Killer Kowalski vs. Yukon Eric (01/15/1954)

Killer Kowalski (Edward Wladyslaw Spulnik) faces Yukon Eric (Eric Holmback) in a Best 2 of 3 falls match with a 60 time limit. Friday, January 15th, 1954 at the Chicago International Amphitheatre.
Original: 16mm., B&W, Optical Sound. F.2008-04-0083.
Chicago Film Archives holds the copyright for this film and all films in the Russ & Sylvia Davis Collection.
For more information on CFA's wrestling films, visit the Russ & Sylvia Davis Collection page on our website: www.chicagofilm...

[@172louis]

I Can't wait to see all these old school wrestling matches being updated, cataloged in order of time & dates and remastered with modern colour soon. With all this a.i technology, we will soon have all of classic wrestlers and wrestling matches seen like they was on a modern colour television.

[@MrGG1959]

Kowalski was actually from Windsor, Ontario, but lived in Montreal for several years, and used to eat at a restaurant my aunt worked at almost daily.

[@tjpyramid4163]

Fantastic classic wrestling.

[@samfawlia]

Shame there is no DVD of old matches from the 60s and 70s.

[@colinpurssey9875]

A lotta complaints on this comment section about how they feel that pro wrestling of the earlier era , exemplified by the match featured here , was dull and colorless compared with that of the more contemporary style . Perhaps . But that earlier form had far more credibility than the farcically theatrical antics of the pharmacologically conditioned celebrities of today's ringcraft . Today , nobody believes that wrasslin' is contested genuinely . Back then most were unsure , many convinced of its authenticity .If you want comedy , watch today's , If you want realistic drama , watch yesterday's

[@bruuzar]

コワルスキーは､私が子供の頃見た頃は､既に耳ソギ事件でベジタリアンになった？というギミック？もあり､細くなり覆面被ってました。 この全盛期の体格は凄いですね。 ビルミラーも全盛期の写真見たら凄い体格､筋肉でした。 この時代の選手は無理に作られた筋肉ではなく､練習でついた筋肉ですから、ナチュラルです。 ユーコンエリックがベビーフェイスだったのですね。

[@YUSUKE_GOGO]

梶原一騎先生のオオボラに、乗せられた口ですね！ 健康上の理由で、菜食主義者へなったようですね！

[@Idontlikeanyoneanywhere]

This was two years after the match where Killer K botched a knee drop that caused Yukon Eric to lose an ear.

[@candyb357]

Yukon was a beast in real life … a solid 280 pounds

[@johnpollock3246]

"Lousy house, Walt. Looks like I might have to sacrifice another ear!" Sheer slapstick comedy.

[@garbageday587]

Si he's from Fairbanks Alaska but his name is Yukon ? didnt know that Fairbanks was in Yukon

[@rsuriyop]

I was just watching some clips of Kowalski from the 70’s and thought he fought like an old man. But I cut him some slack because he really was an older wrestler by that point. But then I come here just to see how he fought as a younger man back in the 1950’s and yet he still moved the exact same way. 😕

[@DateTwoRelate]

The commentator makes David Crockett sound like Walter Cronkite.

[@Stampistuta]

Here because of the wrestler review.

[@mda1218]

1st fall Kowalski starts to work that big Yukon ass over good at 11:30 softens it up good for pin... pays for pin at 20:23 tho with face full of Killer ass for 2nd fall... Killer quicker, but no match for Yukon's bulk: best man won

[@Pickinbuddy]

Max Davis Yukon Eric seems to stay cool during the whole match....and still wrestles like a gentleman, despite all the abuse he takes from the Killer...

[@mda1218]

true: Yukon had class & only gave back what he got from Killer... he always fought fair unless forced to get rough...

[@近藤ゴマシオ]

コワルスキーの耳削ぎ事件は漫画で見た時小学生だった自分は、大いにビビってしまいました。削げた耳がリングの上でピクピクしていたということで😢でも来日するたびにもう一回ヤラないかななんて思ったりしたのは私だけでは無かったと思います。そういうのも昔のプロレスの楽しみ方だったよね😅

[@YUSUKE_GOGO]

梶原一騎先生に、引っかかったんですよね(笑)！

[@alwilson3204]

Still watching, this isn't when Eric lost his ear, was it?

[@risboturbide9396]

This is two years later 🍻

[@tatudsgames2029]

Kowalski

[@DW-nb2zc]

Funny treating this like it's pro boxing an actual sport and not a scripted show

[@garbageday587]

Yukon Eric committed suicide by shooting himself in the mouth with a .22 caliber pistol.. really sad He was only 40

[@DropkickMurphysFan01]

Very sad, perhaps they should do a dark side of the ring on him.

[@johnterwilliger164]

I was born then. 🤪🤪

[@stevehartman1730]

This was when you had to pay to see violence in an arena and not b subjected to it on the street.

[@qaz-fi1id]

Yukon no selling everything, that's why Killer took his ear off

[@EICHOLZtheEXPERT]

This is when wrestling was real.

[@Aphelion_k9f]

Worked. But the industry treated itself like a sport, so it was widely accepted to be just that.

[@CIGARSARGE333]

Lots of bearhugs by Yukon.

[@jameskrys5286]

A very well dressed crowd. Most of them in suites and ties. Women look like they are dressed for church.

[@thatcheappodcast8153]

James Krys Back when wrestling was serious from the 1890's to 1970's

[@thatcheappodcast8153]

Wrestling Man 23 Pro wrestling the sport with no "sports entertainment."

[@hidemiyamasaki4018]

子供の頃は耳削ぎおとし事件とかワクワクドキドキしてたんだけどね ユーコン・エリックは　力はサンマルチノより強く スケールはドン・レオ・ジョナサンより大きかった　という評価もあったよ

[@YUSUKE_GOGO]

このカードの観方としては、そうですね。 抗争中のハプニングで、起こったニードロップで、 耳を落としてしまう・・・・・ シューズの鋭利な部分が、当たってしまった らしいですね。

[@YouCantHoldOnTooLong]

I never realized until watching this how boring and slow wrestling choreography was back in the fifties! Plus the commentator was extremely unenthusiastic and hardly said much from time to time. Try comparing his commentary to Gorilla Monsoon for Pete's sake! In the eighties wrestling was full of liveliness and intense excitement and the late legendary Gorilla Monsoon (Robert Morella) spoke up loud and clear and was always strongly observant as to what was going on in the ring! Wrestling definitely got better with time and I would have to say, Hulk Hogan was undeniably the man who revolutionized wrestling! ~Dutch

[@YouCantHoldOnTooLong]

Gottlieb Goltz You meant to say "I'm sorry." About what are you sorry for? ~Dutch

[@YouCantHoldOnTooLong]

Gottlieb Goltz You meant to say "Vince McMahon did the revolutionizing." His last name is spelled "McMahon" not "Macman" you fucking idiot!!! Plus the word you were looking for was "did" not "done". Grow a fucking brain and use better grammar next time you moron!!! ~Dutch

[@Aphelion_k9f]

You're right. Wrestling does get better with time. Have you seen the guys on TV today, they are so much better than Hogan, Warrior, Savage, and Andre it's absolutely no comparison. 80's wrestling is way too slow and boring in comparison.

[@SolidMike84]

The in ring action? Sure, alot more flare and bumping, at the same time it looks a little ridiculous at times, too much too fast without any real breaks to let it all sink in. And the promos and characters haven't been all to good either. But physically, the best.

[@samfawlia]

no, no, no. I much prefer this kind of technical mat based wrestling, with a more sorts type feel. Wrestling now i also enjoy but not as much.

[@TheSnoopindaweb]

This seems just exactly like the one I have saved dated 1952 🤔🗯- 🤨🙄👀💬Whut⁉ G~G.