Baron Michele Leone

William 'Baron' Corbett Davis

CASSELBERRY, Fla. - William Corbett Davis, 71, of Casselberry, Fla., formerly of Escanaba, passed away on Saturday, June 4, 2011, surrounded by his loving family.

William was born March 18, 1940, in Escanaba, to William and Margaret (Corbett) Davis. He grew up in Escanaba and the family moved briefly to California, where he got the chance to meet his favorite wrestler "Baron Michele Leone," leading to the nickname "Baron." Eventually the family moved back to Escanaba and in 1959 he graduated from Holy Name High School. He went on to attend the famous Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., and studied computers at the Milwaukee Institute of Technology. William worked with Marquette University to develop the first computerized student roster and grading system using punch cards and a computer that took up several rooms.

William worked as a computer systems analyst for American Motors Corp. in Milwaukee when he met Diana Marbes, his wife of 23 years. In the fall of 1970 they moved back to Escanaba and purchased The Brevort Bar, renaming it "Baron's." He owned and operated the tavern for 27 years. He continued working with computers, writing many inventory, payroll and other software programs for the bar and local businesses.

In his spare time Baron loved to golf and was a member of the Escanaba Country Club for many years. He was known and loved by many people throughout the community and could rarely travel without running into someone he knew. Baron loved Escanaba and was very supportive of the community and local businesses. He hosted many social events over the years including the annual Baron's employee picnic and an annual golf tournament, as well as sponsoring local sports teams.

As a dedicated businessman, he was very involved with the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association and served for a time as its president. Baron prided himself on the ability to recognize what his customers wanted and attributed this quality to the longevity of his bar ownership, throughout various economic conditions. He would always mention things he would do differently if it were up to him and then finish with "but that's not what our customers want." He was a man who always cared more about those around him than himself and it showed on a regular basis. He will be greatly missed by many, many people.

William is survived by two brothers, Tom (Laurie) Davis of Titusville, Fla., and Robert Davis of Escanaba; a daughter, Colette (Michael) Trebon of Casselberry, Fla.; two sons, William (Sheila) Davis of Montgomery, Texas, and Darren Davis of Chapel Hill, N.C.; five grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Lou Thesz for HoF - WrestleZone Forums

There are two hall of fame spots open that are soon to be filled. I make a good case for the induction of Frank Gotch in a number of other threads, but I do believe too that one specific wrestler would be ultimately vital to any emergent hall. That wrestler is Lou Thesz , whom I’ll make my case for by citing my personal overall criteria for noticing top all-time greats. Drawing Power. Thesz was notably one of the top draws of the forties and fifties. His biggest landmark was a May 21st, 1952 outing with Baron Michele Leone, won by Thesz in defense of his NWA World title, which drew a sellout crowd of 25,256 (with thousands turned away) to the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium. The live gate was a massive $103,277, breaking a record that had been established by a Jim Londos-“Strangler” Lewis headlined event held in Chicago in 1934. Thesz’s victory established him as the dominant world champion of the period. He was one of four other “sure bet” draws of the time (alongside Gorgeous George, Buddy Rogers and Antonino Rocca), ensuring that Thesz remained among the highest paid wrestlers in the industry from the late-40s through to the mid-60s. Overall Impact on the Industry. His greatest contribution to wrestling was cleaning up the fragmented title picture. In post-Depression era wrestling, many promoters nationwide employed their own “real world champion.” Thesz’s July 20th, 1948 victory over Bill Longson for the Association version of the NWA World championship made him one champion among many. His November 29th forfeiture win over Orville Brown gained him recognition as the National Wrestling Alliance World champion, and unified champion of the NWA. On July 27th, 1950, he defeated Gorgeous George to merge the old Boston version of the AWA World title with the NWA belt. The 1952 Leone win cemented Thesz’s place in history, merging Leone’s claim as the world champion of California with the NWA title and positioning Thesz as the undisputed leading title claimant in the United States. Mainstream Visibility. While not as accessible to the mainstream as Gotch, Lewis, George or Hogan, Thesz gave wrestling a great deal of mainstream credibility because he was a no-nonsense champion with legitimate credentials who didn’t resort to gimmicks or endorse silly short term novelties. While wrestling in Thesz’s age was starting to cater to the sideshow, Thesz himself could always be counted on to deliver on the mat.

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