The Unexpected Risks of Being a Masked Pro Wrestler in Mid-1920s Romania

A fun little story with Vasil Colev from Bucharest in 1926.Vasil Colev was a popular professional wrestler of the Greco-Roman style, who had a long wrestling career that lasted from the mid-1920s through the start of the 1950s. He wrestled mostly in Central Europe and was especially popular in Germany.

In 1926 Colev, who at the time was a protege of one of the all-time Russian greats Ivan Zaikin, was just starting out as a pro wrestler. Toward the end of the year he was wrestling in Bucharest under a mask when the following happened. Instead of retelling the story, I'll just quote the Romanian press directly. The article below is from 10 December 1926.

Vasil Colev

----------------

The scandal of the wrestler Black Mask from Krateji Circus.

The Romanovici-Grandabura affair also had a coined side - the police prefect was informed that at the Krateji Circus, located in Independence Square, Greco-Roman wrestling was taking place. Among the competitors was an amateur*, who appeared in the arena with his face covered by a black veil. The organizer of the matches announced to the spectators that the Black Mask would only be revealed when he was defeated. But what happened? By a Herculean force, this wrestler has achieved success every evening and he never once gave up his mask. Someone informed the chief of police that the Black Mask is none other than a comrade of Romanovici's**. Last night, after the performance, Commissioner Ion Babeş, head of the criminal investigation office, arrested the wrestler. Brought to the prefecture and interrogated by Mr. Oprişan, it was established that his name was Vasil Colev. He was a merchant by profession and had no connection to the gang of assassins. In the meantime, in the city, the news of the arrest of the wrestler Black Mask caused a sensation. All kinds of rumors circulated, which were later denied.”

----------------

* Back in those days in Europe often the storyline with masked wrestlers would be follows: a masked man claiming to be an amateur would show up out of nowhere and challenge the professional wrestlers. He would then start wrestling them, either as part of the ongoing pro tournament or in non-tournament matches, until he was defeated. Upon being defeated he had to unmask. This explains why the article above refers to Black Mask as being an amateur. He was not. He was 100% a professional wrestler.

** From what I can gather, Romanovici was an infamous Romanian criminal at the time.