Chris Jordan
Chris Jordan (born on January 17, 1885 in Erdake, Turkey, died on April 18, 1940) was a professional wrestler and wrestling promoter.
Born and raised in Turkey, Chris Jordan was of Greek descent. He claimed that he was one of the best wrestlers in Turkey, but since it was not possible to make a living as a wrestler in Turkey, he immigrated to the United States. He settled in Boston on April 7, 1906.
Within a year, Jordan was wrestling professionally. He was billed as “Middleweight Champion of the World,” and he later told newspaper reporters that he had held that title for twelve years.
Jordan's brother Steve joined him in the U.S. and Chris found him work as a wrestler. Steve wrestled with Chris under his real name and separately as "Young" Jordan. Steve didn't have the ability of Chris, and he soon left the business.
In 1910, Jordan married Luisa Winch, a 17-year old-waitress that he met at Eliades Confectionary in Monaca, Pennsylvania. Luisa died in 1920.
In addition to scheduled events at wrestling venues, Jordan made appearances as a strongman in circuses and carnivals. For a time, he owned and managed his own small circus, where he worked as a strongman and as a wrestler, challenging the locals to defeat him in the ring.
Jordan began promoting wrestling cards in the Southeast, and by the early 1930s, he owned the largest wrestling company in Alabama. Jordan mostly booked male light and middle heavyweight wrestlers, men who he had worked with when he was a wrestler.
Weekly cards at Birmingham’s Municipal Auditorium drew between 1,000 and 3,000 fans.
In 1939, Jordan became seriously ill, and his assistant, Joe Gunther, took on more responsibility. During the last week in March 1940, Jordan left the business and Gunther became the wrestling promoter in Birmingham and other towns and cities in Alabama. Jordan died the next year on April 18, 1940.
References
- "Chris Jordan Is Promoter" (October 5, 1932) The Florence Times.
- "Gunther Named Mat Promoter" (April 1, 1940) The Tuscaloosa News
- "What Becomes of All the Wrestlers?" (February 14, 1940) Toledo Blade.
External links
Legacy of Wrestling website