13 Facts About Jack Pfefer

Jack Pfefer was an American professional wrestling promoter during the early-to-mid twentieth century.

Jack Pfefer pioneered an earlier form of sports entertainment, as he was one of the first promoters to visualize the pro wrestling business in the mold of theater.

Jacob Pfefer was born near Warsaw, Vistula Land on December 10,1894.

Jack Pfefer grew up under the control of the Russian Empire; and it was during this period when the Czars issued numerous decrees against Jews, resulting in a series of pogroms that killed thousands amidst increased anti-Semitism.

Jack Pfefer therefore left as part of the era's mass Eastern European emigration following World War I, thus escaping the anti-Semitism by hiding in the boiler room of a ship to the United States.

Jack Pfefer arrived in the United States in 1921 while working as the manager for a touring acting company.

Jack Pfefer performed as the group's main talent manager, and he was primarily responsible for scouting potential European grapplers while overseeing the organization's financial books.

Jack Pfefer subsequently took the unprecedented step of revealing most of pro wrestling's secrets and inner workings, freely admitting the sport's "fakery" and theatrics.

Jack Pfefer then sold Levin's contract to Curley and Mondt in order to re-establish his industry ties; however, the Trust ultimately blew up when the other promoters refused to work alongside Jack Pfefer, thus ending the alliance as each territory began promoting its separate titleholders.

Jack Pfefer never retracted his stance that wrestling was more entertainment than competition; and he therefore distinguished himself from his peers by presenting shows as a form of theater, with exaggerated storylines and bizarre performers.

Jack Pfefer possessed a great eye for young talent, as he was instrumental in launching the career of Buddy Rogers; and he served as a chief promoter of women's grappling, booking the likes of Mildred Burke and the Fabulous Moolah over several decades.

Jack Pfefer died on September 13,1974, while at a Massachusetts nursing home.

Jack Pfefer was close friends with many of the wrestling personalities he worked with and had a habit of sending gifts to their families.