▁the ▁un ified ▁titles ▁to ▁the ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁cont ender , ▁Th esz . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁G over ning ▁Body ▁▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁Sam ▁Much nick , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁prom ot ers ▁of ▁the ▁N WA ▁and ▁Th esz ’ s ▁book er , ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁new ▁N WA ▁President , ▁a ▁position ▁to ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁un anim ously ▁re - elect ed ▁and ▁held ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁making ▁him ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁longest - ten ured ▁pres idents ▁in ▁the ▁organization ’ s ▁history . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁advent ▁of ▁television , ▁professional ▁wrest ling ▁matches ▁began ▁to ▁be ▁a ired ▁nation ally ▁during ▁this ▁time , ▁reaching ▁a ▁larger ▁fan base ▁than ▁ever ▁before . ▁This ▁was ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁enorm ous ▁growth ▁for ▁professional ▁wrest ling , ▁as ▁rising ▁demand ▁and ▁national ▁expansion ▁made ▁it ▁a ▁much ▁more ▁popular ▁and ▁luc r ative ▁form ▁of ▁entertain ment ▁than ▁in ▁dec ades ▁previous . ▁This ▁was ▁called ▁a ▁" G old en ▁Age " ▁for ▁the ▁wrest ling ▁industry . ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁major ▁television ▁networks ▁broadcast ▁wrest ling ▁shows ; ▁the ▁largest ▁supp orter ▁being ▁the ▁Du Mont ▁Television ▁Network . ▁ ▁Up ▁through ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁during ▁Th esz ’ s ▁first ▁reign ▁as ▁N WA ▁World ▁He avy weight