Title History
- NWA (Los Angeles) Beat the Champ International Television title defeating Leo Garibaldi (April 3, 1957);
- MWA Ohio Tag Team titles w/Charley Hoover defeating Leon Graham & Frankie Talaber (Febuary 13, 1958);
- NWA (Calgary) Canadian Tag Team titles w/Mighty Ursus defeating Paul & Maurice Vachon (March 10, 1959);
- Stampede International Tag Team titles w/Mighty Ursus defeating Paul & Maurice Vachon (March 27, 1959);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight title defeating Ed Francis (Febuary 18, 1960);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Tony Borne defeating Ed Sullivan & Ed Francis (March 28, 1960);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Tony Borne defeating Soldat Gorky & Kurt Von Poppenheim (November 11, 1960);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Dan Manoukian defeating Bing Ki Lee & Luther Lindsey (July 2, 1961);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Luther Lindsey defeating Kurt Von Poppenheim & Fritz Von Goering (July 21, 1962);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Luther Lindsey defeating Mad Dog Vachon & Fritz Von Goering (December 9, 1962);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Billy White Wolf defeating Jim & Jack Dalton (June 5, 1963);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Luther Lindsey defeating Soldat Gorky & Ivan Kameroff (July 24, 1963);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Luther Lindsey defeating Art Michalik & The Destroyer (January 15, 1964);
- NWA Hawaii Tag Team titles w/Robert Duranton defeating Cowboy Cassidy & Curtis Iaukea (May 13, 1964);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Pepper Martin defeating El Sheeref & Mad Russian (March 22, 1965);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Pepper Martin defeating Haru Sasaki & Stan Stasiak (June 28, 1965);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Armand Hussein defeating Mad Russian & Stan Stasiak (August 27, 1965);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Bearcat Wright defeating Mighty Ursus & Stan Stasiak (January 13, 1966);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Rene Goulet defeating Haru Sasaki & Mr. Fuji (October 6, 1966);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight title defeating Tony Borne (November 3, 1966);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Pepper Martin defeating Mr. Fuji & Tony Borne (December 10, 1966);
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles w/Luther Lindsey defeating Karl & Kurt Von Steiger (Febuary 15, 1969);
Career Highlights
- James Thomas attended public and high school in Columbus before going to Ohio State University to study Education..
- ~~~He graduated from OSU with a Bachelow’s degree in Education, and began a career as a school teacher in Columbus..
- James Thomas was drafted into the Army Medical Corps and reached the rank of “Sergeant” before receiving his discharge..
- James Thomas went back to being a school teacher and also played football for the Green Bay Packers of the NFL..
- ~~~He was voted the All American guard of the 1949 Ohio State team and “Most Outstanding Lineman” at the Rose bowl..
- May 7, 1963: Jim Dalton (Johnny Long if I’m not mistaken) defeated Shag Thomas by disqualification in Augusta, Georgia.
- ~~~This may really be the first interracial match held in Georgia predating Atlanta by many years [reported by Robert Louis Howell]
- Shag Thomas was a very prominent baby face in Don Owen’s Pacific Northwest territory in Portland, Oregon..
- 1969: Shag Thomas wrestled his retirement match and defeated Roger Kirby by Disqualification in Portland.
- Shag Thomas then became a referee until 1972 when he returned to battle the Royal Kangaroos..
- July 25, 1982: Shag Thomas passed away after suffering a heart attack…..
John Perin wrote: Correct Date of Birth: August 11, 1924. He was a member of the 1949 Ohio State Football Team, But I found no record of him being an All-American. That was the team that played in the 1950 Rose Bowl, defeating California, 17-14 (Bill Miller, “Dr. Big Bill Miller”, was also a member of that team). It is the first bowl game Ohio State ever played in. I found no record of Shag Thomas (James S. Thomas) playing for the Green Bay Packers or any other NFL team. My informtion is based on the Ohio State Football Media Guide (which also lists Buckeys players who went into the NFL) and a website that lists all NFL players going back to the beginning of the league. I also checked the Green Bay Packers’ records. The date of birth I got for him came from Social Security death records.
Dale Pierce wrote in with these notes: In the 1950s and early 1960s many states aside from the deep south did not allow black and white wrestlers to face each other. Luther, like Bearcat Wright, headed for the Arizona-California territory and found great popularity there pitted against white and hispanic wrestlers. Prior to his western stint when he was active in the south, in an interview , he expressed some sarcasm about the wrestling world and seperationist rules when asked about his schedule and opponents. He responded, “Let ‘s see, tomorrow I face Shag Thomas, Friday I face Shag Thomas, Saturday I face Shag Thomas……”
