Title History
- NWA (Chicago) World Tag Team titles w/Nicoli Volkoff defeating Reggie & Stan Lisowski (December 15, 1956);
- NWA (Chicago) World Tag Team titles w/Nicoli Volkoff defeating Reggie & Stan Lisowski (February 22, 1958);
- NWA (Indianapolis) World Tag Team titles w/Nicoli Volkoff defeating Kurt & Karl Van Brauner (May 1965 in Memphis, TN);
Career Highlights
In The Beginning:
- Francis Zela served with the Merchant Marines in World War II when he met body builder Jack LaLayne..
- Francis Zela owned and operated health clubs including the All-American Health Club and the Acres Health Club in Calumet City..
- ~~~The weights in Zela’s clubs were custom made by his brother-in-law, John Koscielniak..
- ~~~Legends “Dick the Bruiser”, “Bobo Brazil”, “Sammy the Mongol”, “Golden Moose Cholak” and Ray Schafer trained there..
- Francis Zela dated one of the first female wrestlers ever, Dolores Nastoff, in the 1960’s..Boris Volkoff:
- 1964: Frank Zela became known as Boris Volkoff..
- 1960s: Boris Volkoff formed a tag team with his “fictional” brother Nicoli Volkoff (Steve Gobb), as the heel team Volkoff Brothers..
- ~~~They wrestled in Milwaukee, Green Bay, Detroit, Cleveland, South Bend, Indianapolis, Benton Harbor, Chicago & Georgia..Retirement:
- October 15, 2003: Francis Edward Zela died of congestive heart failure at age 76 in Las Vegas..
- ~~~Francis Zela is survived by his daughter Frankalene Zela Rae and son John Gerard Zela..