Viro “Black Sam” Small: The Forgotten Pro Wrestling Pioneer

from 10 Bell Pod · host 10 Bell Pod

I'm back with another video episode and pro wrestling history deep dive.In this episode of 10 Bell Pod, I uncover the incredible and largely forgotten story of one of the earliest Black professional wrestlers in American history Viro "Black Sam" Small.A man born into slavery who rose to become a feared competitor in the brutal world of 19th century combat sports.Drawing from scarce historical records and early newspaper accounts, this is a deep dive into a time when wrestling lived in carnivals, saloons, and underground fight clubs, where matches blurred the line between sport and survival.More than just a wrestling story, this is about America during Reconstruction, the fight for opportunity, and how entire legacies can vanish if no one is there to preserve them.IMPORTANT LINKS:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/10bellpod⁠⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/10BellPod⁠⁠Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/10BellPod⁠⁠⁠⁠ProWrestling Tees: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.prowrestlingtees.com/related/10bellpod.html⁠⁠⁠⁠PayPal Donation - ⁠⁠9BHDW7Y2KMBTY⁠⁠Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/64GdAqEG⁠

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 26, 2026

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Viro “Black Sam” Small: The Forgotten Pro Wrestling Pioneer

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This episode was published on March 26, 2026.

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