Vtg WPAA WORLD PROFESSIONAL ARMWRESTLING ASSOCIATION T SHIRT 70s 80s Grand Prix
Rare and fantastic vintage WORLD PROFESSIONAL ARMWRESTLING ASSOCIATION T-SHIRT!! Soft, maroon, 50/50 cotton blend shirt with print on front. No holes or stains noted. Marked size adult XL, but fits most like a Large.
Vintage and pre-owned sizes vary. Check measurements to ensure fit. It measures 21 inches (53.3 cm) across the chest and 28 inches (71.1 cm) from the back of the collar area to the bottom. In the early'70s, Steve Simons, an investment banker, caught the World Wristwrestling Championship on ABC's Wide World of Sports. Steve felt that he could improve armwrestling and make it grow by doing things such as offering monetary rewards to the winners, tidying up the rules, and running tournaments in different parts of the country.
Undeterred, Steve decided that with his background in sports and entertainment, he had the ability to form a company and run an armwrestling tournament circuit himself. To get things off on the right foot, he partnered with Marvin Cohen, a college friend and armwrestler with experience in the sport, to form the World Professional Armwrestling Association (WPAA) in late spring of 1974. The WPAA Grand Prix Circuit increased in size every year during the'70s.The 1976 series included stops in approximately a dozen cities, the 1977 series included 18 cities, and the 1978 series included stops in 21 cities plus the Canadian and British Championships. In the late'80s, attendance levels at the WPAA World Championships were dropping. WPAA tournaments continued to be held into the'90s.
The final World Championship believed to have offered cash prizes was the 1993 Las Vegas event. WPAA World Championships were held for at least two more years, before the WPAA finally made its silent exit. During the 21 years of its existence, the WPAA held approximately 500 events.