WRESTLER PROFILES

	Wrestler: Don Curtis Real Name: Born Don Beitelman Legally changed to Don Curtis Birthday: May 22 Hometown: Originally from Buffalo, New York Retired to Jacksonville, Florida Marital Status: Married to Dotty They have 3 children Also has 7 grand children Height & Weight: 6'1" - 190 lbs Trained by: Lou Thesz Debut: Previous Gimmicks: The Buffalo Bomber Finishing Move: The Sleeper Hold Favorite Moves: Flying drop kick The Sleeper Notable Feuds: Eddie Graham Jerry Graham Jim Wright Jack Terry Tokyo Joe Art Neilson Zebra Kid
NWA Southwest Tag Team titles w/Dizzy Davis defeating Kurt Von Poppenheim & Great Bolo (April 11, 1957); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Roy Shire (May ??, 1957); NWA (Capitol) United States Tag Team titles w/Mark Lewin defeating Dick the Bruiser & Hans Schmidt (????, 1958); NWA (Capitol) United States Tag Team titles w/Mark Lewin defeating Eddie & Jerry Graham (December 11, 1958); NWA (Florida) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Mike DiBiase (March 22, 1960); NWA (Florida) Southern Tag Team titles w/Eddie Graham defeating Mighty Yankees (May 10, 1960); NWA Eastern States Heavyweight title defeating Karl Krauser (aka Karl Gotch) (December 29, 1961); NWA (Florida) World Tag Team titles w/Joe Scarpa defeating Karl & Kurt Von Brauner (March 29, 1962); NWA (Georgia) World Tag Team titles w/Joe Scarpa billed upon arrival (June ??, 1962); NWA (Florida) World Tag Team titles w/Mark Lewin defeating Roy Heffernan & Al Costello (January 24, 1963); NWA (Florida) World Tag Team titles w/Mark Lewin defeating Assassins (November 21, 1963); NWA (Florida) World Tag Team titles w/Abe Jacobs defeating Duke Keomuka & Hiro Matsuda (May 5, 1964); NWA (Florida) Southern Tag Team titles w/Jose Lothario defeating Blackjack Daniels & Stan Kowalski (March 13, 1967); NWA Florida Brass Knuckles title defeating Dale Lewis (November 20, 1969);
Don Curtis formed a heel team with Mark Lewin and wore satin capes as a part of their gimmick feuding with Eddie & Jerry Graham.. Don Curtis broke an attendance record in Jacksonville, Florida when he faced Lou Thesz for the World Heavyweight title.. Don Curtis was a promoter in Jacksonville until 1981 when he left wrestling & became the Chief of the Gator Bowl complex.. 1980: Don Curtis was inducted into the U.B. Athletic Hall of Fame for his wrestling and football accomplishments.. February 26, 2008: Don Curtis (Don Beitelman) sufferd a massive stroke and was taken to a Hospice facility.. Statement from Dotty Curtis (February 28): Don suffered a massive stroke due to a blood clot breaking loose and hitting the left side of his brain. I (Dotty) found him in a pool of blood, face down in the bedroom two mornings ago, but it wasn't until late last night that an MRI confirmed the stroke and severe damage. He has been transported to the new Hospice facility at Mayo Clinic, where he will receive the best of care. Please know that Don is in no pain, and would want nothing more that to end the life that he presently lives in. If anyone could say, "I've done it all!", it would be Don. A wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend no one could have asked any more from. Pray for him. March 6, 2008: Don Curtis peacefully passed away around 2PM.. Richard Burnett wrote: I have one fond memory of a New Year's Eve that his daughter and husband spent with my wife and I. They were living with Dottie and Don while their house was being built and we wound back up at Don's house. He broke out some wine he had been saving (he was a real connoisseur of wine and food) and started pulling out paraphernalia from his days in the ring and did each character as if they were in a tv interview. I laughed until it hurt. He never met a stranger and was one of the most open, personable man I have ever met. He and his grandson were very, very close. He taught him wrestling (aau) moves to my son and his grandson at 3 and 4 years old. He took his grandson golfing, fishing, vacations, lunch, dinner, they were inseparable. His daughter said that the grandson was the son he did not get to raise. (2 in NZ and the Americans were daughters). Robert Louis Howell wrote: 1970, in Atlanta: Don Curtis and a mystery partner challenge the Assassins. The partner was Doug Gilbert (The Professional) --- The Assassins won. In 1972: On the first NWA TV card held after the ASWA split. Curtis won a reversed decision from the Professional. Curtis was flipped into the ropes and literally hung himself by his neck. The Pro "freed" him elbow smashing him through the ropes then won with a neckbreaker. The Pro then came of the top rope with a knee drop after the bell and the decision was reversed. The next week on TV Curtis was beating Buddy Colt with a sleeper hold when Colt rammed Curtis head into a turnbuckle and used a neckbreaker to when. Tom Kuhn wrote: I remember Don Deitelman when he wrestled in buffalo afterr graduating from the university of buffalo. he would pin his first few opponents in less than two minutes until he wrestled howard cantowine. then it took him five minutess. cantowine was gorgeous georges traveling partner.