Last updated on 01/09/2023

01/01/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
Antonino Rocca (DQ) Baron Gattone

01/08/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
Baron Gattone vs Zebra Kid
Pedro Escobar vs Nature Boy
Frank Dallo vs Hans Schnabel
Tony Cosenza vs Harold Kanner
Frank Links vs Ed “Strangler” White

01/11/1954 - Kingston, NY - Auditorium
Steve Budynus vs Joe Campbell
Jackie Nichols vs Len Rositano
Bill Darnell vs Killer Kowalski

01/15/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
Baron Gattone vs Golden Terror
Man Mountain Dean and Clyde Steeves vs Gene Bauman and Harold Kanner
Nature Boy vs Zebra Kid
Frank Dallo vs Frank Links

01/16/1954 - Thomaston, CT - HS
Ernie Natale vs The Red Demon
Jimmy LaRosa vs Warren Wood
Johnny Heideman & Fritz Von Wallick vs Soldier Barry & Tony Angelo

01/19/1954 - New York, NY - St. Nicholas Arena
Wladek Kowalski drew Hans Schmidt
Frank Links def George Schnabel
Frank Milano def Clyde Steeves
Pedro Escobar drew Ray Thunder [Ray Stern]
Billy Darnell def Bobby Nelson

01/22/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Newark Armory (3,000)
Verne Gagne (1-1 CO) Hans Schmidt
Man Mountain Dean & Lou Pitoscia vs Nature Boy & Bobby Nelson
Billy Darnell vs Ray Thunder
Pedro Escobar vs Harold Kanner

01/22/1954 Ben Friedman & Joe Smith - Bridgeport, CT - Knights of Columbus Hall
Baron Antonio Verdi & Antonio Leone vs Jesse James & Nick Valley
Verne Gagne vs George Grant
plus an opening bout

01/23/1954 Ted Bayly - Kingston, NY - Auditorium
Joe Campbell (13:45) Frank Livingston [sub. for Ken Ackerman vs Steve Budynas]
Bobby Nelson (2-1) Joe Campbell
   1: Nelson (11:30 back breaker)
   2: Campbell (9:23)
   3: Nelson (6:20 back breaker)
Hans Schmidt (2-1) Ray Gunkel
   1: Schmidt (9:35 pin)
   2: Gunkel (4min)
   3: Schmidt (2:35)

01/27/1954 - Long Island, NY
Verne Gagne def Bobby Nelson

01/28/1954 - White Plains, NY - Westchester County Center
Frank Links (5:46) Dick White
Frank Milano (30min dec) Frank Dallo
Pedro Escobar & Johnny Pitoscia (2-1) Ray Thunder & Soldier Barry
Verne Gagne (17:30 pin) Ivan Rasputin

01/29/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
Baron Gattone vs Frankie Dallo
Man Mountain Dean vs Jack Steele
Frank Lane vs Frank Link
Harold Kanner vs Tony Marco
Ted Lewin vs Ed White

02/02/1954 - New York, NY - St. Nicholas Arena
Billy Darnell def Tony Martinelli
Mike Lane drew Pedro Escobar
Frank Milano def Hal Kanner
Karl Karlsson def Frank Dallo
Hans Schmidt (DQ) Killer Kowalski

02/02/1954 - New York, NY
Verne Gagne def Bobby Nelson

02/10/1954 - Ridgewood, NY - Ridgewood Grove
Killer Kowalski drew Yukon Eric

02/15/1954 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden [III] (15,071; $46,124)
Frank Links (9:37 pin) Firpo Zbyszko [sub. for Joe Kameroff]
Tony Martinelli (20min limit draw) Hal Kanner
Frank Milano (13:24 pin) Harry Finklestein [Harry Lewis]
Greg Jarque & Buddy Gilbert def Pedro Escobar & Lou Pitoscia
Pat O'connor (14:11 or 21:13 pin) Sky Hi Lee
Antonino Rocca (36:04 curfew draw) Verne Gagne
1: Gagne (9:08)
2: Rocca (14:01)
3: (curfew draw)

02/27/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Newark Armory
Antonino Rocca (1-1) Hans Schmidt

02/??/1954 - Thomaston, CT

03/02/1954 - New York, NY - St. Nicholas Arena
Raphael Halpern def Pedro Escobar
Tony Martinelli & Hal Kanner (DQ) Baron Gattoni & Frank Dallo
Frank Milano drew Greg Jarque
Gene Stanlee drew Killer Kowalski

03/03/1954 - Ridgewood, NY - Ridgewood Grove
Hans Schmidt vs Yukon Eric
Plus four other bouts

03/05/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
Lou Pitoscia vs Gene Stanlee
Baron Gattone & Karl Karlson vs Greg Jarque & Frank Milano
Comache Cortez vs Ted Lewin
Pedro Escobar vs Buddy Gilbert

03/12/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
Frank Milano vs Gene Stanlee
Ted Lewin & Tony Martinelli vs Frank Dallo & Fritz Von Wallick
Sammy Berg vs George Babich
Comache Cortez vs Hungarian Blimp

03/15/1954 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden [III]
Pat O'Connor def Tony Cosenza
Verne Gagne (DQ) Hans Schmidt
plus four other bouts

03/19/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
Baron Gattone vs Nature Boy
Ted Lewin & Red Ryan vs Comache Cortez & Frankie Dallo
Adrien Baillargeon vs Sammy Berg
Buddy Gilbert vs Hungarian Blimp

03/20/1954 - Thomaston, CT - HS
Johnny Heideman & Ernie Natale vs Soldier Barry & Joe Swinick
Man Mountain Dean Jr. vs The Golden Superman

03/26/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
Adrien Baillargeon vs Nature Boy

03/27/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Newark Armory (4,459; $11,301)
Raphael Halpern (60min limit draw) Antonino Rocca
Adrien Baillargeon (14:00) Frankie Dallo
Chief Blue Eagle & Harry Lewis def Baron Gattone & Nature Boy
Lillian Ellison def Darling Dagmar

03/27/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Armory
Antonino Rocca vs Raphael Halpern

03/30/1954 - New York, NY - St. Nicholas Arena
Tony Martinelli & Tedd Lewin def Tarzan Hewitt & Camacho Cortez [Jack Bell]
Frank Links def George Babich
Frank Milano drew Hal Kanner
Yukon Eric (DQ) Killer Kowalski

04/02/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
Chief Blue Eagle vs Baron Gattone
Comache Cortez & Nature Boy vs Adrien Baillargeon & Ted Lewin
Tony Cosenza vs Tony Martinelli
Frank Links vs Tony Milano

04/09/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
George Babich vs Chief Blue Eagle
Tony Cosenza & Ted Lewin vs Fritz Von Wallick & Fritz Ziegfried
Comache Cortez vs Soldier Barry
Adrien Baillargeon vs Frank Links

04/16/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
Tony Cosenza vs Mr. Moto
Comache Cortez & Frankie Dallo vs Hal Kanner & Frank Milano
Adrien Baillargeon vs Tony Martinelli
Chief Blue Eagle vs Frank Links

04/17/1954 Charlie Brown - New Haven, CT - New Haven Arena
Sammy Berg vs Red Demon
Angelo Savoldi & Frank Milano vs Johnny Heidman & Fritz Von Wallick
Baron Leone vs Mr. Moto

04/19/1954 - Trenton, NJ - Trenton Arena
Frank Dallo vs Chief Blue Eagle
Harold Kanner vs Frank Milano
Adrian Baillargeon vs Baron Gattoni
Lillian Ellison vs Daisy Mae
Hans Schmidt vs Yukon Eric

04/21/1954 - Kingston, NY - Municipal Auditorium (500)
Wallie Greb (20:30 pin) Leonardo Dank
Bearcat Wright (2-0) Tarzan Hewitt
   1: Wright (12:30 DQ)
   2: Wright (2:10)
Reggie Lisowski & Art Neilson (2-1) Bill Melby & Jack Witzig
   1: Witzig (12:45 pin) Neilson
   2: Lisowski & Neilson (5min DQ)
   3: Lisowski (8:20 full nelson) Witzig
plus two other bouts

04/22/1954 Tony Palo - Bridgeport, CT - Buckingham Hall
Verne Gagne vs Sky Hi Lee

04/23/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
Chief Blue Eagle vs Hassen Bey
Frankie Dallo & Ted Lewin vs Tony Milano & Fritz Von Wallick (Wallach)
Tony Cosenza vs Hungarian Blimp
George Babich vs Fritz Ziegfried

04/24/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Newark Armory
United States Heavyweight Title: Verne Gagne* (2-1 dec) Pat O'Connor
Lillian Ellison & Candy Carol Smith def Darling Dagmar & Daisy Mae
Adrien Baillargeon vs Hassen Bey

04/30/1954 Willie Gilzenberg & Babe Culnan - Newark, NJ - Laurel Garden
Chief Blue Eagle vs Man Mountain Dean
Lillian Ellison & Hazel Schmidt vs Darling Dagmar & Daisy Mae
Adrien Baillargeon vs Hassen Bey
Baron Gattone vs Ted Lewin

05/03/1954 - Trenton, NJ - Trenton Arena
Man Mountain Dean Jr. vs Ted Lewin
Daisy Mae & Darling Dagmer vs Lillian Ellison & Hazel Schmidt
Chief Blue Eagle vs Hassen Bey
Adrian Baillargeon vs Baron Gattoni

05/11/1954 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden [III] (9,230)
Chief Blue Eagle (13:45) Man Mountain Dean Jr.
Ted Lewin (15:06) Harry Lewis
Baron Gattoni (17:46) Camacho Cortez
Tony Martinelli (11:56) Hassan Bey
Yukon Eric (6:07) Adrien Baillargeon
Antonino Rocca & Pat O'connor (2-1) Hans Schmidt & Hans Hermann

05/19/1954 - Jamaica, NY - Jamaica Arena
NWA World Tag Team Title: Reggie Lisowski & Art Neilson* vs Bill Melby & Jack Witzig

06/04/1954
New Jersey State Athletic Commissioner Joseph F. Walker announces that wrestling has "deteriorated to the point of absurdity" and wants a stop to the "outright burlesque long associated with wrestling exhibitions." Women's wrestling is banned altogether in the state and "dirty" wrestlers are also outlawed.  Steep punishment will be dished out for those who break the new regulations.

06/24/1954 - Poughkeepsie, NY - Riverview Field
The Arabians vs Ray Sosa & Ricky Harmedo
Antonino Rocca vs Grand Pancho
plus a midgets match and another bout

07/02/1954 - Kingston, NY - Municipal Auditorium
Steve Budynas drew George babich [sub. for Johnny Bouso]
Mike Paidousis (2-0) John Heideman [sub. for Pat Thompson]
   1: Paidousis (9:35)
   2: Paidousis (9:20)
Roy McClarty (2-0) Hans Herman
   1: McClarty (14:28 DQ)
   2: McClarty (3:12 sleeper hold)

07/21/1954 - Glen Cove, NY - City Stadium
Antonino Rocca vs Pat O'Connor

08/10/1954 - Poughkeepsie, NY - Riverview Field
Adrien Baillargeon (13:30 pin) George Babich
Arnold Skaaland (DKO) Angelo Savoldi
Fritz von Wallick & Johnny Heideman (2-0) Hal Kanner & Soldier Barry
   1: Heideman (16min pin) Kanner
   2: Heideman (4:58 COR) Barry
Yukon Eric (2-1) Hans Schmidt
   1: Schmidt (9:37 back breaker)
   2: Eric (10:42 bearhug)
   3: Eric (1:22)

09/11/1954 - Newark, NJ - Colburn Park
Bob Leipler vs Harry Lewis
Ricky Waldo vs Jackie Nichols
Antonino Rocca vs Mr. America

09/17/1954 - Jamaica, NY
Pat O'Connor def Art Neilson

09/28/1954 - Kingston, NY - Municipal Auditorium
Jack Nichols (21min) Harry Lewis
Steve Stanlee (2-0; DQ in 1st) Abe Zvonkin
Antonino Rocca (2-1) Hans Schmidt

10/04/1954 - New York, NY - St. Nicholas Arena
Pat O'Connor drew Verne Gagne

10/26/1954 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden [III] (11,545; $34,837.79)
Hal Kanner (18:39 DQ) Buddy Lee
Pedro Escobar def Johnny Heideman
Tony Martinelli def Angelo Savoldi
Hans Hermann (5:23) Arnold Skaaland
Antonino Rocca (20:44 pin) Hans Schmidt
Reggie Lisowski & Art Neilson (curfew draw) Pat O'connor & Yukon Eric

10/30/1954 - Thomaston, CT - HS
Ray Walker vs Gus Johnson
Joe Esposito vs The Black Hawk
Sonny Boy Cassidy & Farmer Pete vs Vince Garibaldi & Jim Brady

11/15/1954 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden [III] (12,378; $35,889.90)
Fred Blassie (dec) Kinji Shibuya
Mr. Moto (5:58) Tex Riley
Tony Martinelli (14:24) Pedro Escobar
Reggie Lisowski & Art Neilson (13:55) Hans Schmidt & Hans Hermann
Verne Gagne (45min limit draw) Pat O'connor
Antonino Rocca (18:21 pin) Don Leo Jonathan

11/20/1954
George Bothner passes away in New York, NY at 87.

11/21/1954
Roderick "Jess" McMahon passes away in Wilkes-Barre, PA at 72.

11/26/1954 - White Plains, NY - Westchester County Center
Antonino Rocca def Art Neilson

11/30/1954 - New York, NY - St. Nicholas' Arena
Pat O'connor def Hans Schmidt

12/08/1954 - Kingston, NY - Municipal Auditorium
Bearcat Wright vs Howie Lewis
Jack Nichols vs Le Henning
Antonino Rocca vs Yukon Eric

12/13/1954 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden [III] (11,091)
Pedro Escobar def Harry Lewis
Al Kashey drew Tony Martinelli
Raphael Halpern (12:49 pin) Buddy Lee
Pat O'connor & Yukon Eric def Reggie Lisowski & Art Neilson
Antonino Rocca (16:40) Don Leo Jonathan
Verne Gagne (2-1) Roy McClarty

 

Researches by Tim Hornbaker, Hisaharu Tanabe
including the information from Paul Sosnowski and David Creahin and the newspaper ads/articles provided by Doug McLeer