louis, MO: Arena: Attendance 11,713: Pete Peterson defeats  Al Warshawski… Joe Dusek wrestled Karol Krauser to a 20 minute draw… Fuzzy Cupid & Sky Low Low defeat Tuffy McRae & Jim Corbett… Bill Longson defeats Barney Bernard… Baron Michele Leone defeats Ovila Asselin… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Verne Gagne by count out.

04-07-1953: In Boston, MA 8,000 fans watch NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz battle Verne Gagne to a one hour draw.

04-14-1953: Nick Lutze of International Wrestling files a complaint with the FBI in Los Angeles alleging the NWA had unlawfully blocked him from having a pro wrestling television show in California.

05-05-1953: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 9,400: Tony Baillargeon defeats  Len Hughes… Farmer Marlin defeats Bobby Nelson… Jack Pesek defeats Tiny Mills by DQ… Yukon Eric defeats Sky Hi Lee.

05-08-1953: Chicago, IL: International Amphitheater: Attendance 9,157: Benito Gardini & Bobby Nelson defeat Johnny Balbo & Billy Parks… Cowboy Carlson defeats Vincent Lopez… Bill Melby defeats Reggie Lisowski (The Crusher)… Ronnie Etchison defeats Danny Plechas… Pat O'Connor defeats Sky Hi Lee… Hans Schmidt defeats Wladek (Killer) Kowalski by DQ 2 falls to 1.

05-09-1953: Sam Muchnick and his Mississippi Valley Sports Club debut a wrestling TV show on KSD-TV in St. Louis. The first show featured a main event of Bill Longson verses Great Zorra.

05-10-1953: Tito Santana is born.

05-11-1953: New York State lifts the ban on tag team wrestling.

Dick Hutton makes his pro wrestling debut in Tulsa, OK against Frank Altman.

05-22-1953: La Bestia Magnifica (The Magnificent Beast) movie is released. The story of a pair of best friends breaking into the wrestling business under the names of Dinamita (Dynamite) and La Bestia Magnifica.

06-1953: June Byers wins a tournament in Baltimore, MD to win a version of the World Women’s title. It would be unified with the NWA World Women’s title in a historic shoot match in 1954.

06-16-1953: In San Francisco, CA: Attendance: 16,487: Tom Rice defeats Kay Bell… NWA World Tag Team champions The Sharpe Brothers (Ben Sharpe & Mike Sharpe) wrestled Bobby Bruns & Enrique Torres to a Draw… NWA San Francisco Pacific Coast Heavyweight champion Ray Eckert defeats Bob Langevin in 2 falls… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz wrestled Leo Nomellini to a Time Limit Draw after splitting on fall each. Jack Dempsey was special referee.

06-20-1953: Sugi Sito defeats Tarzán López for the NWA World Middleweight title in Mexico City, Mexico.

06-30-1953: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 8,641: Mike Clancy wrestled Tony Baillargeon to a 30-minute draw… Joe Pazandak defeats Fred Stoker… Kinji Shibuya defeats Billy Darnell… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz wrestled Verne Gagne to a time limit draw.

07-14-1953: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 9,641: The crowd was the largest in local mat history and drew a gross gate of $20,012.90, also a record here. Jack Pesek wrestled Joe Pazandak to a 30 minute draw… Bob McCune defeats Ivan Rasputin by DQ… Kinji Shibuya defeats Tony Baillargeon… Hard Boiled Haggerty (Donald Stausiak) defeats Yukon Eric.

07-15-1953: In Montreal, QB, Canada: Delorimier Stadium drawing 20,341: Yvon Robert beat Killer Kowalski in three falls to win the Montreal World heavyweight title.

07-25-1953: After unmasking the Blue Demon’s brother The Black Shadow (Alejandro Cruz) earlier in the year, El Santo now squares off against the Blue Demon seeking revenge for his brother with Santo’s NWA Welterweight title on the line at Arena Mexico. Blue Demon wins the title in two straight falls in front of 25,000 fans.

07-29-1953: Des Moines, IA: Pioneer Memorial Stadium: Attendance 9,457: Jim Dobie defeats Bob DeMarce… Kinji Shibuya defeats Reggie Lisowski… Bob McCune & Andre Drapp defeat Ivan Rasputin & Ivan Kalmikoff 2 falls to 1… Verne Gagne defeats Hans Schmidt by DQ 2 falls to 1.

07-30-1953: Rikidozan starts Japan’s first full time pro wrestling group - The Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance (JWA) and names Shinsaku Nitta as President.

08-10-1953: Frank Stojack defeated Gypsy Joe (Joe Dorsetti) for the NWA World Lightweight title in Spokane, WA.

08-11-1953: Hulk Hogan (Terry Gene Bollea) is born.

08-12-1953: Des Moines, IA: Pioneer Memorial Stadium: Attendance 11,144: Ivan Kalmikoff wrestled Jim Dobie to a Time Limit Draw… Reggie Lisowski defeats Andre Drapp… Bob McCune defeats Bobby Nelson in 2 falls… Hans Schmidt defeats Yukon Eric 2 falls to 1.

08-16-1953: Baron Michele Leone wins the NWA World Junior title from Danny McShain in Memphis, TN.

08-19-1953: Montreal, Canada: Delorimier Stadium: Attendance 18,233: Joe Christie wrestled Larry Moquin to a draw… Al Mills defeats Tarzan Zorra… Great Togo defeats Johnny Rougeau… Whipper Billy Watson wrestled Ernie Dusek to a double DQ… Wladek Kowalski defeats Montreal World Heavyweight champion Yvon Robert to win the title. Robert won the first fall. Kowalski won the second. Robert was disqualified in the third.

Schenectady, NY: McNearny Stadium: Attendance 6,000: Tony Verdi defeats Steve Gob… Edouardo Perez defeats Tony Martinelli 2 falls to 1… NWA (New York) World Tag Team champions Bill Melby & Billy Darnell defeat Lord Athol Layton & Lord James Blears by DQ 2 falls to 1.

08-26-1953: Albany, NY: Hawkins Stadium: Attendance 11,000: Edouardo Perez wrestled Jack Bence to a Time Limit Draw… Johnny Barend defeats Bobby Nelson 2 falls to 1… Hans Schmidt defeats Yukon Eric 2 falls to 1.

08-28-1953: Chicago, IL: International Amphitheater: Attendance 10,235: Larry Chene defeats Bobby Nelson by DQ… Art Neilson defeats Rocky Columbo… Great Yamato wrestled Billy Darnell to a 30 minute draw… Hans Schmidt defeats Bob Orton 2 falls to 1… Verne Gagne & Yukon Eric defeat Mighty Atlas & Sky Hi Lee in 2 falls.

09-05-1953: Fred Kohler names Verne Gagne his United States champion. This caused some controversy in the NWA which rocked on for many months with some members of the NWA feeling that Kohler had created a championship to supersede Lou Thesz’s world title.

09-22-1953: In Hollywood, CA at Legion Stadium with an attendance of around 5,000: NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Baron Michele Leone.

09-23-1953: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 12,000: Ernie Dusek wrestled Nanjo Singh to a double count out… Robert Duranton wrestled Steve Stanlee to a draw… Don Leo Jonathan & Whipper Billy Watson defeat Murder Inc (Al Mills & Tiny Mills) by DQ… Montreal World Heavyweight champion Wladek (Killer) Kowalski wrestled Yvon Robert to a draw. After splitting one fall each the final fall went to a curfew draw.

09-25-1953: EMLL: 20th Anniversary Show: in Mexico City, Mexico: Arena Coliseo drawing 9,500: Tony Borne beat Tarzan Lopez… Blue Demon beat El Santo in two straight falls to win the NWA World Welterweight title.

Chicago, IL: International Amphitheater: Attendance 8,324: Larry Chene wrestled Rocky Columbo to a draw… Art Neilson defeats Bobby Nelson… Billy Goelz defeats The Great Yamato by DQ… NWA Chicago World Tag Team champions Billy Darnell & Bill Melby defeat Mighty Atlas & Bob Orton by DQ 2 falls to 1… Hans Schmidt defeats Yukon Eric 2 falls to 1. This is one of the earliest known cards to be filmed in color. Three matches are currently available from the Russ Davis collection, Chicago Film Archives, including both main events.

09-27-1953: In Mexico City, Mexico: Plaza de Toros drawing 28,000: NWA World Welterweight champion Blue Demon beat El Santo.

09-30-1953: Eddie Quinn Promotions: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 10,000: Robert Duranton defeats Al Tucker… Nanjo Singh defeats Ovila Asselin… Eddie Auger defeats Tiny Mills by DQ… Johnny Rougeau & Larry Moquin & Yvon Robert defeat Al Mills & Ernie Dusek & Hans Hermann 2 falls to 1.

10-10-1953: Three people are killed in Mysore, India when shooting breaks out at a wrestling match.

10-14-1953: Title changes as a result of a disqualification are banned by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) by a vote of 25-8.

10-20-1953: Kansas City, MO: Municipal Auditorium: Attendance 8,820: Frank Altman defeats Ed Ogan… Sky Low Low defeats Tuffy McCrae… The Dusek Brothers (Emil Dusek & Ernie Dusek) wrestled Sonny Myers & Dave Sims to a 45 minute draw after splitting one fall each… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Baron Michele Leone 2 falls to 1.

10-21-1953: In Chicago, IL at the Rainbo Arena: NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz beat The Great Zorro.

10-27-1953: At Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 15,581: Verne Gagne defeated Mighty Atlas (Morris Shapiro)… Killer Kowalski defeated Gene Stanlee… Raphael Halpern defeated Bibber McCoy… Ray Gunkel defeated Vincent Lopez… Bob Orton defeated Tony Martinelli… Ray Thunder (Ray Stern) defeated Jack Dillon… Frank Milano defeated Clyde Steeves.

10-28-1953: In Chicago, IL at the Rainbo Arena: NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz beat Hans Hermann.

11-04-1953: Eddie Quinn Promotions: Montreal, Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 8,000: Al Tucker wrestled Ovila Asselin to a Time Limit Draw… Don Leo Jonathan defeats Tony Martinelli… Manuel Cortez wrestled Sandor Kovacs to a Time Limit Draw… Great Togo defeats Steve Stanlee… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz wrestled Bobby Managoff to a Curfew Time Limit Draw after splitting one fall each.

11-05-1953: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 9,500: Oyama Kato defeats Reyes Nacho… Hombre Montana defeats Sky Hi Lee… Murder Inc. (Al Mills & Tiny Mills) defeat Bill Stack & Pat Flanagan… Fred Atkins wrestled Ilio DiPaolo to a 30 minute draw… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeats Lord Athol Layton by DQ.

11-12-1953: Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 16,000: Oyama Kato defeats Tom Collins… Hombre Montana defeats Johnny Harmon… Al Costello wrestled Pat Flanagan to a 30 minute draw… NWA Canadian Open tag team champions Whipper Billy Watson & Yvon Robert defeat Murder Inc. (Al Mills & Tiny Mills) by DQ  with special referee Joe Louis.

11-17-1953: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 8,691: Jean Baillargeon defeats Jan Gotch… Mighty Ursus defeats Farmer Jones… Tony Baillargeon defeats Mike Clancy… Kinji Shibuya defeats Rocky Gallup… Hard Boiled Haggerty defeats Dick Holbrook… Yukon Eric defeats Wladek (Killer) Kowalski by DQ.

11-18-1953: In Chicago, IL at the Rainbo Arena: NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz beat Paul Baillargeon.

Eddie Quinn Promotions: Montreal Canada: Montreal Forum: Attendance 10,000: George Cagney defeats Legs Langevin by DQ… Larry Moquin wrestled Manuel Cortez to a Time Limit Draw… Don Leo Jonathan defeats Sandor Kovacs… Special Referee: Joe Louis: Yvon Robert defeats Great Togo by referee's decision 2 falls to 1. Referee Joe Louis stopped the fight in the 3rd fall due to Togo's excessive bleeding.

11-21-1953: In Milwaukee, WI at the Auditorium: NWA World heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Tarzan Kowalski (Killer Kowalski)

11-26-1953: At Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 7,500: Verne Gagne defeated Killer Kowalski by DQ… Mike & Ben Sharpe battled Billy Darnell & Bill Melby to a no contest… Pat O’Connor defeated Angelo Savoldi… Baron Gattoni defeated Jack Steele… Ray Thunder (Ray Stern) defeated Bibber McCoy… Frank Milano defeated Red Ryan (George Red O’Malley).

Toronto, Canada: Maple Leaf Gardens: Attendance 10,000: Johnny Harmon wrestled Tony Martinelli to a 30 minute draw… Lord Athol Layton & Fred Atkins defeat Bill Stack & Tim Geohagen… Hombre Montana defeats Alan Garfield… Ilio DiPaolo wrestled Sky Hi Lee to a 30 minute draw… Special Referee: Jack Sharkey: Murder Inc. (Al Mills & Tiny Mills) defeat NWA Canadian Open Tag Team champions Yvon Robert & Billy Watson by DQ. 

11-27-1953: In Mexico City, Mexico: Plaza de Toros drawing 25,000: Blue Demon beat Tony Borne in a mask vs hair & beard match.

12-03-1953: Toronto, Canada: Attendance 14,000: Bill Stack defeats Alan Garfield… Lord Athol Layton & Fred Atkins defeat Tony Martinelli & Timothy Geohagen… Golden Hawk defeats Firpo Zbyszko… Oyama Kato wrestled Ilio DiPaolo to a 30 minute draw… NWA Canadian Open Tag Team champions Murder Inc. (Al Mills & Tiny Mills) wrestled Whipper Billy Watson & Hombre Montana to a curfew draw.

12-06-1953: Lou Thesz defeats Rikidozan at the Honolulu Civic Auditorium in a 43 minute match with the piledriver to retain the NWA World heavyweight title.

12-10-1953: Toronto, Canada: Attendance 11,000: Golden Hawk defeats Alan Garfield… Yvon Robert defeats Sky Hi Lee… Fred Atkins & Lord Athol Layton defeat Larry Moquin & Timothy Geohagen… Tony Martinelli defeats Reyes Nacho… NWA Canadian Open Tag Team champions Murder Inc. (Al Mills & Tiny Mills) defeat Hombre Montana & Whipper Billy Watson by DQ.

12-14-1953: At Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 11,651: Verne Gagne defeated Antonino Rocca… Billy Darnell & Bill Melby defeated Lu Kim (Rube Wright) & Bibber McCoy… Ray Thunder (Ray Stern) battled Pedro Escobar to a draw… Matt Murphy defeated Clyde Steeves… Frank Milano defeated Tony Cosenza… Hal Kanner defeated Angelo Savoldi.

12-29-1953: Minneapolis, MN: Auditorium: Attendance 8,166: Joe Pazandak defeats Red Bastien… Vic Holbrook defeats Bob Orton… Tony Baillargeon wrestled Kinji Shibuya to a 30 minute draw… Abe Kashey defeats Paul Baillargeon by DQ… NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz wrestled Pat O'Connor to a time limit draw.

Rikidozan

DragonKingKarl (Karl Stern) is a long time pro wrestling historian who has been published in books, newsletters, and podcasts since the mid-1990s.

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