wˌaɪl plˈeɪɪŋ ɪn pɹˈɑːvɪdəns, sˈɑːnənbˌɜːɡ wʌz tɹˈeɪnd ɪn pɹəfˈɛʃənəl ɹˈɛsəlɪŋ ænd mˌeɪd hɪz mˈæt deɪbjˈuː ˌɔn dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi twˈɛnti fˈoːɹ, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti ˈeɪt, æt ðɪ ɑːɹkˈeɪdiə bˈɔːlɹuːm ɪn pɹˈɑːvɪdəns, dᵻfˈiːɾɪŋ ˈaɪvən lˈʌdloʊ.
While playing in Providence, Sonnenberg was trained in professional wrestling and made his mat debut on January 24, 1928, at the Arcadia Ballroom in Providence, defeating Ivan Ludlow.