Lou Thesz 1916-2002
"I always thought he was invincible. I never thought it could happen." - Lance Russell, the longest reigning television announcer in wrestling history
"It never occurred to me that he would die" - Charlie Thesz, Lou's wife, even after spending three weeks in the hospital and seeing him never recover from surgery.
In the end, the real man born Lajos Tiza replaced the mythological wrestling figure named Lou Thesz, a man who had a unique aura in the business and someone whose exploits in their own way will never be
equalled."
Credit May 13th 2002 issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Career Title History
Note: Records at best partial due to lack of any recorded accurate pre-1970 pro wrestling history
National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight: Awarded title on November 27th 1949 as National Wrestling Association champ when Alliance champ Orville Brown was injured prior to scheduled unification match November 25th 1949 in St. Louis; lost to Whipper Billy Watson on March 16th 1956 in Toronto; defeated Whipper Billy Watson on November 9th 1956 in St. Louis; lost to Edouard Carpentier on June 14th 1957 in Chicago; defeated Edouard Carpentier on July 24th 1957 in Montreal (NWA records do not list these two as title changes historically because Carpentier's promoter failed to put up the $25,000 NWA bond, but at the time, every magazine as well as promoters in Chicago, Montreal and Sam Muchnick recognized these two matches as title changes, but then historically were erased); lost to Dick Hutton on November 14th 1957 in Toronto; defeated Buddy
Rogers on January 24th 1963 in Toronto; lost to Gene Kiniski on January 7th 1966 in St. Louis.
MWA World Heavyweight (Midwest version): defeated Everett Marshall on December 29th 1937 in St. Louis; title forgotten about as other claims became more important.
National Wrestling Association World Heavyweight:defeated Everett Marshall on February 23rd 1939 in St. Louis; lost to Bronko Nagurski on June 23rd 1939 in Hoston; defeated Whipper Billy Watson on April 25th 1947 in St. Louis; lost to Bill Longson on November 21st 1947 in St. Louis; defeated Bill Longson on July 20th 1948 in Indianapolis; title unified into National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight title on November 27th 1949.
NWA World International Heavyweight (also called World Heavyweight title in Europe and later made famous as International Heavyweight title in Japan): Billed as champion from late 1957 after dropping the NWA world title to Dick Hutton, to tour as champion overseas as well as defended the title in the U.S in many NWA territories; lost to Rikidozan on August 27th 1958 in Los Angeles (this belt is now a part of the All Japan Triple Crown).
American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight (Notheast version): defeated Everett Marshall on December 29th 1937 in St. Louis for the MWA title and also recognized as AWA Champion when Yvon Robert fails to sign unification match and Thesz recognized after January 25th 1938 as champion based on the Marshall win; lost to Steve Casey on February 11th 1938 in Boston.
American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight (Eastern Canada version): defeated Leo Numa on June 12th 1940 in Montreal; lost to Yvon Robert on October 23rd 1940 in Montreal; defeated Yvon Robert on July 16th 1941 in Montreal; lost to Yvon Robert on September 17th 1941 in Montreal; defeated Bobby Managoff on February 20th 1947 in Montreal; lost to Yvon Robert on November 26th 1947 in Montreal.
California World Heavyweight: defeated Baron Michele Leone on May 21st 1952 in Hollywood, CA. to unify this title with the National Wrestling Alliance title.
World Heavyweight Offshoot: lost by DQ to Leo Nomellini on March 22nd 1955 in San Francisco. NWA failed to recognize title change due to the DQ ending, but California and Texas recognized Nomellini as new champion; defeated Leo Nomellini on July 15th 1955 in St. Louis to unify the NWA title.
World Heavyweight Offshoot: defeated Tarzan Tyler (recognized in Georgia as champion) on June 7th 1963 in Atlanta to unify that vision with the NWA title.
World Heavyweight Offshoot: defeated Karl Gotch on September 7th 1964 in Columbus, OH to unify that area's version of the AWA title with the NWA title.
World Heavyweight Alliance World Heavyweight: defeated Buddy Austin on October 14th 1966 in Los Angeles; lost to Mark Lewin on October 28th 1966 in Los Angeles.
Trans World Wrestling Association World Heavyweight (Frank Tunney Toronto): First champion upon formation of the promotion in 1967; lost to Danny Hodge on Januray 24th 1968 in Tokyo.
Universal Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight: Billed as first champion when promotion opened on August 15th 1977; lost ot Canek on August 27th 1978 in Mexico City.
Texas Heavyweight: defeated Hans Schnaebel on May 12th 1944 in Houston; lost to Ernie Dusek on June 30th 1944 in Houston; defeated Ernie Dusek on August 18th 1944 in Houston; lost to Olaf Olson on December 8th 1944; defeated Buddy Rogers on May 3rd 1946 in Houston; lost to Buddy Rogers on May 10th 1946 in Houston.
Pacific Coast Tag Team: w/The Outlaw (Dory Funk Sr.) held title in 1961; title vacated (this is disputed as other historians claim there is no
record of this and Thesz has always denied holding the title with Funk Sr.)
Southern Heavyweight: defeated Tommy Gilbert in 1973; lost to Tommy Gilbert in 1973; defeated Tommy Gilbert on March 27th 1974 in Nashville; lost to Tommy Gilbert on April 10th 1974 in Nashville; held the title in July 1978; jumped from Nick Gulas promotion to Jerry Jarrett's group with title in 1978; returned to group and defeated Bob Roop in 1978; quit promotion.
NWA Midwest Title: held title in 1978.
United States Heavyweight (Mississippi): held title in 1978
United States Junior Heavyweight: defeated Don Greene in 1973; lost to Don Greene in May 1973.
Thesz was the first person inducted to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996, he was also the first to be inducted to the International Wrestling Museaum Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2002 he was inducted to both the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
"It never occurred to me that he would die" - Charlie Thesz, Lou's wife, even after spending three weeks in the hospital and seeing him never recover from surgery.
In the end, the real man born Lajos Tiza replaced the mythological wrestling figure named Lou Thesz, a man who had a unique aura in the business and someone whose exploits in their own way will never be
equalled."
Credit May 13th 2002 issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Career Title History
Note: Records at best partial due to lack of any recorded accurate pre-1970 pro wrestling history
National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight: Awarded title on November 27th 1949 as National Wrestling Association champ when Alliance champ Orville Brown was injured prior to scheduled unification match November 25th 1949 in St. Louis; lost to Whipper Billy Watson on March 16th 1956 in Toronto; defeated Whipper Billy Watson on November 9th 1956 in St. Louis; lost to Edouard Carpentier on June 14th 1957 in Chicago; defeated Edouard Carpentier on July 24th 1957 in Montreal (NWA records do not list these two as title changes historically because Carpentier's promoter failed to put up the $25,000 NWA bond, but at the time, every magazine as well as promoters in Chicago, Montreal and Sam Muchnick recognized these two matches as title changes, but then historically were erased); lost to Dick Hutton on November 14th 1957 in Toronto; defeated Buddy
Rogers on January 24th 1963 in Toronto; lost to Gene Kiniski on January 7th 1966 in St. Louis.
MWA World Heavyweight (Midwest version): defeated Everett Marshall on December 29th 1937 in St. Louis; title forgotten about as other claims became more important.
National Wrestling Association World Heavyweight:defeated Everett Marshall on February 23rd 1939 in St. Louis; lost to Bronko Nagurski on June 23rd 1939 in Hoston; defeated Whipper Billy Watson on April 25th 1947 in St. Louis; lost to Bill Longson on November 21st 1947 in St. Louis; defeated Bill Longson on July 20th 1948 in Indianapolis; title unified into National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight title on November 27th 1949.
NWA World International Heavyweight (also called World Heavyweight title in Europe and later made famous as International Heavyweight title in Japan): Billed as champion from late 1957 after dropping the NWA world title to Dick Hutton, to tour as champion overseas as well as defended the title in the U.S in many NWA territories; lost to Rikidozan on August 27th 1958 in Los Angeles (this belt is now a part of the All Japan Triple Crown).
American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight (Notheast version): defeated Everett Marshall on December 29th 1937 in St. Louis for the MWA title and also recognized as AWA Champion when Yvon Robert fails to sign unification match and Thesz recognized after January 25th 1938 as champion based on the Marshall win; lost to Steve Casey on February 11th 1938 in Boston.
American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight (Eastern Canada version): defeated Leo Numa on June 12th 1940 in Montreal; lost to Yvon Robert on October 23rd 1940 in Montreal; defeated Yvon Robert on July 16th 1941 in Montreal; lost to Yvon Robert on September 17th 1941 in Montreal; defeated Bobby Managoff on February 20th 1947 in Montreal; lost to Yvon Robert on November 26th 1947 in Montreal.
California World Heavyweight: defeated Baron Michele Leone on May 21st 1952 in Hollywood, CA. to unify this title with the National Wrestling Alliance title.
World Heavyweight Offshoot: lost by DQ to Leo Nomellini on March 22nd 1955 in San Francisco. NWA failed to recognize title change due to the DQ ending, but California and Texas recognized Nomellini as new champion; defeated Leo Nomellini on July 15th 1955 in St. Louis to unify the NWA title.
World Heavyweight Offshoot: defeated Tarzan Tyler (recognized in Georgia as champion) on June 7th 1963 in Atlanta to unify that vision with the NWA title.
World Heavyweight Offshoot: defeated Karl Gotch on September 7th 1964 in Columbus, OH to unify that area's version of the AWA title with the NWA title.
World Heavyweight Alliance World Heavyweight: defeated Buddy Austin on October 14th 1966 in Los Angeles; lost to Mark Lewin on October 28th 1966 in Los Angeles.
Trans World Wrestling Association World Heavyweight (Frank Tunney Toronto): First champion upon formation of the promotion in 1967; lost to Danny Hodge on Januray 24th 1968 in Tokyo.
Universal Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight: Billed as first champion when promotion opened on August 15th 1977; lost ot Canek on August 27th 1978 in Mexico City.
Texas Heavyweight: defeated Hans Schnaebel on May 12th 1944 in Houston; lost to Ernie Dusek on June 30th 1944 in Houston; defeated Ernie Dusek on August 18th 1944 in Houston; lost to Olaf Olson on December 8th 1944; defeated Buddy Rogers on May 3rd 1946 in Houston; lost to Buddy Rogers on May 10th 1946 in Houston.
Pacific Coast Tag Team: w/The Outlaw (Dory Funk Sr.) held title in 1961; title vacated (this is disputed as other historians claim there is no
record of this and Thesz has always denied holding the title with Funk Sr.)
Southern Heavyweight: defeated Tommy Gilbert in 1973; lost to Tommy Gilbert in 1973; defeated Tommy Gilbert on March 27th 1974 in Nashville; lost to Tommy Gilbert on April 10th 1974 in Nashville; held the title in July 1978; jumped from Nick Gulas promotion to Jerry Jarrett's group with title in 1978; returned to group and defeated Bob Roop in 1978; quit promotion.
NWA Midwest Title: held title in 1978.
United States Heavyweight (Mississippi): held title in 1978
United States Junior Heavyweight: defeated Don Greene in 1973; lost to Don Greene in May 1973.
Thesz was the first person inducted to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996, he was also the first to be inducted to the International Wrestling Museaum Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2002 he was inducted to both the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.