Professional Wrestling February 1931

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Holyoke MA: February 6, 1931: (Valley Arena, att. 1,700) ... Gene Ledoux beat Cowboy Jack Wagner (2-1)... Jack Sherry drew Frank Judson ... (Handicap) Joe (Bull) Komar beat Carroll Cranson & Douglas Marshal (subs for Tim Ryan) ... Red Daviau drew Paul Petcen

Holyoke MA: February 13, 1931: (Valley Arena, att. 2,400) ... Jack Ganson beat Gene Ledoux (2-1) ... George Zarynoff beat Joe (Bull) Komar (27:40, dq) ... Referee: Ernie Rosseau ... Bob (Bibber) McCoy drew Glenn Wade ... Paul Adams drew Leo Racine ... Referee: Cliff White

POLICE FORCED TO QUELL RIOT IN VALLEY ARENA (Springfield Republican?, Saturday, February 14, 1931): HOLYOKE -- Amid the wildest and most riotious scene ever staged here, during which a bottle filled with liquid went hurtling through the air from one of the balconies and excited fans climbed through the ropes on to the mat with police finally called upon to quell the disorder, the Valley Arena presented a warring scene tonight as Joe (Bull) Komar, 235-pound Chicagoan, was disqualified for kicking and punching Count George Zarynoff of Russia in what was billed as the semifinal bout of the weekly wrestling show. The battle had gone only 27 minutes and 40 seconds when referee Ernie Rosseau tossed the Middle Westerner out of the ring, but only after he, too, had taken several blows to the face.

The large crowd, which numbered more than 2,400, was roiled to a high pitch of excitement by Komar's tactics against the much lighter Zarynoff and when he persisted in continuing his fighting it almost became beyond control, Komar was escorted to his dressing room by two policemen.

Never in the history of wrestling in Holyoke has anything like the disorder that was prevalent tonight been seen here before. Besides the bottle which was pitched into the ring with its contents flowing on to the canvas, papers, magazines and peanuts came down on to the mat from the gallery throng.

Attempts of the referee to get Komar to wrestle cleanly went without avail and at one time the swarthy Lithuanian was fighting both the referee and Zarynoff. It is believed that Komar became peeved as the match went on its way and Zarynoff found his weakness and rather than go down to defeat used all the unethical methods at his command.

Zarynoff was kicked in the groin several times and lay writhing in pain on the mat when Komar was ordered to his corner. He trembled like a leaf as he was lifted to his feet and later was assisted from the ring. He weighed but 202 pounds compared the much heavier Bull.

Another spirited battle resulted in what was billed as the main bout in which Jack Ganson, Californian, twice pinned the shoulders of Eugene Ledoux, rugged Canadian, to the mat. Ganson grabbed off the first and third falls with Ledoux capturing the second. The West Coast grappler won the bout when both appeared on the verge of exhaustion after trying several flying tackles with Ganson rolling over on the Canadian as the two lay in the middle of the ring.

Another bottle came popping into the ring during this melee and this prompted the management to announce that a reward of $100 would be paid to anyone furnishing the name of any person throwing it. Ganson won the first fall in 2 minutes and 25 seconds with a flying tackle with Ledoux taking the second with a crotch lift and slam in 27 minutes and 11 seconds. The deciding fall went to Ganson after 18 minutes of vicious battling. The crowd cheered the rival heavyweights to the echo. Carroll Cranson of Northampton was third man in the ring during this encounter.

Bob (Bibber) McCoy, former Holy Cross College star, was tossed from pillar to post by Glenn Wade, who is just off the University of Nebraska campus, although neither gained a fall in their half-hour preliminary duel. Wade toyed with the Cambridge bulldog and nearly pinned his shoulders on several occasions.

In the opening preliminary, Paul Adams of Easthampton and Leo Racine of Holyoke fought 20 minutes without a fall. Both boys battled hard and without caution. Cliff White refereed this match.

Holyoke MA: February 20, 1931: (Valley Arena, att. 2,600) ... Joe Stecher beat Joe Komar (2-1) ... Glenn Wade beat Prince Hi Gandar ... Lee Wykoff drew George Vassell ... Cowboy Len Hughes drew Joe Pernice

Holyoke MA: February 27, 1931: (Valley Arena) ... Glenn Wade vs John Spellman ... George Zarnoff vs Louis Allaire ... Al Mercier vs Phil Allen ... Bibber McCoy vs Louis Loew

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