Sam Muchnick - NWA President

NWA President

In 1950, Sam Muchnick was named the new President of the NWA, a position to which he would be unanimously re-elected for the next nine years due to the immense trust that he inspired among the various members of the organization. With Sam at the helm, the NWA became the dominant governing body in pro wrestling, as nearly every major wrestling territory across the country joined the Alliance in order to gain access to the treasure chest that was the NWA World Heavyweight Champion, who was universally recognized as the industry’s premier star. Under Muchnick’s leadership, the NWA would also donate thousands of dollars to help fund the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team. Then in the late 1950s, Sam Muchnick formed the St. Louis Wrestling Club while producing a new television program titled Wrestling at the Chase on KPLR-TV, which ran from May 23, 1959 to September 10, 1983. There were approximately 1,100 episodes made during that time span. The show would become one of the most popular local productions in St. Louis television history as it turned pro wrestling into a nationally popular entertainment while bringing the many stars of the NWA into the homes of its fans.

By 1960, Sam Muchnick stepped aside as NWA President so that the organization could benefit from new ideas. He served as executive secretary under Frank Tunney, Fred Kohler, and Karl “Doc” Sarpolis, but it became clear that those men were more concerned with their own territories. Consequently, Muchnick was unanimously re-installed as NWA President in 1963 and held the office until 1977, thus contributing a total of 25 years as the industry’s most influential promoter. During his second reign, Muchnick maintained the NWA’s position as wrestling’s top power while he also displayed an uncanny eye for scouting future talent, as his St. Louis territory groomed such eventual champions as Johnny Valentine, Gene Kiniski, Harley Race, Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, Ric Flair, and many others. Moreover, he expanded the NWA globally by inking agreements with territories in Mexico, the Far East, Europe, and the Caribbean.