50th State Big Time Wrestling

50th State Big Time Wrestling
Founded1936[1]
Defunct1988[2]
HeadquartersHonolulu, Hawaii, United States[1]
Founder(s)Al Karasick
Owner(s)Al Karasick (1936–1961)[3][4]
Ed Francis (1961–1979)[5]
Steve Rickard (1979–1980)[2]
Peter Maivia (1980–1982)[2]
Lia Maivia (1982–1988)[2]
ParentMid-Pacific Promotions
Formerly50th State Big Time Wrestling (1936-1979)
Polynesian Pro Wrestling (1980-1988)

50th State Big Time Wrestling (sometimes referred to as NWA Hawaii or Mid-Pacific Promotions) was a professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii in the United States that promoted professional wrestling matches throughout Hawaii. The promotion was founded by Al Karasick in 1936 and became a member of the National Wrestling Alliance in 1949. In 1961, Karasick sold the promotion to "Gentleman" Ed Francis. Along with his business partner Lord James Blears, Francis created a "golden age" of professional wrestling in Hawaii that lasted throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, with 50th State Big Time Wrestling becoming one of Hawaii's most-watched programs.[6] In 1979, Francis sold the promotion to Steve Rickard, who one year later sold it to Peter Maivia, who renamed it Polynesian Pro Wrestling (sometimes referred to as Polynesian Championship Wrestling).[1][7] The promotion came to an end in 1988.[2]

  1. ^ a b c "Mid-Pacific Promotions (Mid-Pacific)". Cagematch.net. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference VonSlagle was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hornbaker2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Solomon2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Cisco1999 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ohira2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Big Time Wrestling / Mid-Pacific Promotions". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved November 7, 2017.