1948 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.
Gallery
List of notable promotions Only one promotion held notable shows in 1948. Promotion NameAbbreviationEMLL
Supercards and tournaments DatePromotion(s)EventLocationMain EventSeptember 22EMLL15th Anniversary Show (1)Mexico City, MexicoCiclón Veloz defeated Blue Demon by disqualification in a best two-out-of-three falls matchSeptember 2415th Anniversary Show (2)Tarzán López (c) defeated Harry Fields in a best two-out-of-three falls match for the NWA World Middleweight Championship(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
Notable events July 18 professional wrestling promotors Pinkie George, Orville Brown, Al Haft, Harry Light, Sam Muchnick, Don Owen, and Tony Stecher form the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), a governing body who would be the primary influence on professional wrestling in North America until the mid-1980s. September Alejandro Muñoz Moreno debuts the Blue Demon wrestling persona in Mexico City. He would go on to become one of the most famous professional wrestlers in lucha libre as well as act in 26 lucha films. Stu Hart and Al Oeming created Klondike Wrestling (later known as Stampede Wrestling).
Title changes
EMLL DateWinnerEvent/ShowNote(s)April 12Mike KellyEMLL Show
No title changes
No title changes
No title changes
DateWinnerEvent/ShowNote(s)UncertainVacatedN/AThe championship was vacated for undocumented reasonsAugust 5Joe MarinEMLL ShowOctober 18Black ShadowEMLL Show No title changes
No title changes
NWA DateWinnerEvent/ShowNote(s)July 14Orville BrownNWA showThe NWA voted to recognize Brown as the Worlds Champion. Defeated Sonny Myers to solidify the claim.
Awards and honors Luchador of the Year Tarzán López (Mexico)
Arts and entertainment Angelo Poffo's world record for most consecutive sit-ups (6,033) is featured on the March 3 edition of Ripley's Believe It or Not! comic strip.
Debuts March 31 – Blue Demon November 24 – Tiny Mills Date uncertain Bronco Lubich The Fabulous Moolah George Scott Johnny Barend Lord Athol Layton Nelson Royal Ray Gunkel
Retirements Ed Lewis (1905-March 29, 1948)
Births January 8 – Bobby Jaggers, American professional wrestler (d. 2012) January 11 – Wajima Hiroshi, Japanese professional wrestler (d. 2018) January 30 Black Bart (d. 2025) February 7 – Kim Duk, Japanese professional wrestler February 19 – Big John Studd, American professional wrestler (d. 1995) March 3 - Ron Fuller, American professional wrestler March 13 - Estela Molina, Mexican professional wrestler (d. 2025) March 14 - King Cobra, American professional wrestler May 15 – Coloso Colosetti, Argentinian professional wrestler (d. 2024) June 2 – Cynthia Peretti, American professional wrestler (d. 2009) June 23 – Earl Oliver, American wrestling columnist and historian June 24 - Mickey Doyle June 29 – Leo Burke, Canadian professional wrestler (died in 2024) July 7 - Tom Hankins (wrestler), American professional wrestler July 11 - Ernie Holmes, American professional wrestler and footballer (died in 2008) July 18 – Carlos Colón Sr., Puerto Rican professional wrestler and wrestling promoter July 27 – Greg Gagne, American professional wrestler July 28 – Bobby Bold Eagle, American wrestler August 6 – Dino Bravo, Canadian professional wrestler (d. 1993) August 8 - Dee Booher, American professional wrestler (d. 2022) August 27 – Sgt. Slaughter, American professional wrestler September 3 - Butcher Brannigan, American professional wrestler (d. 2009) September 8 – Great Kabuki, Japanese professional wrestler September 12: Rocky Hata (d. 1991) Roberto Soto September 21 – Mitsuo Momota, Japanese professional wrestler September 26 – Kazuo Sakurada, Japanese professional wrestler (d. 2020) September 29 – Jaque Mate, Mexican luchador October 3 – Johnny Legend, American professional wrestling promoter (d. 2026) October 4 – Linda McMahon, wrestling executive October 15 – Savannah Jack (died in 2012) November 4 - Buzz Tyler (died in 2021) November 12 - Goro Tsurumi (died in 2022) November 28 – Smith Hart, Canadian professional wrestler (d. 2017) December 21 – Ron Bass, American professional wrestler (d. 2017) December 28 - Izzy Slapawitz, American professional wrestler (d. 2019)
Deaths August 16 - Babe Ruth, 53
References General
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