Description
A native of the rural village of North Java, NY and a graduate of Canisius High School, Ed George made an early mark on the wrestling world as a collegiate heavyweight champion and as a participant in the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. He was also an AAU Champion in 1928-29.
George entered the professional wrestling ring, after receiving his engineering degree in 1929 from St. Bonaventure, and used the name Ed Don George. He won the World Heavyweight Championship in 1930, and regained the title two other times, in 1933 and 1939. In 1937 George won the European version of the World Professional title.
George spent the war years in the Navy, where he rose to the rank of Commander, teaching hand to hand combat to aviators. Following the war, he announced his retirement with a local record of 132-16-16. It’s estimated he competed in close to 900 matches.
Once retired, he became a wrestling promoter in the Buffalo area. In 1948 George formed the Upstate Athletic Club, which eventually controlled wrestling in 92 different communities. George also worked as a wrestling promoter in Cuba, until Fidel Castro came to power.
He was inducted to both the St. Bonaventure University and University of Michigan Halls of Fame before he passed away in 1985. He was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006.
