WWWF United States Tag Team Championship
| WWWF United States Tag Team Championship | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||||||||
| Details | |||||||||||||
| Promotion | Capitol Wrestling Corporation World Wide Wrestling Federation | ||||||||||||
| Date established | July 1958[1][2] | ||||||||||||
| Date retired | July 29, 1967[1][2] | ||||||||||||
| Other name(s) | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
The WWWF United States Tag Team Championship was the first version of the main tag team title in the World Wide Wrestling Federation from 1963 until 1967. Originally, the WWWF was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance operating out of the Northeast and was called the Capitol Wrestling Corporation. The championship began as Capitol Wrestling's territorial version of the NWA United States Tag Team Championship from 1958 until 1963.[1][2]
Reigns
[edit]
Don Curtis and Mark Lewin, the inaugural holders of the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship, at the time known as a version of the NWA United States Tag Team Championship.
Over the championship's nine-year history, there were 31 reigns between 23 teams composed of 36 individual champions and one vacancy. Don Curtis and Mark Lewin were the inaugural champions, while Bruno Sammartino and Spiros Arion were the final. As a team, The Golden Grahams (Eddie Graham and Dr. Jerry Graham) have the most reigns at four, while individually, Jerry has the most reigns at six. The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Roy Heffernan) had the longest reign at 399 days for their third reign, while Sammartino and Arion have the shortest determinable reign at 5 days; The Golden Grahams possibly have the shortest reign at 2 days for their third reign, but the reign length is undeterminable, lasting anywhere from 2 days to 32 days.
Names
[edit]| Name | Years |
|---|---|
| NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Northeast version) | July 1, 1958 – April 1963 |
| WWWF United States Tag Team Championship | April 1963 – July 30, 1967 |
| No. | Overall reign number |
|---|---|
| Reign | Reign number for the specific team—reign numbers for the individuals are in parentheses, if different |
| Days | Number of days held |
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | ||||||
| Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) | ||||||||||
| 1 | Don Curtis and Mark Lewin | July 1, 1958 | House show | Kansas City, MO | 1 | 65[b] | Defeated Dick the Bruiser and Hans Schmidt in a tournament final to become the inaugural champions. | [1][2] | ||
| 2 | The Golden Grahams (Eddie Graham and Dr. Jerry Graham) |
September 4, 1958 | House show | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 98 | [3] | |||
| 3 | Don Curtis and Mark Lewin | December 11, 1958 | House show | Washington, D.C. | 2 | 167 | [1][2] | |||
| 4 | The Golden Grahams (Eddie Graham and Dr. Jerry Graham) |
May 27, 1959 | House show | Bridgeport, CT | 2 | 66–96[c] | [4] | |||
| — | Vacated | August 1959 | — | — | — | — | Championship was vacated when Eddie Graham left the promotion.. | [1][2] | ||
| 5 | Dr. Jerry Graham (3) and Johnny Valentine | November 14, 1959 | House show | West Hempstead, NY | 1 | 108–138[d] | Defeated Don Curtis and Mark Lewin to win the vacant championship. | [5] | ||
| 6 | The Golden Grahams (Dr. Jerry Graham (4) and Eddie Graham) |
March 1960 | House show | New Haven, CT | 3 | 2–32[e] | Eddie Graham returned and took over Johnny Valentine's half of the championship. | [6] | ||
| 7 | The Bastiens Brothers (Lou Bastien and Red Bastien) |
April 2, 1960 | House show | New Haven, CT | 1 | 14 | [7] | |||
| 8 | The Golden Grahams (Eddie and Dr. Jerry Graham (5)) |
April 16, 1960 | House show | New Haven, CT | 4 | 7 | [8] | |||
| 9 | The Bastiens Brothers (Lou Bastien and Red Bastien) |
April 23, 1960 | House show | Chicago, IL | 2 | 89 | [9] | |||
| 10 | The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Roy Heffernan) |
July 21, 1960 | House show | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 18 | [10] | |||
| 11 | The Bastiens Brothers (Lou Bastien and Red Bastien) |
August 8, 1960 | House show | Washington, D.C. | 3 | 16 | [1][2] | |||
| 12 | The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Roy Heffernan) |
August 24, 1960 | House show | Bridgeport, CT | 2 | 87 | [1][2] | |||
| 13 | Buddy Rogers and Johnny Valentine (2) | November 19, 1960 | House show | Teaneck, NJ | 1 | 19 | [1][2] | |||
| 14 | The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Roy Heffernan) |
December 8, 1960 | House show | Washington, D.C. | 3 | 399 | Defeated Chief Big Heart and Johnny Valentine to win the championship. | [1][2] | ||
| 15 | “Cowboy” Bob Ellis and Johnny Valentine (3) | January 11, 1962 | House show | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 175 | [1][2] | |||
| 16 | Buddy Rogers (2) and Johnny Barend | July 5, 1962 | Washington DC TV | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 245 | [1][2] | |||
| World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | ||||||||||
| 17 | Buddy Austin and The Great Scott | March 7, 1963 | Washington DC TV | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 70 | The Championship was renamed the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship in April 1963 | [1][2] | ||
| 18 | Brute Bernard and Skull Murphy | May 16, 1963 | Washington DC TV | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 182 | [1][2] | |||
| 19 | Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski | November 14, 1963 | Washington DC TV | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 44 | [1][2] | |||
| 20 | The Tolos Brothers (John Tolos and Chris Tolos) |
December 28, 1963 | House show | Teaneck, NJ | 1 | 35–62[f] | [1][2] | |||
| 21 | Don McClarity and Vittorio Apollo | February 1964 | House show | New Haven, CT | 1 | 21–48[g] | [1][2] | |||
| 22 | Dr. Jerry Graham (6) and Luke Graham | March 20, 1964 | House show | New Haven, CT | 1 | 321 | [1][2] | |||
| 23 | Gene Kiniski and Waldo Von Erich | February 4, 1965 | Washington DC TV | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 63 | [1][2] | |||
| 24 | Bill Watts and Gorilla Monsoon (2) | April 8, 1965 | Washington DC TV | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 119 | [1][2] | |||
| 25 | The Miller Brothers (Bill Miller and Dan Miller) |
August 5, 1965 | Washington DC TV | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 200 | [1][2] | |||
| 26 | Antonio Pugliese and Johnny Valentine (4) | February 21, 1966 | House show | New York City, NY | 1 | 213 | [1][2] | |||
| 27 | Baron Mikel Scicluna and Smasher Sloan | September 22, 1966 | Washington DC TV | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 77 | This was a two-out-of-three falls match. Scicluna and Smasher Sloan were given the belts by heel-turned Antonio Pugliese when Johnny Valentine was injured in the second fall after winning the first fall. | [1][2] | ||
| 28 | Antonio Pugliese (2) and Spiros Arion | December 8, 1966 | Washington DC TV | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 175–204[h] | [1][2] | |||
| 29 | Arnold Skaaland and Spiros Arion (2) | June 1966 | House show | Atlantic City, NJ | 1 | 10–39[i] | Antonio Pugliese left the WWWF and Skaaland was awarded half of the title. | [1][2] | ||
| 30 | The Sicilians (Lou Albano and Tony Altimore) |
July 10, 1967 | House show | Atlantic City, NJ | 1 | 14 | Defeated Arnold Skaaland and Chuck Richards to win the championship. | [1][2] | ||
| 31 | Bruno Sammartino and Spiros Arion (3) | July 24, 1967 | House show | Atlantic City, NJ | 1 | 5 | [1][2] | |||
| — | Deactivated | July 29, 1967 | — | — | — | — | Bruno Sammartino was also the WWWF champion and thus unable to defend both championships. | [1] | ||
Combined reigns
[edit]By team
[edit]| ¤ | The exact length of at least one title reign is uncertain, so the shortest possible length is used. |
By wrestler
[edit]| Rank | Wrestler | No. of reigns |
Combined days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. Jerry Graham | 6 | 632¤ |
| 2 | Al Costello | 3 | 514 |
| Roy Heffernan | 3 | 514 | |
| 4 | Johnny Valentine | 4 | 505¤ |
| 5 | Antonio Pugliese | 2 | 388¤ |
| 6 | Luke Graham | 1 | 321 |
| 7 | Buddy Rogers | 2 | 254 |
| 8 | Johnny Barend | 1 | 245 |
| 9 | Mark Lewin | 2 | 232 |
| Don Curtis | 2 | 232 | |
| 11 | Spiros Arion | 3 | 219¤ |
| 12 | Dan Miller | 1 | 200 |
| Dr. Bill Miller | 1 | 200 | |
| 14 | Skull Murphy | 1 | 182 |
| Brute Bernard | 1 | 182 | |
| 16 | Bob Ellis | 1 | 175 |
| 17 | Eddie Graham | 4 | 171¤ |
| 18 | Gorilla Monsoon | 2 | 163 |
| 19 | Red Bastien | 3 | 119 |
| Lou Bastien | 3 | 119 | |
| Bill Watts | 1 | 119 | |
| 22 | Baron Mikel Scicluna | 1 | 77 |
| Smasher Sloan | 1 | 77 | |
| 24 | Buddy Austin | 1 | 70 |
| Great Scott | 1 | 70 | |
| 26 | Gene Kiniski | 1 | 63 |
| Waldo Von Erich | 1 | 63 | |
| 28 | Killer Kowalski | 1 | 44 |
| 29 | John Tolos | 1 | 35¤ |
| Chris Tolos | 1 | 35¤ | |
| 31 | Don McClarity | 1 | 21¤ |
| Vittorio Apollo | 1 | 21¤ | |
| 33 | Lou Albano | 1 | 14 |
| Tony Altimore | 1 | 14 | |
| 35 | Arnold Skaaland | 1 | 10¤ |
| 36 | Bruno Sammartino | 1 | 5 |
See also
[edit]
- List of former championships in WWE
- Tag team championships in WWE
- Professional wrestling in the United States
Notes
[edit]- ^ The Golden Grahams (Eddie Graham and Dr. Jerry Graham) possibly have the shortest reign at 2 days for their third reign, but the reign length is undeterminable, lasting anywhere from 2 days to 32 days.
- ^ The exact date that Don Curtis and Mark Lewin won the championship is uncertain, which means the reign lasted between 35 and 65 days.
- ^ The exact date the championship was vacated is uncertain, which means The Golder Grahams' second reign lasted between 66 and 96 days.
- ^ The exact date that Dr. Jerry Graham and Johnny Valentine's championship reign ended is uncertain, which means that the reign lasted between 108 and 138 days.
- ^ The exact date where The Golden Grahams won the championship is uncertain, which means that the championship reign lasted between 2 and 32 days.
- ^ The exact date that the Tolos Brothers lost the championship is uncertain, which means that the reign lasted between 35 and 62 days.
- ^ The exact date that Don McLarity and Vittorio Apollo won the championship is uncertain, which means that the reign lasted between 21 and 48 days.
- ^ The exact date that Antonio Pugliese and Spiros Arion's reign ended is uncertain, which means that the championship reign lasted between 175 and 204 days.
- ^ The exact date that Arnold Skaaland and Arion became champions is uncertain, which means that the championship reign lasted between 375 and 404 days.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai Will, Gary; Duncan, Royal (2000). "United States: 19th century & widely defended titles - NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: WWWF U.S Tag Team Title [McMahon]". Wrestling Title Histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. p. 28. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah "= WWWF United States Tag Team Title [Capitol / WWWF]". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (September 4, 1958). "NWA Capitol Wrestling - Event @ Capitol Arena in Washington, District Of Columbia, USA". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (May 27, 1959). "NWA Capitol Wrestling - Event @ Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (November 14, 1959). "NWA Capitol Wrestling - Event @ Island Garden in West Hempstead, New York, USA". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (March 10, 1960). "NWA Capitol Wrestling TV - TV-Show @ Capitol Arena in Washington, District Of Columbia, USA". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (April 2, 1960). "NWA Capitol Wrestling - Event @ New Haven, Connecticut, USA". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (April 16, 1960). "NWA Capitol Wrestling - Event @ New Haven, Connecticut, USA". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (April 23, 1960). "NWA Capitol Wrestling - Event @ Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, USA". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (July 21, 1960). "NWA Capitol Wrestling TV - TV-Show @ Capitol Arena in Washington, District Of Columbia, USA". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 18, 2021.