Houston Wrestling
| Acronym | GAC |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1922 |
| Defunct | 1987 |
| Style | Professional wrestling Sports entertainment |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Founder(s) | Julius Sigel |
| Parent | National Wrestling Alliance |
Houston Wrestling/Gulf Athletic Club was a professional wrestling promotion that ran from the mid-1920s through 1987. Originally run by the Sigel family, it reached its greatest popularity under Paul Boesch.
History
Houston's wrestling legacy began shortly before
In 1929, Sigel left to promote shows in
Paul Boesch era
In 1947, Boesch was in a serious car accident that forced him to retire from performing. Sigel hired him as a backstage aid and radio announcer. As television became popular in Houston around 1949, Boesch became Houston Wrestling's first television commentator. After several years of jumping channels, Houston Wrestling ended up on Houston
Morris Sigel died on December 26, 1966. In early 1967, Boesch bought the Gulf Athletic Club from Sigel's widow, realizing that he was ultimately in the best position to carry on the Houston Wrestling legacy. Boesch noted that he had been training for this position for over two decades without realizing it, and was ready to practice his own ideas and run the company himself. Under his control, Houston Wrestling expanded its legacy, becoming one of the most popular promotions in the nation, rivaling even Dallas' popular World Class Championship Wrestling promotion. Wrestlers such as Billy Red Lyons and Gary Hart (wrestler) acknowledged Houston Wrestling as one of the best in the nation, and also praised Boesch as an honest man and a great promoter who almost always drew sell-outs for his cards.
Boesch spent 21 years promoting in the Houston region out of the Sam Houston Coliseum, and affiliated himself with rival promotions (e.g., American Wrestling Association; Southwest Sports; World Class Championship Wrestling; Southwest Championship Wrestling; Mid-South Wrestling/Universal Wrestling Federation) to bring the best wrestlers and matches to his fanbase.
In the 1980s, amid the rise of
Roster
Houston Wrestling maintained a very fluid roster due to its reliance on other promotions to provide talent for its shows.
The following wrestlers were at shows working for Houston Wrestling:
- Junkyard Dog
- Kamala the Ugandan Giant
- Jake the Snake Roberts
- King Kong Bundy
- Wahoo McDaniel
- Nick Kozak
- Bull Curry
- Fritz Von Erich
- Hacksaw Duggan
- Dick Murdoch
- Johnny Valentine
- Danny McShain
- Boris Malenko
- Nick Bockwinkel
- Sputnik Monroe
- The Kozak Brothers
- The Midnight Express
- Rock & Roll Express
- J. J. Dillon
- Bruiser Brody
- Gary Hart
- Leo Newman
- Jim Cornette
- Shawn Michaels
- The Blade Runners - Sting & The Ultimate Warrior
Other popular wrestlers who made regular appearances for the promotion included:
- Jose Lothario
- Mil Mascaras
- Ernie Ladd
- Terry Funk
- Dory Funk
- Harley Race
- Red Bastien
- Ivan Putski
- Superstar Billy Graham
- Gino Hernandez
- Andre the Giant
- Bob Backlund
- Bruno Sammartino
- Stan Stasiak
- Terry Taylor
- Barry Darsow
- Tony Atlas
- Bruce Prichard
External links
 City of Houston | ||
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Nickname: Space City | ||
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