Wrestling at the Chase
Encyclopedia
Wrestling at the Chase was a professional wrestling
television series that aired in St. Louis, Missouri
, the matches were taped live on Saturday nights as well as televised. It was repeated traditionally on Sunday mornings. It was promoted by the St. Louis Wrestling Club
, which was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance
.
The show was the brainchild of Sam Muchnick
, president of the St. Louis Wrestling Club, and Harold Koplar
, who owned KPLR and the old Chase Park Plaza Hotel
. The two were together on an airplane in 1958 and wondered how they could put wrestling into St. Louis area homes.
produced and televised the matches, which were held at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel
in St. Louis' Central West End and televised at 10:00 A.M.; conveniently, the KPLR studios were in an adjacent connecting building. The show produced approximately 1,100 episodes over its 24 years.
Although the St. Louis Wrestling Club began by taping one show at a time, they began taping three shows at a time on Sunday mornings in the early 1970s. Admission to the tapings was free, and the room in which the matches took place seated 900 fans.
took his place. The following year, Cunningham was replaced with George Abel
. He was joined in 1972 by Larry Matysik. Who was also a part time police officer in Belleville, Il. Ring announcers included John Curley
, Eddie Gromacki and Joe Garagiola's brother Mickey Garagiola.
The show featured many of the most famous wrestlers in the NWA. Participants included Ric Flair
, Harley Race
, "Cowboy" Bob Orton, Dick the Bruiser, Bruiser Brody, Gene Kiniski
, Lou Thesz
and Ted DiBiase
.
tapings held at the Chase. The first of these shows featured Hulk Hogan
's return match after three years in the AWA
.
baseball games. The show often had over 100,000 viewers per episode. It is considered one of the pro wrestling industry's most historic programs.
As of 2009, 12 volumes of the program have been released for sale. In 2005, Larry Matysik's book, Wrestling at the Chase: The Inside Story of Sam Muchnick and the Legends of Professional Wrestling was published by ECW Press
.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
television series that aired in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, the matches were taped live on Saturday nights as well as televised. It was repeated traditionally on Sunday mornings. It was promoted by the St. Louis Wrestling Club
St. Louis Wrestling Club
The St. Louis Wrestling Club was a professional wrestling promotion based in St. Louis, Missouri. It was owned and operated by Sam Muchnick. The promotion was a flagship member of the National Wrestling Alliance, and promoted primarily in the St. Louis area. It was colloquially referred to within...
, which was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
.
The show was the brainchild of Sam Muchnick
Sam Muchnick
Sam Muchnick was an American professional wrestling promoter from St. Louis, Missouri. He is often deemed as wrestling’s equivalent of Pete Rozelle , and he was instrumental in establishing the National Wrestling Alliance, which became the industry’s top governing body, in 1948...
, president of the St. Louis Wrestling Club, and Harold Koplar
Harold Koplar
Harold Koplar was a Russian-American hotelier and businessman in St. Louis, Missouri.-Early life and education:...
, who owned KPLR and the old Chase Park Plaza Hotel
Chase Park Plaza Hotel
The Chase Park Plaza, located at 212 N. Kingshighway in the Central West End, St. Louis, Missouri, is a combination of two buildings housing a condominium tower , hotel , cinema, and several restaurants and bars, all constructed between 1920 and 1930.The hotel replaced nearby Buckingham Hotel as...
. The two were together on an airplane in 1958 and wondered how they could put wrestling into St. Louis area homes.
The program
The series began on May 23, 1959 and ran until September 10, 1983. KPLR-TV, Channel 11KPLR-TV
KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station in St. Louis, Missouri. KPLR is owned by the Tribune Company, and is an affiliate of The CW Television Network. The station's studios are located in Maryland Heights, Missouri, in Northwest St. Louis County KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station...
produced and televised the matches, which were held at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel
Chase Park Plaza Hotel
The Chase Park Plaza, located at 212 N. Kingshighway in the Central West End, St. Louis, Missouri, is a combination of two buildings housing a condominium tower , hotel , cinema, and several restaurants and bars, all constructed between 1920 and 1930.The hotel replaced nearby Buckingham Hotel as...
in St. Louis' Central West End and televised at 10:00 A.M.; conveniently, the KPLR studios were in an adjacent connecting building. The show produced approximately 1,100 episodes over its 24 years.
Although the St. Louis Wrestling Club began by taping one show at a time, they began taping three shows at a time on Sunday mornings in the early 1970s. Admission to the tapings was free, and the room in which the matches took place seated 900 fans.
Personnel
Joe Garagiola was the initial play-by-play commentator. When he left in 1963, Don CunninghamDon Cunningham
Donald "Don" Cunningham is the current Chief Executive of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. He is also the a former Secretary in the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, as well as Mayor and Councilman of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. A Democrat, Cunningham was also a rumored candidate for Governor...
took his place. The following year, Cunningham was replaced with George Abel
George Abel
Competitor for CanadaGeorge Gordon Abel was a Canadian ice hockey player. He played centre for the Edmonton Mercurys, representing Canada in the 1952 Winter Olympics, and won a gold medal....
. He was joined in 1972 by Larry Matysik. Who was also a part time police officer in Belleville, Il. Ring announcers included John Curley
John Curley
John Curley is a Professor, Distinguished Professional in Residence, and Co-Director of the Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State. He was head of Gannett News Service, during which time the news service won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. The first editor of USA Today, Curley was a...
, Eddie Gromacki and Joe Garagiola's brother Mickey Garagiola.
The show featured many of the most famous wrestlers in the NWA. Participants included Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
, Harley Race
Harley Race
Harley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
, "Cowboy" Bob Orton, Dick the Bruiser, Bruiser Brody, Gene Kiniski
Gene Kiniski
Eugene Nicholas "Gene" Kiniski was a Canadian professional wrestler and the father of wrestlers Nick Kiniski and Kelly Kiniski. "Canada's Greatest Athlete" as he billed himself for promotional purposes was born outside of Edmonton, Alberta...
, Lou Thesz
Lou Thesz
Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz was a United States professional wrestler and 18-time world heavyweight champion, most notably holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times. Combined, he held the NWA Championship for 10 years, three months and nine days , longer than anyone else in history...
and Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
.
WWF tapings held at the Chase
In January and February 1984, a few episodes of the show were produced from WWFWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
tapings held at the Chase. The first of these shows featured Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
's return match after three years in the AWA
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
.
Legacy
Wrestling at the Chase was consistently one of the highest rated television shows in St. Louis. Among St. Louis-based shows, it was third behind the local news and St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
baseball games. The show often had over 100,000 viewers per episode. It is considered one of the pro wrestling industry's most historic programs.
As of 2009, 12 volumes of the program have been released for sale. In 2005, Larry Matysik's book, Wrestling at the Chase: The Inside Story of Sam Muchnick and the Legends of Professional Wrestling was published by ECW Press
ECW Press
ECW Press is a North American small press book publisher located in Toronto, Ontario. It was founded by Jack David and Robert Lecker in 1974 as a Canadian literary magazine named Essays on Canadian Writing. Five years later, ECW published its first books - trade and scholarly titles...
.