Frank Barst Portland professional wrestling collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: Coll 850

Content Description

The Frank Barst Portland professional wrestling collection contains 319 photographs of wrestlers and promoters, match tickets, annotated match bout reports, wrestling magazines, column clippings, and a poster collected by Barst documenting the Portland professional wrestling scene circa 1920s-1970s. Prominent wrestlers featured in the photographs include Lord Littlebrook, Haystacks Calhoun, Bull Montana, Prince Kuhio, Bing Ki Lee, Frenchy Robbierre, and Mad Dog Vachon. Some photographs are signed by wrestlers and promotors. Many of the match bout reports are from Don Owen Productions of Portland Wrestling.

Dates

circa 1920s-1970s

Creator

Barst, Frank, 1902-1974 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish collection materials must be submitted to Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Biographical / Historical

Frank Barst (1902-1974) was a Portland area sports journalist and columnist. He wrote prolifically on the world of sports, especially professional wrestling.

Though wrestling was popular throughout the first half of the 20th century in the United States, the sport reached new levels of popularity following World War II. Independent wrestling companies across the country, including the Pacific Northwest Wrestling/Portland Wrestling Company in Oregon, formed the National Wrestling Association. With the advent of national television broadcasting in the early 1950s, professional wrestling associations became widely popular. Many professional wrestlers of the time were from various ethnic and minority groups, including Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Japanese Americans, Samoans, and Hawaiians, as well as Little People.

The Don Owen Productions of Portland Wrestling, later known as Big Time Wrestling, was the first wrestling show on television in the Pacific Northwest. The weekly show debuted in 1952 and ended in 1991, making it one of the longest-running wrestling shows on air.

Extent

3 linear feet (4 containers) : 2 flat boxes (12" x 15" x 3"); 1 half manuscript box; 1 oversize folder (20.25" x 16.25")

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Frank Barst (1902-1974) was a Portland area sports journalist and columnist. The Frank Barst Portland professional wrestling collection contains 319 photos of wrestlers and promoters, match tickets, annotated match bout reports, wrestling magazines, column clippings, and a poster collected by Barst documenting the Portland professional wrestling scene circa 1920s-1970s.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in its original order.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased from Jordan Antiques and Antiquarian Books, March 2020.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Sarah Lueders, 2021.

Subjects

Professional sports -- Oregon -- Portland Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Wrestling -- Oregon -- Portland Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings