Bobby Managoff
Encyclopedia
Robert Manoogian, Jr. was an American
professional wrestler
who was best known for his work with National Wrestling Alliance
in the 1940s as Bobby Managoff. His older sister, Armenuhi Manoogian (born: 2 November 1915, died: 3 October 2011), known professionally as Kay Armen, was very popular in the '40s and '50s.
. He won the Texas Heavyweight Championship
in February 1942. On February 17, he lost the title to Juan Humberto in Dallas, Texas
.
In June 1942, he signed with National Wrestling Association
, a subsidiary of National Boxing Association
which was to sanction professional wrestling. He started a long feud with Yvon Robert
. He defeated Robert on November 27 in Houston, Texas
to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
.
He travelled in several cities of United States
and defended his NWA Championship. He lost the title to "Wild" Bill Longson
on February 19, 1943 in St. Louis, Missouri
. In 1944, he left National Wrestling Association and started wrestling around Texas. He formed a tag team with Otto Kuss. They both won the Texas Tag Team Championship
in May 1945. They dropped the titles to Hans Schnable and Marvin Jones on May 14 in Galveston, Texas
.
In 1945, he won his second Texas Heavyweight Championship. He dropped the title to Dale Levin on July 13 in Houston, Texas
. After that, he started feuding with "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. They both had a successful feud which became one of the earliest feuds in sports-entertainment history.
In the late 1940s, he started travelling around Hawaii
. On November 9, 1949, he defeated Jack Claybourne in Honolulu, Hawaii
to win the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship
. Dean Detton defeated him for the title on December 11. Managoff started feuding with Whipper Billy Watson
between 1950 and 1953. On July 19, 1953, he defeated Hans Schnabel to win his second Hawaii title. He lost it to Ben Sharpe on August 23.
He started a stint in Montreal, Quebec where he won the Montreal World Heavyweight Championship on five occasions. In 1965, he officially retired from professional wrestling. On April 3, 2002, he died of Heart Failure.
1Records are unclear as to whom he defeated for both of his title reigns.
2His reign with the title occurred before the NWA took control of the championship and, actually, took place before the NWA was created.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
who was best known for his work with National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
in the 1940s as Bobby Managoff. His older sister, Armenuhi Manoogian (born: 2 November 1915, died: 3 October 2011), known professionally as Kay Armen, was very popular in the '40s and '50s.
Career
Bobby Managoff was trained by his father Bob Managoff Sr. also known as The Terrible Turk and Big Yusiff. He started wrestling in 1942 at age 24. He started his career in what is now National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
. He won the Texas Heavyweight Championship
NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title that has existed since the 1930s. Though its exact date of creation isn't known, it is among the oldest championships used in professional wrestling today...
in February 1942. On February 17, he lost the title to Juan Humberto in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
.
In June 1942, he signed with National Wrestling Association
National Wrestling Association
The National Wrestling Association was an off-shoot of the National Boxing Association, formed to sanction professional wrestling. This NWA is not the same organization as the National Wrestling Alliance, which was formed in 1948....
, a subsidiary of National Boxing Association
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
which was to sanction professional wrestling. He started a long feud with Yvon Robert
Yvon Robert
Yvon Robert was a French Canadian professional wrestler who was best known to fans as Yvon "The Lion" Robert.- American Wrestling Association :...
. He defeated Robert on November 27 in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (National Wrestling Association)
The World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship of the National Wrestling Association , an offshoot of the National Boxing Association...
.
He travelled in several cities of United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and defended his NWA Championship. He lost the title to "Wild" Bill Longson
Bill Longson
William Longson was a professional wrestler, who spent most of his career in St. Louis, Missouri under the ring name "Wild Bill" Longson...
on February 19, 1943 in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. In 1944, he left National Wrestling Association and started wrestling around Texas. He formed a tag team with Otto Kuss. They both won the Texas Tag Team Championship
WCWA Texas Tag Team Championship
The WCWA Texas Tag Team Championship was the secondary tag team championship in World Class Championship Wrestling, originally known as the NWA Texas Tag-Team title until 1981 where they were abandoned. The titles were brought back in 1987 as the WCWA Texas Tag-Team titles but once the WCWA joined...
in May 1945. They dropped the titles to Hans Schnable and Marvin Jones on May 14 in Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
.
In 1945, he won his second Texas Heavyweight Championship. He dropped the title to Dale Levin on July 13 in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. After that, he started feuding with "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. They both had a successful feud which became one of the earliest feuds in sports-entertainment history.
In the late 1940s, he started travelling around Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. On November 9, 1949, he defeated Jack Claybourne in Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
to win the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship
NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and is defended in the US state of Hawaii. The title, which is still currently defended, began in1935...
. Dean Detton defeated him for the title on December 11. Managoff started feuding with Whipper Billy Watson
Whipper Billy Watson
William John Potts, O.Ont was a Canadian professional wrestler best known by his ring name Whipper Billy Watson, and was a two-time world heavyweight wrestling champion.-Early life:...
between 1950 and 1953. On July 19, 1953, he defeated Hans Schnabel to win his second Hawaii title. He lost it to Ben Sharpe on August 23.
He started a stint in Montreal, Quebec where he won the Montreal World Heavyweight Championship on five occasions. In 1965, he officially retired from professional wrestling. On April 3, 2002, he died of Heart Failure.
Championships and accomplishments
- Mid-Pacific PromotionsNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA Hawaii Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Hawaii Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and is defended in the US state of Hawaii. The title, which is still currently defended, began in1935...
(1 time)
- National Wrestling AssociationNational Wrestling AssociationThe National Wrestling Association was an off-shoot of the National Boxing Association, formed to sanction professional wrestling. This NWA is not the same organization as the National Wrestling Alliance, which was formed in 1948....
- NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipWorld Heavyweight Championship (National Wrestling Association)The World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship of the National Wrestling Association , an offshoot of the National Boxing Association...
(1 time)
- Southwest Sports, Inc.World Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
- Texas Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Texas Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title that has existed since the 1930s. Though its exact date of creation isn't known, it is among the oldest championships used in professional wrestling today...
(1 time)1 2 - Texas Tag Team ChampionshipWCWA Texas Tag Team ChampionshipThe WCWA Texas Tag Team Championship was the secondary tag team championship in World Class Championship Wrestling, originally known as the NWA Texas Tag-Team title until 1981 where they were abandoned. The titles were brought back in 1987 as the WCWA Texas Tag-Team titles but once the WCWA joined...
(1 time)2 - with Otto Kuss
- Other titles
- World Heavyweight Championship (Montreal version) (5 times)
1Records are unclear as to whom he defeated for both of his title reigns.
2His reign with the title occurred before the NWA took control of the championship and, actually, took place before the NWA was created.