Blizzard Brawl Celebrates The Brain (12.20.09)

BLIZZARD BRAWL CELEBRATES THE BRAIN
By Jeff Sharkey
Photos by Joyce Paustian

I was recently invited to a wrestling show where I distributed some literature for some wrestlers and fans to become more aware of the CAC.  

On December 5th, 2009 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, Great Lakes Championship Wrestling promoter David Herro presented his annual “Blizzard Brawl” wrestling spectacular at the Waukesha Expo Center.    The event drew over 1700 fans for a near capacity crowd.   Blizzard Brawl pulls out all the stops for this annual calendar event, a stellar card with notable appearances by King Kong Bundy, Mick Foley, Al Snow, BG James (Road Dogg), Kip James (Billy Gunn), Armando Alejandro Estrada, Mr. Ken Anderson  (Mr. Kennedy), Road Warrior Animal, Ax and Smash of Demolition, ODB, Headbanger Mosh and many other rising young stars.   In the midst of all the night’s action, a special ceremony took place in the ring prior to intermission.   This marked the first public appearance of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan in over two years since his jaw replacement surgery in December 2007.  Bobby’s wife Cindi accompanied him on this trip.

 

With a contingent of dignitaries in the ring, along with Bundy to represent the numerous Heenan Family members over the years, Heenan stepped to center ring to accept both a Lifetime Achievement Award, and a special distinction from the Mayor of Milwaukee declaring December 5, 2009 as Bobby “The Brain” Heenan Day in the City of Milwaukee.   That proclamation read as follows:

 

 

WHEREAS:  The City of Milwaukee joins family, friends and community members in recognizing Bobby “the Brain” Heenan on Saturday, December 5, 2009, and…

WHEREAS,  Bobby “the Brain” Heenan has entertained audiences of all ages for years as both a pro-wrestler and manager; and,

WHEREAS,  Bobby “the Brain” Heenan and his “family” of wrestlers thrilled Milwaukee audiences at the Milwaukee Exposition Conference Center and Arena, currently known as the U.S. Cellular Arena, for many years; and,

WHEREAS,  Bobby “the Brain” Heenan often tangled with the “Man Who Made Milwaukee Famous”, Da Crusher, and he usually bested “the Brain” and made him wear the infamous “weasel suit” in humiliation; and,

WHEREAS,   Bobby “the Brain” Heenan represented a time when pro-wrestling was a fun and innocent sports enetrtainment enjoyed by the entire family; and,

WHEREAS, Bobby “the Brain” Heenan has valiantly fought health battles outside of the ring the past few years, and,

WHEREAS, The City of Milwaukee thanks and congratulates Bobby “the Brain”  Heenan for more than 40 years of entertaining Milwaukee-area wrestling fans;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, TOM BARRETT, Mayor of the City of Milwaukee, do hereby proclaim Saturday, December 5, 2009, to be BOBBY “THE BRAIN” HEENAN DAY throughout the City of Milwaukee.
TOM BARRETT
Mayor

Graciously, Heenan thanked those present and posed with all the special guests invited to take part in the ceremony.  True-to-form, Heenan unveiled a bit of “The Weasel” in asking “Is there any cash that comes with this?”

 

Later Heenan had plenty of takers in purchasing his second book, Chair Shots and Other Obstacles: Winning Life’s Wrestling Matches.   For all the skullduggery and chicanery that came with Heenan Family victories over the years, it is this battle in life with cancer and subsequent jaw replacement that Heenan has done so well in bravely fighting.   To quote Bobby from that book:

 

“I’m not laying down for this heel.  I’ll continue to do exactly what the doctor tells me to and just hope and enjoy every day of life that I can and I have.  That’s all I can do.”

 

 

For all the bravado Heenan mustered up over the years, Bobby is now showing that his actions speak much louder than his words ever could.