50th State Big Time Wrestling (sometimes referred to as NWA Hawaii) was a professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii in the United States that promoted professional wrestling matches throughout Hawaii. The promotion was founded by Al Karasick in 1936 and became a member of the National Wrestling Alliance in 1949. In 1961, Karasick sold the promotion to "Gentleman" Ed Francis. Along with his business partner Lord James Blears, Francis created a "golden age" of professional wrestling in Hawaii that lasted throughout the 1960s and 1970s, with 50th State Big Time Wrestling becoming one of Hawaii's most-watched programs. The promotion came to an end in 1979 when Francis sold his interest to Steve Rickard.
Video 50th State Big Time Wrestling
History
Mid-Pacific Promotions was founded in 1936 by Russian emigrant Al Karasick. Assisted by booker Bobby Bruns, Karasick staged weekly shows in Honolulu's Civic Auditorium, which he managed. Thanks to Hawaii's tropical climate, Mid-Pacific Promotions emerged as a popular destination for wrestlers looking for a "working vacation", with high-profile wrestlers such as Lou Thesz and Rikid?zan visiting Hawaii. In 1949, Karasick joined the National Wrestling Alliance. In the early-1950s, Karasick began expanding into Japan, lobbying NWA president Sam Muchnick to recognise Japan as his territory. By the 1960s, Hawaii was established as a hub for American wrestlers travelling to and from Japan.
In 1961, Karasick retired from promoting, selling the territory to "Gentleman" Ed Francis, who rebranded it "50th State Big Time Wrestling". Francis continued promoting weekly Wednesday shows at the Civic Auditorium, with the venue regularly sold-out. Shortly after Francis took over the promotion, a bout between Hawaiian wrestler Curtis Iaukea and Samoan wrestler Neff Maiava resulted in a violent riot. Francis appointed Lord James Blears as booker, with Blears quickly gaining a name for his "outrageous" and "goofy" characters. The promotion's top stars included Johnny Barend, Curtis Iaukea, Don Muraco, Neff Maiava, Peter Maivia, and Sammy Steamboat. The promotion helped introduce several concepts that later became ubiquitous in professional wrestling, including the steel cage match and the backstage interview. Johnny Barend became infamous for his outlandish interviews, which began with him emerging from a coffin while smoking a cigar. In 1967, Barend married Annie Lum in the ring at the Honolulu International Center shortly before a title match.
Francis secured a Saturday afternoon live television slot on KHVH. As the promotion increased in popularity, it moved to KGMB and increased its output to two programs a week: a taped show featuring interviews, vignettes and replays on Friday nights and a live show on Saturday afternoons. Hosted by Francis and Blears, 50th State Wrestling was at one point the most watched television program in Hawaii. Television tapings rotated between Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui. After the Civic Coliseum closed in the 1970s, the promotion shifted to the Honolulu International Center.
With costs rising and revenues falling, Francis sold the promotion to Steve Rickard in 1979. With Francis no longer promoting, Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association expanded into Hawaii.
Maps 50th State Big Time Wrestling
Championships
Alumni
- Johnny Barend
- Dick Beyer
- Joe Blanchard
- Lord James Blears
- Nick Bockwinkel
- Russ Francis
- Mr. Fujiwara
- Giant Baba
- Ripper Collins
- Hard Boiled Haggerty
- Curtis Iaukea
- Killer Kowalski
- Pampero Firpo
- Neff Maiava
- The Missing Link
- Sweet Daddy Siki
- Sammy Steamboat
- Ray Stevens
- Tosh Togo
- Maurice Vachon
- Bill Watts
- Billy White Wolf
Works
- Ed Francis (2012) Gentleman Ed Francis Presents: 50th State Big Time Wrestling!
Footnotes
External links
- 50th State Big Time Wrestling
- Mid-Pacific Promotions at WrestlingTitles.com
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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