ST. LOUIS — This past August, The National Wrestling Alliance held two nights of action at The Chase Park Plaza Hotel. Let’s rewind 62 years to the very beginning of Wrestling at the Chase.
“Wrestling at the Chase was one of those premier histories of St. Louis. It ran from 1959 to 1983, and it was during this time that St. Louis was one of the premier cities in America. St. Louis was the wrestling capital of the world, and everything centered around this glamorous, opulent hotel – The Chase Park Plaza,” said Ed Wheatley, author of the new book, Wrestling at the Chase.
The ring was in the historic Khorassan Ballroom where fancy weddings and black-tie events are held today. Back then, people also dressed to the nines to see wrestling up close and personal.
Ed says it was the hottest ticket in town, but if you couldn’t get seats, you could watch it on Saturday nights on KPLR. Channel 5 also had a wrestling past, which is detailed in the book.
With wrestling back at the Chase for two days in August, you might be wondering if it will continue. “There is discussion about future events here. They helped me with the book, too, and I got to be a part of what they put here last August. And I think the fact that wrestling was back at the Chase is something very special,” said Ed.
To purchase the book, visit reedypress.com.
On November 4, there will be a book event featuring Florissant’s own WWE wrestling legend Cowboy Bob Orton Jr. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids. Ticket proceeds will be donated to Historic Florissant, Inc. For more information, visit florissantmo.com/theatre.