* * * * *
THE BELL TOLLS FOR MR. WRESTLING TIM WOODS, GEORGE (BABY BLIMP) HARRIS, OTHERS
SUNDAY PUNCHES by J Michael Kenyon
(edition of December 1, 2002)

Dot Curtis (wife of Dick) passed along this word Saturday night (Nov. 
30) from Jacksonville FL: "This is one of the toughest messages I 
have ever had to send out. I just got a call from the immediate 
family of Tim Woods. He suffered a massive heart attack just within 
the past two hours, and has died. Funeral arrangements are 
forthcoming, and I will pass them along as soon as I know, for find 
out from anyone. Tyger is devasted at this point, so please do 
NOT call the house tonight."

That word, about a day after another rite of passage was described by Edna Harris (wife of George "Bunk" Harris aka Two Ton Harris aka Baby Blimp): "My husband, George, had a heart attack and passed away this morning (Nov. 29) at 7:30 a.m.at the University of Virginia Hospital, Charlottesville VA. He did not suffer, never had a pain indicating any heart problem during his life time. He died just the way he would have wanted it. He valued your friendships throughout the years. McDow Funeral Home, 1701 W. Main Street, Waynesboro VA (540-943-8133) is handling the arrangements. Visitation will be Sunday (Dec. 1) at the funeral home at 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Funeral Services will be held at the Calvary United Methodist Church, Stuarts Draft VA (540-337-2980) at 11 a.m. Monday morning (Dec. 2). Contributions can be made to Shriners Childrens' Hospital or to the Augusta Free Clinic, Academy Road, Fishesville VA. Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts. This is quite devastating."

Also gone this past week were Billy (Joe) Travis, 41, a popular figure over the past couple decades for the Memphis and Dallas promotions, to name only a couple, and young ECWA wrestler (and promoter Jim Kettner’s nephew) Jeff Peterson ("The All-American") Friday (Nov. 29) lost a long battle to lymphoma. He earned his spurs with his uncle’s Delaware-based promotion, as well as Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling, IPW-Hardcore Wrestling in Florida and California’s All-Pro Wrestling, among several others. He was forced to curtail his ring activity in April.

Bunk Harris, 75, had to have worked each and every southern promotion over some four decades following on World War II. Although many of the younger set remember him as a colorful ringside manager (for Aldo Bogni and Bronco Lubich, among many others), he was a delightful worker and showman in the ring, back during his 300-pound days … Tim Woods (George Burrell Woodin), 68, of course, gained everlasting fame as the masked Mr. Wrestling during a lengthy, honor-studded pro ring career which stretched from 1962 to 1984. Just within the past year and a half, he was inducted into George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame at Newton IA and also, this past February in Las Vegas NV, was feted at the annual Cauliflower Alley Club reunion … Harris, by the way, earned his share of honors, too, also from the CAC as a wrestling "pioneer" several years ago and from Dick Steinborn at the Gulf Coast Reunion in 1995, where he was presented the Milo Steinborn Carpenter’s Award … Generally a bottom-of-the card "enhancement" wrestler in the later days of his career, Harris was over bigtime in the Crocketts’ Mid-Atlantic territory (see the accompanying notice from Greensboro NC, circa October 1976) … Woodin was an extraordinary amateur wrestler, twice being named to the NCAA All-American squad while at Michigan State in the late ‘50s. He’s also in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater OK … Luckily, he escaped permanent injuries in the Oct. 4, 1975 plane crash at Wilmington NC that wound up crippling Johnny Valentine and broke the back of future legend Ric Flair …

On a much happier note, Dick Beyer and Scott Hosey, two of the more energetic CAC directors, have joined with fellow director Nick Bockwinkel and club president Red Bastien and are moving forward with plans to issue a souvenir trading card set at the April 3-4-5 reunion weekend at the Plaza Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas. Through yet another club director, Scott Teal, they are utilizing the memories of correspondents to Teal’s Wrestling Legends mailing list to provide lists of "27 favorite wrestlers" (27, it seems, is the number of cards which can be printed on one sheet by the company Hosey is employing to do the work. A little more investigation and spadework by CAC vice-president Karl Lauer also dug up the fact that Hosey-Beyer-Bockwinkel-Bastien plan to have a "cover" card, suitable for autographing, and two "tribute cards," one for CAC founder "Iron Mike" Mazurki and the other for the legendary Lou Thesz, a longtime president of the club before his death earlier this year. Then there will be 24 other cards … One rumor going around is that the cards might be predominately concerned with CAC regulars and scheduled honorees (e.g., Don Leo Jonathan, Angelo Savoldi, Danny Hodge, Beyer, Bockwinkel, Bastien, Verne Gagne, Harley Race, Ox Baker, Fritz Von Goering, Walter Kowalski, George Steele, Penny Banner, Ida Mae Martinez, Kinji Shibuya, Moose Morowski, Tom Andrews, Fran Gravette, Verne Bottoms, Buddy Colt, Percy Pringle, et al) … Beyer’s original message to the Wrestling Legends list members, though, was to "name your 27 favorite wrestlers." More than 40 lists were submitted in the first few days (including mine, still the only compilation to include the name of the remarkable "Dangerous Danny" McShain who was, incidentally, a CAC member up to the time of his death a few years back, and who attended the old Studio City CA reunions), so stay tuned for further details. The cards, apparently, will list for $10, with the CAC receiving a portion of the proceeds for its very important Benevolent Fund … Greg Oliver had to scrub his scheduled book launch this past week (Nov. 28), but says there is good news, though: "I finally got page proofs ... Unfortunately, it still needs work. I'd rather have it go out in good shape at this point then have it go out riddled with errors." ...

Rowdy Roddy Piper continues his promotional tour for In the Pit With Piper and is now claiming Mick Foley’s endorsement. Bruno Sammartino came out to the NYC Times Square Planet Hollywood this past Monday (Nov. 25) to help give the book a push, along with the New York Police Pipe & Drum Band playing "Scotland, the Brave." Piper even took a turn on one of the bagpipes himself. He is said to have ended the first leg of the tour Saturday (Nov. 30) at two suburban Atlanta (Douglasville and Buford GA) Borders book stores. Further details, as always, at www.rowdyroddypiper.com or www.inthepitwithpiper.com … Scott Teal proudly announces that his 1wrestlinglegends.com web site has now been augmented by a new nostalgia columnist, none other than Wrestling Legends mailing list mainstay Terry Dart of Ontario, whose "Jarful of Memories" column may be unearthed at www.1wrestlinglegends.com/columns/index.html ...

Today’s history lesson will feature a couple of Tampa Tribune articles from July 1950, with mentions of the late, lamented George Harris therein:

DUSEK WILL TRY TO RECAPTURE WRESTLING BELT
(Tampa Tribune, July 24, 1950)

Danny Dusek, self styled "one man gang" from Omaha, will try to recapture the Southern heavyweight wrestling belt tonight when he meets Johnny Valentine, new champion, in a re-match at the Municipal Auditorium.

Valentine took over as king of the Southern heavyweights when he stopped Dusek in a rough match last week. He readily agreed to face the former champion again and the match was set for two out of three falls, winner take all.

Matchmaker Cowboy Luttrall has signed other leading heavyweights to take part in an Australian tag team match in the semifinal event.

Bunk Harris, the 300-pound Baby Blimp, will team with Rube Wright of Birmingham, Alabama against Al Massey, an ex-boxer fom Charlotte, North Carolina, and Pat O'Hara of St. Petersburg.

Nick Bacalis of Chicago will test Don Martin, a newcomer from Los Angeles in the one-fall opener set for 8:45 o'clock.

Bacalis, a ring-wise veteran, has been largely responsible for Valentine's rapid advance up the mat ladder. He induced the former University of Washington star to turn pro and has toured South America, Cuba and the United States with his protege.

There will be a first come, first seated plan for the fans instead of reserved seating.

VALENTINE KEEPS TITLE; SPECTATOR WOUNDS WRESTLER
(Tampa Tribune, July 25, 1950)

Johnny Valentine of Washington still held the Southern heavyweight wrestling belt today but Rube Wright of Birmingham had the most unwanted souvenir - a stab in the back - after an action-packed night of wrestling at the Municipal Auditorium last night.

Everything went off smoothly when Nick Bacalis, 240-pound Chicago heavyweight, won over Don Martin in the opener when Martin was disqualified for unnecessary roughness.

The rough work continued in an Australian Team Tag match which Wright and 300-pound Bunk 'Baby Blimp' Harris, lost to Al Massey, Charlotte, and Pat O'Hara, St. Petersburg.

Fans were quite irate at tactics used by Wright in the match and the Alabama wrestler had to have a police escort to the dressing room. In the excitement an unidentified fan stabbed Wright in the back with a knife or a broken cold drink bottle. Wright received emergency medical treatment at Tampa General Hospital.

Valentine held the Southern title by again dropping Danny Dusek of Omaha, ex-champ. The match went the limit and the former University of Washington football player had to call on his ring strategy to prevail.
* * * * *
MANY, MANY BIG-NAME STARS SIGNIFYING THEY'LL JOIN THE APRIL 3-4-5 CAC 2003 REUNION FESTIVITIES AT LAS VEGAS' DOWNTOWN PLAZA HOTEL/CASINO
SUNDAY PUNCHES by J Michael Kenyon
(edition of November 24, 2002)

Reported dead, at age 62, is Japanese legend Thunder Sugiyama . According to Hisaharu Tanabe's notable and expansive web site, www.puroresu.com, Koji Sugiyama died Nov. 22. He was a national amateur wrestling champion while in Meiji University and wrestled for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. His teammates included a fellow Meiji student, Masanori "Mr." Saito. He turned pro in '65 when he joined JWA; however, in the following year, he joined the newly founded IWE where he became the top star by defeating Billy Robinson to win the IWA World Heavyweight title in '70. In '72, Sugiyama jumped to All Japan Pro-Wrestling and wrestled on its first card. He first retired in 1973 but later returned to New Japan as a member of its heel stable, including Hiro Matsuda, Masa Saito, and Umanosuke Ueda. The death of Sugiyama follows by slightly over a month that of former WWWA world tag team champion Miyuki Yanagi (real name: Katsue Yagishita), dead of multiple sclerosis, age 64, on Oct. 19. Yanagi had her first match in 1955 and was an original member of All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling. After retirement, she also was active as a referee and coach, as well as director of the fan club. Two legends of Japanese wrestling, and both are to be sorely missed ... The forthcoming December issue of the jam-packed CAC newsletter contains an endorsement for the club’s Future Legend Award, presented annually at the reunion banquet. Member George O’Brien makes a strong pitch for Robert Gallo/Ghostwalker/Robert Redfeather, a six-foot-three, 230-pound native of Prescott AZ, who was trained by Steve Islas/Grey Eyes/The Navajo Warrior and has already enjoyed two tours of Japan in a fledgling mat career. The two also pair up as Native Blood. Ghostwalker was among the youngsters receiving a WWE tryout in Southern California this past September. He’s also just recently made some appearances in Florida, as his notoriety expands … Dave Anne, a Rochester NY collector, is looking for old tights, trunks, vests, shirts, masks, etc., plus any 8 x 10 glossy publicity photos from anywhere … Drop a note to him at 87 Van Bergh Ave., Rochester NY 14610-0105 or e-mail to dave574@webtv.net … Remember, members, when you receive your newsletter, check the mailing label to make sure you’re up to date with dues. If the December issue mailing label contains "12-02" that means you ought to renew your membership ASAP in order to continue receiving the newsletters and other CAC benefits … Expected at CAC 2003 are a couple of living legends, Kinji Shibuya (bleeding in photo below) and John Tolos. Or, as VP Karl Lauer puts it, we’ve got a group of honorees "that could headline Carnegie Hall, the Olympic and Madison Square Garden on any given night." (ED. NOTE: We weren’t aware that wrestling had ever been presented in Carnegie Hall, but if promoter Lauer puts his mind to it, anything’s possible.) … CAC member Brett Summers is singing the praises of a new web site, www.1stopwrestling.co.uk, devoted to the history of British wrestling. Check it out …

Bobby Heenan told CAC member Joyce Paustian that he’s planning on joining the festivities at Las Vegas’ downtown Plaza Hotel/Casino in early April, and may be available to re-team with Mike Tenay as emcees of the annual awards show. We sure hope so. Bobby and Mike absolutely wowed 'em at CAC 2001 … And don’t forget: advertising deadline for the banquet program is Dec. 24. Any questions, refer them to Dean Silverstone via e-mail: oldies@goldenoldies-records.com …

Bret Hart is apparently far enough along in his recovery from a June stroke to consider resuming his weekly column in the Calgary Sun. The columns are to be posted as his new official web site, www.brethart.com … Interested in Mid-South Wrestling tapes? Scott Williams, wrestling columnist for the Galveston TX News, has good news: "Now, fans of that era can relive those memories and new fans can find out what all the fuss was about. For the first time, authorized tapes of the classic wrestling show of them all are available for sale. Ene Watts, former wife of Bill Watts, ended up with the rights to Mid-South footage as part of a 1987 divorce settlement. She said she realized a market existed for the footage when talking to Hollywood director Ron Howard, a few years ago. At the time, Howard was producing the wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat and was discussing using Mid-South footage. ‘He said he wasn’t even a wrestling fan, but only watched Mid-South,’ she said. ‘He asked me why I didn’t make the footage available to fans, and it got me to thinking about it. Now, I’m doing just that.’ Videotape traders abound on the Internet, swapping copies of wrestling from eras gone by, but as the only legal seller of Mid-South material, Ene Watts said the video quality of her tapes was unsurpassed … For information on how to order tapes of both Mid-South television shows and non-televised matches from live events, visit the website www.universalwrestling.com …" Scott E. Williams is a news reporter and a longtime wrestling fan, whose syndicated column appears weekly. His e-mail address is scott.williams@galvnews.com …

Roddy Piper told Shawn Stidham of The Wrestling Guys radio show (in Ohio, over WPFB AM 910) that "he met a man by the name of Jason Sanderson, who was a 66 million dollar Powerball winner, at the Cauliflower Alley Club where he (Piper) was being honored with a lifetime achievement award and he gave a speech about wrestlers needing a union. Says Sanderson donated 44 acres of pasture and pine trees. It’s called Daysprings Healing Center. Not a big hospital not right, but a place where wrestlers and boxers can go and they can get help for their banged up bodies, minds and souls." The report, which appeared on Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer site, continued with Piper talking about how the Internet won’t even mention the healing center, because anything good for the wrestlers, the reporters don’t post it. "He’s been fighting them all his life. Roddy has pledged five per cent of his earnings to go towards this healing center, and he feels this is the best thing he has ever done. He’s a 48-year-old man with four kids, and thinks all the wrestlers need to stick together and help each other out." As for In the Pit With Piper, the book he’s pushing on a continuing nationwide tour, Piper says the publishing company " wanted him to damn Vince McMahon, but he didn’t want to. He said he doesn’t have a problem saying stuff to Vince’s face but he doesn’t go behind peoples’ back trying to put them down, and it isn’t his job to damn Vince McMahon." He added that "he doesn’t understand this generation of wrestlers -- guys getting married on TV and 400-pound Samoans sitting on peoples’ faces … says he gives Vince all the credit in the world but does not care to turn on the TV and see necrophilia." Piper plugged Glenn Hensley as webmaster of www.rowdyroddypiper.com and says he is going to get some footage to put on that site, of what wrestling should be. For info on the book, check www.inthepitwithpiper.com, the website for the book, which is "necrophilia free." To hear the entire interview, go to http://www.thewrestlingguys.com and click on "listen." You will need a Real Player to hear it, and if you don’t have one, there’s a link on the listen page …

Three deaths within two weeks of famous matmen give the lie to those who would belittle the noble sport which has weathered the centuries, and is going stronger than ever. I don't know when I ever felt worse about the passing of friends.

There is an old saying, and it seems to be a true one, that good things as well as bad things come in threes. First came the death of Steve Znoski, a likable big fellow, of Polish descent, who was born in Connecticut. Then came the death in a hospital in Rochester, Minn., of Jim Browning, former world's champion and one of the greatest wrestlers as well as finest men who ever lived. To climax the trinity of deaths came the tragic demise in a ring at Washington, D.C., of the veteran Mike Romano.

Both Znoski and Romano had been in my office just before their respective deaths. Mike, an Italian, as loyal as they come, visited me the afternoon before he died. He was never more jubilant in his life. He was enthusiastic over the prospects of meeting Dave Levin, the new world's champion, in the West. Another thing that excited him was the receiving in the mail, a few days previously, of a church medal.

I guess Mike died as he would have wished, as they say in the West, "with his shoes on" or in other words, in action. Mike had always given his best efforts to wrestling. He was proud of the fact that he was a wrestler.

At times against Ed "Strangler" Lewis and other stars in the West, Mike had been one of the principals in bouts that drew up into the twenties of thousands. Mike was a clean living man, but the strenuous work of tussling three or four times a week for fifteen years or more must have taxed his courageous heart to the breaking point.

Steve Znoski had walked in his sleep or in a delirium out of his hotel window in New York and dropped twenty-five feet. The doctors who attended him said he hadn't been hurt by the fall, and two nights later he wrestled, only to be stricken that night with the dread spinal meningitis, which probably developed as the result of the fall.

It had only been a few weeks before that, that another one of our wrestlers, Jim Kendricks, a former Holy Cross star, died of the same disease, gamely and unknowingly entering bouts two or three nights before being stricken.

Browning had been ill for several months. Letters from his farm at Vernon, Mo., told how he had dropped in weight from some 225 pounds to 140. He was driven in an ambulance all the way to Rochester, Minn., for an operation by the famous Mayo brothers, but his long illness had so sapped his strength that he wasn't able to survive the shock of operation.

The past year or so has seen the passing of many good grapplers, such as Jack Shimkus, Charlie Hansen, Jack Hurley, Cowboy Russell, and several others whose names I can't recall just now travelled to the Great Beyond.

During the past six months two of our ace promoters, Joe "Toots" Mondt and Paul Bowser, withstood major operations.

In the course of a season dozens of wrestlers are badly hurt and out of the game for weeks at a time.

Grapplers give their all to entertain and amuse the public. They are always trying their utmost to give the fans a run for their money. Matmen are noted for the fact that they work just as hard when there is ten dollars in the house as when there is ten thousand.

The matmen stoically take the raps directed at the sport, more times unjustly than justly, without uttering a murmer. And when a death comes in the ring as was the case with Mike Romano it is mute testimony that they all carry on -- even to the bitter end.

We have heard so much about crooked wrestling matches. The ample proof that the wrestlers go into the sport with all they possess, and do their utmost to give the fans a run for their money is the vast number of injuries these wrestlers suffer in line of duty and the number of fatalities during the past four years. The average fan hoots and hisses a grappler when he wrestles according to Hoyle, and therefore these men are forced to give acrobatic stunts and risk bodily injury in order to please the spectators.

Everett Marshall of La Junta, Colo., joined the ranks of world heavyweight title claimants by taking Ali Baba into camp in Columbus, Ohio, on the night of June 29, a victory that had been forecast throughout the country. It was a foregone conclusion that with the battle of the rival wrestling trust members at top heat, the group headed by Billy Sandow would not be overshadowed by the Curley-Mondt-Bowser-Fabiani combine in the East which only a few weeks previously had manipulated the defeat of Ali Baba by Dave Levin in Newark via the foul route. Thus, while Levin has top claim to the world laurels, the Marshall forces, which deny the loss of the crown in Newark by the Armenian, now are parading Everett as the champion.

All of which is very interesting, though a bit complicated to the wrestling fan, who has seven "champions" dished out to him from which to take his choice. It now seems that the only solution to the unheard-of mess is to have a national tourney in which each of the titleholders be given an opportunity to have it out on the level, the winner to be the recognized world crown wearer.

I think that the arrangements made by the New York Commission to have Ed "Strangler" Lewis and Lee Wykoff, top men of the Curley and Sandow groups, respectively, battle it out, with the winner to meet Dave Levin, first conqueror of Ali Baba, and the victor of that bout to tackle Marshall, would be a fine thing for wrestling. From such a tournament would emerge the real world champion.

I have been in communication with Strangler Lewis and he has agreed to such an arrangement if Marshall and Levin can be induced to enter. The RING, to help the sport, will donate a $500 belt to the winner. How about it, boys? Is this an inducement worthwhile?

In his bout with Ali Baba, Marshall gained the fall in 29 minutes and 30 seconds with a body slam and a cross body spin.

The bout started out in grand style, and although neither grappler was ever in danger during the first 15 minutes, they stepped around the ring at a lively pace to give the crowd a grand thrill every second of the match.

After a give and take battle, Everett looked down at his corner where Billy Sandow, fiery manager of the former Denver, Colo., grappler was seated. Billy nodded and gave Everett the "word."

Then the fun began. Everett opened up a savage attack that had Ali on the run. Five or six "bopping" rabbit punches had Ali reeling. Sandow motioned for the full-nelson. Everett slipped behind the Karput, Turkey, native and set the hold and the beginning of the end was in sight.

Four times the 209-pound Turk slipped out of the hold. Everett quickly slipped on another -- his fifth consecutive neck-cracking full-nelson. Ali's tongue flopped out and he groaned. His eyes rolled and he waved his arms, seeking the ropes.

He found them, but it was the blow that knocked the crown spinning out of the grasp of the New York trust moguls.

When Ali finally grabbed hold of the ropes, he slipped himself under them in order to force the referee to break the hold. Instead of staying there, Everett Marshall gave him a quick shove and both tumbled from the ring.

Ali fell to the dust of the pitcher's mound below but Marshall managed to remain on his feet. Ali managed to climb back into the ring as the count neared 10. Marshall rushed out to meet his foe. He clamped on another standing full-nelson, shaking the champion like a puppy would a rag doll, until the sawdust seemed about to fly.

Suddenly he released his hold, slipped under the Turk, raised him high in the air. Then came the crash that shattered the throne of Ali.

The death of two famed wrestlers within one week, Jim Browning, former world heavyweight champion, and Mike Romano, a World War hero, shocked their colleagues and the mat fans, and provided food for thought for those who tossed aside the science of wrestling for acrobatic and rough-house stunts. In the days when Earl Caddock, Dr. Roller, Strangler Lewis, Stanislaus Zbyszko and other stars of their caliber paraded before the public, one seldom heard of the death of a wrestler brought about through a ring accident or directly attributed to active competition.

During the past three years nine husky, strong, sturdy grapplers, each with a good reputation as a wrestler, have passed into the Great Beyond either through blood poisoning, broken collarbone or some internal injury. The reason? Simple enough -- the wild, unorthodox style of wrestling adopted by the majority who feel that the public demand such type of entertainment.

Although Jim Browning died from what was officially termed "pulminary embolism," which is a blood clot on the lungs, I have been told by physicians of the Boxing Commission that the knocks which Browning took through flying tackles, and kicks in the chests, wounded him and brought about his death. In the case of Romano, who was decorated in the Italian Army for World War bravery, he was tossed to the canvas by Jack Donovan in a headspin and remained unconscious until he died.

Thus, in one week, the sport lost two fine, colorful performers. Perhaps eventually those who are making their living by wrestling and those who are promoting the sport will get together and return to the good old days of honest-to-goodness wrestling, minus the frills, the kicks, the biting and what-not that have brought about so many casualties in two years.

Stanislaus Zbyszko, former world heavyweight champion who is now promoting wrestling in Argentina, has a new heavyweight find whom he praises to the skies. Zbyszko, in sending the picture of his protege, failed to give his name but writes:

"I am sending you a photograph of as great a prospect as I have ever seen in the wrestling game. My new 'find' is a giant Paraguay Indian, full-blooded, weighing 243 pounds and as strong as a bull. He stands more than six feet, and has won many prizes as the strong man of his country. I think he is a wonderful wrestler and, under my tutelage, I hope to develop him into a world champion.

"He is wonderfully light on his feet -- a remarkable thing considering his weight. The tribe of Indians to which he belongs won't shave and are men of iron. They possess a head of hair that is like a bush . . . The public here is highly educated in the wrestling art and men who do not possess the technique can make no headway. I am trying to obtain the services of several high class wrestlers for next season, but won't bring any men here who cannot deliver the goods.They must be good or this is no place for them."

From Charley "Spider" Mascall have come these Pacific Coast and Northwest mat notes:

Blacksmith Pedigo, skillful welterweight mat star, has been seen in several noteworthy matches out this way. The burly ex-smith, who is appearing in California, has already downed Earl McCann, Bobby Pearce (my choice as a leading contender for the welter title), Pat Finnegan and Johnny Stote, a clever youngster from Eastern wrestling circles.

Dave Levin, the handsome Jewish boy who won the heavyweight bauble from Ali Baba Yumid via the foul route, is scheduled to meet Vincent Lopez in Los Angeles for the heavyweight title of the world (other claimants please take notice). Levin is a husky ex-butcher boy and the first Jewish matman ever to gain a wrestling title in any division of the sport. Mark these Jewish grapplers who have fought hard for a place in the limelight --

Paul Boesch (sic), Abe Coleman, Dr. Freddie Meyers, Eli Fischer, Herb Freeman, Benny Ginsberg, Sid Westrich and Abe Goldberg.

Sheik Ben Ali Mar Allah, the Persian welterweight, has been honeymooning in Honolulu with his bride of a few months. The little lady is a former Los Angeles girl.

Pat Finnegan, a former dancing master of Cincinnati who likes to pose as an English nobleman, has been noticed on the RKO movie lot in recent weeks. Finnegan is featured in a film entitled Smart Set which will be released shortly.

George Pencheff and Tommy Nilan, two clever Australian heavyweights, are giving a good account of themselves in California. Both are fast and agile and should go far in the mat game either in America or Australia.

Meet Everett Marshall, the Colorado mat star, who beat Ali Baba in Columbus a few weeks ago and now declares that he alone is the world heavyweight champion. Marshall, born in 1908 of German-Irish parents, attended the Universities of Iowa and Denver. In 1926 he was named on the All-American football team of Colorado and three years later Everett made his professional wrestling debut by downing Joe Robbins (then champion of Kansas).

During his seven years of mat warfare Marshall has beaten Dick Shikat, Joe Stecher, Ray Steele, Joe Savoldi, John Katan, Ernie Dusek, Hans Kampfer, Abe Coleman, George Zaharias, Chief Chewacki, Dick Raines, Orville Brown and others. A year ago, Everett made a grave mistake by deserting the legitimate heavyweights for the light-heavy circuit controlled by Jack Pfefer and since that break the La Junta man has met the leaders of the junior heavyweight division.

Although his career as a wrestler has been terminated by the dreaded eye infection, trachoma, Sammy Stein has developed into one of the finest referees in the state of California. During Sammy's younger days he played amateur football at Closter, N.J., and later on the professional teams of Stapleton, Brooklyn, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Before turning to the pastime of wrestling, Stein spent some time as a boxer and helped train Phil Scott when that worthy invaded American fisticuffs.

In May of last year, Sam's wrestling career came to a dramatic close when his entry for the Los Angeles heavyweight tournament was politely refused. Months later, the California Athletic Commission granted this game challenger of champions a license enabling him to act as a referee. Between his duties as the third man in the ring Stein finds plenty of time to play "bit" parts in the movies. Sammy, a former All-American professional end, holds victories over Paul Boesch, Howard Cantonwine, Earl McCready, Nick Lutze, Ed "Strangler" Lewis, Roland Kirchmeyer, Mayes McLain, Charlie Santen, Tiny Roebuck and an array of mat stars too numerous to mention.

Among the last-minute entries for the gigantic international heavyweight tournament being held at Vancouver, B.C., were the names of: Dave Levin, Ed "Strangler" Lewis, Leo Numa, George and Babe Zaharias, Vic Christy, Pat Meehan, Chief Little Wolf, Steve Savage, Tor Johnson, Hangman Howard Cantonwine, Dick Daviscourt, Pat Fraley, Rusty Westcoatt, Ray Steele, Tiger Jack Nelson and the veteran Al Karasick. There are approximately fifty matmen entered in the tourney which promises to be the greatest wrestling attraction ever held in the Pacific Northwest. The famed Dusek family, aka "The Merry Madcaps of Matdom," are due to descend on unsuspecting Pacific Coast fans in the course of the next week or two. Joe, Rudy, Emil, as well as Ernie, will join the youngest of the riotous tribe,

Danny, who has faced the best in the Northwest recently. The entire quintet is entered in the Golden Jubilee tournament in Vancouver. The winner of this affair will meet the world heavyweight champion.

Curfew Chatter: Ed Don George, Abe Goldberg, Luigi Bacigalupi, Bob Montgomery and Paul Orth are campaigning in California . . . Our deepest sympathies to Dick Shikat (now in Germany) who lost his wife in an automobile accident . . . Nat Pendleton, ex-wrestler, turned in a superb performance as Eugene Sandow in the picture "The Great Ziegfeld" . . . Lou Daro arrives home from Japan soon . . . George Zaharias won money when Max Schmeling stopped Joe Louis . . . Juan Oliquivel is being groomed as a second Vincent Lopez . . . Man Mountain Dean will be seen in the picture "The Playboy" starring George Raft . . .

MIKE AND BEV CHAPMAN MAKING GIANT STRIDES WITH THE WRESTLING INSTITUTE & MUSEUM DEEP IN THE HEART OF NEWTON, IOWA, HARD BY INTERSTATE 80
SUNDAY PUNCHES by J Michael Kenyon
(edition of November 17, 2002)

Perhaps overlooked in the festivities surrounding the annual hall of fame inductions banquet at the International Wrestling Institute and Museum (IWIM) was a joyous fact. To quoth executive director Mike Chapman: "We opened the doors in 1998, and now, just four years later, I am very proud to say we own the building outright." It is unrecorded as to whether Mike and wife Bev performed a public mortgage burning, but Mike, indeed, put credit where credit is due by acknowledging the "tremendous support" extended IWIM by CAC director Jason (Father Wolfman?) Sanderson and Dean Rockwell. Another large factor, it should be noted, as the selling of a portion of the parking lot to Randy Lewis, operator of the adjacent Culver’s Restaurant. Coincidentally, Lewis is the 1984 Olympic champion in the lightweight class and a member of the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa. "It’s been a wonderful relationship," says Mike. "Having such a popular restaurant right next door has certainly helped our traffic flow, and Randy is a big supporter of the museum in many ways." Yet another item before we close the IWIM file: Kyle Klingman, avid wrestling fan, has been hired to run the museum on a day-to-day basis, coordinate special events and line up museum tours. The University of Northern Iowa grad replaces Rod Brown, who resigned to concentrate on his construction business. And, these future dates to remember: Saturday, April 12, 2003, when 21 wrestlers and coaches will be inducted into the Glen Brand Hall of Fame. The public is invited, of course, as it will be to the professional George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame on the weekend of August 1-3, 2003. Mark your calendars now and, for further info, keep tabs with this splendid Newton IA facility by clicking on www.wrestlingmuseum.org ...

For this week's history patrol, can it be that 15 years have already gone by since that huge crowd filled the Silverdome in Pontiac MI for Wrestlemania III? Dave Meltzer’s hard-hitting critique in the Wrestling Observer for April 6, 1887 serves as testimony to how professional wrestling, as we knew and loved it, was even then a thing of the past:

… HULK HOGAN PINNED ANDRE THE GIANT with a legdrop after a bodyslam in 12:00. This wasn't the worst match I ever saw, but it threatened to be at times. Hulk proved all his critics right -- in that he simply can't carry a match. Andre was even worse than I expected. Now, I always heard that Gorilla Monsoon was a match teacher. Didn't he ever teach his son Joey (ref Joe Marella) how to count past nine because they were outside the ring for 90 seconds at one point and Marella never counted to 10?

Everything done except the first non-slam and the final slam was poor. And little was done. -**** (that's negative four stars -- and I'll have nightmares about this one -- Andre just standing there not moving for minutes on end, nearly falling asleep while holding Hulk in a four-minute bearhug). But who can complain -- in one day this match DID MORE BUSINESS than EVERY Buddy Rogers vs. Johnny Valentine, Pat Patterson vs. Ray Stevens, Lou Thesz vs. Karl Gotch, Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair and Jack Brisco vs. Terry Funk matches COMBINED (emphasis added). And that's something to think about.
* * * * *

LEARN, HERE, HOW YOU CAN PUT YOURSELF IN THE EAGER HANDS OF EVERY HUMAN AT CAC 2003!
SUNDAY PUNCHES by J Michael Kenyon
(edition of November 10, 2002)

Contact CAC Banquet Program/Dean Silverstone, 201 N.E. 45th St. Seattle, WA 98105 -- fax: (425) 747-4566, e-mail: oldies@goldenoldies-records.com -- The following rates apply:

If you are a fan looking for a copy of In The Pit With Piper and your local bookstore is sold out, you can go to www.inthepitwithpiper.com to order – and if you do order from that site, you’re to receive, free of charge, the never-before-released-to-the-public videotape, "Blackballed." This tape, among many, many clips, features highlights and special moments from CAC 2001 … when Piper made his never-to-be-forgotten plea for us never to forget those he terms "frat brothers." Cody Monk, in the Dallas Morning News, writes that Piper has a film crew following his nationwide book tour. Roddy told Monk, among many revelations, that pro wrestling has the highest suicide rate of any sport, that Vincent Kennedy McMahon is not a nice man (!), and that he has written about industry "murders" in the book … Ken Taylor's NWA Southwest is offering programs from the 54th Anniversary show in Corpus Christi for $6.75, which includes shipping and handling. Send checks, payable to NWA Southwest, to P. O. Box 740572, Dallas, TX. 75374 ...

Jimmy and Angel Valiant planning their annual trip to Chicago to spend the holidays with family and friends. On Nov. 27, the Hammond Tech Appreciation Society will be honoring him at his old high school … and the mayor of Hammond IN, Dwayne Dedelow, is ready to present Jimmy with the key to his hometown … Superstar Billy Graham is thanking many, many old pals for the support and encouragement he received from them in the days leading up to his life-saving liver transplant last month. The big, big list is headed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura, Terry Taylor, Steve Borden (Sting), Mike Hegstrand and Joe Laurinaitis (Road Warriors Hawk and Animal, respectively). "It was so wonderful to know that I had so many in my corner pulling for me and praying for me," said Graham (Wayne Coleman) to Charleston SC Post and Courier columnist Mike Mooneyham. "I tell everybody that this liver will never see any anabolic steroids or any drugs or substances associated with pro wrestling or bodybuilding. This will be the cleanest liver that a pro wrestler has ever had." Ironically, wrote Mooneyham, "the most comforting and unexpected call came from Vince McMahon" … Ric Flair's youngest daughter, Ashley Fliehr, led Charlotte's Providence High School to the North Carolina 4A state championship in volleyball. Ashley, a 5-10 sophomore, registered 20 kills and 10 blocks in the semifinals … Flair's 14-year-old son, Reid, began high school wrestling practice week before last. His junior high football squad recently won the conference title with a 28-22 victory. The 190-pound eighth-grader, a seven-time state champion in wrestling, played nose guard, tackle and offensive right guard in football. All this info, too, courtesy of newshound Mooneyham …

Per usual, we close with more documentation of wrestling’s glorious past (well, it wasn’t ALL peaches and cream, was it?):

REPORT OF THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON THE STUDY OF BOXING AND WRESTLING IN CALIFORNIA

(H. Jack Hanna, chairman; J. Frank Coakley, Richard A. McGee, J. Marvin Russell, Brig. Gen. Oscar J. Jahnsen, members; August 9, 1956)

(ED. NOTE--Before we turn to the committee's final recommendations regarding wrestling jurisdiction in California, it is informative to peek at an earlier chapter, wherein the insidious methods used by promoters and managers to cut themselves a fat hog were quite vividly illustrated by the October 3, 1947 visit by wrestler Primo Carnera to Toronto for a match in Maple Leaf Gardens.)

. . . A copy of a statement of one of (Carnera's) matches while he was working under the illegal ownership of unlicensed Babe McCoy is set forth. Carnera, in theory, was to receive as much as 40 percent of his earnings. However, earnings were computed, according to the accountant who inquired into the matter before Carnera succeeded in freeing himself from McCoy, along the following line.

A 40 percent share of the latter net gate would be $2,155 and Carnera usually received 40 percent of the net gate. Carnera received only 34 percent of the purse of $2,155 or $732.70, and the balance of $1,432.30 was used for expenses and divided among Toots Mondt, McCoy and the booking office. The testimony of the man who brought Carnera from Italy as a wrestler after World War II only to have him taken over by McCoy and company was as follows regarding this type of charge:

Q--Mr. Harris, I would like to ask you, if I may -- let's see -- do you know whether or not Carnera, after World War II, was a big drawing card as a wrestler?

Q--In your judgment would a charge of publicity against Primo Carnera on October 3, 1947, in Toronto, Canada, where the gate receipts were $12,079.30, would a charge of publicity against them of $3,825.11 be about right?

Q--In your judgment, is a charge of close to $4,000 for publicity against a $12,000 gate . . .

A--That is ridiculous. That is ridiculous. The man didn't have to pay any publicity. I can't see where they can come up with a figure of four thousand for publicity.

Q--Did you have any conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Carnera after these events took place?

A--Yes. Mrs. Carnera called me to her home and both of them cried to me. I mean to say literally, they actually cried tears that they were getting a bum deal on this. They had just come back from South America, a tour which netted approximately a hundred thousand dollars, and all Prime got out of that was $5,000.

(ED. NOTE--Still another section, dealing with the promotional practices of Cal Eaton at the Olympic Auditorium, revealed some more creative bookkeeping.)

. . . On May 21, 1952, the Olympic promoted the Lou Thesz-Baron Leone wrestling spectacle. A false report was filed with the State Athletic Commission by the Olympic. The usual signoff sheet showed that Leone received $10,000 and Lou Thesz received $12,725.

This was the official report filed with California government by this club as required by law and rules enacted pursuant to law. Leone did not receive $10,000 as reported. He received $6,650 -- $3,350 too little. There is no question about this. Leone's income tax records, the wrestling booking office records, and the actual checks and check register of the Olympic were all examined and all coincided -- $6,650.

The state auditor found that Lou Thesz received a single check for $9,000 entitled, "balance due Lou Thesz 5-21-52." He checked the accounts, the canceled checks and the check register for the entire year and found no other payment to Thesz. However, circumstances did not allow the independent follow-through on Thesz that was done in Leone's case.

It was determined that the computation of purses and all payments are prepared by Aileen LeBell Eaton, bookkeeper at the Olympic before her marriage to (Cal) Eaton, or under her direct supervision.

A comparatively small percentage of our time was devoted to this subject. However, we did compile a considerable amount of information regarding the conduct of this business in California and the State Athletic Commission's relation to it. At the present time wrestling is in theory regulated by the State through the commission.

Its conduct is supposedly subject to a great number of rules and rgulations. All this, despite the fact that by law it is an "exhibition" rather than a bona fide contest between athletes. "Exhibition" can, of course, be synonymous with "entertainment" or, "spectacle," and in the case of wrestling it is.

At the present time licensed referees allegedly control the conduct of the entertainers and the business is as seriously regulated, in theory at any rate, as is the boxing business. All of us who have worked on this matter believe that there is no more justification for the State of California to regulate the conduct of the wrestling business than there would be for the State Athletic Commission to attempt to regulate entertainment generally.

From the standpoint of policy and legal theory the commission could begin to regulate professional baseball with far more justification than exists for its "regulation" of wrestling. The State's position in connection with the wrestling business is wholly untenable. Further, we feel that the evidence indicates that the State's position in this matter is actually harmful to public welfare and is a disservice to the performers.

The 1939 Assembly committee, referred to previously, stated in its report it found a wrestling monopoly to exist and further: "The committee was astounded to learn of the 'strangle hold' the promoters themselves had upon the wrestlers who wrestled for them.

"Wrestlers had to take whatever the promoters saw fit to pay them. We have the unusual situation of a wrestler wrestling one night for about $200 and the next night for $20. A wrestler must do as he is told by the promoters and wrestle for what they see fit to pay or he does not wrestle in California."

We find virtually the same situation to exist today. Twenty dollars a night would often be an improvement over today's scale. The wrestlers are not free agents even to the extent that the boxers are. In fact, their licensing by the State has led to greater control by the promoter than would otherwise exist.

Recalcitrant wrestlers can be threatened with suspension and a consequent loss of livelihood. One wrestler who was most vigorous in trying to organize his fellow performers into a union soon found himself in serious difficulty with the commission. Many instances have occurred whereby those in control of wrestling have used the commission to harass and restrict competition.

Rules aimed at preventing monopoly have been violated by (Cal) Eaton and others for years with commission knowledge. Actually an examination of the moneys paid wrestlers in California is startling. It would appear that a good part of the time many of these citizens would be better off seeking any other employment. The monopolistic practices encouraged by the present system should be a matter of concern. However, the point of the matter is this:

The State of California, in theoretically regulating this form of entertainment and providing uniformed licensed referees, demeans itself and becomes a party to a fraud. The wrestling promoters, of course, prefer to continue the present system as the referees' "warnings," the announcement that this is "under the auspices of the State Athletic Commission of California," all help to lend some needed and commercially valuable semblance of reality and dignity to this form of entertainment. The subject itself frequently provokes mirth but from the public viewpoint it should not be amusing.

Consider these facts. In 1955 several wrestling referees testified before an Assembly subcommittee that a practice, perfectly legal and generally known, existed to select the victors beforehand. Whereupon the commission enunciated a rule that referees and wrestlers must have separate quarters so that the opportunity for such collusion would be restricted.

This served merely to perpetuate the myth of reality of combat on which this form of entertainment seems to be based. Wrestlers refused to go in the ring with such a scoundrel refereeing and the commission's inspector deputized a referee from the audience. Other buffoonery took place. The promoters and perhaps the wrestlers were angry at the blow to their livelihood. As well they might be. Remember, midgets wrestled on the card of the last great outdoor wrestling combat in California and yet a huge gate was attracted.

Anyone who has read the hundreds upon hundreds of letters from people objecting to California Government's participation in this farce would be somewhat impressed by them. A surprising percentage of them are not from the wrestling fans who want the mayhem reduced and evildoers punished, but are from persons who object to wrestling on the ground that the flagrant and unpunished violation of the rules given color of reality by government's participation, is bad for public morals.

Further, the genuine regulation of boxing will be a very demanding and rather an expensive activity for the State. It is unwise to have the same agency charged with regulation of both boxing and wrestling.

We most strongly urge that wrestlers, wrestling promoters and all other participants in this business no longer be licensed by or regulated by the State of California and that they be allowed to conduct themselves in the future without California Government as one of the props.

We recommend that the Legislature no longer impose a tax on this form of entertainment unless a general tax of some sort be imposed, rather than have this activity even connected revenue wise with the regulation of boxing.

We recommend that the law continue to prohibit the use of females and the use of animals in these spectacles. Otherwise, this matter should be regulated only by the general law of nuisance now in existence, or by affected municipalities.
* * * * *

THE MORMON GIANT FEATURED IN LATEST CAC NEWSLETTER & HE'S COMING TO LAS VEGAS
SUNDAY PUNCHES by J Michael Kenyon
(edition of November 3, 2002)

Don Leo Jonathan will be making his very first Cauliflower Alley Club reunion appearance, although he has been a member in good standing for more than a decade, at CAC 2003 -- scheduled April 3,4 & 5 at the Plaza Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas. All that and more is outlined in the lead story of the November CAC newsletter -- which would be in your mailbox right now had you remembered to send along your (still only) $25 dues (click here to join). Also in the newsletter: Your reunion banquet ticket/reservation form, a snappy new cartoon from Tito Carreon, a poem from Kenn Wilson regarding "the circle of friendship,"a two-page, detailed report on the International Wrestling Institute & Museum Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, news from the Gulf Coast Wrestling Reunion, pictures galore, exciting financial opportunities galore, a reminder to get your CAC belt buckles while they last, "La Coupe Du Schire" (two more pages of director George Schire's Minneapolis mat memoir from 1970), editor Dean Silverstone's 5th Pole of the Mat (the oldest wrestling column in existence, now in its 44th year), and, as the nice man says on radio, lots, lots more. You get ten of these news-and-gossip filled newsletters every year, just another of the many perks of CAC membership. And, remember, club membership is open to ALL ... And, speaking of forthcoming thrills, a little bird tells us to expect a notable newcomer to be among those seated at the 37^th annual Cauliflower Alley Club come the first weekend in April at Vegas’ downtown Plaza Hotel & Casino: George (The Animal) Steele. One of the guiding lights behind the new, Schenectady NY-based Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, Steele (aka Jim Myers) plans on accompanying HOF major domo Tony Vellano, another first timer, to the grand affair … Busy week at Stamford CT, where the McMahon empire cut loose financial officer Augie Liguori and chief marketer Julie Hoffman. Like Howard Beale, they were the victims of lousy ratings. For the time being, Frank Serpe and Basil DeVito will fill the jobs … Even before the news of Moose Cholak’s death (see below, and on the In the News and Finishes pages as well), there was more bad news, relayed by Dot Curtis (wife of Don): "For those of you who had the privilege of meeting with, or wrestling Jacob (Dutch) Grobbe, aka Hans Mortier or Zorro, I got a phone call from his wife Yolaine from Holland. Dutch is very, very ill. He is in the hospital, immobile and unable to swallow. They have not called it a stroke, but as Yolaine and I discussed....what else? So pray for him. If you want to send a card, please do so. Remember it will cost some extra postage, but I know he would love to hear from you. I always send him my copies of the CAC newsletter and he loves receiving them. The address is: Jacob Grobbe, 2 Johan de Wittstraat, Leiden 2334 AP, Holland." ...

Bruce (Hangman) Pobanz, on the death last week of Ed Cholak (at right): "Cholak was my friend almost from my first day in this business. Dick The Bruiser discovered me at a female oil wrestling show near Hammond, Indiana. He took me to Moose Cholak's bar early on in Chicago. I learned the basics of the business in this area of the country and remember many a night we would hoist a few cold ones at Moose's place after a show at the International Amphitheater. I heard about his stroke and that may even hit me harder than most because I, too, suffered a major stroke, died two times, but by the grace of God, I'm still ‘Hanging in There.’ I remember the great times Dick The Bruiser, The Crusher and many others, along with myself, had drinking with Moose … Whatever the reason, I feel that The Bruiser now has one of his good wrestling and drinking buddies by his side. The stories I could tell from what I saw those two do together would make for some very enjoyable memories. That is in the past and I feel The Bruiser and The Moose are busy, enjoying their friendship all over again and making more enjoyable memories. I raise my glass in honor of a fine man, a devoted worker and a great friend!" The Chicago papers were kind to Moose, in death, both the Sun-Times (click here) and Daily Southtown (click here) marking the event. (Any difficulty accessing, the pieces also are on the CAC In the News page.) Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday (Nov. 4) at Annunciata Church, 11128 Avenue G, with burial in St. Mary's Cemetery, Evergreen Park ...

Greg Oliver, author of The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Canadians, hoping that Angelo (King Kong) Mosca will be attending his scheduled book launch November 28 at Big Anthony’s (Tony Parisi’s old restaurant) in Niagara Falls. Notes Greg, in response to a fan question: "Mosca is alive and well in St. Catharines, Ontario, which is about halfway between Hamilton and Niagara Falls. I believe he works in real estate, and he still is around promoting the CFL. Occasionally, you'll see him in commercials as well. Hopefully, he'll be down for my book launch. He's in my 'adopted Canadian' section -- he was born in Worcester, Mass., but he's about as Canadian as they come now." … Yet another CAC 2003 honoree, Bill Moody (aka Percy Pringle, Paul Bearer), was the scheduled guest Friday night (9 to 11 p.m. EST) on Chris Yandek’s "worldwide" Internet wrestling program. To hear these shows, well, let Chris tell it: "You must sign up for the free program at www.paltalk.com, and then when you’re on the program go to the groups section and select Pal Talk Radio, and then you go into the Weblink Radio forum. My screen name on Paltalk is Newerawrestling -- if you have any questions. If you have any comments as well feel free to e-mail me at Lyandek@aol.com." (Yandek -- only Ric Drasin is busier -- is a writer for the St.Petersburg Times Online Wrestling Section at Ringfury.com, columnist at 1Wrestling.com, and his interviews appear in the monthly old school newsletter, Wrestling Then & Now. He, as noted, also hosts his own worldwide wrestling radio program on Web Link Radio and the Pal Talk Radio Network every Friday Night at 9pm to 11pm Eastern Standard Time. Check out the section of the show at www.weblinkradio.com/wrestling and you can download the program to listen to the show at www.paltalk.com) … The aforementioned Mr. Drasin invites all to visit him at Dragonfest, set Sunday, Nov. 17, at the Glendale Civic Auditorium, 1401 North Verdugo Road (134 Ventura Freeway -Glendale Ave. exit), 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. "The lines form at 7 a.m. to get in," advises Ric, and admission is $15 a copy, with children under 3 in free (sorry, all you four-year-olds, it’s cash-and-carry!) …

This week’s stroll down the aisle of memories is an excerpt from a column authored some three years ago by Al Friend (aka Percival A. Friend, the Epitome of Wrestling Managers) and available, along with a veritable treasure trove of mat reminiscences, at Friend’s awesome web site (click here):

"Probably one of the best feuds of the ‘60s that I can remember was between Bobo Brazil (right) and Big Moose Cholak. I was on the card the night that boxing champion Archie Moore was the guest referee between those two. It was a gala event with ten matches on the card. The opener had Sailor Art Thomas against Karl Von Schnabel. Art won with a big bear hug. I was in the second match against Gary Hart, and we wrestled to a ten-minute draw. The rest of the card was star-studded and gave the paying fans that sold out the Marigold an evening of memories that would last a lifetime.

"The semi-main event had a tag team match with the Bavarian Boys against Angelo Poffo and Buddy Rogers. After 60 minutes of action, there was not even one fall scored by either team. The referee had to declare the match a draw, but the Bavarian Boys wanted ten more minutes. Needless to say, Rogers and Poffo had other ideas and made it back to the dressing room, surrounded by at least 30 of Chicago's best.

"Bobo Brazil had just returned from a trip to the Far East a few months earlier and had been on big cards in Chicago and neighboring cities like Michigan City, Gary, and South Bend, Indiana, and his own home town of Benton Harbor at the old Naval Armory. He had won a lot of matches against some of the best that the business had to offer. On one card at the Marigold, while he was being interviewed by television people for an upcoming match with Johnny Kace, the Midwest Champ, Bobo was interrupted by Cholak, who claimed that Brazil was hiding behind (promoter) Fred Kohler's apron, and that he needed to face him in the ring to prove who was the better man. Cholak was escorted out of the area by security, and Bobo went on with the interview, saying he was very sorry for the outburst by Cholak.

"Two days later at the Marigold, Bobo was speaking with some fans and giving out autographs when Cholak passed him in the hallway and started calling him a bum. He was screaming at Bobo about him being a nobody that had beaten no one who would mean anything, that he needed to come out from behind Kohler's apron and face a real man. Bobo was trying to be as polite as he could be but was getting more and more angered at Cholak.

"These two giants fought each other many times, and not one of the regular officials were able to contain these foes. That is, until Archie Moore was brought in. As any boxing fan could tell you, Archie was a no-nonsense type of guy that gave no quarter nor took one from anybody. His reputation was impeccable, as he had faced some of the best that boxing had produced. It was up to him to be impartial and uphold the law in the ring.

"Bobo entered the ring a few moments after Cholak was inside the squared circle, removed his beautiful Kelly green jacket, and was ready for business. Referee Moore gave the men their pre-match instructions, and the bell rang for the two out of three fall match.

"Cholak was a very rough man inside the ring and, a few times, came close to getting himself punched by Archie Moore, but restrained himself and continued his roughhouse tactics. Moose was able to win the first fall using a barrage of fists and boots to Bobo's body, then using a big splash off the second rope and, finally, a body press to win.

"Bobo came back to win the second fall with a coco-butt and a pin after almost 10 minutes of devastation by Cholak. Moose threw everything that he could at Brazil to beat the Benton Harbor giant.

"The third and final fall was won by Brazil. Cholak had pulled Archie in front of him as Bobo was delivering a huge punch to Cholak's chest. Bobo connected with Archie Moore's chest and knocked him to the mat.

Cholak seized the moment while Bobo went to Archie to try and help and began kicking and beating the helpless Brazil to the mat. Archie Moore regained his composure, pulled Cholak from Brazil and gave him one of his famous knockout punches that gained him the World's Heavyweight Championship, and Bobo fell on top of Cholak and pinned him. What a way to end a fantastic night. Every one went home happy except the Moose."
* * * * *

COMING SOON: GREG OLIVER'S CANADIAN WRESTLING BOOK
SUNDAY PUNCHES by J Michael Kenyon
(edition of October 27, 2002)

There is good news this time around. One of professional wrestling's finest friends, Greg Oliver – the man who made SLAM! Wrestling one of the foremost mat web sites before the dot.com cutbacks – has set the launch party for his long-anticipated book, The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Canadians … It's going to be at Big Anthony's Restaurant in Niagara Falls ON, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday evening, November 28 … "That's Tony Parisi's old place," Greg reminds, adding, "If you've ever been there, you'll know it's the perfect place for a wrestling book launch. History is everywhere, from the photos on the walls to the menu itself. I just wish the Cannonball were still around. He was always a big supporter of my writing." So, here’s a lovely opportunity for some of the old pros residing in the lower Ontario-upper New York State area to get together in poignant surroundings and help debut what undoubtedly will be one of the significant new wrestling books of the young century. In addition to some splendid photos from the legendary Tony Lanza of Montreal, Greg has gotten Bob Leonard and even Terry Dart to contribute from their picture files. Oliver, for one, is hoping that from the Hamilton contingent (Dewey Robertson, John and Chris Tolos, Hurricane Smith, Billy Red Lyons, Ernie "The Executioner" Moore, Reggie Love, et al), those near Niagara (Angelo Mosca, Chuck Molnar, The Destroyer) and friends in Toronto (Ron Hutchison, "The People's Uncle" Rocky Johnson, Big Mac, Wolfman, Waldo von Erich), several should show up, if nothing else "for the free nibblies!" He’s busy contacting them, even as I scribble this, so expect a grand show on Nov. 28 in Niagara Falls …

A sad note this week came from Chicago, where Ed (Moose) Cholak is said to have suffered a major stroke. He’s reportedly paralyzed on his right side and cannot speak. Plans, at last word, were to transfer him from a Chicago-area hospital to a nursing home. For the youngsters in the audience, Cholak was one of the distinctive mat personalities of the 1950s and ‘60s, entering the ring while wearing a giant moose head. He was especially prominent in Midwest wrestling affairs … Another, younger, stroke victim is Bret Hart, who’s said to have progressed to the point where he’s working outside the Calgary hospital at which his therapy began this summer. His web site (www.brethart.com) provides weekly updates of his comeback, while Bret continues to work on his book – expected to be a three-volume work upon completion ...

On a lighter note, CAC booster Jeff Costa (The fabled "Lobsterman" of New England rings) is once again running for President of the U.S.A. Another of his popular fundraisers is scheduled for November 9 at St. Stanislaus Hall in Nashua NH. It’s entitled (everything the Lobsterman does has an official title) BIG GRAND SLAM and will feature Lobsterman and former Milwaukee Brewer and current Nashua Pride pitcher Angel Miranda in a tag war with slugging Pride third baseman Pork Chop Pough and Captain USA. All full supporting card featuring AWA All Star Wrestling stars is on tap, with doors opening 7 p.m. and bell time 8 p.m. Partial proceeds go to the St. Stanislaus Building Fund. First 500 through the doors get a "highly collectible" LOBSTERMAN FOR PRESIDENT bumper sticker. Check his site (www.thelobsterman.net) (Lobsterman is flanked by Mexican champ Cyrus and Boston Bulldog Rip Morrison in the photo.) … If anyone has any memories or other info regarding the career of Rowdy Red Roberts, who occupied many a southern ring from the early ‘40s to the late ‘60s, please get in touch with Kevin McCann, who’d love to hear from you (rowdyredroberts@kevindmccann.com). He’s erected a tribute site, which you may access by clicking here. Kevin’s also a member of the growing (by leaps and bounds) Wrestling Legends mailing list, which is a grand place to swap memories of Wrestling As We Liked It. To subscribe (free, natch), send an e-mail to wrestlinglegends-subscribe@egroups.com. If you encounter any difficulty, check with the group moderator by e-mailing wrestlinglegends-owner@egroups.com. And, thanks again to CAC director Scott Teal, the man who originally established this popular device … in addition to his splendid web site (http://www.1wrestlinglegends.com) and fascinating "Whatever Happened To … ?" journals … Ben Chambers interviewed Jake Roberts for Powerslam.net and came away saying, "I recently met up with the legendary ex WWE and WCW wrestler Jake Roberts. I found him to have a huge presence, a great sense of humour, he was kind, very interesting, entertaining, intelligent, confusing at times but as a wrestling fan -- an experience I won’t ever forget." Read it, and you’ll see why. Team Snake Productions, advertising Jim Duggan, Honkytonk Man, Brutus Beefcake and young UK star Doug Williams, are booked into a trio of southern England towns Nov. 1-3, including Littlehampton on Friday the 2^nd …

This week’s stroll down Memory Lane involves transporting ourselves backward in time more than a half century, to the days when a young Stanley Weston was toiling for Nat Fleischer at Ring Magazine and putting together those memorable wrestling pages in the monthly "bible." Stanley also produced some epic portraits of boxers which graced a good many covers of the magazine. He, of course, went out on his own in the ‘50s to create Boxing Illustrated-Wrestling News, Wrestling Revue, and, eventually, the long-lived Pro Wrestling Illustrated. (Note to Tony Vellano while I’m thinking of it: You might give some consideration to opening up a category for wrestling journalists in your Schenectady NY-based Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Weston, recently deceased, and the late Charles (Spider) Mascall, who was a Ring correspondent and created The Wrestler in England, are two sure nominees who leap to mind.) At any rate, here’s a glimpse of Mr. Weston’s column from the November 1948 issue of Ring Magazine:

NEWS OF THE MAT WORLD by "STANLEY"

Laverne Baxter takes our bid as the roughest wrestler in the country. His tactics are even money to start a riot anywhere. Recently Baxter and Tony Galento engaged in a so-called wrestling match in Washington, D.C. Max Baer, the former heavyweight boxing champion of the world, and kayo victor over Galento in 1939, was the referee.

As is his custom, Laverne began to rough up Tony with every trick in the book and Baer promptly awarded Galento the match. Baxter, who was wild with rage, made a dash for Maxie, but the latter was too fast and jumped over the ropes to safety. Baxter then turned his attentions to Galento and it took the police to pull him off the helpless former boxer.

Willie Gilzenberg, who handles the business affairs of Galento, was so upset at the methods used by Baxter that he took a punch at the big wrestler whereupon Laverne shoved little Willie, causing him to fall into a faint.

All in all, it was a pretty rough evening but so far as the spectators were concerned, it didn't last long enough. For Mister Baer and Galento, however, it lasted much too long.

WRESTLING'S JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES, Abe Stein, has been suspended by the New York State Athletic Commission for taking a sock at a referee. When interviewed by your reporter, Stein told of the rough treatment he had been receiving at the hands of this same referee during the past few months. Finally, he could take it no longer and when the official began to push Abe around and then threaten to hit him, that was too much and Stein let him have it. A hearing has been arranged for Stein and we hope he is pardoned so that the fans can once again view his pleasing style.

When we call Abe a jack-of-all-trades, we mean it. In addition to his wrestling, he is a fine artist, both with oils and with pencil. He is studying singing and has also appeared on the legitimate stage and in the movies. Some of you may have seen him in Mark Hellinger's "Naked City," or "Kiss of Death." He instructed Jimmy Cagney for the latter's role in "Blood on the Sun."

While we are on the subject of suspended wrestlers, word has just arrived of the life suspension of Gino Garibaldi in the state of New York. That odd New York ruling about tossing a man out of the ring was given as the reason for the suspension after Gino had dumped Sandor Kovacs over the ropes at Jamaica Arena. It is amazing how a penalty of that sort can be imposed for so regular a happening as a wrestler being thrown out of the ring. It occurs regularly throughout the country.

AT A RECENT BOUT in Washington, D.C., we watched two wrestlers put on a show that lasted one full hour and was finally called because of the curfew. During the entire bout your correspondent counted a total of four holds used by both men. The rest of the time was spent throwing punches with both fists and elbows. It is our view that a match of this kind is beyond reason. The people paid for a wrestling match, not a boxing bout. Had they wanted to see a pugilistic contest they would have held their money until the following night when fights were presented.

EUROPEAN WRESTLING GOSSIP, by Charles "Spider" Mascall, follows: Into Paris for a European tour with his giant, ambling protege, "The Angel," came Karl Pojello, doyen of wrestling men. Pojello, nowadays a promoter around and about Chicago, looks as youthful as ever. There isn't any question about it, he will rank among the great wrestlers of our time. In the gymnasium, he looks better than most of the present-day stars . . . In London, at the Tottenham Spurs Football Stadium, before an estimated crowd of 12,000, Maurice "The Angel" Tillet wrestled Bert Assirati, heavyweight champion of Great Britain . . . Madrid is one of the best wrestling towns in Spain . . . In Vienna, Austria, a heavyweight tournament has been in progress and featured Nino Equatore, Italy; Felix Kershitz, Austria, and other leading European stars . . . Ed "Don" George, former world titlist, visited London to see the Olympic Games . . . Arrivals in England included Tiger Jim De Lisle, French-Canadian middleweight from Montreal, and Con Balaisis, Australian globetrotter . . . Dean Rockwell, Chicago light-heavy and former University of Michigan athlete, has been giving some good displays of wrestling knowledge during an English tour . . . Jim Burnett, Vancouver heavyweight who went gold-mining in South Africa, is also in the British Isles . . . Stan Karolyi, Paris-born Hungarian and Ed "Don" Virag, both well-known in the United States, have been barnstorming in Belgium ... Rumours are circulating locally that Steve Casey, the Irishman, and Primo Carnera, ex-boxing titlist now wrestling star, may clash in Dublin this winter under the banner of versatile Gerald Egan . . .

And just when you think the twisted, warped mind of Vincent Kennedy McMahon is bereft of ideas (be sure to compare what Stanley Weston believed was "beyond reason" in 1948 to the following), here is David Meltzer at WrestlingObserver.com giving advance warning to the latest smut of VKM: "A (RAW) pre-tape was done earlier today (Oct. 21) featuring HHH going to the cemetery where Katie Vick was buried. He exhumes the casket, opens it up, takes her clothes off including her panties, then takes his clothes off and gets on top of her. This scene is shot in such a way that you only see HHH's head so there is no nudity or anything objectionable that you view, although the image it attempts to portray is something else. The feed of the angle was just sent a few minutes ago up on satellite, presumably to the networks to warn them in case they want it edited."

SUPERSTAR GRAHAM GETS THE LONG-NEEDED LIVER TRANSPLANT
SUNDAY PUNCHES by J Michael Kenyon
(edition of October 20, 2002)

Speaking of the CAC, board member Pat Patterson may have to curtail his golf schedule for a few weeks. While the WWE’s Jim Ross was reporting that Pat won’t have to undergo surgery on his shoulder (ironically injured in Pat’s hometown of Montreal during the October 14 Monday Night RAW), he faces four to six weeks of rehab. Dr. Jim Andrews examined Patterson in Birmingham AL Thursday … More on the WWE, which has reported a third-quarter loss of some $3 million: It looks like the company’s 2003 in-ring strategy is going to focus heavily on overseas markets. No less than eight international tours are planned, according to a mid-week WWE announcement. The tours are to span five continents and include visits to countries such as Australia, Brazil, Chile, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa and Thailand. First up is the "WWE Far East Tour January 2003." Events will be held at the Jamsil Basketball Stadium in Seoul, South Korea on January 23, 2003, and the National Yoyogi Stadium (No. 1 Gymnasium), Tokyo on January 24 and 25, 2003. The upcoming India tour (November) will run the WWE’s 2002 total of international events to 15, a number which Roger Marment, WWE’s Executive Vice President of International Business Development, expects to see nearly doubled in 2003. WWE television may be seen in some 130 countries around the globe …

DON'T FORGET! The eBay auction of the Mike Mazurki-autographed checks to benefit the CAC Benevolent Fund is set to launch Tuesday, Oct. 29, and end Monday, Nov. 4. Involved are FOURTEEN vintage CAC checks, jointly signed by club founders Mazurki and Art Abrams. They'll go as one lot, with the Benevolent Fund receiving 100 percent of the proceeds. To find the auction at eBay.com, search for Cauliflower Alley Club as seller ... or look back here as soon as we learn the exact location ... And Karl Lauer still has a precious few of those three-color CAC belt buckles that will make such handsome gifts for those on your holiday shopping list. Each buckle is just $20, plus U.S. postage of $3.95 (Canada/Mexico is $5, overseas $8). Send a check or credit card info with your order, indicating how many you wish, to: Cauliflower Alley Club, HCR 33, Box 107, Rolla MO 65401 or fax to 1-573-729-7998 ...

No longer on the WWE payroll, Percy Pringle (aka Paul Bearer), a CAC 2003 honoree, was to have been a guest of Shannon Rose and Barry Horowitz on the popular Pro Wrestling Weekly radio show yesterday (Oct. 19). You can now hear Pro Wrestling Weekly Radio LIVE on the net every Saturday from 1-2 p.m. EST at the following link (click here) … Questions to the guests may be called in to 1-877-355-1040 and listeners may also submit questions & comments by e-mail at pww1040@yahoo.com … Two other broadcast notes: Classic Wrestling, featuring archived film from the epic Championship Wrestling from Florida shows of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, is going into syndication in 2003. Word is that Randy (Poffo) Savage will team with Mike Graham to do the commentary … And the Blue Meanie, a good friend of the CAC, is promoting 3PW shows with girlfriend Jasmin St. Claire. It is rumored about that, on a recent "Get in the Ring" radio show, the Meanie revealed that Bradshaw "made my life miserable" during his WWE stint …

Speaking of coming to CAC 2003 (April 3-4-5 at the Plaza Hotel/Casino in downtown Las Vegas), here’s hoping that Jim Myers (aka George Steele) is a member of Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame founder Tony Vellano’s party. Keep up to date with one of wrestling’s most fascinating figures at the erstwhile Animal’s web site http://www.georgesteele.com/index.htm … And speaking of Vellano, he and his hard-working cohorts are staging a "grand opening" of the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum at 123 Broadway (get it?) in Schenectady NY Thursday, Nov. 14, with an open house from 5 to 8 p.m. An open invitation is extended to the wrestling industry, local community and wrestling fans. Food and refreshments will be served. For further information contact Tony Vellano at (518)356-3473, e-mail tvellano@msn.com or Mike Capano at (518) 725-5272, e-mail mcapano@nycap.rr.com or visit www.pwhf.org …