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
Billed as champion in Sandusky, OH; still champion as of 90-01-22; may be vacant when Faulkner holds American Middleweight Title later in 90; passes away on 94-05-02.
Defeats Len Lanius on 94-05-26 in Cincinnati, OH for the Graeco-Roman title; starts claiming the catch-as-catch-can title later in the year; still/again champion as of 1903-12-31 and 1908-04-17; loses to Eugene Tremblay on 10-02-14 in Chicago, IL (see below).
Has defeated George Bothner for the title on 08-11-27 in Brooklyn, NY; has claimed the title Cleveland, OH as early as 09-02-28; defeats Luttbeg on 10-02-14; also defeats title claimant Johnny Billiter on 10-02-21 in Cleveland, OH (see below); again defends against Johnny Billiter on 10-03-02 in Cleveland, OH; both Temblay and Billiter still claim the title in Cleveland, OH as of 11-10-28; listed as former champion in Cleveland, OH as of 12-06-05 (Plain Dealer) but continues to claim the title outside Ohio.
Has defeated Ernest Maxwell on 02-06-27 in Spokane, WA to be recognized as North American champion; later claims the world title; defends the title in Toledo, OH on 04-09-17; also holds the welterweight title.
Also defeats title claimant George Bothner on 06-03-28 in Lima, OH but does not win his claim when Ackerman exceeds the lightweight limit; loses the welterweight title on 07-01-22.
United States champion, defeats William Morrison, billed as English champion, to be recognized as world champion; loses to Eugene Tremblay in Cleveland, OH on 10-02-21 and again on 10-03-02 but continues to claim the title (see above); both Billiter and Temblay still claim the title in Cleveland, OH as of 11-10-28; Tremblay is listed as former champion in Cleveland, OH as of 12-06-05 (Plain Dealer) but continues to claim the title outside Ohio; Billiter loses to Matty Matsuda on 12-06-06 in Toledo, OH but continues to claim the title (Matsuda possibly exceeding the weight limit).
Harry Ferguson
1917-10-26
Flint, MI
Billiter continues to claim the title in Ohio.
John Korda
1917-11-09
Cleveland, OH
Harry Ferguson [2]
1918-04-22
Cleveland, OH
Defeats Johnny Billiter in tournament final; Billiter, who has been billed as champion in Canton, OH as early as 18-02-18, defeats Korda in the first round.
William Hallas
1918-05-30
Cleveland, OH
Has claimed the title in Cleveland, OH as early as 18-03-10; defeats Ferguson on 18-05-30 to end the dispute; Ferguson continues to claim the title but again loses to Hallas on 19-10-23 in Coshocton, OH; still champion as of 20-05-02.
Have been recognized as champion in several states, mainly Iowa, as early as 37-12; may never defend the title in Ohio but is billed as champion for a jiu-jitsu event in Piqua, OH in 39-10.
