PRO WRESTLING RESULTS FILE 61                                                                                                                                                                 HONOLULU, HI-1944

Notes: Al Karasick continued his pro wrestling promotion during war-time in association with military officials, holding his cards at both the Civic Auditorium and at the Schofield Barracks Bowl. The shows were considered a morale booster for the servicemen and defense workers. Karasick used a lot of active-duty soldiers and sailors on his cards.

1/4/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                            Stan Skieski beat Elmer Davis-1^st and 3^rd falls, Central Pacific Area Navy Professional Heavyweight Wrestling Championship...Axel Madsen beat Harry Dellis...Henry Zalewiski beat Bill Kaiser...Lou Franco beat Wimpy Wellington...Leo McAllister beat Ken Blair...referee: Charley Carr.                                                                               Notes: Skieski was awarded a trophy, emblematic of the championship by Staff Sergeant Harold Bellows of the Schofield Recreation Office...there was talk of matching Skieski against soldier Madsen for the “All-Service Championship”...Zalewiski was an Army sergeant.

1/7/1944-Block Center   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                         Young Fiske drew Young Minyard-“professional style wrestling bout”...plus amateur boxing matches.

1/9/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                    Stan Skieski, “the Russian Bear” beat Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill...Elmer Davis beat Chester Hayes-UTC...Jimmy Gonsalves beat Harry Dellis-disqualification...Joe Mitchell beat Henry Zalewiski...Bolo Bataan drew Wimpy Wellington...referees: Kaimon Kudo, Charley Shiranuhi...attendance: over 5000.      Notes: Shiranuhi was formerly called Young Shiranuhi but is now being referred to by his actual name “Charley”...he would later gain mat notoriety as Mr. Moto...veteran pro wrestler Eddie Shaboo, in Hawaii with the Seabees, was introduced to the crowd...Bataan’s real name was Segundino Pascua.

1/23/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                Chester Hayes beat Charley Carr-decision, non-title contest...Axel Madsen beat Joe Mitchell-disqualification...Big Boy Clement beat Elmer Davis (substitute for Jimmy Gonsalves)...Harry Dellis beat Leo McAllister...Lou Franco beat Ken Blair...referee: Charley Shiranuhi...attendance: 5000.                                                       Notes: Carr held the Ring Hawaiian Junior Heavyweight Championship...Gonsalves, an ex-amateur local wrestler was reported to have been injured in training.

1/25/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                   Chester Hayes (substitute for Sammy Cohen) beat Harry Dellis...Big Boy Clement beat Chuck “Hateful” Hiatt (substitute for Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill)...Henry Zalewiski beat Lou Franco-Army versus Navy contest...Bill Kaiser beat Ken Blair...Bolo Bataan (substitute foe Clarence Branco) drew Leo McAllister...referees: Chester Hayes (substitute for Charley Carr), Henry Zalewiski (main event).                                                                                                                                                                    Notes: Rough-house wrestler Sammy Cohen had transportation problems and was unable to get to the venue as scheduled...Hiatt was an army sergeant...Carr was unable to ref the card, due to injuries suffered in his last match with Hayes (1/23/44).

Sammy Cohen

1/27/1944-Hickam Army Air Corps Field   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                       Pro wrestling card.

2/1/1944-Marvin Mercur, 180-lb, globe-trotting 25-year mat veteran is scheduled to appear on Al Karasick’s next card.

2/6/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                             Sammy Cohen beat Chester Hayes..Axel Madsen beat Big Boy Clement...Harry Dellis beat Bolo Bataan...Bill Kaiser (substitute for Marvin Mercur) beat Joe Mitchell...Henry Zalewiski beat Wimpy Wellington...referee: Prof. Tetsuo “Rubberman” Higami...attendance: 5400.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

2/15/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                             Sammy Cohen beat Elmer Davis-1^st and 3^rd falls...Joe Mitchell beat Jimmy Gonsalves-disqualification...Big Boy Clement drew Henry Zalewiski...Lou Franco beat Ken Blair...Bill Steddum drew Clarence Branco...referee: Charley Carr.                                                                                                                                                                     Notes: This was the 19^th war-time card held at Schofield.

Big Boy Clement

2/20/1944-Reed Detton is teaching wrestling classes at the War Workers USO in Honolulu.

2/20/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                Charley Carr beat Chester Hayes-1^st and 3^rd falls, title contest...Jimmy Gonsalves beat Big Boy Clement-“All-Hawaii Championship”...Sammy Cohen beat Harry Dellis...Henry Zalewski drew Bolo Bataan...referee: Kaimon Kudo...attendance: 6000.                                                                                                                            Notes: Carr’s 2^nd defense of his title...he had won the Ring magazine Hawaiian Jr. Heavyweight title and belt beating Hayes in a tournament final 10/12/43.

3/5/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                 Axel Madsen drew Sammy Cohen...Harry Dellis beat Jimmy Gonsalves...Big Boy Clement beat Harry Zalewiski...Joe Mitchell beat Bill Steddum...Bill Kaiser beat Ken Blair.                                                                                                 Notes: Karasick stopped the bout due to Madsen bleeding heavily from a badly cut eye...Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill had been scheduled for the card but had suffered a knee injury in training.

3/7/1944-Schofiield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                             Chester Hayes beat Harry Dellis...Sgt. Broni “Babe” Smolemski beat Joe Mitchell...Elmer Davis beat Henry Zalewiski...Bolo Bataan beat Ken Blair...Bill Kaiser drew Wimpy Wellington...referee: Charley Carr...attendance: 11,000.                                                                                                                                                                           Notes: Smolenski was from Portland, OR and had wrestled as Babe Small...serving in the army, he was stationed at Schofield....he weighed in at 195 pounds...Mitchell is called “the pride of the war workers.”  

3/11/1944-Civilian Housing Area 3   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                Harry Dellis versus Elmer Davis...Sgt. Babe Smolemski versus Big Boy Clement...Bill Kaiser versus Wimpy Wellington...Bolo Bataan versus Ken Blair.

3/19/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                  Charley Carr beat Sammy Cohen-disqualification, non-title match...Kaimon Kudo beat Harry Dellis...Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Big Boy Clement...Jimmy Gonsalves drew Joe Mitchell...Bill Steddum beat Henry Zalewiski...referee: Charley Shiranuhi...attendance: 6,000.                                                                                                                 Notes: Kudo’s return to the mat...although frequently appearing as a referee, this is his first wrestling match in three years...Kudo “lost none of his ring mastery” (Honolulu Star-Bulletin; 3/20/44)...Smolenski’s Civic Auditorium debut.

Kudo Returns To The Mat 

Notes: “There’s a three year gap in the career of Kudo, who saw his livelihood taken away because he was Japanese, even though he was raised in Seattle and Lived in the United States virtually all of his life.” (When Japanese Wrestlers Were Good Guys/Steve Johnson)                                                                                                                                                                                 

3/30/1944-Al Karasick has put up a challenge trophy for the All-Service Wrestling Championship to be contested for at Schofeld Barracks Bowl cards...he further plans to match the trophy winner against Charley Carr, the Hawaiian Jr. Heavyweight Champion and holder of the Ring Magazine Gold Belt.

4/2/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                     Axel Madsen beat Charley Carr-non-title contest...Kaimon Kudo beat Joe Mitchell...Chester Hayes beat Elmer Davis...Bob “Man Mountain” Bohach beat Bill Steddum...Wimpy Wellington beat Bolo Bataan...attendance: 6000.

4/4/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                         Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Elmer Davis-Central Pacific Area All-Service Professional Heavyweight Wrestling trophy contest, 1^st and 3^rd falls...Jimmy Gonsalves drew Harry Dellis...Ken Blair beat Douglas Corregidor...Henry Zalewiski beat Lou Franco...Don “Spike” Marlin beat Bob “Man Mountain” Bohach.                                       Notes: Schofield post commander Col. Otto E. Sandman presented the trophy, provided by Al Karasick, Smolenski, Blair, Zalewiski, Marlin and Bohach were in the army...Davis and Franco were sailors...Bohach weighed 249 pounds...Marlin, “the pride of Hickam Field”, weighed 243 pounds...Corregidor’s real name was Cerco Vihernes.

Honolulu Advertiser, 4/3/44

4/16/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                 Sammy Cohen beat Chester Hayes...Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Joe Mitchell...Kaimon Kudo beat Big Boy Clement-disqualification...Jimmy Gonsalves drew Elmer Davis...Al Nyles (substitute for Lou Franco) beat Wimpy Wellington...referee: Andre Adoree...attendance: 5800.                                                                                                           Notes: Nyles was from Seattle and weighed 185...Franco, from Oregon, was billed as “Lou Frankenstein”...Adoree was veteran wrestler Al Baffert, who had previously appeared in Hawaii in 1938.

4/18/1944-Memorial Gymnasium   Hickam Army Air Corps Field   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                Jimmy Gonsalves beat Lou Franco...Don “Spike” Marlin beat Henry Zalewiski...Big Boy Clement beat Bill Steddum...Ken Blair beat Douglas “Kid” Corregidor.

Sgt. Babe Smolenski with his All-Service Professional Wrestling trophy.

4/25/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                Sgt. Babe Smolenski (substitute for Axel Madsen) NC Chester Hayes...Henry Zalewiski beat Joe Mitchell...Elmer Davis drew Harry Dellis...Ken Blair beat Lou Franco-disqualification...Elbert Lewallen beat Buck Lee (substitute for Wimpy Wellington)...referee: Charley Carr...plus a musical performance.                                       Notes: Madsen was out due to recent surgery...Lewallen’s local debut...he was a 170-pound soldier with the Hourglass Artillery...Blair had been out with a challenge to Franco for a rematch.

4/30/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                        Kaimon Kudo dew Charley Carr-non-title contest...Andre Adoree, “the French Tarzan” beat Big Boy Clement...Marvin “Blackie” Roberts beat Harry Dellis...Wild Red Carter beat Henry Zalewiski...Lou Frankenstein (Franco) beat Al Nyles...main event referee: Sgt. Babe Smolenski...attendance: 4500.                                         Notes: Carr and Kudo agreed on Smolenski as a neutral referee...the Adoree/Clement bout was billed as “grudge match”, resulting from the former disqualifying Clement in a bout with Kudo...Roberts returned to the mat after nearly a year’s absence...Carter was said to be from Iowa.

5/14/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                    Sammy Cohen beat Kaimon Kudo...Sgt. Babe Smolenski drew Chester Hayes...Elmer Davis beat Harry Dellis-disqualification...Jimmy Gonsalves beat Wild Red Carter...Don “Spike” Marlin beat Bob “Man Mountain” Bohach...referees: Andre Adoree (main event), Prof. Tetsuo “Rubberman” Higami...attendance: 5000.                                                                                                                                                                   Notes: Adoree replaced Charley Carr as ref, due to Cohen’s objection...he proved to be a “heel referee” and was heavily booed as he overlooked Cohen’s rough tactics, and at one occasion forced Kudo to release an armbar...Marlin’s “pro debut” (first appearance at the Civic Auditorium).

Honolulu, 4/30/44; Andre Adoree (below)

5/16/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                    Axel Madsen beat Joe Mitchell...Harry Dellis beat Henry Zalewiski...Big Boy Clement beat Don “Spike” Marlin...Elbert Lewallen beat Lou Franco...Wimpy Wellington beat Ken Blair...attendance: 7000.

5/26/1944-Officer’s Judo Training Club   Old Kam School Gymnasium   Honolulu, HI                                                                         Professor Testuo “Rubberman” Higami and Kaiman Kudo are the instructors at a “school of judo, jujitsu and wrestling.”

5/28/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                               Charley Carr beat Sammy Cohen-2^nd and 3^rd falls-title contest...Andre Adoree drew Axel Madsen...Harry Dellis beat Jimmy Gonsalves (substitute for Marvin “Blackie” Roberts)...Charlie Shiranuhi beat Bill Steddum...Elbert Lewallen beat Lou Frankenstein (Franco)...referee: Frank Cutler (main event and semi-final)...attendance: 6500.                                                                                                                                                                                Notes: Carr is the “Territorial Junior Heavyweight Champion” and holder of the Ring Magazine gold belt...the bout was called “the greatest championship wrestling match ever staged in Hawaii” (Honolulu Advertiser, 5/30/44)...veteran wrestler Frank Cutler was initially billed as old-time champion Charley “Kid” Cutler...Frank was serving in the Navy and had been stationed in Hawaii.

Frank Cutler (left) chokes John Grandovich into submission in a “judo rules” contest in Des Moines in 1943.

Honolulu, 5/28/44

5/30/1944-Promoter Al Karasick agreed with Schofield Barracks officials to have the winner of the upcoming Axel Madsen (Army)/Elmer Davis (Navy) bout meet Sgt. Babe Smolenski (Army) for the All-Service title, and then that winner to meet Charley Carr for the Hawaiian title and gold belt...the Schofield officials had originally requested a Smolenski/Madsen match.

6/1/1944-Royal Hawaiian Hotel   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                         Chester Hayes drew Harry Dellis...referee: Charley Carr...plus five boxing matches.                                                                       Notes: The hotel is serving as the Navy Recreation Center.

6/6/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                       Axel Madsen beat Elmer Hayes-winner to meet Sgt. Babe Smolenski for All-Service title...Harry Dellis beat Chief Rowe-1^st and 3^rd falls...Big Boy Clement beat Henry Zalewiski...Wimpy Wellington beat Lou Franco-disqualification...Elbert Lewallen beat Bolo Bataan.                                                                                                                                                                        Notes: Rowe is described as a “big Indian” from Hickam Field...he was making his local debut.

6/11/1944-Civic Auditorium    Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                             Kaimon Kudo beat Chester Hayes...Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Frank Cutler-1^st and 3^rd falls...Elmer Davis beat Harry Dellis-disqualification...Big Boy Clement beat Tony Blackston...Bolo Bataan beat Ken Blair...referees: Prof. Tetsuo “Rubberman” Higami, Charley Shiranuhi.                                                                                               Notes: The Kudo/Hayes bout was called “one of the most sensational straight wrestling matches seen here” (Honolulu Advertiser, 6/13/44)...Smolenski won his match, but was left with an injured arm...Cutler was now billed as the brother of Charles “Kid” Cutler...Blackston was a 185-lb. sailor making his debut...he admitted “after the match that he wasn’t prepared for rough-house wrestling as he had been accustomed to college-style wrestling on the mainland.” (Honolulu Advertiser, 6/13/44).

6/18/1944-Ring magazine recently reported that Honolulu “is now the hot-bed of professional wrestling.” (Honolulu Advertiser, 6/18/44)

6/25/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                     Axel Madsen beat Sgt. Babe Smolenski-title contest...Sammy Cohen beat Harry Dellis-“Texas rules”...Jimmy Gonslaves beat Elmer Davis...Bill Kaiser beat Bolo Bataan...Ed Huot drew Elbert Lewallen...referee: Prof. Tetsuo “Rubberman” Higami...attendance: 5500.                                                                                             Notes: Madsen won the Central Pacific Area All-Service Professional Wrestling title and the Karasick trophy, as well as a shot against the Hawaiian champ Charley Carr...this was Smolenski’s first defeat on a local card...the Cohen/Dellis match was billed as for the “Roughhouse championship.”

6/30/1944-Hickam Field   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                        Chester Hayes versus Harry Dellis...Wimpy Wellington beat Douglas “Kid” Corregidor...Buck Lee beat Bolo Bataan...referee: Charley Carr.

7/1/1944-Fort Hase   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                                 Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Bill Steddum...Wimpy Wellington beat Buck Lee...referee: Charley Carr...plus boxing bouts, a tumbling act, and musical performances.                                                                                                                      Notes: Smolenski was presented a robe by his supporters...Wellington and Steddum are both civilian workers at Pearl Harbor...Lee is a Honolulu fireman.

7/4/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                     Charley Carr drew Chester Hayes...Jimmy Gonsalves beat Harry Dellis...Wimpy Wellington beat Elbert Lewallen-disqualification...Chief Eddie Celeya beat Ken Blair...Bolo Bataan beat Ted Skrynecki...referees: Bill Steddum (main event, semi-final), Bill Kaiser.                                                                                                                                  Notes: Chief Celeya, an Army corporal, had a busy day as earlier he’d competed in an amateur tournament at the USO Army and Navy Club as part of the All-Service team against Reed Detton’s Central YMCA squad...Celeya lost to a marine, Lt. C.R. Hulse who wrestled for the Y team...an American Indian, he had wrestled at the Sherman Indian School in Perris, CA...his actual name was Eleasar Celeya...he died in Buckeye, AZ in 1990...the Schofield Bowl card marked his pro debut.

7/8/1944-The US Navy announced that they will no longer allow any of their enlisted personnel to appear on Al Karasick’s pro wrestling cards. This was surprising as Karasick had been providing cards at the Schofield Bowl and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel (used as a Navy center during war) without any compensation. Several of his current stars were sailors.

7/9/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                         Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill and Sammy Cohen beat Charlie Carr and Chester Hayes-team match...Kaimon Kudo beat Jimmy Gonsalves-decision...Elbert Lewallen beat Bill Kaiser...Big Boy Clement drew Bill Steddum...referees: Prof. Tetsuo “Rubberman” Higami, Charley Shiranuhi.                                                                                      Notes: Both referees officiated the team bout...Kudo’s decision victory was unpopular...Gonsalves was called a “Pearl Harbor ship fitter.”

7/13/1944-CPA-3 Arena   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                      Seabees Athletic Association “Smoker”...Bobby Bruns beat the Green Hornet...plus boxing bouts.                                             Notes: Bruns, a well-known pro wrestler is serving with the Seabees...a coin was tossed to determine whether the match would be conducted under Texas or New York rules...Bruns won the toss, and selected NY rules...the identity of the masked man was not revealed...Karasick was not involved with this card.

7/23/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                              Kaimon Kudo beat Sammy Cohen-disqualification, NWA rules...Axel Madsen drew Chester Hayes...Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Bulldog Johnson...Harry Dellis beat Elbert Lewallen.                                                                                          Notes: Johnson was ballyhooed as “the roughest performer of modern wrestling...barred from California, New York and Pennsylvania”...from Alaska, Johnson was called “the Klondike Lumberman.”

7/24/1944-Carl Simmons, 258 lbs. challenged Bobby Bruns to wrestle two out of three falls...Bruns only wants a one-fall match...Bruns stated that he would announce a decision through his trainer Frank S. Hall...Simmons claimed that he had been the trainer of Everette Marshall...though in Hawaii, Bruns did not wrestle for Al Karasick this year.

7/25/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                               Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Chester Hayes...Jimmy Gonsalves beat Elbert Lewallen...Harry Dellis beat Wimpy Wellington...Ken Blair beat Ted Skrzynecki...Chief Eddie Celeya beat Al Hardy...referee: Bill Steddum (substitute for Charley Carr).                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

8/3/1944-Memorial Gymnasium   Hickam Field   Honolulu, HI                                                                         Pro wrestling card.                                                                                                                                                  

8/6/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                                Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill beat Chester Hayes...Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Axel Madsen-UTC, non-title contest...Charley Shiranuhi beat Big Boy Clement-disqualification...Jimmy Gonsalves beat Elbert Lewallen...referees: Bulldog Johnson, Prof. Tetsuo “Rubberman” Higami.                                                                                        Notes: Madsen’s first loss in Hawaii...with one fall each, his shoulder was injured and he could no longer continue...Johnson was officiating the O’Neill/Hayes bout, when O’Neill turned on him and ripped his shirt off and nearly his pants as well...the Bulldog refused to continue and Higami took over, although he lost his shirt too at the hands of the wild man.

Honolulu, 8/6/44

8/15/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                   Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Jimmy Gonslaves-disqualification...Elmer Davis drew Harry Dellis...Bobby Jones (substitute for Lou Franco) beat Elbert Lewallen...Wimpy Wellington beat Bill Kaiser...Al Hardy beat Chief Eddie Celeya...referees: Charley Carr (main event, semi-final), Ken Blair...attendance: 9500.                                                        Notes: Gonsalves’ first main event...there was a 30-lb. weight difference between him and Smolenski...the Navy officials relented on their decision from allowing personnel to take part in pro wrestling, as both Davis and Franco were sailors...the Jones/Lewallen match was a bloodbath...Hardy had challenged Celeya for a rematch, after losing his debut against the Indian.                                         

8/20/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                               Sammy Cohen beat Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill...Harry Dellis beat Chester Hayes...Bolo Bataan beat Elbert Lewallen...Bobby Jones drew Al Hardy...Wimpy Wellington beat Ken Blair.                                                                                          Notes: Cohen and O’Neill battled for the “Rough-House Championship of the Mid-Pacific”...Wellington defeated Blair with a submission fall using a double leg stretch.

9/3/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                   Axel Madsen beat Sgt. Babe Smolenksi-title contest...Ben Pilar drew Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill...Jimmy Gonsalves beat Bobby Jones...Al Hardy beat Joe Mitchell...Bolo Bataan...referee: Frank Cutler.

9/5/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                Axel Madsen beat Joe Mitchell...Jimmy Gonsalves drew Elmer Davis...Bobby Jones beat Wimpy Wellington...Al Hardy beat Chief Rowe...Bill Kaiser beat Douglas Corregidor...referee: Charley Carr.

9/17/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                  Charley Carr beat Kaimon Kudo-1^st and 3^rd falls, title contest...Jimmy Gonsalves beat Chester Hayes...Sgt. Babe Smolenski drew Frank Cutler...Harry Dellis beat Al Hardy...Bobby Jones beat Buck Lee.                                                        Notes: The Carr/Kudo bout “brings together two great exponents of scientific wrestling.” (Honolulu Advertiser, 9/7/44)

9/26/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                   Sgt. Babe Smolenski drew Chester Hayes...Bobby Jones beat Harry Dellis-disqualification... “Irish” Mike Casey drew Joe Mitchell...Johnny Peters beat Bolo Bataan...Al Hardy drew Irving Sully...referee: Charley Carr...attendance: “nearly 9,000.”                                                                                                                                                              Notes: Jones is billed as “the Kentucky Pride”...Casey as “the Boston Terror.”

10/1/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu. HI                                                                                                                                              Axel Madsen beat Sammy Cohen...Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill beat Jimmy Gonsalves...Chester Hayes beat Bobby Jones...Al Hardy beat “Irish” Mike Casey...Buck Lee beat Wimpy Wellington...referees: Prof. Tetsuo “Rubberman” HIgami, Charley Shiranuhi.

10/15/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                               Kaimon Kudo drew Sammy Cohen...Ben Pilar beat Harry Dellis...Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Joe Mitchell (substitute for Al Hardy)...Bolo Bataan beat Johnny Peters...”Irish” Mike Casey beat Buck Lee...referee: Charley Shiranuhi...attendance: “capacity crowd.”                                                                                                                                 Notes: Kudo and Cohen are called “strong contenders for the territorial junior heavyweight championship held by Charley Carr” (Honolulu Advertiser, 10/8/44)...their bout is said to have been “the roughest match of the year” (Honolulu Advertiser, 10/17/44).

10/24/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                      Chester Hayes beat Elmer Davis.-two straight falls...Tiger James beat Lou Franco...Johnny Peters drew Irving Sully...”Irish” Mike Casey beat Chief Rowe...Wimpy Wellington beat Buck Lee...referee: Charley Carr...attendance: 9000...plus a band concert.                                                                                                                                       Notes: Veteran pro wrestler Tiger James made his local debut...he is said to be from Houston, TX.

10/29/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                              Charley Carr beat Axel Madsen-title contest...Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Chester Hayes...Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill drew Harry Dellis...Joe Mitchell beat Bolo Bataan...Tiger James beat Bill Kaiser...referee: prof. Tetsuo “Rubberman” Higami.                                                                                                                                                            Notes: Carr defended his Hawaiian Junior Heavyweight title and the Ring Magazine gold belt...he reportedly went into serious training for this bout.

11/12/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                           Ben Pilar beat Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill...Sammy Cohen beat Harry Dellis...Chester Hayes beat Joe Mitchell...Bolo Bataan beat Tiger James...Buck Lee drew Bill Kaiser.

11/14/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                               Axel Madsen beat Harry Dellis-2^nd and 3^rd falls...Axel Johnson beat Jack Steele-disqualification...Bill Kaiser drew Tiger James...Joe Mitchell beat Bolo Bataan-UTC...Wimpy Wellington beat Buck Lee...referee: Charley Carr...attendance: “over 9000.”                                                                                                           Notes: The card had to be re-arranged when the Navy stopped any of their personnel from appearing...sailors Elmer Davis and Lou Franco had been scheduled to wrestle.

11/19/1944-A notice was run in the Honolulu Advertiser calling for “soldier wrestlers” to round out the pro cards.

Honolulu Advertiser, 11/19/44

11/26/1944-“Pro wrestling is extremely popular at Schofield and the ‘bug’ has spread to other posts. Fort Shafter will open up with wrestling in a few days. Bellows Field and Hickam also want more shows. Shortage of talent is all that holds affable Al Karasick back.” (Honolulu Advertiser, 11/26/44)

11/26/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                            Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Sammy Cohen...Kaimon Kudo beat Chester Hayes-decision...Jimmy Gonsalves beat Joe Mitchell...Bill Kaiser drew Bolo Bataan...Wimpy Wellington beat Buck Lee...attendance: 5000.                               Notes: Gonsalves, Kaiser, Bataan, Wellington and Lee are all locals.

12/6/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                       Sgt. Babe Smolenski drew Chester Hayes...Jimmy Gonsalves beat Joe Mitchell-1^st and 3^rd falls...Wimpy Wellington drew Axel Johnson...Tiger James drew Bill Kaiser...Jack Steele beat Charley Dimitoris-disqualification...referees: Charley Carr (main event, semi-final), “Irish” Mike Casey...attendance: “over 9000.

12/10/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                Sgt. Babe Smolenski beat Charley Carr-decision, one fall each, non-title contest...Axel Madsen drew Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill...Jimmy Gonsalves beat Bolo Bataan...Shin Miyashiro beat Tiger James...Dale Clark beat Joe Mitchell...referee: Charley Shiranuhi...attendance: 4500.                                                                                         Notes: The Gonsalves/Bataan bout was billed as a “grudge match”...Shin Miyashiro’s pro debut...he was a protégé of Kaimon Kudo and Prof. Tetsuo “Rubberman” Higami...his real name was Shin’ichi Stanley Mayeshiro and would wrestle under a variety of names including Sesue Oyama, Great Kato, Oyama Kato.

Shin Miyashiro aka Oyama Kato

12/16/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                                   Honolulu Star-Bulletin Salvation Army Christmas Fund Benefit...Ben Pilar beat Chester Hayes...Sammy Cohen beat Jimmy Gonsalves-UTC...Kaimon Kudo beat Joe Mitchell...Wimpy Wellington drew Axel Johnson...Buck Lee beat Charles Dimitrious...attendance: 4000.                                                                                                         Notes: Kudo won by submission to an armbar...Dimitrious, a Schofield soldier, and Johnson made their Civic Auditorium debuts.

12/24/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                           Axel Madsen beat Sgt. Babe Smolenski-title contest...Sammy Cohen drew Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill...Kaimon Kudo NC Dale Clark...Joe Mitchell beat Axel Johnson...Shin Miyashiro beat Buck Lee...referee: Prof. Tetsuo “Rubberman” Higami...attendance: 3714.                                                                                                  Notes: The Cohen/O’Neill match was held with a winner-take-all agreement...the Kudo/Clark match was halted when the ring posts needed repair...Kudo “was well ahead at this point” (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 12/25/44)...Miyashiro won by submission to a leg lock.

12/27/1944-Schofield Barracks Bowl   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                 Jimmy Gonsalves versus Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill...”Irish” Mike Casey versus Joe Mitchell...Wimpy Wellington versus Charley Dimitrious...Axel Johnson versus Douglas Corregidor...Tiger James versus Bobby Roberts...referee: Charley Carr.

12/30/1944-Civic Auditorium   Honolulu, HI                                                                                                                                             Sammy Cohen and Bucky “King Kong” O’Neill beat Charley Carr and Kaimon Kudo-team match...Ben Pilar beat Joe Mitchell...”Irish” Mike Casey drew Dale Clark...Jimmy Colburn beat Tiger James...referees: Prof. Tetsuo “Rubberman” Higami, Charley Shiranuhi.                                                                                                                                          Notes: This card was a benefit to buy newspapers for overseas servicemen...both referees officiated the team match...pro wrestler Colburn was stationed at Schofield...his real name was Sidney Goldberg.

Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 12/4/44

End notes: Frank Cutler also wrestled as Vardy Cutler, Vary Cutler and Al Schissler. The latter was said to be his real name, although he served in the WWII Navy as “Frank Cutler.”

NC-no contest                                                                                                                                                                    UTC-unable to continue

Comments, questions and corrections are always welcome at: mhewitt0728@hotmail.com                                                        The Honolulu research project has now covered 1907 (apparently the first professional wrestling on the islands) through 1944, plus 1948. Current plans are to continue the research to 1950.                                                   

Mark S. Hewitt 2018 (last update 5/1/18)                                                                                                                                                Laurel, DE