NWA World Tag Team Championship (Indianapolis version) explained

Championshipname:NWA World Tag Team Championship
(Indianapolis version)
Promotion:NWA Indianapolis office
Created:No later than September 16, 1951
Firstchamp:Ben and Mike Sharpe
Titleretired:1960

The Indianapolis version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship, which was actively used between 1951 and 1960, was a professional wrestling championship exclusively for two-man tag teams. As a member of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the NWA Indianapolis territory was entitled to create an NWA World Tag Team Championship that they could promote within the boundaries of their territory, in this case Indiana, making it a "regional" championship despite being labeled a "world championship".[1] Because the use of the championship was not restricted to one overall championship, a large number of different, regional championships bore the name "NWA World Tag Team Championship" between 1949 and 1992.[1] In 1957 as many as 13 different versions were promoted across the United States. As it is a professional wrestling championship, it is not won or lost competitively but instead by the decision of the bookers of a wrestling promotion. The title is awarded after the chosen team "wins" a match to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport.[2]

The Indianapolis NWA World Tag Team Championship was introduced in 1951 as promoters Jim Barnett, Fred Kohler, Dick Patton, and Balk Estes decided to bring Ben and Mike Sharpe in from the West Coast to be their first champions. While the Sharpe brothers were being promoted as having won a tournament, no records of such a tournament has been found, making it likely they were simply announced as champions when they arrived in Indianapolis. In late 1951 the team of Rudy Kay and Al Williams, who worked for NWA Indianapolis on a regular basis, defeated the Sharpe brothers to cement the championship lineage in Indianapolis, while the Sharpe brothers returned to the West Coast. The team of Boris and Nicoli Volkoff won the championship on three occasions, setting a record for both teams and individuals. Reggie Lisowski and Stan Lisowski's first reign as champions lasted at least 243 days, the longest of any individual reign, and their two combined reigns totaled at least 342 days, as least 150 days longer than the second-longest combined reigns. Due to the fact that no dates were captured as part of the championship documentation, it is impossible to determine which team had the shortest reign.

Title history

Key

SymbolMeaning
No.The overall championship reign
ReignThe reign number for the specific wrestler listed.
EventThe event in which the championship changed hands
N/AThe specific information is not known
[Note #]|Indicates that the exact length of the title reign is unknown, with a note providing more details.|-|style="background: #aaaaaa;"| |Indicates that there was a period where the lineage is undocumented due to the lack of written documentation in that time period.|-||Indicates that a title change took place "no later than" the date listed.[3] |}
width=0 data-sort-type="number" scope="col"No.width=14% scope="col"Championswidth=0 scope="col"Reignwidth=16% scope="col"Datewidth=0 data-sort-type="number" scope="col"Days heldwidth=14% scope="col"Locationwidth=17% scope="col"Eventwidth=51% class="unsortable" scope="col"Noteswidth=0 class="unsortable" scope="col"
scope=row11[4] Live eventRecords are unclear on how they became champions
scope=row2Rudy Kay and Al Williams1Live eventBilled as champions on a show in Elwood, Indiana
scope=row3 and Joe Tangaro1Live eventDuring a show in Logansport, Indiana on May 12, 1954 the team was billed as the "Midwest Tag Team Champions", believed to be the same championship.
scope=row4 and Stan Lisowski1Live eventSupposedly had "recently" defeated Brunetti and Tangaro and Brunetti for the championship
scope=row51Milwaukee, WisconsinLive eventThe Lisowski brothers were still recognized as champions in Indianapolis, but not Wisconsin
scope=row6 and Johnny Gilbert1Live eventbilled as champion on a show in Angola, Indiana on this date
scope=row7Sheik of Araby and Angelo Poffo1Live eventBilled as champions on a show in Valparaiso, Indiana on this date
scope=row82Indianapolis, IndianaLive event 
scope=row9 and Stan Lisowski2Live event 
scope=row10 and Joe Tangaro2Indianapolis, IndianaLive eventStill billed as champions on December 5, 1957
scope=row11
(Jackie and Don)		1Live eventThe Fargos would defend the Mid-America version in and around Indiana until at least April 16, 1958
scope=row122Live eventFirst billed as champions on a show in Elwood, Illinois; still billed as champions on January 29, 1959
scope=row131Indianapolis, IndianaLive eventDefeated Dick Afflis and Angelo Poffo in tournament final to win the vacant championship
N/AN/AN/AThe championship was replaced by the AWA World Tag Team Championship when the Indiana territory left the NWA.

Team reigns by combined length

Key

data-sort-type="number" scope="col" RankTeamdata-sort-type="number" scope="col" No. of reignsdata-sort-type="number" scope="col" Combined days
scope=row12
scope=row21
scope=row33
scope=row41
scope=row5 and Joe Tangaro 2
scope=row rowspan=46 (Jackie Fargo and Don Fargo) 1
and Johnny Gilbert 1
1
Rudy Kay and Al Williams 1

Individual reigns by combined length

Key

data-sort-type="number" scope="col" RankWrestlerdata-sort-type="number" scope="col" No. of reignsdata-sort-type="number" scope="col" Combined days
scope=row rowspan=212
2
scope=row rowspan=23Sheik of Araby 1
1
scope=row rowspan=253
3
scope=row rowspan=271
1
scope=row rowspan=292
2
scope=row rowspan=8111
1
1
Rudy Kay 1
1
1
1
1

Concurrent championships

Sources for 13 simultaneous NWA World Tag Team Championships

References

Notes and References

  1. Book: Hornbaker, Tim . National Wrestling Alliance, The Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling . ECW Press . 2007 . 978-1-55022-741-3. The Origins of a Wrestling Monopoly.
  2. Book: Mazer. Sharon. Professional Wrestling: Sport and Spectacle. February 1, 1998. University Press of Mississippi. 1-57806-021-4. 18–19. June 19, 2016.
  3. Documentation of the specific date of a title change is not found but documentation of the champion holding the title on that date/in that period.
  4. The location of the match was not captured as part of the documentation.
  5. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (Los Angeles) California: NWA World Tag Team Title [Nichols, Doyle & Eaton].
  6. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Los Angeles – 1950s| work=Wrestling-Titles | accessdate=February 21, 2017].
  7. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (San Francisco) California: NWA World Tag Team Title[Joe Malcewicz].
  8. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [San Francisco 1950s] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
  9. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (Kansas & Western Missouri) West Texas: NWA World Tag Team Title [Karras & Geigel].
  10. Web site: NWA World Tag Team Title [Central States] ]. wrestling-titles.com . March 24, 2015.
  11. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4. (Chicago) Illinois: NWA World Tag Team Title [Kohler].
  12. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Illinois & Wisconsin] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
  13. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . Ohio & Upstate New York: NWA World Tag Team Title [George & Bruins].
  14. Web site: NWA World Tag Team Title [Ohio / Northern New York] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
  15. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . Georgia: NWA World Tag Team Title [Gunkel & Barnett].
  16. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Georgia] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
  17. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . Iowa / Nebraska: NWA World Tag Team Title [George & Clayton].
  18. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Iowa/Nebraska] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
  19. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (Indianapolis) Indiana: NWA World Tag Team Title [Kohler, Patton & Estes].
  20. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Indianapolis] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
  21. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . Idaho / Utah: NWA World Tag Team Title [Reynolds].
  22. Web site: World Tag Team Title [Northwest Tri-State] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
  23. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (Amarillo) Texas: NWA World Tag Team Title [Sarpolis & Funk].
  24. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Titles [W. Texas] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
  25. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (Minneapolis) Minnesota: NWA World Tag Team Title [Karbo & Gagne].
  26. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Minneapolis] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
  27. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . Texas: NWA World Tag Team Title [Siegel, Boesch & McLemore].
  28. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [E. Texas] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
  29. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA World Tag Team Title [Gulas & Welsh] .
  30. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Mid-America] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "NWA World Tag Team Championship (Indianapolis version)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.