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Portrait of Bobby Nelson

Bobby Nelson

1917 – 2002

Canadian professional wrestler

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About Bobby Nelson

Lived 1917 – 2002 (aged 84). Bobby Nelson was an athlete.

Bobby Nelson (born Charles Karass; 17 April 1917 – 20 February 2002) was a Canadian-American professional wrestler and businessman who appeared frequently in the National Wrestling Alliance midwest territories beginning in 1936 and continuing through the 1950s.

Professional wrestling career Prior to his wrestling career, Nelson worked as a police officer in Milwaukee. He initially wrestled using his birth name, but soon began using ring names, most frequently appearing as Bobby Nelson. He was sometimes credited as being the name inspiration for, or the creator of, the Nelson series of wrestling holds, though these terms were in use since the 19th Century, with some historians speculating they were named for Horatio Nelson.

Nelson appeared as both a heel and face. National stars he wrestled include "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, The Crusher, Yukon Eric, Fritz Von Erich and Lou Thesz. He also engaged in a long-running series of regional grudge matches against The Bat. He occasionally appeared in tag team matches, including in Madison, Wisconsin with Dutch Hefner.

Bobby Nelson Cheese Shop Towards the end of his wrestling career, in 1949, The cheese shop has been often mentioned on air by Chicago disc jockey Steve Dahl. The shop closed in July 2019 upon the owner's retirement.

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Important facts

People in Bobby Nelson's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Bobby Nelson's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Bobby Nelson?

Canadian professional wrestler

When was Bobby Nelson born?

Bobby Nelson was born on 17 April 1917 in Montreal.

When did Bobby Nelson die?

Bobby Nelson died on 20 February 2002 in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

What was Bobby Nelson's occupation?

Bobby Nelson was an athlete.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Bobby Nelson

· Wikidata: Q65031377

· DBpedia: Bobby Nelson

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bobby Nelson. https://biography.guide/bobby-nelson/

MLA: "Bobby Nelson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bobby-nelson/.

Chicago: "Bobby Nelson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bobby-nelson/.

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