Ed Don George

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ed Don George (June 3, 1905 - September 18, 1985) was an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter.

[edit] Career

Edward N. George (his birth and legal name) was born in North Java, New York. He was said to have attended Notre Dame and wrestled for both St. Bonaventure University and for the University of Michigan. He also represented the United States in freestyle wrestling at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, placing 4th in his class.

While attending the University of Michigan his concentration of study was in engineering. Later on, in 1929, at St. Bonaventure University, he graduated with a college degree.

In the 1930s Ed took up the wrestling name "Ed Don George" and wrestled in numerous matches throughout the United States. In March of 1942 he joined the US Navy^[1]. There he taught hand-to-hand combat to naval air cadets. In December of 1945 he left the navy with the rank of Naval Commander.^[2]

During the late 1940s through the 1950s he promoted numerous wrestling matches in the United States. In the mid 1950s he found himself promoting wrestling at the casinos in Havana, Cuba until Fidel Castro came to power.

In 1949, Ed Don George bought a 375 acre parcel just east of North Java, New York where Camp O'Ryan was situated.^[3] He then leased this land to the Federal government for 25 years.

Ed Don George died in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on September 18, 1985 and his was body buried in the village of North Java, New York.

In 2006 he was inducted posthumously into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.

[edit] References

1. ^ letter from the National Archives and Records Administration
2. ^ letter from the National Archives and Records Administration
3. ^ Records of the Wyoming County Clerk's Office, New York State, Liber 262, page 204, recorded on 2nd day of June 1949