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Dalmatian Archive and Museum – Wrestling 1942-1982
October 1, 2023 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Speaker: Steve Ogilvie
Steve will be discussing wrestlers of Dalmatian Heritage who were regulars on professional wrestling shows in NZ from 1942 to 1982. Men like Frank Lipanovich, Tony Garea (Gareljich), and John Garea (AKA Johnny Garcia).
Steve will have a slide show of photos, programmes, and newspaper clippings to illustrate his talk.
These shows were held in the Auckland Town Hall or YMCA and were very popular.
In 1956, wrestling, as a spectator sport, was more popular than rugby.
The photo below a cover from the Listener about On The Mat, a TV Series that enjoyed popularity 1975-1984