Don Curtis

Don Curtis
Birth name	Don Beitelman
Born	(1927-05-22)May 22, 1927 Buffalo, New York
Died	Jacksonville, Florida
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Don Curtis The Buffalo Bomber
Billed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Billed weight	190 lb (86 kg; 14 st)
Trained by	Lou Thesz
Debut	1951
Retired	1981

Don Curtis (born Don Beitelman) (May 22, 1927 – March 6, 2008) was an American professional wrestler, best known for being a member of a tag team with Mark Lewin in the 1950s and 1960s. During his partnership with Lewin, they won the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Curtis was a wrestling promoter in Jacksonville, Florida until 1981.

Professional wrestling career

Beitelman decided to become a professional wrestler in 1951, after working out with Lou Thesz. During his early career, he worked in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, appearing as "Don Curtis."

In 1958 promoter Eddie Graham teamed Curtis with Mark Lewin. Curtis and Lewin held the NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Northeast version) twice in 1958, trading it with Graham and his "brother" Jerry.

Curtis teamed up with Graham in May 1960 to win the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Florida version). He held the title with Joe Scarpa in October 1962; Bob Ellis in March 1964; and Jose Lothario in March 1967. He said later that he considered this his proudest accomplishment.

In 1962, Curtis moved to Florida and teamed with Joe Scarpa to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship (Florida version) from Kurt and Karl Von Brauner. In January 1963, he won the title with Lewin from The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Roy Heffernan). After vacating the title, Curtis and Lewin regained it in December from the Assassins. Lewin left the team the following month, and the title was once again vacated. In May 1964, Curtis teamed with Abe Jacobs to hold the title for the last time. In Jacksonville, Florida, Curtis promoted shows and managed the coliseum.

Personal life and death

Curtis attended the University at Buffalo, where he played football and was an amateur wrestler. He was the wrestling team captain during 1949 and 1950. He married Dottie Curtis, and used her easier to pronounce last name to wrestle under thereafter.

After retiring from professional wrestling, Curtis worked in real estate as well as managing the Jacksonville Coliseum. In 1980, he was inducted into the University of Buffalo Athletic Hall of Fame for wrestling and football.

On February 26, 2008, Curtis suffered a "massive stroke", and his wife, Dotty, released a statement that it was "due to a blood clot breaking loose and hitting the left side of his brain." He was admitted into the Mayo Clinic Hospice facility that day, and died on March 6, 2008 at the age of 80. In 2009, Curtis was posthumously inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum along with Mark Lewin (under the "Tag Team" category).

Championships and accomplishments

• Capitol Wrestling Corporation

• NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Northeast version) (2 times) - with Mark Lewin

• Cauliflower Alley Club
  • Other honoree (1997)
• National Wrestling Alliance
  • NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (3 times) - with Eddie Graham (1), Bob Ellis (1), Jose Lothario (1)
  • WWWF United States Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Mark Lewin
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (4 times) - with Mark Lewin (2), Joe Scarpa (1), Abe Jacobs (1)
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (1 time) - with Joe Scarpa
• Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
  • Class of 2009 (Tag Team) - with Mark Lewin