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
Claims the title in Madison, WI; still champion in Sheboygan, WI as of 22-12-11.
Leo Alexander
1920-12
Has defeated Red O'Brown for the title on 19-08-21 in Battle Creek, MI and is also recognized in Green Bay, WI in 20-12 (Green Bay Press-Gazette, 20-12-08).
Carl Van Wurden
1921-04-28
Oshkosh, WI
Karl Pojello
1924-01-22
Chicago, IL
Defeats Canadian champion George Walker and claims the world title; still champion in Milwaukee, WI as of 29-05-24; vacant when Pojello moves up to the heavyweight division in 29-05 or 29-06.
Joe Hackensmith
1926-08-31<
Billed as champion in Green Bay, WI; still champion as of 26-11-24.
Billed as the National Wrestling Association light heavyweight champion (The Milwaukee Journal, 47-11-23); also billed as light heavyweight champion in Illinois and Wisconsin after losing National Wrestling Alliance World Junior Heavyweight Title to National Wrestling Association champion Leroy McGuirk on 49-12-28 in Des Moines, IA; vacates his Illinois claim in 51-08 to concentrate on winning NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title from Verne Gagne (Illinois State Register, Springfield, IL, 51-08-30) but continues to be billed as a claimant in Iowa (Des Moines Tribune, 51-12-13).
Defeats Goelz to retain his Iowa claim and is also recognized as champion in Wisconsin.
Carl Engstrom
1952-06-28
Chicago, IL
Defeats Balbo in what is most likely a non-title match and is billed as champion as late as 52-08-26 in some towns in Wisconsin and Iowa where Balbo is billed as a former champion; Balbo continues to be billed as champion in Des Moines, IA and Illinois; NWA officially starts to sanction the light heavyweight title at its annual convention in 52-09.
