Sándor Szabó (wrestler)
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2008) |
| Sandor Szabo | |
|---|---|
 Sándor Szabó (1933) Photo by Carl Van Vechten | |
| Born | January 4, 1906 Hungary |
| Died | October 16, 1966 Los Angeles, California, US |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Debut | 1930 |
| Retired | 1963 |
Sándor Szabó (January 4, 1906 – October 16, 1966) was a Hungarian-born professional wrestler who emigrated to America.[1]
At first, due to his large size, he was promoted by Jack Pfefer and Jack Curley of New York City as a "freak talent", one of a number of foreign and extraordinary wrestlers booked to attract the curious.[2] In the early 1940s, Szabo held three world championships. In the 1950s, he was quite popular in Southern California, where he was assistant booker to Jules Strongbow,[3] and held tag team championships in Los Angeles and San Francisco. He also recorded a song in 1953 for Hammerlock Records entitled "Take Me in Your Arms".[4] He wrestled his last match in 1963. In 2000, he was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. He died of a heart attack at the age of 60.
Championships and accomplishments
[edit]- 50th State Big Time Wrestling
- American Wrestling Association
- AWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- California State Athletic Commission
- Montreal Athletic Commission
- NWA Hollywood Wrestling
- NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship (8 times)
- WWA International Television Tag Team Championship (7 times) - with Wilbur Snyder (2), Bobo Brazil (1), Gene Stanlee (1), Billy Darnell (1) and Edouard Carpentier (2)[6]
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles version) (1 time) - with Billy Darnell
- NWA San Francisco
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) (2 times) - with Primo Carnera (1) and Ron Etchison (1)
- National Wrestling Association
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- Class of 2013[7]
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
References
[edit]- ^ The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: Heroes & Icons Steven Johnson, Greg Oliver, Mike Mooneyham - 2012 "SANDOR SZABO... — an amateur standout in or all his accomplishments in Europe, a multi-time world pro champion — it took a broken thumb to promote Sandor Szabo to the top rank of pop culture. In late 1952, Szabo, who left the word ““bashful” back in Hungary when he emigrated to the United States, announced he'd ' croon ““White Christmas” on a TV wrestling show in Los Angeles if he ..."
- ^ MacKaye, Milton (1935-12-14). "On the Hoof". Saturday Evening Post.
- ^ LeBell, Gene, The Godfather of Grappling, (Sports Publishing:2005), p. 94.
- ^ Kishcherbaum, Jerry (1980-03-17). "Puck Rock". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011.
- ^ "Hawaii Heavyweight Title". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
- ^ "International Television Tag Team Title (Los Angeles)". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
- ^ Meltzer, Dave (2012-12-10). "Mon. update: Major Spike announcement tomorrow, Aces & 8s identity, TNA injury updates, Hall of Fame inductions announced, WWE two PPVs this weekend, Jericho schedule, Amateur wrestling hits MSG first time ever". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved 2012-12-10.
External links
[edit]Media related to Sándor Szabó (wrestler) at Wikimedia Commons
