St. Louis has always been a ‘Rasslin’ Town

Grappling in the Gateway City has a rich tradition

With last week’s news about the passing of pro wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, many longtime fans had mixed emotions. While they respect his professional accomplishments, he lost a lot of his followers due to some personal flaws and even his political leanings.

Despite that, The Hulkster was still the man who ushered in the modern era of wrestling, taking it to a global level that had never been achieved before. And along the way, he made himself (and many others) a boatload of money. So even his biggest detractors still have a somewhat begrudging respect for him.

But long before Hogan started dropping the big leg and tearing t-shirts, the capital of professional wrestling was St. Louis. With the legendary Sam Muchnick as the promoter, our fair city became known among grapplers as the place that you had to make it if you wanted to become the world champion. Muchnick was also the president of the National Wrestling Alliance for several years, the governing body of the sport. So, his opinion with the performers and the other promoters carried a lot of weight.

Every notable star of his day appeared in St. Louis at one time or another, as fans watched names like Ric Flair, King Kong Brody, and the Von Erichs become stars right in front of their eyes. 

But the jewel of pro wrestling in the STL was Wrestling at the Chase—our own, local programming, broadcast on KPLR-11. Airing from 1959 - 1983, the show drew higher ratings in town than anything except the Cardinal games and the local news. Along the way, it became a fixture in St. Louis pop culture. Not only for the great action, but for how unique the setting was.

Emanating from the Chase Hotel, the show became as much a social gathering as it was a sporting event. In an era when many pro wrestling promotions were airing from small TV studios or worn-out local arenas, Wrestling at the Chase took place in a lavish ballroom. In its heyday, the clientele would be rather upscale, with men wearing jackets and ties and women in dresses and heels.

Meanwhile, at home, some grandma was likely screaming at her television because a dastardly villain was getting away with cheating, right behind the referee’s back. 

The characters surrounding the show were just as well-known as the wrestling stars. Whether it was play-by-play man Larry Matysik or ring announcer Mickey Gargiola, they became as well-known around town as anyone. (And for goodness' sake… at one time, it seemed like everyone knew Mickey and had a story or two about him).

Following Muchnick’s retirement on New Year’s Day, 1982, the program would trudge on a while longer before the St. Louis market was swallowed up by Vince McMahon and his more cartoonish form of pro wrestling. An unstoppable change was taking place in the industry, as it became bigger, brighter, and more buffoonish. Many local fans stopped watching altogether when the presentation changed in the mid-1980s.

However, a new generation of fans has embraced modern professional wrestling, and WWE regularly sells out shows and hosts huge pay-per-view events here. Many younger fans likely don’t remember Wrestling at the Chase, and have probably only heard an older relative mention it.

But for those who experienced it, the show and the style of St. Louis wrestling in general will always have a special place in our hearts. From the first match in the late 50s until the final bell… it was the greatest ‘night at the matches’ that we’ve ever seen.

Ryan K Boman is a freelance writer and the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter: A Collection of Essays Looking at Like with Love & Laughter. His previous work has appeared at, MSN, Heavy, the Miami Herald, Screen Rant, FanSided, and Yardbarker. Follow him on X @RyanKBoman