Television taping
AWA appearance listed
Tom’s pay: $50. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Tom Zenk Archive The Early Years
1984-1985
Match results, official line-ups and contemporary press coverage from Tom Zenk's American Wrestling Association years.
Explore the resultsThe Early Years
Browse by year using the menu below. Select any adjoining line-up, advertisement, television listing or news clipping to enlarge it. Confirmed results, advertised cards and appearance/payment records are identified according to the surviving evidence. Printed order is not treated as confirmed running order unless the source explicitly establishes it.
Contemporary advertisements and listings are reproduced as published and document the announced line-up at that time. Wrestling cards were routinely advertised as “subject to change”; an advertised match is not presented as a confirmed result unless surviving evidence establishes that it occurred.
Chronological record
Television taping
Tom’s pay: $50. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Minneapolis TV
Faribault, Minnesota
Tom’s pay: $200. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
St. Michael, Minnesota
Tom’s pay: $100. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Television taping
Tom’s pay: $30. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Glenwood, Minnesota
Tom’s pay: $100. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
St. Paul Civic Center
Tom’s pay: $250. Official line-up and contemporary press coverage adjoin this result.
Official line-up confirms Tom was in the bottom-listed preliminary bout.
Television taping
Tom’s pay: $50. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Winnipeg, Manitoba — Norberry Auditorium TV taping
Winnipeg Arena
Tom’s pay: CAN$525.
Rosemont Horizon, Chicago
Tom’s pay: $200 plus $120.
Milwaukee Auditorium
Tom was named in the substitution note but did not wrestle in the recorded match.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Pine Island, Minnesota
Tom’s pay: $75. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Davenport, Iowa — Palmer Auditorium
Minneapolis TV
Willmar, Minnesota
Tom’s pay: $100. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
St. Paul Civic Center
Tom’s pay: $150 plus a $150 extra match payment.
Minneapolis TV
Tom’s pay: $50.
Princeton, Minnesota
Tom’s pay: $100. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Winnipeg, Manitoba — Norberry Auditorium TV taping
Tom’s pay: $535.
Winnipeg Arena — Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Attendance: 4,708. The official line-up and complete results confirm Tom’s participation.
Milwaukee Auditorium
Tom Zenk substituted for Steve Olsonoski. Tom’s pay: $200.
Sauk Centre, Minnesota
Tom’s pay: $200. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Minneapolis TV
Minneapolis TV
Tom’s pay: $100.
Minneapolis TV
Winnipeg, Manitoba — Norberry Auditorium TV taping
Tom’s pay: $835.49.
Winnipeg Arena
Minneapolis TV
Tom’s pay: $800.
St. Paul Civic Center
Menomonie, Wisconsin
Tom’s pay: $100. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Salt Lake City, Utah — Salt Palace
Tom’s pay: $250. Attendance: 9,203.
Denver, Colorado
Tom’s pay: $250. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Rockford, Illinois — Boylan High School
Tom’s pay: $200.
Middleton, Wisconsin
They substituted for the Road Warriors. Tom’s pay: $200.
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Tom’s pay: $150. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Mankato, Minnesota
Tom’s pay: $150. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Winnipeg, Manitoba — Arena
Attendance: 4,376. Car: $250 TV and expenses $150 plus $200.
Wausau, Wisconsin
Tom’s pay: $150.
Rockford, Illinois — Boylan High School
Tom Zenk substituted for Larry Hennig. Tom’s pay: $140 plus $200.
St. Paul, Minnesota
Tom’s pay: $100. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Monticello High School, Minnesota
Tom’s pay: $100.
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin — Marion College Gym
Tom’s pay: $125. Tom Zenk was the third wrestler eliminated.
Minneapolis TV
Rosemont Horizon, Chicago
Tom’s pay: $175.
Winnipeg TV
Tom’s pay: $100 plus $50 expenses. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Brandon, Manitoba
Tom’s pay: $175. Opponent and result are not stated in the source.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Winnipeg Arena
Tom’s pay: $375.
Denver Auditorium Arena
Tom’s pay: $225. See the adjoining official line-up.
The official line-up places Tom in the bottom-listed preliminary bout.
Minneapolis TV
Salt Lake City — Salt Palace
Tom’s pay: $225 plus $100 advance.
Vancouver, British Columbia
Las Vegas TV tapings
Won with a neckbreaker.
Rockford, Illinois — Boylan High School
Tom’s pay: $125 plus $50 car allowance.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin — Auditorium
Tom’s pay: $250 plus $50 car. Attendance: 5,482.
Minneapolis TV
Rosemont Horizon, Chicago
14:24. Tom’s pay: $300 plus $50 car allowance.
Winnipeg Arena
The source lists the match but does not state the result.
Fort Atkinson High School, Wisconsin
Tom Zenk substituted for Jimmy Garvin and won by pin in 16:22. Tom’s pay: $100.
Green Bay — Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena
Rick Renslow substituted for Mr. Saito. Tom’s pay: $200.
Minneapolis TV
Middleton, Wisconsin
Tom Zenk substituted for Tom Stone; 12:48.
Rockford, Illinois — Boylan High School
14:36.
Winnipeg Arena TV taping
Won by pin after a piledriver.
Minneapolis TV
Reedsburg High School Gym, Wisconsin
Scott Doring substituted for Rick Renslow.
Sheboygan Auditorium-Armory, Wisconsin
Scott Doring substituted for Tom Stone.
Rockford, Illinois — Boylan High School
St. Paul — Pro Wrestling USA TV taping
Jim Brunzell defeated Steve Regal in 13:59 with Tom Zenk as referee.
Five-hour Pro Wrestling USA television taping. Tom’s match appears in the fourth-hour listing.
Milwaukee Auditorium
Road Warriors defeated Larry & Curt Hennig; Tom Zenk was referee.
The source states that Tom Zenk served as referee for the Road Warriors bout and the Jim Brunzell-Steve Regal bout.
Rosemont Horizon, Chicago
Winnipeg Arena
Minneapolis TV
Middleton High School Gym, Wisconsin
AWA Champion Rick Martel defeated Jimmy Garvin; Tom Zenk was referee.
Tom Zenk substituted for Brad Rheingans; Drew Tossel substituted for Steve Regal. Pin in 6:29.
The source also states that Tom Zenk served as referee for the Rick Martel-Jimmy Garvin bout.
Waukegan, Illinois
Green Bay — Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena
Tom Zenk substituted for Brad Rheingans.
Minneapolis TV
Rockford, Illinois — Boylan High School
Tom Zenk substituted for Brad Rheingans.
San Francisco — Cow Palace
Salt Lake City — Salt Palace
St. Paul Civic Center
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The first bout on the card listed Tom Zenk as referee.
Jake Milliman substituted for Steve Regal.
Tom also served as referee for the first bout, as stated in the source.
Rosemont Horizon, Chicago
Freehold Township High School, New Jersey
Baltimore Civic Center
Passaic, New Jersey
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Brooklyn, New York
Wausau — Newman High School
The first bout listed Tom Zenk as referee.
Rick Stonsky substituted for Billy Robinson; won by pin.
Tom also served as referee for the first bout, as stated in the source.
Middleton, Wisconsin
St. Paul Civic Center
Attendance: 5,500.
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Winnipeg Arena
Attendance: 5,628.
Rosemont Horizon, Chicago
Attendance: 9,600.
Salt Lake City — Salt Palace
Attendance: 2,054.
Milwaukee — The Mecca
Attendance: 4,987.
Green Bay — Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena
Drew Tossell substituted for Butch Reed; won by pin.
Minneapolis TV
Salt Lake City — Salt Palace
Attendance: 2,054.
Baltimore Civic Center — JCP/AWA
11:15.
Washington, D.C.
Handicap match.
East Rutherford, New Jersey — Meadowlands
Attendance: 10,000.
Minneapolis TV
Handicap match.
St. Paul Civic Center — Starcage
Attendance: 12,000.
Winnipeg Arena
Attendance: 6,636.
Brandon, Manitoba — Keystone Centre
Rockford, Illinois — Boylan High School
Rosemont Horizon, Chicago
Tom Zenk substituted for Bob Backlund.
Winona Senior High School Auditorium, Minnesota
The surviving advertisement establishes the announced match; no result is stated in the supplied source.
Middleton High School, Wisconsin
Tom Zenk substituted for Tom Stone; 12:48.
Denver, Colorado
Green Bay — Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena
Tom was named in the substitution note but did not wrestle in the recorded match.
Tom Zenk was named in the substitution note but did not wrestle on the recorded card.
Verdun Auditorium, Quebec
Montreal Forum
Montreal — Paul Sauvé Centre
8:47.
Montreal — Paul Sauvé Centre
Quebec City, Quebec
17:00.
Quebec, Canada
Val-d’Or — Palais des Sports
Special attraction; result not stated in the source.
This is an advertised line-up; the PDF does not state the results.
Verdun Auditorium, Quebec
Montreal Forum
St. Paul Civic Center
East Rutherford, New Jersey — JCP/AWA Star Wars
The source records Tom Zenk among the wrestlers who entered to stop a post-match attack.
Card context: the records indicate this appearance or payment but does not provide a complete card listing.
Landover, Maryland — Capital Center
Winnipeg — Holy Cross School TV taping
Winnipeg Arena
Tom Zenk substituted for Curt Hennig.
Attendance: 4,208.
Denver, Colorado
Minneapolis TV
Handicap match.
Denver Auditorium Arena
Minneapolis TV
Winnipeg — Holy Cross School TV taping
Winnipeg Arena — Wally Karbo Tribute Card
See the adjoining official line-up.
Rockford, Illinois — Boylan High School
Ray Stevens substituted for Buddy Roberts; 10:03. See the adjoining official Rockford line-up sheet.
Green Bay — Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena
Minneapolis TV
Queens, New York — Holy Cross High School Gym
The surviving poster spells the name “Tom Zink”; opponent and result are not stated.
The surviving source spells the name “Tom Zink.”
St. Paul Civic Center
Three contemporary advertisements/listings establish the announced match; no result is stated in the supplied sources.