This is a list of various things that took place in 1956.
Significant events[]
January
- 5 - Heavyweight Wrestling, a program from Washington, D.C.'s Capitol Arena promoted by Vince McMahon Sr., makes its debut on Washington station WTTG.
June
- 21 – Heavyweight Wrestling enters syndication when it begins airing on WABD-TV in New York City as a summer replacement for the station's studio wrestling show and would soon become a permanent part of WABD's schedule.
September
- 8 – Boxer Archie Moore beats wrestler Roy Shire by KO in the third round of a boxer vs. wrestler bout in Ogden, Utah
- 18 - The Fabulous Moolah (competing as Slave Girl Moolah) defeats Judy Grable in a 13-woman battle royal in Baltimore, Maryland, to win the vacant World Women's Championship (though she is only recognized as champion in the Northeast, as she would not be universally recognized until 1964 by all NWA promoters, who continue to recognize June Byers as their champion until her retirement in January 1964). Moolah would go on to be recognized as having an uninterrupted championship reign for nearly 28 years (although in reality she had lost the NWA version of the belt three times; when she sold the title to the WWF in 1984, the previous title history -- except for Moolah's initial win -- is disregarded.)
November
- 26 – Vince McMahon Sr. promotes his first wrestling card at Madison Square Garden in New York City, which draws 10,400 fans to see an Antonino Rocca vs. Dick the Bruiser main event
Births[]
January
- 11- Kobayashi
- 17- Lasser
February
- 6 - Mimi Hagiwara
- 10 - Zulu
March
- 23 - Ryuma Go
May
- 11 - Espanto Jr.
- 24 - Super Parka
- 25 - Solar
July
- 27 - Fidel Sierra
August
- 30 - Vigilante
September
- 18- Super Kendo
October
- 12 - Emilio Charles Jr.
November
- 12 - Bill Anderson
December
- 12 - Coco Negro
- 20 - Hirata
- 31 - MS-1
Deaths[]
July
- 16 – Buck Weaver (Heart attack in the ring)
Debuts[]
Unknown date
Retirements[]
Unknown date
Events[]
Title changes[]
February
- 1 - Bob Wagner & Mighty Ursus defeat Ken Kenneth & Lu Kim to win the vacant NWA Northwest Tag Team Championship in Vancouver, British Columbia
- 18 - Bull Montana wins the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship from John Paul Henning in Eugene, Oregon
March
- 15 – Whipper Billy Watson wins the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Lou Thesz in Toronto, Ontario
April
- 7 – Wilbur Snyder wins the Chicago version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship from Verne Gagne in Chicago, Illinois
May
- 31 - Herb Freeman wins the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Bull Montana in Albany, Oregon
August
- 15 - Bud Curtis wins the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Herb Freeman in Salem, Oregon
September
- 26 - Stu Hart & Pat Meehan win the NWA Northwest Tag Team title by defeating Kurt von Poppenheim & Carl Redi in Vancouver (title may have been vacated prior to this date)
October
- 9 - Ed Francis wins the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Bud Curtis in Salem, Oregon
November
- 9 – Lou Thesz regains the NWA World title from Whipper Billy Watson in St. Louis, Missouri