Bios
Ed Lewis
Nickname: Strangler
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 265 lbs
From: Nekoosa, WI
Birthday: Jun 30th
Pro Debut: 1904
Aliases: Bob Friedrich, Robert Friedrich
Feds Worked For: TSW, AWA, Al Haft Sports (IL/OH), All Star Wrestling (NE), Championship Wrestling USA (OR), Eastern Sports Enterprises (CT/NJ/NY/PA), Georgia Championship Wrestling (GA), International Wrestling (Canada), Maple Leaf Wrestling (Canada), Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (NC/SC), Mid-Pacific Promotions (Hawaii), Midwest Wrestling Association (OH), Mississippi Valley Sports Club (MO), New York State Athletic Commission (NY), NWA Hollywood (CA), Pacific Northwest Wrestling (OR), San Francisco (CA),Southwest Sports (TX), St. Louis Wrestling Club (MO), Upstate Athletic Club (NY)
Finisher: Sleeper Hold
Signature Moves: Headlock
Career Highlights: -AWA (Boston) World Champion (2x)
-American Champion
-MWA Champion (2x)
-NWA Florida Champion
-NYSAC Champion
-World Champion (6x)
Affiliates: Lou Thesz, Billy Sandow
Notable Feuds: Stanislaus Zbysko, Orville Brown, Joe Stecher, Jim Londos, Dick Shikat, Freddie Beel, Jack Leon
Other Facts: -Real name was Robert Herman Julius Friedrich
-Was a sports star at the University of Kentucky until he quit school to play professional baseball
-Began wrestling at the age of 14 using Ed "Strangler" Lewis instead of his real name of Robert Frederich in tribute of 1890s star Evan "Strangler" Lewis, and because his parents did not approve of him wrestling.
-Won his debut match in Madison, WI against Fred Beel.
-July 4, 1916: Lewis was involved in the longest pro wrestling match on record; a 5 hour match against Joe Stecher that resulted in a time-limit draw.
-Was in a famous verbal war with boxing champion Jack Dempsey, but the two never fought; Dempsey later admitted he never did fight Lewis because he knew he couldn't beat him.
-Credited with inventing the sleeper hold.
-With Toots Mondt and Billy Sandow, they formed the “Gold Dust Trio”, who are credited with creating much of the “Worked” aspects of modern professional wrestling, including the idea of the “Screw-job finish” and the “programme”.
-Went into semi-retirement in 1935, but came out in 1942, despite being legally blind from trachoma..
-Lived in Tulsa after retiring from wrestling in 1947 until his death in 1966
-Named goodwill ambassador for the NWA in 1949.
-Served as a referee for Sam Avey in Oklahoma City during the 1940s.
-Helped to train Bob Ellis, Danny Hodge, Dick Hutton, Gene LeBell, Gus Sonnenberg, Lou Thesz, and Vince Lopez for pro wrestling
-According to Lewis' own notes, he appeared in over 6,200 matches (with only 33 losses) in his 44 year career and earned over $3 million.
-During his retirement, he was a restaurant operator, rancher, and director of a health club. He also acted in such movies as "Stranglehold" and "That Nazty Nuisance"
-Passed away on August 7, 1966 in Muskogee at the age of 76 of natural causes. He was blind at the time of his death.
-Buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA
-Posthumously inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame in 1996
-Posthumously inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1999
-Posthumously inducted into the International Wrestling Institute and Museum Hall of Fame in 1999
-Posthumously inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2002
-Posthumously inducted into the Legacy Wing of the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016
-A Wisconsin state historical marker commemorates his achievements in his hometown of Nekoosa.
-Featured in the books "Shooters: The Toughest Men in Professional Wrestling" in 2012 and "Ed 'Strangler' Lewis: Facts Within A Myth" in 2015
-Posthumously inducted into the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2021
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- 1959 The Golden Giant became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
- 1966 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 1980 The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) def. Junkyard Dog & Buck Robley for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 1989 Jeff Jarrett & Mil Mascaras def. Super Zodiac & Cactus Jack for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
- 2017 The Rising (Matt Durden & Riker) def. Team Dean Machine (Christopher Dean & Jerry Dean) for the BPPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
- 2023 Koko became the CPW Heavyweight Champion
- 2023 The Regime (Derek James & Logan Knight & Merc & Skylar Slice/Sgt. Slice) def. The Roll Modelz (Malik Mayfield & Olivier Vegos) for the CPW Tag Team Titles
- 2023 Mr. Nasty def. Mascara Purpura for the CPW 918 Title
- 2023 Red James def. Mr. Nasty for the CPW 918 Title
Week of Sun 06-07 to Sat: 06-13
- 06-07 1969 Jose Lothario def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
- 06-07 2008 Ky-ote Johammed def. Dane Griffin for the 3DW Violent Division Title
- 06-07 2008 Mo'Body Gillespie def. Ky-ote Johammed for the 3DW Violent Division Title
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- 06-07 2013 The Canadian Red Devil def. Michael York for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
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- 06-08 2013 Hurricane Ross def. Billy Ray for the NAW Heavyweight Title
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- 06-08 2019 Big Smooth def. Hurricane Ross for the NAW Heavyweight Title
- 06-08 2024 Billie the Kiid became the NAW Indigenous Land Champion
- 06-08 2024 Daniel Aaron Michalles def. Pastor Brent for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
- 06-08 2024 Eddie LeVaughn def. Romeo Reese for the WAH Heavyweight Title
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- 06-08 2024 Speeding Bullet (Mike Gunnz & Stephen Nitro) def. The Texas Outlaws (Bobby Burns & Manico) for the NAW Tag Team Titles
- 06-09 1959 The Golden Giant became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
- 06-09 1966 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 06-09 1980 The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) def. Junkyard Dog & Buck Robley for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 06-09 1989 Jeff Jarrett & Mil Mascaras def. Super Zodiac & Cactus Jack for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
- 06-09 2017 The Rising (Matt Durden & Riker) def. Team Dean Machine (Christopher Dean & Jerry Dean) for the BPPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
- 06-09 2023 Koko became the CPW Heavyweight Champion
- 06-09 2023 The Regime (Derek James & Logan Knight & Merc & Skylar Slice/Sgt. Slice) def. The Roll Modelz (Malik Mayfield & Olivier Vegos) for the CPW Tag Team Titles
- 06-09 2023 Mr. Nasty def. Mascara Purpura for the CPW 918 Title
- 06-09 2023 Red James def. Mr. Nasty for the CPW 918 Title
- 06-10 1979 Bruiser Brody def. Mark Lewin for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 06-10 1985 Tim Brooks def. Scott Casey for the WCCW Television Title
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- 06-11 2011 Kareem Sadat def. Rick Russo for the SWCW Hardcore Title
- 06-11 2011 Tim Storm def. Michael Faith for the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
- 06-11 2022 Pastor Brent & Andrew Fenix def. The Rejecs LM (Elijah Sparks & Dr. Corvus) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
- 06-11 2022 Connor Smith def. Romeo Reese for the WAH Spotlight Title
- 06-11 2022 Umbra def. Koko for the WAH Living Hope Title
- 06-11 2022 Dan Webber def. Paul Puertorico for the WAH Heavyweight Title
- 06-12 1982 The Spoiler def. Frank Dusek for the WCCW Television Title
- 06-12 2009 El Latino became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
- 06-12 2021 Brawler Morrison def. Blade [2nd] for the UWO Heavyweight Title
- 06-13 1960 Tony Borne def. Bull Curry for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 06-13 1969 Chuck Karbo became the TSW North American Champion
- 06-13 1978 Karl Krupp became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
- 06-13 1998 The Bad Boys (Splash Jackson & Bull Schmitt) def. The Texas Outlaws (Dan Wilder & Bernard Funk) for the OPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
- 06-13 2008 Brent Albright def. Slam Shady for the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
- 06-13 2008 High Society (Al Farat & Thomas Trump) became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Tag Team Champions
- 06-13 2008 Josh Michaels became the ACW Heavyweight Champion
- 06-13 2009 The Canadian Red Devil became the ComPro Showtime Champion
- 06-13 2015 Seth Angel & Adrian Dell def. Nemesis (Bobby Starr & Damien Morte) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
- 06-13 2015 Killista def. Paul Puertorico for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
- 06-13 2015 Rolling Thunder def. Michael Duplanti for the NAW Heavyweight Title
- 06-13 2015 Paige Turner def. Erica for the IZW Queens Title
- 06-13 2015 Michael Wolf def. Jake O'Brien for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
- 06-13 2015 Jake O'Brien def. Michael Wolf for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
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