One of the true meccas of professional, the 20th century wrestling scene in the Sunshine State was served by such promoters as Homer Hesterly, Bill Sallade, Clarence "Cowboy" Luttrall, Larry Simon, Hiro Matsuda, Duke Keomuka, and of course, the legendary Eddie Graham.  

Championship Wrestling from Florida, Inc. was one of the unquestionable leaders in the field for most of its run, offering state-of-the-art in-ring wrestling and perhaps the best public face of any group in the country, thanks in no small part to the credibility of announcer/company spokesman Gordon Solie. 

Promoting under such TV/brand names as "Championship Wrestling from Florida," "Global Wrestling," and "Southern Pro Wrestling," this Tampa-based group was a longtime member of the National Wrestling Alliance.  Eventually, the territory was bought up by Jim Crockett Promotions, running as a separate promotion, but later it was folded into the Crockett family in late 1987/early 1988.