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Don Curtis


Title History

 

  • 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);

 

Career History

 

  • 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).

 


Richard Burnett wrote: Here’s an exclusive for you. Don has never wrestled under “The Buffalo Bomber.”
Don was living in the Tampa area in the mid sixties promoting the NWA in the state. He had a friend that was a police sergeant that worked out with him. They were at a gas station paying for gas and getting a snack and Don realized that he was short cash. He was a clown, so he grabbed a pencil and scrap of paper to make an IOY, but, instead wrote “I have a bomb, give me all the money.” He showed it to his friend and they got to chuckling. His friend paid the balance. The clerk wanted to know what was in the note and they did not tell her and threw the note away. Well, it landed on the floor and the clerk read it after they had left and called the cops. Just so happens, the night before, someone robbed the Delta terminal using the same wording. 2 officers show up at Don’s house (Dottie is pregnant with Lisa) and take him downtown for “parking tickets.” Don is very perturbed because he is speaking at a Boy’s Club in Sarasota @ 5 pm. Next thing they know Don is in a line up! Dottie had called the wrestling family to get some help and was crying outside of the station as Don’s friend is walking up. He asked her the problem and his friend starts laughing and explains the note. Eventually, it all gets straightened out and the detectives are worried. Don had dinner with a prominent judge and wrestling fan at the time the robbery took place. They asked Don why he had not told him that bit of news and Don said “You never asked me.” Well, that week Solie had decided Don was going to have a rib that would last for the rest of his life. During his first interview on the upcoming events, Gordon introduces Don as the “Buffalo Bomber” (Don cringed) and tagged him with that name any time Don wrestled or was introduced. Don hated the name and the rib stands today.


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.

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Trained By

Lou Thesz

Debut

Birthday

May 22, 1927

Hometown

Originally from Buffalo, New York
Retired to Jacksonville, Florida

Gender

Height

6'1"

Weight

190 lbs

Finishing Move(s)

The Sleeper Hold

Favorite Move(s)

Flying drop kick
The Sleeper

Notable Feuds

Eddie Graham
Jerry Graham
Jim Wright
Jack Terry
Tokyo Joe
Art Neilson
Zebra Kid

Status