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Post by Jimmers Nice Guy on Dec 1, 2019 12:31:43 GMT -8
The wrasslin' forum! It's cool you guys got to experience the earlier stuff.The old fellow we got a lot of our tarantulas from was a one time pro wrestler.I'll need to google him up.We saw photos of him with the Bolsheviks and Iron Shiek,early stuff.Even in his eighties he was a hug Prussian man,hands like snow shovels.Lothar Gluth was his name.Rest in peace. Did I tell you guys I went fishing with the giant?My uncle Gary-more my grandfathers friend than blood I believe-had a construction company Andre did some work for I guess and they were chums. Fishing with Andre? That's crazy awesome. I've mentioned before that Ox Baker lived in my town for many years, but I never got to go fishing with him. Most I ever did was wait in line behind him at the pizza place Still cool,and PIZZA!I met Honkey Tonk Man and Mouth of the South,but that was at a horserace track signing event.Richardheads. I cried a few times fishing as it was Andre,myself and my Umpa,uncle Gary in I think a fourteen foot aluminium troller boat.The water was like two inches from the sides he was so heavy and I was sure we were done for.He did that deep chuckle and said 'I hope you swim good Yimmers,you'd have to save me' Yimmers.He called me Yimmers.Very kind man to me.There's a photo or two somewhere of that day.
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Post by Stu on Dec 1, 2019 12:32:12 GMT -8
Since the WWF started in Connecticut (or was/is HQ'd here at least) and we had cable TV we were exposed to it pretty early. They would have live shows all over Connecticut where they would set up in high school gyms. They came to the Putnam High School gym several times, and my brother and I were at this show: WWF @ Putnam, CT - July 24, 1983 Tony Garea defeated Don Kernodle Iron Mike Sharpe defeated SD Jones Tito Santana defeated Samula The Invaders defeated WWF Tag Team Champions the Wild Samoans via disqualification Chief Jay Strongbow defeated George "Animal" Steele via disqualification Ivan Putski defeated Ivan Koloff The Wild Samoans actually went wild, they went into the audience and were throwing chairs everywhere! Then I found Georgia Championship Wrestling on WTBS When I found them, it was still a tiny studio set up with maybe 50-75 people. Gordon Solie was the commentator, and "Wildfire" Tommy Rich was the main baby face. Others were Dusty Rhodes, Steve O, and Ted DiBiase. The heels were primarily Ric Flair, The Fabulous Freebirds, Harley Race, The Masked Superstar (later 'Axe' in Demolition), The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, and 'Hacksaw' Buzz Sawyer. Rich had awesome feuds with Flair and The Superstar, but his feud with Buzz Sawyer is something today's fans have not had the pleasure of viewing. It was something else, and if they didn't truly dislike each other, they're fantastic actors. I've got to mention The Great Kabuki and his green Asian mist, we thought he was awesome. I remember my brother and I doing Greg Valentine's figure four leg lock on each other Around this time my brother took up real wrestling (don't be sour), was a state champ, and now he's a coach. You know who else lives and coaches wrestling around here that my brother rubbed/ still rubs elbows with?? Bob Backlund! We saw Bob beat Killer Khan at Putnam HS too.
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Post by Jimmers Nice Guy on Dec 1, 2019 12:36:08 GMT -8
When I found them, it was still a tiny studio set up with maybe 50-75 people. Gordon Solie was the commentator, and "Wildfire" Tommy Rich was the main baby face. Others were Dusty Rhodes, Steve O, and Ted DiBiase. The heels were primarily Ric Flair, The Fabulous Freebirds, Harley Race, The Masked Superstar (later 'Axe' in Demolition), The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, and 'Hacksaw' Buzz Sawyer. Rich had awesome feuds with Flair and The Superstar, but his feud with Buzz Sawyer is something today's fans have not had the pleasure of viewing. It was something else, and if they didn't truly dislike each other, they're fantastic actors. I've got to mention The Great Kabuki and his green Asian mist, we thought he was awesome. I remember my brother and I doing Greg Valentine's figure four leg lock on each other Around this time my brother took up real wrestling (don't be sour), was a state champ, and now he's a coach. You know who else lived and coached around here that my brother rubbed/ still rubs elbows with?? Bob Backlund! We saw Bob beat Killer Khan at Putnam HS too. Lizards2 over at is a pretty big real wresting guy,I think he's pretty close to pro level,maybe coached? Go Honkers!
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Post by Stu on Dec 1, 2019 13:15:19 GMT -8
On a different note, I was flipping between the two football games and the channel between them is showing a triathlon. The announcer kept saying "Charles Barkley is currently in third and moving up" Charles Barkley this and that. My brain was confused of course. Turns out this British lady named Lucy Charles married a guy named Barclay and hyphenated her last lase. The poor lady's name IS actually Charles-Barclay. Uff da!
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Post by Stu on Dec 1, 2019 13:23:41 GMT -8
I've got to mention The Great Kabuki and his green Asian mist, we thought he was awesome. I remember my brother and I doing Greg Valentine's figure four leg lock on each other Around this time my brother took up real wrestling (don't be sour), was a state champ, and now he's a coach. You know who else lived and coached around here that my brother rubbed/ still rubs elbows with?? Bob Backlund! We saw Bob beat Killer Khan at Putnam HS too. Lizards2 over at is a pretty big real wresting guy,I think he's pretty close to pro level,maybe coached? Go Honkers! I think the problem with real wrestling is that there is no pro level. Same thing with the other sport my brother was awesome at, judo. You can try to make it to the Olympics but then what?
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Post by Siggy's Tar Dust® on Dec 1, 2019 13:37:17 GMT -8
Fishing with Andre? That's crazy awesome. I've mentioned before that Ox Baker lived in my town for many years, but I never got to go fishing with him. Most I ever did was wait in line behind him at the pizza place Still cool,and PIZZA!I met Honkey Tonk Man and Mouth of the South,but that was at a horserace track signing event.Richardheads. I cried a few times fishing as it was Andre,myself and my Umpa,uncle Gary in I think a fourteen foot aluminium troller boat.The water was like two inches from the sides he was so heavy and I was sure we were done for.He did that deep chuckle and said 'I hope you swim good Yimmers,you'd have to save me' Yimmers.He called me Yimmers.Very kind man to me.There's a photo or two somewhere of that day. That's a FANTASTIC story!!
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Post by Jimmers Nice Guy on Dec 1, 2019 13:37:55 GMT -8
Lizards2 over at is a pretty big real wresting guy,I think he's pretty close to pro level,maybe coached? Go Honkers! I think the problem with real wrestling is that there is no pro level. Same thing with the other sport my brother was awesome at, judo. You can try to make it to the Olympics but then what? Ah,see,I know very little about sports anymore Haven't really since the days of Hextal and Payton.I do like boxing,having had some matches,training by my umpa,who was a golden glove.Love Tyson! I guess the right way to put it was state champs or something like that.
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Post by Siggy's Tar Dust® on Dec 1, 2019 13:43:32 GMT -8
Lizards2 over at is a pretty big real wresting guy,I think he's pretty close to pro level,maybe coached? Go Honkers! I think the problem with real wrestling is that there is no pro level. Same thing with the other sport my brother was awesome at, judo. You can try to make it to the Olympics but then what? Aside from the technique being used in the UFC, yeah. I don't watch nearly as much as I used to (I used to feel an inner hostility that this helped to vent), but pure wrestlers were able to hold their own in the early days.
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Post by Siggy's Tar Dust® on Dec 1, 2019 13:45:07 GMT -8
I've got to mention The Great Kabuki and his green Asian mist, we thought he was awesome. I remember my brother and I doing Greg Valentine's figure four leg lock on each other Around this time my brother took up real wrestling (don't be sour), was a state champ, and now he's a coach. You know who else lived and coached around here that my brother rubbed/ still rubs elbows with?? Bob Backlund! We saw Bob beat Killer Khan at Putnam HS too. Lizards2 over at is a pretty big real wresting guy,I think he's pretty close to pro level,maybe coached? Go Honkers! I never knew of any involvement he had, but I know his sons were wrestlers. We met when he was passing through on their way to a meet.
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Post by Stu on Dec 1, 2019 13:45:48 GMT -8
Still cool,and PIZZA!I met Honkey Tonk Man and Mouth of the South,but that was at a horserace track signing event.Richardheads. I cried a few times fishing as it was Andre,myself and my Umpa,uncle Gary in I think a fourteen foot aluminium troller boat.The water was like two inches from the sides he was so heavy and I was sure we were done for.He did that deep chuckle and said 'I hope you swim good Yimmers,you'd have to save me' Yimmers.He called me Yimmers.Very kind man to me.There's a photo or two somewhere of that day. That's a FANTASTIC story!! That is friggin cool.
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Post by Jimmers Nice Guy on Dec 1, 2019 13:50:47 GMT -8
Lizards2 over at is a pretty big real wresting guy,I think he's pretty close to pro level,maybe coached? Go Honkers! I never knew of any involvement he had, but I know his sons were wrestlers. We met when he was passing through on their way to a meet. I remember you saying that but couldn't remember if it was in private or not.I can't speak for him,but I believe he used to.I know we've spoken of it,I'll ask him for fun. Oh yeah,you know about the Honkers!Wore my shirt this week!
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Post by Stu on Dec 1, 2019 13:54:53 GMT -8
I think the problem with real wrestling is that there is no pro level. Same thing with the other sport my brother was awesome at, judo. You can try to make it to the Olympics but then what? Aside from the technique being used in the UFC, yeah. I don't watch nearly as much as I used to (I used to feel an inner hostility that this helped to vent), but pure wrestlers were able to hold their own in the early days. Good point about the UFC, I forgot about that aspect. There was no UFC back then or he might've been pretty good at it.
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Post by 50 Fiddy on Dec 1, 2019 19:26:04 GMT -8
Fishing with Andre? That's crazy awesome. I've mentioned before that Ox Baker lived in my town for many years, but I never got to go fishing with him. Most I ever did was wait in line behind him at the pizza place Still cool,and PIZZA!I met Honkey Tonk Man and Mouth of the South,but that was at a horserace track signing event.Richardheads. I cried a few times fishing as it was Andre,myself and my Umpa,uncle Gary in I think a fourteen foot aluminium troller boat.The water was like two inches from the sides he was so heavy and I was sure we were done for.He did that deep chuckle and said 'I hope you swim good Yimmers,you'd have to save me' Yimmers.He called me Yimmers.Very kind man to me.There's a photo or two somewhere of that day. Really cool story!
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Post by 50 Fiddy on Dec 1, 2019 19:31:55 GMT -8
Since the WWF started in Connecticut (or was/is HQ'd here at least) and we had cable TV we were exposed to it pretty early. They would have live shows all over Connecticut where they would set up in high school gyms. They came to the Putnam High School gym several times, and my brother and I were at this show: WWF @ Putnam, CT - July 24, 1983 Tony Garea defeated Don Kernodle Iron Mike Sharpe defeated SD Jones Tito Santana defeated Samula The Invaders defeated WWF Tag Team Champions the Wild Samoans via disqualification Chief Jay Strongbow defeated George "Animal" Steele via disqualification Ivan Putski defeated Ivan Koloff The Wild Samoans actually went wild, they went into the audience and were throwing chairs everywhere! Then I found Georgia Championship Wrestling on WTBS When I found them, it was still a tiny studio set up with maybe 50-75 people. Gordon Solie was the commentator, and "Wildfire" Tommy Rich was the main baby face. Others were Dusty Rhodes, Steve O, and Ted DiBiase. The heels were primarily Ric Flair, The Fabulous Freebirds, Harley Race, The Masked Superstar (later 'Axe' in Demolition), The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, and 'Hacksaw' Buzz Sawyer. Rich had awesome feuds with Flair and The Superstar, but his feud with Buzz Sawyer is something today's fans have not had the pleasure of viewing. It was something else, and if they didn't truly dislike each other, they're fantastic actors. Another my brother and I would watch was the AWA- Associated with the WWF. That was when I first saw Hogan, but I had already been watching The High Flyers Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell dealing with The East/West Connection, Jesse Ventura and Adrian Adonis. Other heels were Nick Bockwinkel, Jerry Blackwell (AMAZINGLY agile 400 pounder), Baron Von Roske, Ken Patera (1st man in Olympic history to lift 500 lbs over his head), and one of the easiest bad guys to hate, Sheik Adnan El Kaissey. That was when Rasslin' was still Rasslin' The first event my dad took me to was an AWA match some time in the 70s or 80s. I don't remember much of it other than the match between Buck Zumhofe vs. Bobby Henan in a loser wear a weasel costume. AWA was a great league before Vince raided his stable.
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Post by steveinthecity on Dec 3, 2019 2:56:38 GMT -8
I don't have any good wrestling stories, but I did go to two matches back in the day. Don't recall too much about the first one, but got to see Pedro Morales and the Fabulous Moolah in a pretty small venue. The second was '88 and Hulk Hogan vs. One Man Gang was the featured match. Had seats in the 4th row which was awesome.
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