Bill Longson

Title History

• NWA (San Francisco) Pacific Coast Heavyweight title defeating Sandor Szabo (November 15, 1938);
• NWA (San Francisco) Pacific Coast Heavyweight title defeating Bobby Managoff (June 10, 1941);
• NWA (San Francisco) Pacific Coast Heavyweight title defeating Frank Sexton (August 9, 1941);
• NWA World Heavyweight title defeating Sandor Szabo (February 19, 1942);
• NWA World Heavyweight title defeating Bobby Managoff (February 19, 1943);
• NWA World Heavyweight title defeating Lou Thesz (November 21, 1947);
• NWA (Central States) Heart of America Heavyweight title defeating Sonny Myers [Tournament] (May 18, 1950);
• NWA (Texas) World Tag Team titles w/Ike Eakins (August 1958);
• NWA Texas Brass Knuckles title defeating Fritz Von Erich (August 5, 1958);

Career Highlights

• Bill Longson had his back broken by Man Mountain Dean in a match that took place in the San Francisco territory..
• ~~~18 months later, Bill Longson returned to SF under a mask (as The Purple Shadow) to get his revenge on Dean..
• ~~~The Purple Shadow broke Man Mountain Dean’s leg and pulled off his mask and revealed his true identity….
• Bill Longson was a partner in the St. Louis territory/office after being the city’s biggest consistent draw of all-time
• December 12, 1982: Bill Longson passed away at the age of 76..
• 2006: Bill Longson was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in Schenectady, New York..