[BOULDER DAM MAP -- UNION PACIFIC]. COLLINS, CJ & BASINGER, WS [Passenger Traffic Managers]. C J W SBiblio.com
Illustrated Broadside or Poster Announcing WRESTLING: HOOD RIVER Oregon; Seelie Samara George Hardison Boston versus Jack Forsgren Canada; Albert Carral vs. Bob Kruse
1939505696Hood River News 1939. Paperback. FINE. Printed Red on 11 x 17' white cardstock. We date this poster around 1939 based on martching Hood River News wrestling broadsides with dated newspaper clippings. 'Former location Penny-Wise Store on Heights Hood River.' Some very trivial rubbing to the tips otherwise uncommonly clean and sharp. Top billing heavyweight match features an absolutely yoked and glistening Seelie Samara stage-name for George Hardison an African-American athlete and one of the most prominent characters in the early years of the 'Golden Age' revival of dramatic/entertainment wrestling in America. Hardison was born in Georgia and after a stint as a carnival strongman was scouted by 'Tiger Man' John Pesek who became his boxing trainer. Sometime in the late 30's Hardison began competing in staged Wrestling matches in the Northeast. In 1938 he signed with promoter Jack Pfefer with whom he began traveling extensively; while he was regularly billed in the Midwest and California this broadside is the only record we found of Pacific Northwest appearance. From the early-40's onward Hardison's appearances were confined to segregated 'Race Matches'; he would hold claim to the 'Negro World Heavyweight Championship' belt through the early 50's. Cory Santos writes 'A fan favorite Samara had power and technical prowess in equal measures. His muscularity was unique for the era; his bulging physique was a striking contrast to the bulkier frames of many heavyweights of the period. The Samara character also included costume elements — the most noteworthy of which was a Muslim head wrap Hardison used when being advertised from Algeria his most common birthplace or Afghanistan. Still given the huge number of strange hometowns it is difficult to keep track of exactly what character elements are geographically based and which are just random items based on the fanciful imaginations of “Africa†from countless midwestern promoters. But a sense of fair play honor and respect defined the Seelie and variants Ras and Haille Samara characters to audiences. Combined with his impressive physique these virtues earned him lasting nicknames including “Negro Hercules†“Black Adonis†the “insert location here Wildman†and famously the “Black Panther.†'Seelie Samara: A Forgotten African-American Great.'. [Hood River News] paperback
Arches Bookhouse · États-Unis385,00 $US≈ 325,75 €
