Heart of America Sports Attractions
Acronym | CSW |
---|---|
Founded | July 1948 |
Defunct | 1989 |
Style | American wrestling |
Headquarters | Jim Crockett, Jr. (1986–87) |
Parent | WWE Libraries (WWE) |
Sister | St. Louis Wrestling Club |
Formerly | Central States Wrestling |
Heart of America Sports Attractions, Inc., operating as the Midwest Wrestling Association, Central States Wrestling and the World Wrestling Alliance, was an American
History
Midwest Wrestling Association
Originally known as the "Midwest Wrestling Association" before the formation of the National Wrestling Alliance it controlled and booked shows territories in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa and was seen as a cornerstone of the NWA. It joined the NWA in October 1948. The territory was promoted by
The MWA World Heavyweight Championship began in 1940, preceding the consolidation with the CSW and WWA.
Heart of America Sports Attractions forms
In 1963, wrestler/promoter Bob Geigel took over and partnered up with Pat O'Conner and promoters George Simpson and Gust Karras to form "Heart of America Sports Attractions, Inc." The promotion continued to be a cornerstone of the NWA with Geigel sitting on the board of directors and even served as chairman of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1978 until 1987, the period that is considered the last "glory years" of the NWA.[3] Central States Wrestling did not become a household name across the United States until 1973, when Harley Race brought attention to CSW (and its "sister promotion" the St. Louis Wrestling Club) by winning the NWA World Heavyweight Title for the first time.[1]
Under Jim Crockett Promotions
In 1986, Geigel sold the promotion to
World Wrestling Alliance
After stepping down as chairman of the NWA, Geigel withdrew his promotion from the NWA in late 1987 and formed a new sanctioning body known as the "World Wrestling Alliance" in an attempt to compete with the national expansion of Jim Crockett and Vince McMahon. The move did not pay off and Geigel closed the WWA in 1989.[4]
Central-States Championship Wrestling
The NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship is currently controlled by the NWA affiliate Central-States Championship Wrestling (CCW).
Tape library
The promotion's classic tape library is currently owned by WWE, who obtained through their purchase of World Championship Wrestling, the previous owners of the library.
Former personnel
Championships
Championship: | Last Champion(s): | Active From: | Active Until: | Notes: |
---|---|---|---|---|
MWA World Heavyweight Championship | Orville Brown | January 1940 | October 1948 | The top promotional title of the Midwest Wrestling Association first won by Bobby Bruns, retired when the MWA joined the National Wrestling Alliance with Brown as the first champion. |
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
|
Still active | July 1948 | Present | As a member of the NWA, the NWA World title was recognized as the top title in the promotion. |
NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship | Still active | May 18, 1950 | Present | The top promotional title of Central States Wrestling, until 1988. Since 2013 the Central States title is the main title in Central-States Championship Wrestling & in the Midwest wrestling scene[4] |
NWA Central States Tag Team Championship | Rick Patterson and Steve Ray | February 26, 1971 | April 1988 | Was briefly promoted in 1961 but not used regularly until it replaced the Central States version of the NWA World Tag Team championship in 1979 as the main tag team title of the promotion[4] |
NWA Central States Television Championship | Masahiro Chono | 1977 | 1988 | [4] |
NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship | Harley Race | September 16, 1972 | February 1986 | The top promotional title of sister promotion St. Louis Wrestling Club recognized in Kansas City as well[4] |
NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Central States version) | Great Togo and Tokyo Joe
|
December 19, 1963 | 1973 | During their run with the titles Great Togo and Tokyo Joe were "upgraded" to the Central States version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship[4] |
NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Central States version) |
Eddie Sharkey | August 24, 1961 | September 1968 | [4] |
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Central States version) | Bob Brown and Bob Sweetan | June 1958 | 1979 | The Central States version of the World Tag Team Championship was abandoned twice between 1960 and 1973[4] |
WWA World Heavyweight Championship | Mike George | January 1988 | 1989[4] |
See also
- List of National Wrestling Alliance territories
- List of independent wrestling promotions in the United States
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-87349-625-4.
- ^ "WrestlingTerritories.png". Freakin' Awesome Network Forums :: Freakin' Awesome Wrestling Forum :: (w)Rest of Wrestling. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-55022-741-3.
- ^ ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.