territory and Jim Crockett Promotions, as well. These cast belts were heavy, featuring 3-D elements like soaring eagles and entangled grapplers jockeying for position. Mulkavitch’s belts were durable and had a reputation for exceptional quality. He might have made more, but moved his craftsmanship into another direction, spending his time creating violins.

And then there was George Levy, whose trophy business grew enormously and still exists in Tampa, Florida. At one time or another, Levy supplied championship belts for multiple promotions, including Georgia, Florida, Jim Crockett Promotions, and Southeastern/Continental. He was also influential in the Tampa sports world, helping bring the Hall of Fame Bowl (now known as the Outback Bowl) to Florida and helping to secure the city’s bid for Super Bowl XXV. In addition to creating wrestlingchampionship belts, Levy’s company designed the 1996 college football national title trophy. Levy died in September of 2016, at 83 years old.

Reggie Parks – Legendary championship Belt Maker

But neither a Mulkavitch nor Levy championship belt has the same cachet as a belt made by Reggie Parks. The Canadian grappler was a headliner in Amarillo but often worked in the middle of the card or in tag teams in other territories. He was a mechanic, a veteran wrestler who could help teach younger wrestlers the ropes of the business, in more ways than one. In either a tag team with a younger partner or used as a foe to get a youngster ready for the big time, Parks was a well-respected grappler.

But championship belt crafting made him a legend.

Millican