Following the name of the champion(s): Indicates the number of times the wrestler has held that title at that point.
[...]
Indicates a gap in the listing where title changes are not known.
*
If used next to the names of the wrestlers, they may, in fact, not have held the title in the period indicated. If used next to the dates or places, either they are possibly wrong or the title changes are fictitious.
<
Title was held or changed hands no later than this. In these cases, it is known that a wrestler held the title at a certain time but not when he/she won it.
+
Broadcast date; the actual recording date is unknown.
@
Order uncertain. Different titleholders may be known for the same year, for example, but it is not known who held the title before whom.
#
Unofficial or disputable claims. These are usually matches that certainly took place, but where there is doubt that the wrestler shown should be recognized as a true title holder. These listings are also italicized in HTML files
Also recognized in other southeastern states including Georgia, West Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina; still/again champion as of 32-01-17 and 32-03-24.
Claims both titles when Williams is injured during a match; Williams continue to claim both titles but loses to Tommy Nilan on 40-06-18 in St. Petersburg, FL.
Don Evans
1940-06-17
Tampa, FL
Also defeats Tommy Nilan on 04-06-24 in Tampa, FL to end the dispute for both titles.
Ted Christy
1940-07-22
Tampa, FL
Reported as winning the Southern Title but but is also billed as Florida champion in the following week.
[...]
Cowboy Luttrall
1942-01<
Dobie Osburn
1942-01-07
St. Petersburg, FL
Patrick Kelly
1942-01-30
Tampa, FL
Dobie Osburn [2]
1942-02-11
St. Petersburg, FL
John RomanoffPodubny
1942-02-25
St. Petersburg, FL
Still champion as of 42-03-10.
[...]
Dick Harbin
1943-03-24<
Billed as champion in St. Petersburg, FL; still champion as of 43-04-05.
[...]
Hank Kulkowich
1944-03-24<
Claims the title in W. Palm Beach, FL for having defeated Maurice Shapiro in 40-03 (The Palm Beach Post, W. Palm Beach, FL, 44-03-24) or 41-03 (The Palm Beach Post, 44-07-07); still champion as of 44-07-16.
[...]
The Cardiff Giant
1946-08-26
Tampa, FL
Defeats Rollend Kirchmeyer for the Florida Title and is awarded the Southern Title.
Antonio Cortez
1946-10-28
Tampa, FL
Still champion as of 47-04-21.
[...]
Rollend Kirchmeyer
1947-09-02<
Billed as champion in Ft. Lauderdale, FL; former champion as of 48-02-02.
Has won the Georgia version on 49-08-05; also recognized in Florida.
Black Menace
1949-09-16
Atlanta, GA
Loses the Georgia version on 49-09-23 but continues to be recognized as champion in Florida; in Havana, CUB, Johnny Valentine is billed as champion in 49-09.
Danny Dusek
1949-10-03
Tampa, FL
Also billed as champion in Havana, CUB as of 49-04-13 for having defeated Johnny Valentine for the title; Valentine defeats Dusek to "regain" the title on 50-06-29 in Havana, CUB for the local recognition only.
Continues to be billed as champion in Daytona Beach, FL but not in other towns.
Bobby Lane [2]
1951-10-06
Daytona Beach, FL
Ray Stern
1951-12-29
Daytona Beach, FL
Wins by DQ when Lane attackes the referee (Daytona Beach Morning Journal, 52-01-03).
Bobby Lane [3]
1952-01-08
Daytona Beach, FL
Stripped in 52-01 when Lane refuses to wrestle Stern in rematch; Stern and Billy Darnell wrestle for the vacant title to a 45min draw on 52-01-19 in Daytona Beach, FL.
Billed as having defeated Villmer "recently" (The Tampa Times, 54-04-03); has defeated Don McIntyre for the Georgia version in Birmnigham, AL on 54-02-08; still champion as of 55-08-17.
Loses to Klondike Bill on 66-09-26 in Charlotte, NC but continues to claim the title in Florida; Red Bastien is billed as champion in Ft. Myers, FL as of 68-08-14; Jack Brisco defeats Mauler on 69-02-11 in Tampa, FL but the title win is later voided for Mauler not being the official champion; Mauler defeats Johnny Weaver on 69-03-06 in Greensboro, NC to regain the title.
