Results: Pro Wrestling in Nancy (1934-1939)

A collection of pro wrestling results from Nancy, France.

After Raoul Paoli started his promotion in September 1933 in Paris, pro wrestling (catch) quickly became very popular all throughout France. It wasn't long before wrestling events started taking place in other French cities and towns as well. One such city was Nancy, which is located in northeastern France.

The typical structure of the French pro wrestling shows in the 1930s was as follows:
- Five matches. The opener was with a 20 minute time limit, the next three matches were with a 30 minute time limit and the headline match was a 2 out of 3 falls match with a 60 minute time limit.
- The headline match never went on last. In the results below I've listed the headline match last, because this way it's easier to see what was the headline attraction, but in reality the shows ended with what would be considered a midcard match. The real main event went on right before that.
- The matches in France back then could be won in all the usual ways (pinfall, submission, countout, disqualification), but also on points. If two wrestlers wrestled to a time limit draw then a jury would judge the match on points and determine a winner (or call the match a draw).

I'm not claiming this is a full list of all wrestling shows in Nancy in the 1930s - there might have been others that I'm not aware of. I'm missing a few match results as well. All numbers and quotes describing the attendance are from the local Nancy press.

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The interesting thing about Nancy is that in the 1930s it had a pretty active amateur scene. The local athletic club "Louis Vasseur" was the one organizing all the pro wrestling (catch) shows in Nancy and they would feature amateur catch matches on these shows too, but also they would do all-amateur events as well. This is where Andre Drapp got his start in wrestler. He would go on to be one of the top French pro wrestling stars years later. Below I've included the amateur results as well since the pro and amateur stuff was kind of intertwined in Nancy and it's all good background information on Drapp in particular. Unless specifically mentioned as Greco-Roman, all amateur matches listed below were what they were referring to as amateur catch.

The matchmaker (booker) for pretty much all of the wrestling events in Nancy was a guy from the athletic club called Andre Triboulet. As best as I can tell, he generally wasn't working with Paoli and was getting the talent from the other French booking offices at the time.

5 November 1934
Nancy, France
Salle de la Coupole
1. Robert Maixent drew Gaston Morandi
2. Albert Arnaud drew Otto Muller (30:00)
3. Ernest Cadine def. Emile Rivollier (12:52)
4. Lucien Malezieux def. Maurice Charf (18:20 Charf, 14:15, 12)
= The first catch show ever in Nancy. 

3 December 1934
Nancy, France
Salle du Rex
"an immense success, the building was too small to contain the spectators"
1. Felix Clody def. Maurice Charf (Clody won the 1st, Charf the 2nd, 07:25)
2. Alexandre Poizat def. Robert Maixent (Maixent won the 1st, 06:08, 07:44)
3. Lucien Malezieux drew Raymond Bucovac (09:01 Malezieux, 09:05, no one won the 3rd fall)
4. Charles Rigoulot def. Umberto Arpino (12:10, 12:31)

14 December 1934
Nancy, France
Salle de la Coupole
1. Maurice Gomis def. Czanady
2. Robert Maixent def. Gaston Morandi (20:15)
3. Albert Arnaud def. Felix Clody (12:45)
4. Otto Muller drew Maurice Charf (07:35 Charf, Muller won the 2nd, no one won the 3rd fall)
5. Lucien Malezieux def. Paul Marton (15:25 Malezieux, 10:09, 18:45)

11 December 1935
Nancy, France
Salle du Rex
"very large public"
1. Emile Rivollier def. Roland Bonneville (13)
2. Alexandre Poizat def. Paul Marton (20:00) - on points
3. Otto Muller def. Robert Beglot (20)
4. Raymond Bukovac def. Felix Clody (13 Bukovac, 9, 11)
5. Richard Bukovac drew Emile Pouveroux (4 Pouveroux, 7, no one won the 3rd fall)

2 March 1936
Nancy, France
Salle du Rex
1, Amateur (Greco-Roman): Marcel Ferry def. Pepito (2 falls)
2. Felix Clody drew Alphonse Zwahlen
3. Raymond Bukovac def. Georges Freymond
4. Alexandre Poizat def. Gabriel Laurier (11, 9)
5. Lucien Malezieux drew Roger Mollet (10 Mollet, 10, no one won the 3rd fall)

On 11, 12 and 13 April 1936 Circus Pinder was in Nancy. The headline attractions were boxing exhibition matches with Marcel Thil and wrestling exhibition matches with Charles Rigoulot

4 November 1936
Nancy, France
Salle du Rex
"record attendance"
1. Amateur: Andre Drapp drew Prin (20:00)
2. Robert Beglot def. Georges Freymont (21:25)
3. Jean Bianconi drew Alphonse Zwahlen (30:00)
4. Lucien Malezieux def. Emile Rochez (21:45)
5. Semi-final in a tournament to determine the challenger for the European Mid-Heavyweight Title: Emile Pouveroux def. Andre Trante (18, 08:06)

2 December 1936
Nancy, France
Salle du Rex
1. Amateur: Robert Boulat drew Lavisse
2. Roger Mollet def. Robert Beglot (23)
3. Alphonse Zwahlen def. Felix Clody (14:18)
4. Lucien Malezieux drew Alexandre Poizat
5. Louis Loew drew Rudolphe Binacchi (10:16 Loew, 22, no one won the 3rd fall)

16 January 1937
Nancy, France
Salle du Rex
1. Amateur: Andre Leclerc def. Destouches (11)
2. Amateur: Robert Boulat def. Lejaille (3)
3. Amateur: Andre Drapp def. Prin (5 Drapp, 10, 4)
= There was a weightlifting competition on the card as well (Team Lorraine vs. Team Alsace).

7 March 1937
Nancy, France
Piscine de Nancy, France-Thermal
more than 2,000 fans
1. Amateur: Andre Drapp def. Andre Leclerc (08:48)
2. Alexandre Froid def. Robert Maixent (22)
3. Alphonse Zwahlen drew Gaston Navailles
4. Jean Bianconi drew Roger Mollet (30:00)
5. Dan Koloff def. Felix Miquet (34, 09:38)
= Miquet was a substitute for Mehmet Arif.

1 April 1937
Nancy, France
Salle du Rex
"big success"
1. Amateur: Robert Boulat def. Andre Drapp (22)
2. Alphonse Zwahlen def. Leone Jacovacci (17:26)
3. Felix Clody drew Marcel Nonest (30:00)
4. Robert Maixent drew Alexandre Lageat (30:00)
5. French Middleweight Title: Jean Bianconi (c) def. Roger Mollet to retain his title (14:18 Mollet, 23:18, 13:37)

2 April 1937
Nancy, France
Municipal Theatre
1. Amateur: Prin def. Roger Cabaret (6)
2. Amateur: Destouches def. Andre Leclerc (12)
3. Amateur: Robert Boulat def. Andre Drapp (2:1 falls)
= There was also boxing and weightlifting on the event.

8 May 1937
Nancy, France
Brasserie Wagner
1. Amateur: Roger Cabaret def. Destouches (9)
2. Amateur: Andre Drapp def. Andre Leclerc (08:05)
3. Amateur: Andre Drapp def. Roger Cabaret (08:47)
4. Amateur: Andre Leclerc drew Destouches
5. Amateur: Robert Boulat drew Lejaille (20:00)
= There was a weightlifting competition as well.

14 June 1937
Nancy, France
Circus Pourtier
more than 2,000 fans
1. Amateur: Robert Boulat def. Andre Drapp (12:29)
2. Raymond Bukovac drew Lucien Malezieux
= An athletic event that featured wrestling (pro & amateur), cycling, fencing, boxing and weightlifting.

25 July 1937
Nancy, France
1. Amateur: Andre Drapp vs. Andre Leclerc
2. Amateur: Robert Boulat vs. Roger Cabaret

1 October 1937
Nancy, France
Salle du Rex
1. Amateur: Andre Drapp def. Roger Cabaret (16:30)
2. Robert Maixent drew Julien Depuichaffray
3. Albert Arnaud def. Rino Deon (27:20)
4. Lucien Malezieux def. Michel Colinos (24:23)
5. Raymond Bukovac drew Andre Trante

3 December 1937
Nancy, France
Salle du Rex
"packed house, record attendance for wrestling in this building"
1. Amateur match: Andre Leclerc def. Destouches (12:11)
2. Amateur match: Andre Drapp drew Lejaille (20:00)
3. Robert Beglot def. Felix Clody (24:55)
4. Albert Arnaud def. Roger Mollet (30:00) - on points
5. French Middleweight Title: Jean Bianconi (c) def. Andre Trante to retain his title (15:57, 1:47)

18 December 1937
Nancy, France
Brasserie Wagner
1. Amateur: Destouches drew Grasset (20:00)
2. Amateur: Andre Leclerc def. L'Huillier (10)
3. Amateur: Andre Drapp drew Robert Boulat (17 Drapp, 12, no one won the 3rd fall)
= There was weightlifting as well.

3 March 1938
Nancy, France
Casino de Nancy, France
"record attendance"
1. Amateur: Andre Leclerc def. Marcel Ferry (16:37)
2. Amateur: Andre Drapp drew Bailly
3. Andre Piroue def. Emile Rochez (22:36)
4. Roger Mollet def. Felix Clody (26:49)
5. European Middleweight Title: Alphonse Zwahlen (c) def. Rene Van Coppenolle to retain his title (12:35 Zwahlen, 9, 11:40)

9 April 1938
Nancy, France
Brasserie Wagner
1. Amateur (Greco-Roman): Voisin drew Le Mailloux
2. Amateur: Schoenmacker drew Hegy (15:00)
3. Amateur: Marcel Ferry drew Berthon (20:00)
4. Amateur: Destouches def. Larro (15)
5. Amateur: Andre Leclerc def. Grisey
6. Amateur: Andre Drapp def. Bailly (7 Bailly, 24, 5)

30 April 1938
Nancy, France
Brasserie Wagner
1. Amateur: Destouches vs. Marcel Ferry
2. Amateur: Andre Leclerc vs. Bailly
3. Amateur: Andre Drapp vs. Voisin

24 September 1938
Nancy, France
Brasserie Wagner
Amateur: Andre Drapp vs. Le Mailloux

22 October 1938
Nancy, France
Brasserie Wagner
Amateur tournament semi-final: Grisey def. Reyades (12)
Amateur tournament semi-final: Schoemmackers def. Larro (15) - on points
Amateur tournament semi-final: Hegy def. Berthon (14)
Amateur tournament semi-final: Destouches def. Charron (15)
Amateur tournament 3rd/4th place: Reyades def. Laro (15) - 3rd and 4th place, on points
Amateur: Andre Drapp def. Le Mailloux (15)
Amateur tournament final: Grisey def. Schoemmackers (13)

3 November 1938
Nancy, France
Casino de Nancy, France
"full"
1. Amateur: Destouches drew Grisey (20:00)
2. Otto Muller drew Louis Rudelle (30:00)
3. Robert Maixent def. Andre Drapp (30:00) - on points
4. Albert Arnaud def. Desire van der Sipp (17:25)
5. Stan Karolyi drew Emile Pouveroux (33:55 Karolyi, 09:53, no one won the 3rd fall)
= This was Andre Drapp's debut as a pro wrestler.

Newspaper headlines: before and after Andre Drapp's pro wrestling debut

Andre Drapp as he looked at the start of his career as a pro wrestler

8 December 1938
Nancy, France
Casino de Nancy, France
"full"
1. Gabriel Laurier def. Michel Colinos (15:10) - Laurier threw him out of the ring and Colinos could not continue after that
2. Andre Drapp drew Chebaly (30:00)
3. Raymond Bukovac def. Marcel Nonest (13)
4. Louis Loew def. Stan Karolyi (40 Loew, no one won the 2nd fall)

21 January 1939
Nancy, France
Brasserie Wagner
1. Amateur: Berthon def. Serve (15)
2. Amateur: Destouches drew Retygads (30:00)
3. Amateur: Le Mailloux def. Bailly (26)
4. Amateur: Grisey def. Andre Leclerc (19)
= There was a weightlifting competition as well.

13 February 1939
Nancy, France
Casino de Nancy
1. Amateur: Bailly def. Lohyer
2. Amateur: Destouches drew Le Mailloux (20:00)
3. Andre Drapp drew Robert Beglot (30:00)
4. Alphonse Zwahlen def. Albert Arnaud
5. Karol Nowina vs. Emile Pouveroux ended without a winner because Nowina injured his foot and could not continue (Nowina had won the 1st fall in 15:10)