1941: Wrestling

The professional sport of wrestling is now practically nonexistent, except in a few midwest cities where some enthusiasm can be found for so-called champions whose status is ignored by state ruling bodies. Among amateurs, wrestling made encouraging progress during 1941. As usual, the wrestlers from Oklahoma ran away with top honors in the National Collegiate A. A. when four grapplers of Oklahoma A. and M., namely Al Whitehurst, Dave Arndt, Earl Van Bebber and Virgil Smith, took four titles, capturing the 136- to the 165-lb. divisions. Two brothers from Michigan, Merle and Burl Jennings, took the 121- and 128-pound classes.

The West Side 'Y' team captured the National A. A. U. title for the second year, when Henry Wittenberg took the 174-pound title and several other wrestlers placed in the summaries. Louis Maschi of 23rd St. 'Y' took the heavyweight title; Gilbert Frei, New York A. C., 191-pound class; Homer Faucett, of Indiana, 158-pound class; Douglas Lee, Baltimore 'Y,' 134-pound class; Harold Byrd, University of Oklahoma, 123-lb. class; Joseph Mc Daniels, Pauls Valley, Okla., Herbert Farrell, University of Indiana, 112-pound class. Princeton and Yale tied for the team title in the Eastern Intercollegiate Championships, with Navy taking two titles.

1940: Wrestling

Wrestling among amateurs of recognized organizations continues to register a pick-up in popular approval as expressed in the number of competitors and spectators in colleges, clubs, and athletic groups. The professional game continues to lose interest because of lack of prestige of its so-called championship contests and the loss of standing of its pseudo-title holders who claim 'championship' crowns of various states and cities.

Since the kingpin mat-men are attracted to the national A. A. U. championships, the winners must be accepted as the leaders for the year. The title events held at Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa, drew competitors from every section of the United States, with more than ninety wrestlers competing in the nine classes. The quality and caliber of the wrestling exhibited by the new champions caused all of the former national title holders to lose their titles in favor of district, sectional, and state champions.

The team title went to the West Side (New York) Y. M. C. A., replacing the New York A. C. team. Individual winners were: heavyweight, Wilbur Nead, Iowa City; 191-lb. class, Edward H. Valorz, University of Chicago Alumni Assn.; 174-lb. class, Henry Wittenberg, West Side Y. M. C. A.; 158-lb. class, Edward Blake, Baltimore Y. M. C. A.; 145-lb. class, E. Viskocil, Iowa; 134-lb. class, R. Cheney, Iowa; 123-lb. class, D. E. Hanson, Minneapolis; 118-lb. class, C. Fredericks, Purdue; 112-lb. class, G. Leeman, Iowa. This meet was considered the best in many years.

1939: Wrestling

Wrestling continues to be on the down trend. Once a major professional sport in the United States, it has been on the wane since 1934. But in amateur and intercollegiate circles it is thriving. The 'pros' injected too much hectic entertainment into the matches, and their pseudo-championship contests in this state and that for the 'world's championship' caused the fans to lose interest in the sport.

The greatest blow to 'pro' wrestling was the refusal of both the New York State Athletic Commission and the New Jersey Commission to recognize the so-called champions. Among the professionals who consider themselves to be 'world' champions or champions of some states are Bobby Bruns, Crusher Casey, Tom Casey, Abie Coleman, Rudy Dusek, Don Evans, The Great Gama, Maurice LaChappelle, Strangler Lewis, Jim Londos (once the recognized world's champion), Danny O'Mahoney, Gus Pesek, Jack Sherry, Gus Sonnenberg, Phil Thesz and Gino Vagnone.

Amateur wrestling under the supervision of the Amateur Athletic Union is increasing in interest, and excellent progress is being made in both the development of wrestlers and in the popularity of the sport in practically every section of the United States. The national championships of 1939, promoted by the Pacific Association of the A. A. U., attracted entries from nearly every district of the organization, with the team championship awarded to the New York Athletic Club.

In collegiate circles wrestlers in Oklahoma have been supreme for about 5 years; and again in 1939 Oklahoma A. and M. won the National Collegiate A. A. championship title. In the Eastern intercollegiate group, Lehigh once more saw its grapplers go through the tournament successfully to win the championship.

1939: Wrestling

Wrestling continues to be on the down trend. Once a major professional sport in the United States, it has been on the wane since 1934. But in amateur and intercollegiate circles it is thriving. The 'pros' injected too much hectic entertainment into the matches, and their pseudo-championship contests in this state and that for the 'world's championship' caused the fans to lose interest in the sport.

The greatest blow to 'pro' wrestling was the refusal of both the New York State Athletic Commission and the New Jersey Commission to recognize the so-called champions. Among the professionals who consider themselves to be 'world' champions or champions of some states are Bobby Bruns, Crusher Casey, Tom Casey, Abie Coleman, Rudy Dusek, Don Evans, The Great Gama, Maurice LaChappelle, Strangler Lewis, Jim Londos (once the recognized world's champion), Danny O'Mahoney, Gus Pesek, Jack Sherry, Gus Sonnenberg, Phil Thesz and Gino Vagnone.

Amateur wrestling under the supervision of the Amateur Athletic Union is increasing in interest, and excellent progress is being made in both the development of wrestlers and in the popularity of the sport in practically every section of the United States. The national championships of 1939, promoted by the Pacific Association of the A. A. U., attracted entries from nearly every district of the organization, with the team championship awarded to the New York Athletic Club.

In collegiate circles wrestlers in Oklahoma have been supreme for about 5 years; and again in 1939 Oklahoma A. and M. won the National Collegiate A. A. championship title. In the Eastern intercollegiate group, Lehigh once more saw its grapplers go through the tournament successfully to win the championship.

1938: Wrestling

Wrestling, on the downgrade as a professional sport for several years, remains in a disorganized state, due to warring factions in its ranks and lack of official recognition of its outstanding performers. Not only has the New York State Athletic Commission refused to sanction its so-called championship contests, but the sport has met with disfavor by spectators as well. Champions and contenders have set themselves up as title holders of various states and cities, without popular approval, the result being that the sport has been reduced to a minor attraction, although a few of the large cities are trying to revive its past glories.

Amateur wrestling is thriving under the jurisdiction of the A.A.U. and in many of the universities and colleges, Y.M.C.A. and athletic clubs. These events have been well attended and the enthusiastic approval of the spectators is recognized. The wrestlers of Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, perennial tournament winners, captured the national A.A.U. championships team trophy with 22 points during the annual fixture at Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pa. One hundred and fifty of the leading college wrestlers in the United States competed in nearly three hundred bouts. Francis Millard, of North Adams, Mass., Y.M.C.A., after winning the 134-lb. title, was voted the outstanding wrestler in the tourney and was presented with a gold watch. In the N.C.A.A. championships, individual titles were retained by McDaniels, 118 lb., and Henson 155 lb., both of Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College; and in the Eastern Intercollegiate championships, Powers, of Princeton, 155 lb., kept his title.