Gus Kallio

Gus Kallio

1930 sports cartoon of Finnish professional wrestler Gus Kallio
Born 1880s[1]
Helsinki, Finland[2]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Gus Kallio
Gust Kallio
Billed weight 159.5 lb (72.3 kg)[3]
Debut 1910s

Gustav Kallio was a Finnish born professional wrestler known under the ring name Gus Kallio or Gust Kallio. Kallio's wrestling career peaked in the 1920s and 1930s where he was known as the "King of the Welterweights" and later on "King of the Middleweights" as he held multiple world titles in those two weight divisions.

Biography

Gustav Kallio was born in the 1880s in Helsinki, Finland. Kallio was less than 5 years old when his parents emigrated to the United States.[1][2]

Professional wrestling career

Kallio was about 15 years old when Kallio and his father attended a professional wrestling event that featured Billy Sandow, a successful middleweight wrestler that participated in Barnstorming tours. Seeing the success of the relatively small Sandow inspired Kallio to become a wrestler himself.[2] Kallio made his debut in the 1910s under the name "Gus Kallio" (some placed he was billed as "Gust Kallio") and began competing in the Welterweight division, a weight class with a top weight limit of 155 lb (70 kg). Kallio's conditioning earned him the nickname "the Finnish strong boy".[4] On October 3, 1921 Kallio defeated Jack Reynolds to win the National Wrestling Association's World Welterweight Championship.[5] Kallio retained the title through at least 1923, earning the nickname "the Welterweight King".[5][6] During the 1920s Kallio often travelled around the United States, facing regional champions such as the Navy champion Jack Rich, Royal Van Dusen or Canadian Champion .[6][7] On August 7, 1928 Kallio became the top Middleweight in the world, defeating Charlie Fisher to become the World Middleweight Champion in two and a half hour long match.[8] Kallio later proved his incredible condition when he wrestled Henry Jones in a three hour match before winning the bout.[9]

In 1930 Kallio defeated both Ralph Parquat and Ray Carpenter, two of the top Middleweights in the United States to once again become recognized as the World Middleweight Champion.[8] With his second reign as Middleweight champion he proved that he was "King of the Middleweights". In 1932 he lost, then regained the title from George Sauer making him a three time world champion.[8] Each year the National Wrestling Association would meet and determine who was the recognized champion of their heavyweight, light heavyweight and middleweight divisions. In 1933 the NWA confirmed that Gus Kallio was still the "king of the middleweights" and imposed a $500 bond for promoters wishing to book Kallio.[10] Just like when he held the Welterweight title, Kallio travelled the United States facing local Middleweight competitors. In one match he lost to a wrestler who did not start out as his opponent. On April 16, 1935 Kallio wrestled against the Irish Middleweight Champion McBride, McBride had to be removed from the ring due to an injury after the first fall, which saw Nashville local Joe Gunther enter the ring and take McBride's place, defeating Kallio to win the title.[8][11]

By the late 1930s Kallio was in his fifth reign as Middleweight champion but the lower weight divisions became less and less popular in the United States. By the late 1930s the Middleweight division was mainly active in Mexico, which led to Gus Kallio touring Mexico with the title. In 1938 or 1939 Mexican promoter Salvador Lutteroth created a Mexican version of the World Middleweight Championship for his Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL) and awarded the title to Kallio.[12] Kallio defended and lost both the NWA and the Mexican version of the World Middleweight title to Octavio Gaona on February 19, 1939, which was the last time he would hold a wrestling championship.[12] Gus Kallio was still an active wrestler as late as the early 1950s.[13]

The exact date of Gus Kallio's death has not been recorded.[14]

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dorris, Joe (January 14, 1952). "Fire and Fall". Kentucky New Era. Retrieved February 20, 2010. When Gus Kallio wrestled in Hopkinsville in the 1930's he was the admitted champion of the middleweight, yet he confided to us that he was 58 years old
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hornbaker, Tim (2007). "The Nekoosa Strangler - Ed "Strangler" Lewis". National Wrestling Alliance: the untold story of the monopoly that strangled pro wrestling. ECW Press. pp. 61–76. ISBN 978-1-55022-741-3.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Kallio regains title bus his challenger gives him trouble". The Owosso Argus-Press. December 7, 1932. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Bulldog Jackson definitely slated for Mat tournament". Eugene Register-Guard. April 8, 1942. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "United States: 19th Century & widely defended titles - NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: World Welterweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Gus Kallio beats navy champion in 2 straight falls". The Victorian Daily Advocate. February 20, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Gus Kallio paired with Van Dusen to wrestle by rounds". The Deseret News. April 25, 1922. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "United States: 19th Century & widely defended titles - NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: World Middleweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 14. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  9. ↑ "Utah mat great still successful". THe Deseret News. March 27, 1963. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Londos Rated Champ By National Association". Reading Eagle. September 20, 1933. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Joe Gunther Defeats Kallio Last Night In Match At Nasvhille". Kentucky New Era. April 17, 1935. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "EMLL NWA World Middleweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 389–390. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  13. ↑ "Riley to make debut at armory". Reading Eagle. January 11, 1955. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Gary Will's Wrestling history: Deceased Pro Wrestlers". Retrieved February 20, 2010.