WRESTLER PROFILES

	Wrestler: Duke Keomuka Real Name: Hisao "Martin" Tanaka Birthday: Hometown: Born in California Marital Status: Height & Weight: Trained by: Debut: 1947 Previous Names: Hisao Tanaka (Hawaii) Finishing Move: The Karate Chop Favorite Moves: The Karate Kick Salt in the Eyes The Legdrop Notable Feuds: Bud Curtis Tito Montez Lee Grable Jimmy Lott Eddie Graham Indio Joe The Crusader Torres Brothers Tony Marino The Medics George Strickland Ricky Romero Bruno Sammartino Tolos Brothers Danny Hodge
NWA Hawaii Heavyweight title -as Hisao Tanaka- defeating Lee Grable (August 8, 1948); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Danny Savich defeating Rito Romero & Miguel Guzman (November 30, 1950); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Danny Savich defeating [Awarded when Killer Kowalski vacated] (December 1950); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Danny Savich defeating Timothy Geohagen & Big Humphrey (June 1951); NWA Texas Heavyweight title defeating Ray Gunkel (August 17, 1951); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Ivan Kalmikoff defeating Rito Romero & Miguel Guzman (January 25, 1952); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Mr. Moto defeating Miguel Guzman & Ray Gunkel (February 26, 1952); NWA Texas Heavyweight title defeating Ray Gunkel (September 26, 1952); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Danny Savich defeating Rito Romero & Miguel Guzman (October 7, 1952); NWA Texas Heavyweight title defeating Cyclone Ayala (December 1952); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Don Evans defeating ????? & ????? (August 1954); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Danny Savich defeating Rito Romero & Pepper Gomez (October 4, 1955); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Tiny Mills defeating Ray Gunkel & Wilbur Snyder (December 12, 1955); NWA Texas Heavyweight title defeating Pepper Gomez (December 1955); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Kinji Shibuya defeating Pepper Gomez & Luigi Macera (February 21, 1956); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Tony Martin defeating Mike DiBiase & Danny Plechas (July 27, 1956); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Tokyo Joe defeating ????? & ????? (May 1957); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Mr. Moto defeating Ivan the Terrible & Nikita Zolotoff (October 14, 1957); NWA (Mid Atlantic) Southern Tag Team titles w/Mr. Moto defeating George Becker & Dick Steinborn (March 31, 1958); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/John Tolos defeating Pepper Gomez & Larry Chene (June 24, 1958); NWA (Mid Atlantic) Southern Tag Team titles w/Mr. Moto defeating George Becker & Billy Two Rivers (July 6, 1959); NWA (Texas) World Tag Team titles w/Mr. Moto defeating ????? & ????? (September 25, 1959); NWA Texas Heavyweight title defeating Torbellino Blanco (June 22, 1960); Ohio Tag Team titles w/Sato Keomuka defeating Doc Gallagher & Mike Gallagher (November 26, 1960); NWA (Ohio) United States Tag Team titles w/Sato Keouma defeating ?????? & ?????? (April 1961); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Maurice Vachon defeating Torbellino Blanco & ???????? (December 1960); NWA (Texas) World Tag Team titles w/Tony Martin defeating Rito Romero & Dory Dixon (May 26, 1961); NWA (Texas) World Tag Team titles w/Taro Miyake defeating Tarzan Tyler & The Alaskan (September 7, 1962); NWA (Texas) World Tag Team titles w/Taro Miyake defeating Mike Clancy & Red McKim (October 12, 1962); NWA (Florida) World Tag Team titles w/Hiro Matsuda defeating Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres (June 6, 1963); NWA (Florida) World Tag Team titles w/Hiro Matsuda defeating Skull Murphy & Brute Bernard (March 19, 1964); NWA (Florida) World Tag Team titles w/Hiro Matsuda defeating Skull Murphy & Brute Bernard (April 10, 1964); NWA (Florida) World Tag Team titles w/Hiro Matsuda defeating Tarzan Tyler & Fred Blassie (March 22, 1965); NWA (Texas) World Tag Team titles w/Kanji (Antonio) Inoki defeating ????? & ????? (Late 1965); NWA (Texas) World Tag Team titles w/Fritz Von Erich defeating The Destroyer & Golden Terror (March 1, 1966);
Duke Keomuka (Real Name: Hisao Tanaka) is the father of Pat Tanaka and CWF referee Jimmy Tanaka.. Duke Keomuka was a top star in the 50s and 60s and as a heel in Texas before settling in Florida.. 1950s: Duke Keomuka formed a tag team with Hiro Matsuda -- they both part-owners of the promotion after buying into the office.. 1967--NWA Turnpike Stadium: Duke Keomuka defeated The Destroyer (Dick Beyer).. 1991: Duke Keomuka passed away at the age of 70.. DAVID wrote: I noticed that you have an article about Duke's significant fueds. I assume that it was all entertainment, but I can tell you about one of his bouts, that I think was not put on. Apparently there was bad feelings between Duke and Timothy Geohagen and they had a loser leaves town fight at the north side colliseum in Ft Worth, Texas. I do not remember the date. I was at ringside and I saw Duke beat the living crap out of Geohagen. He was a bloody mess and had to be carried from the ring. I never saw or heard about him again. As I best recall, the referree was Leo Voss. I noticed that other wrestlers came from the dressing room to watch. This was to me a sure sign that it was the real thing, and not just entertainment.