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While playing in
Providence, Sonnenberg was trained in professional wrestling and made his mat debut on January 24, 1928, at the Arcadia Ballroom in Providence, defeating Ivan Ludlow. Despite being just 5'7" and 200 pounds and having no background in wrestling, Sonnenberg quickly became a sensation
463:
were the two largest draws in pro wrestling in 1929–1930. In
October 1929, Sonnenberg was attacked on the streets of Los Angeles by part-time wrestler Pete Ladjimi in an attempt to expose the reigning world champion as weak. Ladjimi was associated with Londos, Sonnenberg's rival.
491:. Four months later, in July 1933, Sonnenberg was reported to have suffered a heart attack in Los Angeles. Allen announced her intention to file for divorce while Sonnenberg was recovering in the hospital. She was said to have been seen on a date with
467:
Sonnenberg was again recognized as world champion in the Boston area in 1939, after defeating and unmasking The Shadow (Marvin
Westenberg) to become the American Wrestling Association champion. He only held the title for 13 days before dropping it to
450:
After returning to the Steam Roller for their championship season, Sonnenberg again wrestled Lewis for the world title on
January 4, 1929, and won the championship. Sonnenberg held the title for nearly two years before losing it to
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777:(November 12, 2012). "Nov. 12, 2012 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WON Hall of Fame 2012 double issue, six men inducted, all the news and info from around the world and more!".
430:
in 1924. He played two seasons for the
Detroit Panthers (1925, 1926) and then joined the Providence Steam Roller in 1927 and played on the NFL championship team there in 1928.
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Born in Ewen, Michigan, Sonnenberg grew up on a farm in Green Garden, Michigan. He played football at
Marquette High School from 1912 to 1915, playing on Marquette's
484:
when the car he was driving hit the car of policeman
Richard Morrissey, who was killed. Sonnenberg was charged with drunk driving and was acquitted in March 1933.
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in professional wrestling, changing the style of the sport with his signature move, the "flying tackle." He became a main event wrestler for Boston-based promoter
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In 1923, at age 25, Sonnenberg turned professional, playing in the NFL for the
Buffalo All Americans (one game) and the Columbus Tigers. In 1924, he helped the
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in 1916, dropping out after his first year, but returning for a second year in 1919 before transferring to the
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Oberthaler, Joan, "Gus
Sonnenberg, Football Star, Champion of the World," Marquette Monthly, October 2000,
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championship team in 1915 when the team went 6–0, outscoring opponents 211 to 7. He went on to
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in Boston on March 29, 1939. He continued to wrestle until joining the Navy in 1942.
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http://home.comcast.net/~ghostsofthegridiron/articles/09-An-321.pdf
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List of gridiron football players who became professional wrestlers
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502:, Sonnenberg joined the Navy. He was serving there when he died of
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In July 1932, Sonnenberg was involved in a fatal car accident in
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16:
American football player and professional wrestler (1898–1944)
744:. Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba. September 25, 1933. p. 13
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Wrestling
Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)
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and unsuccessfully challenged world heavyweight champion
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3x GB Press-Gazette: 1st team all-NFL (1925, 1926, 1927)
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Days after his acquittal, Sonnenberg married actress
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1091:
United States Navy personnel killed in World War II
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inductee to the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
375:(NWA) world heavyweight champion. He played in the
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1081:Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
1071:Pottsville Maroons (Anthracite League) players
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700:"Gus Sonnenberg Captures World Championship"
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679:Yohe, Steve, "A Study of Danno O'Mahoney,"
359:(March 6, 1898 – September 9, 1944) was an
1066:Players of American football from Michigan
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244:Collyers Eye Mag.: 2nd team all-NFL (1926)
235:Canton Daily News: 1st team all-NFL (1923)
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738:"Gus Sonnenberg and Actress Are Divorced"
724:Hornbaker, Tim, "Paul Bowser Biography,"
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546:World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship
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247:GB Press-Gazette: 2nd team all-NFL (1928)
1101:20th-century male professional wrestlers
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1061:People from Ontonagon County, Michigan
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675:
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640:"Sonnenberg (German for "sunny hill")"
616:
614:
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1076:Professional wrestlers from Michigan
1036:Dartmouth Big Green football players
1016:American male professional wrestlers
379:(NFL) from 1923 until 1930, for the
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558:Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
528:AWA World Heavyweight Championship
447:on June 30, 1928, at Boston Arena.
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510:on September 12, 1944, at age 46.
14:
1112:
1021:American people of German descent
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514:Championships and accomplishments
241:Chicago Tribune: 1st team all-NFL
87:5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
1046:Deaths from leukemia in Maryland
759:
475:
281:
263:
1086:Providence Steam Roller players
1056:Detroit Titans football players
1006:American football running backs
520:American Wrestling Association
395:, where he was a member of the
1041:Deaths from cancer in Maryland
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730:
718:
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540:National Wrestling Association
428:Anthracite League Championship
373:National Wrestling Association
226:Anthracite League Championship
208:Career highlights and awards
36:Sonnenberg as a wrestler, 1930
1:
1026:Buffalo All-Americans players
780:Wrestling Observer Newsletter
620:Luce, Don, "Gus Sonnenberg,"
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575:Wrestling Observer Newsletter
808:Gus Sonnenberg's profile at
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417:University of Detroit Mercy
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10:
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1096:United States Navy sailors
704:Classic Wrestling Articles
622:Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame
369:World Heavyweight Champion
1011:American football tackles
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506:at the Naval Hospital in
455:on December 10, 1930, in
357:Gustave Adolph Sonnenberg
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1051:Detroit Panthers players
377:National Football League
371:. As a wrestler, he was
95:196 lb (89 kg)
21:American football player
1031:Columbus Tigers players
861:Providence Steam Roller
655:Da Yoopers Hall of Fame
482:Lawrence, Massachusetts
393:Providence Steam Roller
187:Providence Steam Roller
434:Professional wrestling
419:, where he graduated.
367:of German descent and
681:1wrestlinglegends.com
470:Steve "Crusher" Casey
397:1928 NFL championship
381:Buffalo All-Americans
365:professional wrestler
324:Professional wrestler
293:Years of service
143:Buffalo All-Americans
109:Marquette (MI) Senior
785:Campbell, California
742:The Winnipeg Tribune
445:Ed "Strangler" Lewis
42:Personal information
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958:Art "Pop" Williams
866:1928 NFL champions
686:2007-10-24 at the
627:2008-08-20 at the
548:(original version)
508:Bethesda, Maryland
424:Pottsville Maroons
163:Pottsville Maroons
100:Career information
77:Bethesda, Maryland
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459:. Sonnenberg and
413:Dartmouth College
361:American football
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70:September 9, 1944
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530:(Boston version)
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341:Player stats at
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135:Career history
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706:. July 26, 2013
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321:Other work
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973:Head coach:
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943:Orland Smith
824:Find a Grave
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752:– via
746:. Retrieved
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708:. Retrieved
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315:World War II
311:Battles/wars
216:NFL Champion
105:High school:
72:(1944-09-09)
18:
1001:1944 deaths
996:1898 births
938:Clyde Smith
933:Jim Simmons
908:Norm Harvey
888:Jack Cronin
883:Bill Cronin
565:Pioneer Era
493:Gary Cooper
457:Los Angeles
441:Paul Bowser
363:player and
990:Categories
963:Abe Wilson
923:Curly Oden
903:Duke Hanny
710:January 1,
602:References
461:Jim Londos
305:Specialist
259:Allegiance
53:1898-03-06
918:Jim Laird
898:Al Hadden
793:1083-9593
533:(2 times)
296:1942–1944
125:Position:
748:July 26,
684:Archived
625:Archived
590:See also
551:(1 time)
522:(Boston)
504:leukemia
426:win the
403:Football
276:Service/
129:Halfback
115:College:
119:Detroit
92:Weight:
84:Height:
791:
399:team.
391:, and
278:branch
79:, U.S.
62:, U.S.
787:: 1.
563:2007
67:Died:
47:Born:
789:ISSN
750:2016
712:2016
301:Rank
287:Navy
230:1924
220:1928
195:1930
191:1927
181:1926
177:1925
167:1924
157:1923
147:1923
822:at
344:PFR
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