Moose vs. Bobo

As I sat in the confines of my den recently, I was watching a few old tapes from the 50's at the old International Amphitheater and the old Marigold Gardens. What memories they brought back. It seems like just yesterday that the excitement of being a part of this great business was happening.

Some names that I had watched as a kid growing up in Flint were on those tapes. Guys like Mr. Moto, Chief Don Eagle, Billy Goelz, Johnny Gilbert, Mighty Atlas, Hans Schmidt, Dick The Bruiser, Angelo Poffo, Carl Engstrom and, of course, Big Moose Cholak. Other big names that graced the ring there were Gorgeous George, Lou Thesz, Buddy Rogers, Bob Orton, Pat O'Connor, Killer Kowalski, The Volkoff Brothers, Wilbur Snyder, Verne Gagne, The Sheik, and who could ever forget The Crusher.

I can only imagine the long days in a car getting to Chicago that these men went through. Some had come in from Detroit, some had come in from Minneapolis, some from Memphis and St. Louis, some had traveled by plane from the west coast for Fred Kohler's matches twice a week. Only the top talent was allowed to wrestle for Kohler, who had set attendance records for many years. He was a mastermind at developing talent to pack any building he promoted. He only wanted the best for the fans that attended on Wednesday and Friday nights.

Some of the greatest matches from that era, in my opinion, included referees like Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano and Jack Dempsey. It seemed that Fred Kohler knew just when to bring in a big name to keep the box office in a sold out status. He seemed to sense when things were getting out of hand and that a change needed to be. Some of the guys just didn't care for the biased actions of the referees employed by the secretary of state for Illinois. Many would take advantage of the sometimes timid, family men that were the officials. It seemed that most of the rougher styled men knew that these men had to live there … they didn't.

Probably one of the best feuds of the 60's that I can remember was between Bobo Brazil and Big Moose Cholak. I was on the card the night that boxing champion Archie Moore was the guest referee between those two. It was a gala event with 10 matches on the card. The opener had Sailor Art Thomas against Karl Von SchnabeI. Art won with a big bear hug. I was on the second match against Gary Hart, and we wrestled to a 10-minute draw. The rest of the card was star studded and gave the paying fans that sold out the Marigold an evening of memories that would last a lifetime.

The semi-Main Event had a tag team with The Bavarian Boys against Angelo Poffo and Buddy Rogers. After 60 minutes of action, there was not even one fall scored by either team. The referee had to declare the match a draw, but the Bavarian Boys wanted 10 more minutes. Needless to say Rogers and Poffo had other ideas and made it back to the dressing room surrounded by at least 30 of Chicago's best.

Bobo Brazil had just returned from a trip to the Far East a few months earlier and had been on big cards in Chicago and neighboring cities like Michigan City, Indiana, Gary and South Bend, Indiana, and his own home town of Benton Harbor at the old Naval Armory. He had won a lot of matches against some of the best that the business had to offer. On one card at the Marigold, while he was being interviewed by television people for an upcoming match with Johnny Case, the Midwest Champ, Bobo was interrupted by Cholak, who claimed that Brazil was hiding behind Kohler's apron and that he needed to face him in the ring to prove who was the better man. Cholak was escorted off the area by security and Bobo went on with the interview, saying he was very sorry for the outburst by Cholak.

Two days later at the Marigold, Bobo was speaking to some fans and giving out autographs when Cholak passed him in the hallway and started calling him a bum. He was screaming at Bobo about him being a nobody that had beaten no one who would mean anything and that he needed to come out from behind Kohler's apron and face a real man. Bobo was trying to be as polite as he could be but was getting more and more angered at Cholak. Bobo went to Fred Kohler and asked for a match, and he was given his request.

These two giants fought each other many times, and not one of the regular officials were able to contain these foes. That is, until Archie Moore was brought in. As any boxing fan could tell you, Archie was a no-nonsense type of guy that gave no quarter nor took one from anybody. His reputation was impeccable, as he had faced some of the best that boxing had produced. It was up to him to be impartial and uphold the law in the ring.

Bobo entered the ring a few moments after Cholak was inside the squared circle and removed his beautiful Kelly Green Jacket and was ready for business. Referee Moore gave the men their pre-match instructions, and the bell rang for the two out of three fall match.

Cholak was a very rough man inside the ring and came close a few times to getting himself punched by Archie Moore, but he restrained himself and continued his rough house tactics. Moose was able to win the first fall using a barrage of fists and boots to Bobo's body and then using a big splash off the second rope and finally a body press to win.

Bobo came back to win the second fall with a coco butt and a pin after almost 10 minutes of devastation by Cholak. Moose threw everything at Brazil that he could to beat the Benton Harbor giant.

The third and final fall was won by Brazil. Cholak had pulled Archie in front of him as Bobo was delivering a huge punch to Cholak's chest. Bobo connected with Archie Moore's chest and knocked him to the mat. Cholak seized the moment while Bobo went to Archie to try and help and began kicking and beating the helpless Brazil to the mat. Archie Moore regained his composure and pulled Cholak from Brazil and gave him one of his famous knockout punches that gained him the World's Heavyweight Championship, and Bobo fell on top of him and pinned him . What a way to end a fantastic night. Every one went home happy except the Moose.

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers