Sandor Szabo (wrestler)

Sandor Szabo
Born	1906
Died	October 16, 1966

Sándor Szabó (1906 – October 16, 1966) was a Hungarian-born professional wrestler who emigrated to America.^[1]

At first, due to his large size, he was promoted by Jack Pfefer and Jack Curley of New York City as a "freak talent", one of a number of foreign and extraordinary wrestlers booked to attract the curious.^[2] In the early 1940s Szabo held three world championships. In the 1950s he was quite popular in Southern California, where he was assistant booker to Jules Strongbow,^[3] and held tag team championships in Los Angeles and San Francisco. He also sang a song during the 1950s for Hammerlock Records called "Hold Me in Your Arms".^[4] In 2000 he was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. He died of a heart attack at the age of 60.

In wrestling

• Finishing moves
  • Death Swing (Giant swing)
  • Winglock Suplex (Double underhook suplex)

Championships and accomplishments

• Montreal Athletic Commission

• World Heavyweight Championship (Montreal version) (1 time)

• NWA Hollywood Wrestling

• NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship (8 times)
• WWA International Television Tag Team Championship (7 times) - with Wilbur Snyder (2), Bobo Brazil (1), Gene Stanlee (1), Billy Darnell (1) and Edouard Carpentier (2)^[5]
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles version) (1 time) - with Billy Darnell

• NWA Mid-Pacific Promotions

• NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship (2 times)^[6]

• NWA San Francisco

• NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) (2 times) - with Primo Carnera (1) and Ron Etchison (1)

• National Wrestling Association

• NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
  • Class of 2013^[7]
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2000)

References

1. The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: Heroes & Icons Steven Johnson, Greg Oliver, Mike Mooneyham - 2012 "SANDOR SZABO... — an amateur standout in or all his accomplishments in Europe, a multi-time world pro champion — it took a broken thumb to promote Sandor Szabo to the top rank of pop culture. In late 1952, Szabo, who left the word ““bashful” back in Hungary when he emigrated to the United States, announced he'd ' croon ““White Christmas” on a TV wrestling show in Los Angeles if he ..."
2. MacKaye, Milton (1935-12-14). "On the Hoof". Saturday Evening Post.
3. LeBell, Gene, The Godfather of Grappling, (Sports Publishing:2005), p. 94.
4. Kishcherbaum, Jerry (1980-03-17). "Puck Rock". Sports Illustrated.
5. "International Television Tag Team Title (Los Angeles)". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
6. "Hawaii Heavyweight Title". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
7. Meltzer, Dave (2012-12-10). "Mon. update: Major Spike announcement tomorrow, Aces & 8s identity, TNA injury updates, Hall of Fame inductions announced, WWE two PPVs this weekend, Jericho schedule, Amateur wrestling hits MSG first time ever". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved 2012-12-10.