Following the name of the champion(s): Indicates the number of times the wrestler has held that title at that point.
[...]
Indicates a gap in the listing where title changes are not known.
*
If used next to the names of the wrestlers, they may, in fact, not have held the title in the period indicated. If used next to the dates or places, either they are possibly wrong or the title changes are fictitious.
<
Title was held or changed hands no later than this. In these cases, it is known that a wrestler held the title at a certain time but not when he/she won it.
+
Broadcast date; the actual recording date is unknown.
@
Order uncertain. Different titleholders may be known for the same year, for example, but it is not known who held the title before whom.
#
Unofficial or disputable claims. These are usually matches that certainly took place, but where there is doubt that the wrestler shown should be recognized as a true title holder. These listings are also italicized in HTML files
Defeats James Faulkner, billed as English champion, to become the World Catch-as-Catch-Can champion (Chicago Tribune, 86-07-05); also billed as American champion (The Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, 86-06-29); retires around 88.
Billed as champion in Buffalo, NY (Buffalo Express, 87-02-16); also claims the title in Cincinnati, OH (The Daily Examiner, San Francisco, CA, 88-01-23); also recognized in Seattle, WA as of 89-07 (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 89-07-24); still champion as of 90-07-11 in Seattle, WA and 90-09-07 in Helena, MT; mainly billed as Graeco-Roman champion in St. Joseph, MO between 89-11 and 90-01; passes away on 91-08-16.
Joe Acton
1890-08-02<
Arrives in Seattle, WA as a title claimant to challenge the champion Matsuda Sorakichi although the match between the two do not take place.
Also wins a tournament, defeating Joe Acton in the final on 93-09-30 in San Francisco, CA; also recognized as of 95-04-27 in Indianapolis, IN, 1900-02-12 in Milwaukee, WI, 01-07-28 in Buffalo, NY, and 02-09 in Worcester, MA; still/again champion in Chicago, IL as of 06-10-24; wrestles as light heavyweight by 07-08.
Joe Carroll
1893-10<
Claims the title (The Times, Philadelphia, PA, 93-10-30); still champion as of 94-01-04, defeating claimant Ed Atherton in Buffalo, NY.
Billed as champion in Spokane, WA, USA (The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA, 1898-02-28); also recognized in St. Paul, MN in 99-04 and Dayton, OH in 99-11; still champion in Omaha, NE, USA as of 01-05-04.
Still champion as of 08-03-14 in Council Bluffs, IA; may never/rarely defend the title as Beell is also billed as the light heavyweight champion most of the time.
Ed Adamson
1907-12<
Claims the title in Columbia, SC (The State, Columbia, SC, 07-12-15).
American champion, defeats Charles Conkle, who is billed as Canadian champion, to be recognized as world champion; also defeats title claimants Chris Jordan on 10-03-15 in Cleveland, OH, Walter Willoughby on 10-12-28 in Cleveland, OH, and Mike Yokel on 12-02-27 in Cleveland, OH.
Has claimed the title as early as 10-12-19; also defeats another title claimant Walter Miller on 13-02-10 in Duluth, MN and Police Gazette title claimant Joe Turner
in 13; Turner still claims the title until losing it in 16 to Paul Bowser,
who defends title for 6 years before abandoning it.
Has claimed the title in Portland, OR as early as 16-02-05; also defeats a claimant Ted Thye on 17-05-01 in San Francisco, CA; Brown still claims the title as of 16-11-24; Miller also defeats title claimant Mike Yokel in Los Angeles, CA on 18-12-05.
Has claimed the title as early as 16-02-23; also has defeated title claimant Ben Reuben on 18-04-19 in Chicago, IL; also defeats title claimant Chris Jordan on 23-12-11 in Chicago, IL; Miller continues to claim the title as late as 25-10-20 but is mentioned as a former champion as of 26-08.
Recognition withdrawn in Illinois on 28-06-28 for not being able to make the 160lb weight limit; Meyers continues to claim the title; however, National Boxing Association also withdraws the recognition from Meyers on 28-08-11 (Collyer's Eye, Chicago, IL, 28-08-12).
Defeats Charlie Fischer by decision after a 2 1-2
hour match and is recognized by Illinois State Athletic Commission; also recognized by the National Boxing Association on 28-08-11 (Collyer's Eye, Chicago, IL, 28-08-12); Charlie Fischer defeats Johnny Meyers on 29-01-07 to claim the title; Jimmy Demetral defeats another title claimant Ralph Parcaut on 28-08-13 in Madison, WI, loses to Gus Kallio on 29-05-20 in Battle Creek, MI but continues to claim the title, and finally loses to Fischer on 29-08-15 in Madison, WI; Fischer continues to claim the title through 37.
Also wins a tournament to be recognized by the National Boxing Association after
defeating Ralph Parcaut in semi-final on 30-03-21 in Cincinnati, OH and Ray Carpenter in final on 30-04-09 in Columbus, OH.
Claims the title in Little Rock, AR; billed as having defeated Young Hackenschmidt in Boston, MA in 10 for the International 156lb Title (Ohio State Journal, Columbus, OH, 17-02-15); also reocognized in New England.
Billed as champion in Boston, MA (The Boston Globe, 14-08-24); also claims the title in Moncton, NB, CAN; defeats another claimant(?) Mike Yokel on 15-03-09 in Duluth, MN; still champion in Duluth, MN as of 16-09-07, 18-03-12, and 20-06-20.
* Special thanks to Jason Presley for additional information.
