Paul Boesch | |
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| Born | Paul Max Boesch (1912-10-02)October 2, 1912 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | March 7, 1989(1989-03-07) (aged 76) Sugar Land, Texas, U.S. |
| Debut | October 25, 1932 (as wrestler)[1] 1947 (as announcer) 1966 (as promoter) |
| Retired | 1987 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Battles / wars | World War II Battle of Hürtgen Forest |
| Awards | Combat Infantry Badge Silver Star and cluster Bronze Star Medal and cluster Purple Heart Medal Distinguished Unit Citation Croix de guerre with star (France) |
| Other work | Professional wrestler, professional wrestling announcer and promoter |
Paul Max Boesch[2] (October 2, 1912 – March 7, 1989) was an Americanprofessional wrestler and promoter, most famous for his work as an announcer and promoter forHouston Wrestling. He also spent several stints working with theUniversal Wrestling Federation,World Class Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions, and theWorld Wrestling Federation.
Boesch was posthumously inducted into theWWE Hall of Fame in 2021, as a part of the Legacy wing.[3]
Boesch was born inBrooklyn, New York, on October 2, 1912.[4] His family eventually moved from Brooklyn to nearbyLong Beach, where Boesch graduated fromLong Beach High School in 1929.[5] A gifted athlete, he became a lifeguard at theLong Island beaches near his home, and he was skilled enough as a swimmer to place third in the North Atlantic Coast Lifeguard Competition in 1932.[5] He was also credited with saving 130 or more lives from the water aroundNew York.[4] Boesch began wrestling professionally during the 1930s, his first notable match being a 90-minute bout against Pat Meehan inCalgary on November 25, 1938, which ended in a draw.[5]
With the outbreak ofWorld War II, Boesch suspended his wrestling career to enlist in theUnited States Army.[4] He graduated fromofficer candidate school in 1942 and earned a commission in the121st Infantry Regiment of the8th Infantry Division. Boesch deployed to Europe with his unit after theD-Day landings to take part in the offensive againstNazi Germany. Ascommanding officer of Company G,1st Lt. Boesch led hisrifle company in one of the bloodiest and most desperate battles of the war on theWestern Front, theBattle of Hürtgen Forest.[6] His unit took heavy casualties during the fighting, and Boesch himself was seriously injured by a German artillery shell, and for his service, Boesch was awarded numerous decorations, including thePurple Heart, theSilver Star with oak leaf clusters, theBronze Star with oak leaf clusters, and theFrench Croix de Guerre with star.[4][7] He also earned the prizedCombat Infantryman Badge and theDistinguished Unit Citation, awarded to the soldiers of the 121st Infantry for their meritorious efforts in the Hürtgen Forest. After the war, he was honored with a Distinguished Citizens Award from the 121st Infantry Association for his outstanding community service with charitable groups including theBoys Club of America.[6] Boesch authored a well-regarded memoir of his experiences in World War II entitled,Road to Huertgen: Forest in Hell.[4]
Boesch returned to wrestling after World War II, competing in matches across North America. In October 1947, Boesch suffered a broken leg in a car collision with a trailer truck en route from San Antonio, Texas to Corpus Christi, effectively forcing him to retire from in-ring competition.[4] It was at this time thatHouston Wrestling promoter Morris Sigel approached him to work for his growing Texas organization. Boesch became an advisor to Sigel as well as a radio announcer, and two years later became the promotion's first television commentator when the show debuted on local television.[8] Boesch's wrestling broadcasts remained a fixture on Houston television for over 30 years, airing on station KHTV channel 39 (nowKIAH, aCW Network affiliate).[7]
After Sigel died in 1966 after a long illness, Boesch bought out Houston Wrestling from Sigel's widow.[7] Boesch had essentially been training for this opportunity for 20 years, and he quickly brought the organization to new levels of success and visibility.[7] Under Boesch's leadership, Houston Wrestling quickly attained gained a reputation as one of the top regional wrestling promotions of its time. Promoters such asGary Hart (World Class Championship Wrestling) and wrestlers such asBarry Darsow would repeatedly praise Boesch's acumen and honesty as a promoter and businessman.[7][4] Boesch is also credited with the invention ofmud wrestling, a concept he devised for a major match betweenGus Sonnenberg andHarnam Singh inSeattle, Washington.[5]
Together with his nephew Peter Birkholz, Boesch entered Houston Wrestling into affiliations withMid South Wrestling,World Wrestling Federation,Universal Wrestling Federation, andWorld Class Championship Wrestling to ensure that top talent from all over the country would appear on his weekly Friday Night shows; he would offer his fans dream matches[9] and one card would seeJack Brisco capture theNWA World Heavyweight Championship fromHarley Race on July 20, 1973.[10] As professional wrestling became a major entertainment business in the 1980s, most of Boesch's affiliates joined theNational Wrestling Alliance. Boesch eventually shut down Houston Wrestling in favor of signing withVince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation, an affiliation that lasted only four months.[7]
After 55 years in the industry as a wrestler, announcer and promoter, Paul Boesch retired on August 28, 1987, due to health concerns.[5] The now-WWE hosted the Paul Boesch Retirement Show in Houston in his honor, which drew a sell-out crowd of 12,000 to theSam Houston Coliseum.[9] During the show, personal friend and then-Vice PresidentGeorge Bush[5] had a telegram delivered praising Boesch for his lifelong commitment to service.[7] Approximately a year later, he made a brief return and helped Jim Crockett promoting in Houston, and served as a figurehead NWA Board member, soon retiring.[9]
Boesch died on March 7, 1989, after suffering aheart attack inSugar Land, Texas.[7] He was inducted into theWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame as a charter member in 1996.[7] He was inducted into theProfessional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005 as a non-wrestler participant in the business. He was inducted into theWWE Hall of Fame in 2021 as a part of the Legacy wing.[3]
Paul Boesch's contribution to the wrestling industry has been praised by numerous observers as well as by former wrestlers themselves.WWE commentatorJim Ross has publicly stated that he believes Boesch is worthy of enshrinement in theWWE Hall of Fame.[11] The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame states that "his influence in professional wrestling cannot be overestimated" due to his expansive promotion of the sport throughout Texas.[6] Through his efforts, Boesch turned Houston into one of the top promotions on the regional wrestling circuit, and in addition to his professional accomplishments, Boesch was active in numerous philanthropic endeavors throughout his life.[7][6] He was a highly visible fixture in the community during his many years in Houston, serving in charitable organizations like the Boys Club and promoting the benefits and necessity of physical fitness for America's youth.[8]
Boesch's wife Valerie died on March 23, 2020.[6]
During his life, Boesch wrote four books:
Boesch was equally responsible forWhatever Happened to Gorgeous George? (1974), as the author Joe Jares quotes Boesch throughout and credits him for being open and accommodating during his research.[10]
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| Badge | Combat Infantry Badge | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Row | Silver Star and cluster | ||
| 2nd Row | Bronze Star Medal and cluster | Purple Heart Medal | Croix de guerre with star (France) |
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| 1st Row | Distinguished Unit Citation | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| International | |
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| National | |
