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Orville Brown (10 March 1908–24th January 1981) was a professional wrestler. He was NWA Champion twice, and was recognised as the first NWA champion in 1940.
Orville Brown was born on 10th March 1908. He grew up on a small farm in Sharon, Kansas, USA. Brown worked on the farm during the mornings before walking several miles to school in Kiowa, Kansas. He only attended one year of school due to financial reasons. However, he did starred as a football player and later graduated from the University of Hard Knocks.
Career
Orville Brown was noticed by Ernest Brown, a former manager of amateur and professional wrestlers, in the late 1920s. He convinced that Orville might have a future as a wrestler. Ernest agreed to work with Orville at the local high school in Kiowa, Kansas. After trainig, Orville Brown was undefeated for 71 matches. He gained enough notoriety in western Kansas that the promoter in Wichita put him on the preliminary of the weekly matches there.
A well-known wrestler called Abe Coleman saw Orville Brown wrestle and recomended him to the promoter in St. Louis - Tom Packs.
Orville Brown impressed many people by his wrestling skills in matches against former World heavyweight champions Jim Londos & Ed "Strangler" Lewis. He quickly won the Kansas Heavyweight Championship. Orville Brown went on to become the Kansas-based Midwest Wrestling Association (MWA) World Heavyweight champion for a record of 11 times from 1940 & 1948. Brown won that title by beating wrestlers, such as Bobby Bruns, Lee Wyckoff, Tom Zaharias, Dave Levin, The Swedish Angel, Tug Carlson & Roy Graham.
During the 1940s, the promoter, Pinkie George, along with other promoters, recognized Orville Brown as the World Heavyweight Champion in the newly-formed National Wrestling Alliance. Brown held the title twice before his career ended in November 1949.
Orville Brown was forced to retire in November 1949 due to the injuries he suffered on 1st November 1949. He was scheduled to be in a unification match against Lou Thesz on 25th November 1949. Thesz was awarded the title as Orville Brown was unable to competed.
After retiring, Orville Brown became a promoter in Kansas City, Missouri.
Personal life
Orville Brown married a farmer's daughter called Grace in October 1926 and were married until Orville's death in 1981. Orville & Grace had a son called Richard, who later became a wrestler himself.
Profile
- From: Sharon, Kansas, USA
- DOB: 8th March 1908
- DOD: 24th January 1981
- Pro debut: 1929
- Trained by: Ernest Brown
Titles held
Over the course of his career, Brown earned the following titles:
- Kansas Heavyweight Championship (once)
- NWA World Heavyweight Championship (three times)
- MWA {Kansas City} World Heavyweight Championship (eleven times)
- MWA {Ohio} World Heavyweight Championship (once)
"Orville Brown"