In the 1950s, before pro football and major league baseball arrived in the Twin Cities, pro wrestling had a place on the sports pages of the local newspapers. The story below is from the Minneapolis Morning Tribune.
There’s a lot to admire about old-time pro wrestling. As far as I know, grapplers did not use steroids or demand new arenas at public expense. But I can’t get the rules straight. It was legal to give your opponent a ferocious eye gouge, sleeper hold or pile driver. But rub a little salt in the eye? That was cheating.
Gagne
Wins on
Reversal
Vern[e] Gagne was declared the winner over Mitsu Arakawa on a reversed decision Tuesday night before 2,988 fans at the Auditorium. The time was 22:15 in the one-hour time limit match.

Verne Gagne in about 1953.
Gagne pinned Arakawa initially with the drop kick but the referee was incapacitated at the time, having collided with the wrestlers.
It was when the referee was out of action that Mitsu employed his salt trick. Several fans along with the boxing promoters jumped into the ring to call attention to the violation.
In the semi-windup, Stan and Reggie Lisowski of Milwaukee defeated Tex McKenzie and Chet Wallich.
Verne Gagne, 225, Excelsior, won by reversed decision over Mitsu Arakawa, 238, Japan, 22:15.
Stan Lisowski, 254, Milwaukee, pinned Tex McKenzie, 275, Houston, 8:15; McKenzie pinned Stan, 10:40; Reggie Lisowski, 257, pinned Chet Wallich, 237, Hollywood, 6:10.
Bearcat Wright, 270, Omaha, pinned El Toro, 300, 13:50.
Joe Pazandak, 245, Medicine Lake, pinned Johnny Nellis, 212, Belgium, 12:20.

Verne Gagne's championship belt was on display at the Minnesota History Center in 2014.
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More From Star Tribune
More From Blogs
Access Vikings

Less physicality is more for Kevin O'Connell's Vikings this offseason
Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand discuss the new regime taking a less is more approach to spring practices, what we learned from assistant coaches and the recent Cooper Kupp extension through Justin Jefferson's lens.
Access Vikings
Vikings mailbag: Another free agent? Secondary depth? No. 1 weakness to fix?
The current outlook at cornerback and receiver, some interesting available free agents, last year's weaknesses and the defensive transition are among your questions.
Access Vikings
Vikings release Willekes, sign veteran defensive end Bullard
Jonathan Bullard, 28, reunites with two Vikings assistant coaches from his past. He's played with five teams over his seven-season career.
Access Vikings
![Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell takes to the field at the TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minn., on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. ] Elizabeth Flor](https://chorus.stimg.co/23603980/merlin_67590881.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Vikings wrap OTAs with receiver outlook in flux, 'player ownership' underway
Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand discuss what one play in OTAs says about rookie coach Kevin O'Connell's approach on offense and much more.
Access Vikings

Vikings mailbag: Which rookies and second-year players will step up?
The defensive shift from Mike Zimmer's 4-3 defensive front to 3-4 schemes and need for depth on offense will open up roles for younger players.