Wilbur Snyder & Verne Gagne vs. Dick the Bruiser & Karl Karlsson (07/17/1959) - in HD!

[@risboturbide9396]

It's always a great day when the Chicago Archives upload a new match. Thank you!

[@jonathanturbide2232]

Bon match, mon frère! 👍

[@wallacegeller2111]

I love these classic matches. Most of these wrestlers I watched when I was a kid. I'm 74 years old now. The Bruiser was one of my all time favorite bad guys. When the Bruiser and the Crusher teamed up, WATCH OUT.

[@bigfloridapimp]

Do you know who's on commentary?

[@quadraticresidue]

Four absolute legends in the ring. Bruiser and Wilber would go on to run the WWA territory in Indianapolis. Karl Karlsson and Swede Hansen were third cousins. Bronco Lubich was supposed to officiate this important match but he got hold of some bad shellfish that day at lunch and was unable to answer the bell so to speak.

[@jrowlandj]

The announcer had no love for "Richard" and "The Swede". Dick the Bruiser and Krusher Karlsson were classic heels, this was an early one. So cool to see a match from 1959. Thanks Chicago Film Archives.

[@alphamaleallure]

I googled Karlsson he is still alive at age 97!

[@jeffdillon9526]

Wilbur Snyder just really knew his stuff!!!

[@RobinoviHudovi]

It has been more than a year since your last upload, when will you grace us with more historical gems from the world of wrestling?

[@crushthecrusher1265]

This is old wrestling matches way back

[@Maestromedia27]

My grandpa told me a story about he and his friends would split around the arena so they wouldn’t get caught without a ticket. Theyd get in trouble later but thats how they were able to catch wrestlers like Dick the Bruiser. They were poor kids in Colorado who were the biggest wrestling fans.

[@bladerope]

16:56 Verne with the first ever attempted Stone Cold Stunner...

[@MurlWatne-io2bo]

This really backs memories. We use to watch wrestling out of Chicago every week. What a riot. Seen Dick "The Bruser" in person once.

[@bradnimbus4836]

Thank you so much for sharing! These matches are priceless

[@MAGA-kv1nj]

Bruiser was my all-time favorite growing up as a kid in the 70's (followed closely by The Crusher)... but they were both way past their prime by then, which makes these videos from the 50's pure treasures. Too bad there isn't more footage of B&C from the 60's.

[@digitallion3861]

Do you know where I could go to watch more of these events? Wrestling was so much better back then, today's Wrestling isn't worth watching. My favorite is Gorgeous George lol

[@thelitsquad2718]

I wouldn't mind watching the entire ticket from this event... Russ Davis is a treasure btw

[@bigfloridapimp]

Is that the commentary?

[@wrestle2uk]

Fantastic Archive, Thank you for the post.

[@RCT1963]

Love the crew trying to repair the ring during the carnage. And the commentary was hilarious. Just brilliant all round.

[@bdog3132]

The commentary on these is pretty funny. It’s super cool that you guys upload and archive these they make for an interesting watch. I love the spot at about 23 minutes in

[@dukerichards2158]

More old school wrestling please 👍

[@004752]

Thanks for the new upload!! Great as always.

[@anickner1178]

I love it ❤ thanks alot !

[@icemike874]

Bob Luce Sunday mornings in the 70's. Love Dick the Bruser

[@RobinoviHudovi]

Will you post any more matches?

[@blinkzone1]

I'm digging the commentor's voice. "Timmy-tum-tum" lol

[@cstomp1]

Bruiser, Snyder, and Gagne went onto become business partners dominating wrestling in the Midwest.

[@tracyn2deep]

Reminds me of watching wrestling at Kiel auditorium in St. Louis, RIP Sam Muchnick

[@paulbookwood6410]

Looks like that wrestling ring couldn't handle the action! (Or maybe that was part of the show....)

[@NEPATransitnTravel]

What’s still left to be funded for transfer?

[@domentijanrembo7336]

When will You upload more matches? Thank You!

[@marcdewey1242]

In the seventies Before WWE and WCW, my brother and I used to watch all star championship wrestling on wttv 4 out of Indianapolis on Saturday afternoons,and I remember Bruiser was the world's most dangerous wrestler and Wilber Snyder the most scientific,other wrestling legends featured on there were Dick The Bruisers cousin The Crusher,Bo Bo Brazil,Valiant Brothers,Ernie Ladd,Bruiser Brody,Cowboy Bob Ellis and many more.

[@risboturbide9396]

Any new uploads from your channel, Chicago Archives? (October 2022)

[@VolumedMusicMan]

I think you have to hand it to three of these guys in the ring: Gagne, Afflis and Snyder. At this time promoter Fred Kohler was still hanging on. This was right before Vern Gagne left Kohler and went into promotion in Minneapolis. Also Brusier and Snyder left shortly and took over the Indianapolis promotion from Jim Barnett. Kohler, after a great run with Vince McMahon Sr and Toots Monde, lost the East Coast connection due to them leaving the NWA. Kohler struggled until 1965 When bruiser and Snyder along with Gagne took over the Chicago wrestling club and went on a three decade successful run!

[@adamg9173]

Thanks for the history lesson. Actually a fan of Wilber. Verne looked like a badass in his day that's for sure. The commentator heckles a lot more than call the match. It's like John Wayne talking smack. Actually very entertaining

[@tritchie6272]

I'm not sure about the others,but I'm thinking that both Vern and Bruiser had a legitimate collegiate Wrestling background before they went Pro.

[@adamg9173]

Vern definitely did

[@Millwall77]

Great to see a fellow Swede 🇸🇪 'Hansson, Karlsson-what's the difference, he's a Swede 🤣

[@jonathanturbide2232]

Cool to see Verne and Dick the bruiser right before the creation of the AWA, knowing how important both of them were in the growth of the promotion. 👍

[@digitallion3861]

Is there another resource where I can watch matches like these? I need more than just the few here, I love these but now I'm hooked. Gotta have more old school wrestling. My favorite is Gorgeous George, as he arguably, single handedly, saved wrestling in those days as it was dying out. Thank you for uploading these events. Is it possible, or may I ask, if you would be kind enough to upload more?

[@chicagofilmarchivespresent1774]

Please e-mail [e-mail] if you are interested in sponsoring the digitization and preservation of other matches from this collection! We have uploaded everything that we have digitized but there are more reels to be transferred.

[@hmpz36911]

I didn't know The Dick Bruiser was wrestling that early.

[@wallacegeller2111]

The Bruiser looks like the 50s acter Aldo Ray.

[@larryhamel7010]

The boys called an audible when the ring rope malfunctioned and used it to make the match more interesting. Russ Davis calls referee Liederberg a "stup."

[@skysthelimit7579]

Back when the turnbuckles looked like they hurt when u hit them

[@larryhamel7010]

Announcer Russ Davis sure doesn't mind burying the poor referee.

[@catyear75]

Karl Karlson was a Killer !

[@VolumedMusicMan]

Dick the bruiser looks like stone colds granddaddy…

[@grawakendream8980]

look how soft around the middle verne is just 9 years after the thesz match on this channel

[@bruuzar]

後のイヤウケヤ､ルーインの得意のムーブだったロープ外しを既にこの時代に取り入れていたのですね😀

[@bruuzar]

鍛え上げるとは正にブルーザーの肉体🎉

[@bruuzar]

この時代､ラリアットが有れば？必ずブルクラは得意技にしたでしょうね😀

[@curthennig9448]

Is that you Mr. Saito?