House of Deception - Wrestler Author Jack Laskin

In the article below, originally posted on Mark Nulty's WrestlingClassics.com, esteemed
wrestling historian and sports writer J Michael Kenyon sheds light on a few of wrestler Jack
Laskin's appearances in US and Canadian venues. (Laskin was known for his sojourning ways
during his wrestling career.) Kenyon also alludes to Laskin's book, One of the Boys, to The
House of Deception web site, and to the annual Cauliflower Alley Club (CAC) reunion in Las
Vegas--all in his inimitable style.

(Wrestling Classics, December 24, 2005)

By J Michael Kenyon

For the benefit of those just being introduced to Jack Laskin and Duff Johnson � both always high or
at the top of the list of those erudite CAC members residing in the Pacific time zone � let me assure
you, Mascara Carmesi, that only one of them (insofar as I am aware) ever wore a mask. That would
have been Mr. Laskin, especially during those years when he toiled behind the scenes for the Roy
Shire promotion based in northern California and, when the need arose, filled in on the occasional
card as wrestling�s most generic character � the Masked Marvel.

Seriously, CM [contributor Crimson Mask], thanks for introducing the group to not only Duff�s
fascinating web site (he is, as you may have surmised, a teacher) and to Jack�s excellent memoir of
his days on and around the mat. It is a good thing you have done while searching for, of all people,
the irrefutably nasty Senor Assirati.

If anyone should be so lucky as to encounter either or both Messrs. Laskin and Johnson, I heartily
recommend that you encourage them to belly up to the bar (it shouldn�t take too much of a nudge)
and share some worldly views, as time allows. Each is a devout conversationalist of the highest stripe.

Oh, and by the way, Jack wasn�t always globetrotting. He spent quite a bit of his time working in
North America, and for some of the best offices. To wit, a few bookings of his, here and there:

Toronto ON: May 14, 1953
Whipper Billy Watson & Tim Geohagen drew Lord Athol Layton & Lord Blears � Nanjo Singh beat
JACK LASKIN

Dundas ON: May 23, 1953
Gorgeous George beat Lord Blears (dq) � Tim Geohagen drew Red Mask � JACK LASKIN drew
Steve Stanlee

Houston TX: October 7, 1955
(City Aud) � (tournament: first round) Paul DeGalles vs Greg Jarque ... Pepper Gomez vs Great
Scott ... JACK LASKIN vs Stu Gibson ... Wilbur Snyder vs Tony Martin ... Rito Romero vs Doug
Donovan ... Duke Keomuka vs Ray Gunkel (Tiny Mills was a late sub & won the tournament) �
Tiny Mills beat Pepper Gomez

Houston TX: November 25, 1955
(City Aud, att. 5,000) � Pepper Gomez beat Duke Keomuka (2-1) � Tiny Mills beat Hans
Hermann � Doug Donovan beat Wilbur Snyder � Rito Romero beat Tony Morelli � Ray Gunkel
beat JACK LASKIN � Larry Chene beat Paul DeGalles � NOTE: As stipulated, main-event loser
Duke Keomuka was forced to ride a donkey from in front of the City Auditorium down to the Rice
Hotel and back

Jacksonville FL: June 28, 1956
(Arena, att. 1,005) ... (Ladies) Corine Cordero beat China Mira ... Don Whittler & Whitey Whittler
beat Gino (Red) Vagnone & Harry Smith ... JACK LASKIN drew Benny Matta

St. Petersburg FL: July 4, 1956
(Armory) ... Whitey Whittler beat Chris Zaharias (2-1, dq) ... Referee: Sam Evans ... JACK LASKIN
drew Don Whittler ... (Ladies) Jean Wright beat Dot Dotson (dq)

Tampa FL: July 9, 1956
(Muny Aud, att. 1,353) ... (Boxing Match) Danny Nardico beat Whitey Whittler (DQ6) ... JACK
LASKIN beat Red Vagnone ... (Ladies) China Mira beat Dot Dotson ... Chuck Benson drew Bob
Demarce

Orlando FL: July 23, 1956
(Arena, att. 519) ... Ray Villmer drew Red Vagnone (nc) ... Referees: Milo Steinborn, Charles (Swami)
Dantos ... Danny Nardico beat Bob Demarce (dq) ... Benny Matta drew JACK LASKIN

Jacksonville FL: July 26, 1956
(Arena, att. 1,014) ... (Midgets) Tito Infante & Cowboy Bradley beat Ivan the Terrible & Tiny Roe ...
Whitey Whittler beat Bob Demarce ... JACK LASKIN beat Lou Klein

Charlotte NC: September 3, 1956
(Texas Royal Rules) George Becker and Jack Witzig beat Tiny Mills and Karl Von Hess � Billy Red
Lyons beat Jim Laskin ... Jim Austeri beat Angelo Martinelli

Fort Worth TX: November 3, 1958
Enrique Guzman vs Mr. Moto � Pepper Gomez vs Danny McShain � (Ladies) Ann Regan vs Sylvia
Torres � Duke Keomuka vs Nick Kozak � Yaqui Bravo vs George Curtis � Leo Garibaldi vs JACK
LASKIN � Al Costello & Roy Heffernan beat Luis Martinez & Sugi Sito

Toronto ON: December 4, 1958
(MLG, att. 4,200) � Whipper Billy Watson & Yukon Eric beat Fritz Von Erich & Hans Hermann
(17:06, dq) � Gene Kiniski beat Guy Brunetti � Claude Dassary beat Joe Brunetti � Ivan Kalmikoff
& Karol Kalmikoff beat Dara Singh & Al Korman � JACK LASKIN drew George Pencheff

Toronto ON: October 1, 1959
(East York Arena) ... Whipper Billy Watson beat Hard Boiled Haggerty (12:51) ... Don Leo Jonathan
beat JACK LASKIN ... Tim Geohagen beat Ken Kenneth ... Pat Flanagan beat Bud Cody ... Yvon
Losier beat Tiger Tasker

San Antonio TX: December 16, 1959
(Muny Aud) � Pepper Gomez (sub for Mike DiBiase) beat Wild Bull Curry � (Bear vs Man) Tokyo
Rose beat Maurice Vachon � Silento Rodriguez & Yaqui Bravo & Cyclone Anaya & Eddie
Montemayor vs Bad Boy Hines & Billy Strong & JACK LASKIN & Ace of Spades � Eddie
Montemayor beat Ace of Spades (dq) � Cyclone Anaya beat JACK LASKIN � Yaqui Bravo beat
Billy Strong � Silento Rodriguez beat Bad Boy Hines

Oakland CA: March 4, 1960
(Auditorium) ... Leo Nomellini & Gene (Big Daddy) Lipscomb beat Roy Heffernan & Hombre
Montana ... Enrique Torres beat Steve Stanlee ... Don Manoukian beat JACK LASKIN

Oakland CA: March 11, 1960
(Auditorium) ... Al Costello & Tom Rice w/Wild Red Berry beat Enrique Torres & Alberto Torres ...
Ronnie Etchison beat Ramon Cernades ... JACK LASKIN drew Bud Curtis ... Promoter: Ad Santel ...
NOTE: An Oakland Tribune story from a day earlier details how Santel, who has promoted in the
Auditorium since 1932, could be in danger of losing Friday nights to Roller Derby once his current
lease expires at the end of June -- but the City Council appears to be in his corner.

Oakland CA: March 25, 1960
(Auditorium) ... Al Costello & Roy Heffernan beat Enrique Torres & Ronnie Etchison (2-1) ... Alberto
Torres beat Wild Red Berry ... JACK LASKIN drew Hombre Montana

Oakland CA: July 29, 1960
(Auditorium) ... Ben Sharpe & Jay York (as The Alaskan) beat Enrique Torres & Sammy Berg (2-1)
... Ricky Romero beat Steve Stanlee ... JACK LASKIN drew Alberto Torres