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Zebra Kid

Title History

Career Highlights

In the Beginning:

  • George Bollas played football at Warren G. Harding High School..
  • March 23, 1946: George Bollas defeated Morris Chitwood of Indiana University to win the NCAA Heavyweight Championship..Getting into Wrestling:
  • 1946-47: George Bollas worked occassionally for Ohio promoter Al Haft as “The Mystery Man” for extra money at college..
  • 1947: George Bollas turned pro and started working full time for Al Haft before moving to New York..
  • 1948: George Bollas wrestled in New York as “The Greek Hercules” until geting banned from NY for ingniting a riot!
  • 1948: George Bollas then travelled to Charlotte, North Carolina where he wrestled as “The Intercollegiate Dark Secret”..Birth of The Zebra Kid:
  • 1948: George Bollas soon became known as “The Zebra Kid” because of stretch marks on his body from fluctuating weight..
  • ~~~George Bollas was wrestling in Los Angeles when he thought of the Zebra Kid gimmick..
  • July 7, 1949 The Zebra Kid defeated Buddy Rogers for the Ohio version of the World Heavyweight title!
  • November 8, 1951: Lou Thesz defeated The Zebra Kid to retain the National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight title in Toledo, Ohio..
  • November 1951: The Zebra Kid wrestled Whipper Billy Watson to a Curfew Draw in the Toronto territory..
  • 1952: The Zebra Kid ventured to San Francisco, where he feuded extensively with Rikidozan..
  • September 1952: The Zebra Kid & Hans Schnabel defeated Gino Garibaldi & Leo Nomellini for the Pacific Coast Tag Team titles..
  • December 1952: The Zebra Kid defeated Sandor Szabo for the “Beat the Champ International Television Title” in Los Angeles..A New Start:
  • George Bollas briefly abandoned his Zebra Kid gimmick and wrestled with considerably less success..NWA: Hawaii – The Zebra Kid Returns:
  • October 1954: The Zebra Kid returned and worked for Honolulu promoter Al Karasick..
  • April 10, 1955: The Zebra Kid defeated Lucky Simunovich for the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight title..
  • 1955: The Zebra Kid defeated Rikidozan by DQ when Rikidozan went nuts and ripped Zebra Kid’s mask off!
  • ~~~Rikidozan was “suspended” from NWA: Hawaii for his actions..
  • December 1955: Al Lolotai defeated The Zebra Kid for the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight title..United States:
  • 1956: The Zebra Kid wrestled in Georgia Championship Wrestling..
  • 1957: The Zabra Kid returned to Columbus, Ohio and also had stints in Tennessee..
  • March 23, 1957: The Zebra Kid defeated Bob McCune for the Ohio State title in Columbus, Ohio..
  • July 13, 1957: After a match with Bearcat Wright, The Zebra Kid was attacked in the parking lot by a mob of fans..
  • August 1957: Buddy Rogers unmasked The Zebra Kid in Mansfield and they repeated the angle the following night in Columbus..Touring:
  • 1958: The Zebra Kid had an extended working tour overseas, including Australia & New Zealand..Capitol Wrestling:
  • February 1959: The Zebra Kid returned to the United States, and worked for Capitol Wrestling, feuding with Johnny Valentine..
  • The Zebra Kid formed a tag team with Jim Austeri, as The Zebra Kids — Big Zebra (Bollas) and Little Zebra (Austeri)..Texas:
  • The Zebra Kid moves to Texas for his next stint..
  • June 1960: The Zebra Kid defeated The Golden Giant for the Texas Brass Knucks title in Dallas..
  • ~~~Lost the title to Danny McShane in Houston..Touring:
  • The Zebra Kid toured Europe, including England, Paris and Athens..
  • The Zebra Kid defeated the Greek hero Lambrakis before a crowd of 43,000..United States:
  • January 4, 1961: Mike Sharpe & The Zebra Kid defeated Nick Bockwinkel & Edouard Carpentier for the International TV Tag Team titles..
  • ~~~Also in the AWA, The Zebra Kid & Hans Hermann defeated Pat O’Connor & Leo Nomellini..
  • June 1961: The Zebra Kid defeated Lou Thesz! in Long Beach, California..
  • August 9, 1961: Lou Thesz defeated The Zebra Kid in a rematch at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles..Japan:
  • The Zebra Kid travelled to Japan, where he would work for Rikidozan’s Japan Wrestling Association..
  • November 7, 1961: After a two month tour with the company, The Zebra Kid was unmasked (again) by Rikidozen..United States:
  • 1962: The Zebra Kid once again returned to the Texas territory and eventually back to Ohio..
  • Semi Retirement:
  • 1964: George Bollas and his family settled in England with plans of getting into the promotional side of the business..
  • 1965: George Bollas promoted matches in Greece with a cousin, and defeated George Gordienko before a crowd of 15,000 in Athens..
  • ~~~The event was a disaster though, as Bollas’ cousin split with the money and left him high and dry..George Bollas:
  • 1968: The Zebra Kid retired and moved to Akron, Ohio after suffering a serious eye injury in Germany..
  • January 1977: George Bollas passes away at the age of 53..
  • September 1998: Angela Bollas & George Bollas Jr. were introduced on the field during halftime at an Ohio State University football game..
  • ~~~George Bollas Sr. had been inducted into the OSU Athletic Hall of Fame..
  • Click here for a wonderful story of George Bollas’ life written by Will Morrisey and posted on Percival A. Friend’s Website..
  • 2010: George Bollas’s grandson George Bollas Jr. began his wrestling career with a 4th place finish at the State of Ohio Junior High School Wrestling Championships. The tradition lives on!

 

Updated:

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Trained By

Debut

1947

Birthday

September 19, 1923

Hometown

Warren, Ohio

Gender

Height

5'10"

Weight

300 lbs

Finishing Move(s)

Favorite Move(s)

Notable Feuds

Verne Gagne
Bronko Nagurski
Buddy Rogers
Rikidozan
Bearcat Wright
Leon Graham
Frankie Talaber
Billy Darnell
Antonino Rocca
Miguel Perez

Status