Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling - A Time Line of Every Major Event in Pro Wrestling History - 1922
By: Karl Stern
Much of the text of this entry comes from issue 83 of the DragonKing Press Newsletter available as a downloadable .pdf in the digital downloads section.
The year 1922 is covered on the Long Form History of Pro Wrestling Podcast - Click Here.
1922
02-06-1922: At Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 12,000 (sellout): Stanislaus Zbyszko defeated Earl Caddock to retain the World heavyweight title… Wladek Zbyszko battled Nat Pendleton to a draw… Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeated Renato Gardini… Laurent Gerstman defeated John Grandovich.
09-09-1922: Toronto, Canada: Casino Theatre: Eugene Tremblay defeated Ernie Arthur for Canadian middleweight title.
02-15-1922: The first issue of Ring magazine is published. Ring would become the most significant boxing magazine in American history and, from time to time, covered pro wrestling as well. In the first issue Ring carried a full page ad for a Tex Rickard promoted wrestling show at Madison Square Garden.
02-16-1922: Boxing and wrestling promoter Tex Rickard is indicted by a federal grand jury for second degree rape and abducting two 15 year old girls. Tex Rickard steps down as the manager of Madison Square Garden and is replaced by John Ringling.
02-20-1922: Clarence Eklund regains the World lightweight title from Helmar Myre in Sheridan, WY.
02-21-1922: At Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 6,000: Wladek Zbyszko defeated Joe Stecher for the American heavyweight title… Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeated Cliff Binckley… John Olin defeated Dick Daviscourt.
Paul Bowser wins the World-Middleweight title from Joe Turner in Boston, MA.
03-03-1922: Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeated Stanislaus Zbyszko in Wichita, KS to win the World heavyweight title.
03-29-1922: St Louis, MO: Coliseum: Attendance 5,000: Boris Demetroff defeats Omar Baker… Al Wassem defeats Chester McCormack… Ivan Linow battled Wladek Zbyszko to a 30 minute draw… World Heavyweight champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeated Jim Londos 2 falls to 1. One hour, 54 minutes an 35 seconds.
04-22-1922: The Blue Demon (Alejandro Munoz) is born in Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
04-25-1922: Kansas City, MO: Convention Hall: Attendance 12,000: Alan Eustace defeats John Grandovich… World Heavyweight champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeats Stanislaus Zbyszko 2 falls to 1.
09-26-1922: San Francisco, CA: Civic Auditorium: Attendance 12,000: World Heavyweight champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeats Renato Gardini 2 falls to 1.
11-01-1922: Pioneer Athletic Club, New York City, promoter Billy Wellman: Joe Stecher defeated Charles Cutler, won by Stecher in straight falls at 57 minutes, 30 seconds, and 13 minutes flat… Semi main: Nat Pendleton defeated Yussif Hussane… Opener: Ed Fields defeated Peter Jarvis (crowd described as "small")
11-08-1922: Columbus, Ohio: Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeated Cliff Binckley. Binckley took the first fall in 47:46 with a leg scissors, Lewis took the second in 17:35 and the third in 7:30. Lewis employed the headlock in securing both of his falls.
11-10-1922: Ed “Strangler” Lewis wrestles Joe “Toots” Mondt for the first time, defeating him in Boston, MA.
11-22-1922: Stanislaus Zbyszko defeated The Cyclops, billed as the European champion in Springfield, MA.
Pioneer Athletic Club, New York City, promoter Billy Wellman. Main Event: Joe Ginsberg battled Charles Cutler to a draw (Ginsberg believed to be better known as Joe Malcewicz)… Semi-main: Nat Pendleton defeated Great Massimo… Opener: Ivan Linow defeated Carl Vogel.
11-23-1922: Springfield, MA: Stanislaus Zbyszko defeated "Cyclops," billed as the "European champion," two falls out of three.
11-26-1922: In Nashville, TN, Ed “Strangler” Lewis issues his first challenge to Jack Dempsey, world boxing champion. Lewis says he is willing to wager $25,000 with the winner to take all gate receipts. Lewis said, “Dempsey can go into the ring either with gloves or without them, and is at liberty to either box or wrestle while I will confine myself to wrestling alone.”
12-01-1922: Commonwealth Sporting Club, New York City, promoter Jess McMahon: Main Event: Wladek Zbyszko defeated Frank Nelson in straight falls… Semi-main: Mike Romano decisioned Joe Ginsberg, 30 minutes… Special bout: Ivan Linow defeated Joe Rogaski.
12-14-1922: In St. Louis, MO: Ed “Strangler” Lewis retains his world heavyweight wrestling championship with a victory over ex-champion Stanislaus Zbyszko, 43 years old.
12-20-1922: Commonwealth Sporting Club, New York City, promoter Jess McMahon: Main Event: Wladek Zbyszko defeated Justiana DeSilva in straight falls… Semi- main: Joe Rogaski defeated Andreas Castano… Opener: Joe Ginsberg defeated Mike Romano.
12-30-1922: Ed “Strangler” Lewis challenges boxing champion Jack Dempsey to a match and puts up a reported $10,000 bond to meet him.
Ed “Strangler” Lewis
DragonKingKarl (Karl Stern) is a long time pro wrestling historian who has been published in books, newsletters, and podcasts since the mid-1990s.
The Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling Zone is Karl Stern's attempt to chronicle the entire history of pro wrestling and is a work in progress with hundreds of pages of text added each month.
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