Following the name of the champion(s): Indicates the number of times the wrestler has held that title at that point.
[...]
Indicates a gap in the listing where title changes are not known.
*
If used next to the names of the wrestlers, they may, in fact, not have held the title in the period indicated. If used next to the dates or places, either they are possibly wrong or the title changes are fictitious.
<
Title was held or changed hands no later than this. In these cases, it is known that a wrestler held the title at a certain time but not when he/she won it.
+
Broadcast date; the actual recording date is unknown.
@
Order uncertain. Different titleholders may be known for the same year, for example, but it is not known who held the title before whom.
#
Unofficial or disputable claims. These are usually matches that certainly took place, but where there is doubt that the wrestler shown should be recognized as a true title holder. These listings are also italicized in HTML files
May start claiming the World Title after this match; still champion in New York as of 11-04-22; may be vacant when Americus wins World Heavyweight Title on 14-03-13 in Kansas City, MO.
Harold Christensen
1908 *
Billed as champion in Central Jersey for having held the title for seven years after defeating "all the champions in big tournaments in Europe" (Perth Amboy Evening News, 15-10-20); also claims the title in Hartford, CT in 16-03 through 16-04; also billed as the world "190lb" champion in Wilmington, DE as of 16-04-12; vacant when Christensen is generally listed as a heavyweight after 17-12.
Bernhoff Hansen
1918-01
Claims the title in Brooklyn, NY.
Cyclone Ress (Ludwig Ress)
1920-05-22
Brooklyn, NY
Defeats Hansen in the final of the world championship tournament.
Bernhoff Hansen [2]
1920-07-05
Brooklyn, NY
Still/again champion as of 21-01-18; Cyclone Ress is briefly billed as champion in Hackensack, NJ in 21-03; Hansen is still/again champion as of 21-11-27; no longer billed as champion after losing to George Calz, a heavyweight, on 21-12-01 in Brooklyn, NY.
Martin Ludecke
1922
Chicago, IL *
Billed as champion in Brooklyn, NY for winning the title "a little over five years ago in Chicago" (The Brooklyn Citizen, 27-09-28); still champion as of 28-03-18; leaves the area in 28-11 for Ohio where he is billed as European or German champion.
Ludwig Ress
1917-04<
Jack Ozar
1917-04-17
Lebanon, PA
Still/again billed as champion in New Castle, PA on 21-10-26.
Junior heavyweight champion, billed as light heavyweight champion in Philadelphia, PA (The Philadelphia Tribune, 26-05-29); still champion in Camden, NJ as of 26-06-10 (Camden Courier, 26-06-10); claims the heavyweight title on 26-10-13 (Los Angeles Times, 26-10-14).
