1931 professional wrestling w/ Jim "Golden Greek" Londos ...
Item # 727091THE NEW YORK TIMES, May 6, 1931
* Early Jim Londos "The Golden Greek"
* Early professional wrestling match
* vs. Fred Carone in Newark, New Jersey
Page 31 has a somewhat discrete report with a one column heading: "Londos Throws Carone" and subhead. (see image)
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because there was really no reason to save it at the time.
Complete with all 52 pages, rag edition in very nice condition.
Background: The historical significance of the May 5, 1931, matchup between Jim Londos and Fred Carone lies in its encapsulation of the "Golden Age" of professional wrestling, a transformative era driven by ethnic box-office draws and grueling championship touring schedules during the Great Depression. As the reigning world champion, "The Golden Greek" Jim Londos was a cultural phenomenon and arguably the biggest sports draw in America alongside Jack Dempsey, largely because promoters strategically booked him against formidable ethnic rivals like the Italian-born Carone to captivate immigrant working-class audiences in major industrial hubs. This particular bout exemplifies the relentless, breakneck pace of 1931, where Londos crisscrossed the nation by train to defend his title multiple times a weekâheadlining packed arenas, generating massive gate revenues that defied economic depression, and standardizing the theatrical yet highly athletic format that successfully transitioned professional wrestling from a legitimate catch-as-catch-can sport into a powerhouse of modern sports entertainment.
Category: The 20th Century









