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Post by Spider Kid on Dec 6, 2008 5:20:06 GMT -5
I have two from 1970 and then several in the years of 1972 to 1986. I love wrestling back then. That was wrestling, and I have several matches taped from the 70s and 80s.
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Post by captaincold on Dec 9, 2008 10:20:58 GMT -5
OX BAKER THE MISUNDERSTOOD KILLER DR. MANFRED E. WILSON PHD Wrestling Annual # 17 1976 Even the strongest man may be overpowered by fate. Circumstances may conspire to twist a man’s mind, hopelessly confusing right from wrong. Environmental psychologists have done exhaustive work in this area. We must look to their research for analysis of Ox Baker. This despised athlete was driven into a emotional corner by two accidents and has been fighting from that psychological position ever since. The two occurrences which scarred Baker for life are the deaths of two opponents in the ring. Baker had already earned a reputation for ruthlessness before these deaths, but he showed no signs of his present extreme viciousness. This condition has to be traced to the two unfortunate deaths, possibly at the hands of Baker. After the first man died in a bout against Ox, most people were willing to dismiss it as a tragic accident, which all reports say is the truth of the matter. An autopsy revealed the man had suffered a blood clot in the brain. Therefore, any extensive exercise would have caused death. There is no way Baker could be blamed. However, fans were a bit put off by the callous way Baker refused to mourn for his fallen comrade. Baker’s refusal to mourn may not have been due to his hard heart. In fact, it may be just the opposite. Afraid to show the depth of his sorrow, Baker might have masked his despair as callousness. It’s a common psychological ploy, acting the opposite of your real emotions. However the second death following less than a year after the first, may have permanently crippled Baker’s mind. The fans began to shriek “ MURDERER! MURDERER! at the grappler. Again the autopsy revealed Baker could not be blamed for the tragedy. A heart condition , not treated in time, was the killer, not Baker. Baker knew this, but he couldn’t convince the fans of his innocence. There is a report that Baker tried to reason with a crowd before a match shortly after his opponent died. The reporter claimed Baker pleaded with the fans to understand him. They ignored the entreaties of the man they deemed a murderer. It is the first and last reported instance of Baker asking for understanding. There were widespread reports, however, of Baker proudly proclaiming his slaughtering of two lives. He brags he has killed two men in the ring and he’s looking for a third. He seems to glory in the fan’s hatred. By this time, his joy may be genuine. Deranged, but genuine. Baker may be the psychological product of the wrestling fans. They deemed him a killer and he couldn’t change their opinions. Striking back at them, he became worse than they expected. If they conceived of him as an unfeeling killer, he’d pretend to want to be a mass murderer. He dared them to think he was worse than he pretended to be. If they hated him, he’d hate them worse ! Again and again over the years Baker has behaved more cruelly than the fans could imagine. He flaunts his Savagery in front of them. He dares them to tolerate his presence. It’s the only way he can keep a sense of control over his personality. Baker is afraid that the crowd will tell him what kind of person he is. He finds it impossible to behave like a rational human being when they shout at him. Yet he’s afraid to be the man they believe him to be. People are telling him he’s a killer and a maniac. He starts behaving in the way people tell him to behave. However he, he becomes terrified when he realizes he’s only the reflections of people’s opinions.: there’s is no center of himself. He has two choices. One he can be the opposite of what people think he is; an almost impossible task for a public person. Often it leads to nervous breakdowns. The only other choice Baker has is to lead the people’s opinion of him. Whatever the fans think he will try to be worse. No matter what the fans think , Baker will show them he’s even worse ! Unfortunately, Baker doesn’t realize he’s being driven-he’s not the driver. In the end, its the fans who are making him do what he does. He is their unknowing slave. He is forced by their image of him to get worse and worse. It’s doubtful even Ox Baker knows who he is at this point. So long the pawn of fans misconceptions, his real personality is either destroyed or buried under dangerous neuroses. The fans hate Ox Baker , unhappily, Baker is the man fans forced him to be.
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Post by captaincold on Dec 26, 2008 8:29:45 GMT -5
NAMES MAKING NEWS Bill Apter Inside Wrestling October 1983 Ric Flair seems to be shifting his attention from regaining the NWA World Title to capturing the US Title. " Sure I want the NWA title back", Flair said, " but there will be time for that. Right now I've got something else on my mind" That something is a remark U.S Champion Greg Valentine made about Ric Flair after Flair lost the NWA World Title to Harley Race in St. Louis in June. " He laughed at me and said I was beaten by an old man," Flair said. "He said I was never worthy of wearing the belt and that a prelim wrestler could have beaten me that night." Not long ago, Flair and Valentine were good friends. But their relationship was never the same after the two men met in an NWA title match a few months back that began as a scientific encounter and ended as a brawl. "He can say what he likes about me for now', Flair said, " But when I win his U.S Title, he's going to look awfully foolish." Roddy Piper making his comeback from a serious ear injury suffered at the hands of Valentine, has vowed his support for Flair!"He's a very welcome addition to to Piper's Palace," Roddy said with a smile. Here's a shocking piece of news. Fans in the Mid-South area have added Hacksaw Butch Reed to their most hated list!, here's why: The fans were asked to choose which wrestler they would like to see team up with the Junkyard Dog for a match against Mid-South tag team champions Mr Olympia and Ted Dibiase. Through their applause as each man entered the ring, the fans were asked to select from among Hacksaw Duggan,Mr Wrestling II, Chavo Guererro, and Reed. After the fans chose Duggan, all the other wrestlers gave the team their blessings-all but Reed. Reed went public with his anger during a television interview. "I cannot believe the fans didn't choose me!" he shouted "I am in this area to get to the top, and If I cannot get matches against certain champions I'm going to go after others" At that point Reed shocked everyone by saying " I want to rassle Junkyard Dog for the north American belt. He's been avoiding me since I got here." JYD, who had been listening to Reed's tirade came on the set and slapped Butch in the face. " You ungrateful rat!" Dog exclaimed. "How could you talk bad about the Dog? I was the one who scouted you and told you the promoters to bring you to the area. if it wasn't for me you wouldn't be here!" Fists started flying, and it took a dozen wrestlers to separate the two men. Just before press time Reed announced he was joining the Rat Pack. Bruiser Bob Sweetan charges that Tully Blanchard used brass knuckles to take his southwest championship. Predictably, Tully's new manager Chris Love, denies the allegation. "Strictly a scam by Sweetan and the press to discredit my wrestler," Love said. Now that his claw hand has fully healed, Blackjack Mulligan is back in Florida and seeking revenge against Angelo Mosca and Bobby Duncum, the men who inflicted the injury.....Bob Backlund was lucky to hold on to his WWF title in a recent defense against Sgt Slaughter at Madison Square Garden. After taking a severe beating throughout the match, Backlund was counted out on the ring apron while applying the chicken wing. Slaughter's manager The Grand Wizard, claims that Backlund was on the verge of defeat and allowed the referee to count him out so he could save his title.... Mil Mascaras has arrived in Texas World Class Wrestling area and is seeking matches against The Freebirds,-Michael Hayes , Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts. Just a few days after taking the NWA World title from Ric Flair, Harley Race made is first defense, wrestling Kevin Von Erich before a sellout crowd at the Reunion Arena in Dallas. During the match, Kevin sustained a very bad injury to his left shoulder. When Race began to focus his attack on the injury, David Von Erich came to the ring and demanded that Referee David Manning stop the match. But Kevin refused to surrender. Moments later, David once again implored David Manning to halt the action. After Race was declared the winner, he and David exchanged heated words touching off a fistfight that took several wrestlers to halt. Kevin bitterly disappointed that the match was stopped, is not angry with his brother. " David did it for my own good," Kevin said. "I have had a bad shoulder since my football days in school. David knows this and he didn't want to see me hurt. "I really think I could have continued and beaten Race, but I cant go back and cry over that now." That's all for now, see you at the matches
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Post by LWPD on Dec 26, 2008 17:23:50 GMT -5
A fun series of articles. Thanks for the trips down memory lane Todd
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Post by TTX on Dec 26, 2008 17:33:27 GMT -5
Definitely enjoying them.
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Post by captaincold on Dec 26, 2008 22:55:00 GMT -5
Thanks here's some more News From The Wrestling Capitals Inside Wrestling October 1983 Toronto, Canada By Don Smeltzer Ric Flair vs. Greg Valentine Valentine was brutal in his attack on Flair, working relentlessly on his right leg. Valentine grabbed his opponents leg from outside the ring and slammed it repeatedly into the steel ringpost. once the leg was weakened, Valentine applied the figure four leglock and attempted to make Flair submit.. Flair escaped and surprised everyone-especially Valentine-by brawling his way to a come from behind win. Other Bouts: Magnificent Muraco beat Rocky Johnson...Leo Burke defeated Johnny Weaver...Mike Rotundo beat Dory Funk Jr....Kelly Kiniski defeated Nick Decarlo...The Executioner beat Joe Marcus...Billy Red Lyons defeated Tim Gerrad...Bob Marcus beat Alec Girad[/center] Lexington,Kentucky By Mike Bottoms Ken Patera vs. Jimmy Valiant It was an unorthodox battle, featuring a brawling fan favorite against a rulebreaker who uses strength and wrestling skills. Patera managed to power out of Valiant's sleeperhold and caught Jimmy off-guard with his own sleeper. The Boogie Woogie Man punched and gouged his way out of Patera's grasp, but was disqualified when he used a length of steel chain on his opponent Other Bouts: Jerry Lawler defeated Bill Dundee...Bobby Eaton and Duke Meyers beat the Fabulous Ones...Stagger Lee beat the Ace Of Spades....Porkchop Cash defeated Terry Taylor...Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson drew with the Grapplers...Dutch Mantell beat Jimmy Hart and Jim Cornette...Steve O and Mad Dog defeated The Galaxians...Joyce Grable defeated Penny Mitchell[/center] White Plains, New York By Seth Lerner Magnificent Muraco vs. Jimmy Snuka WWF Intercontinental titleholder Muraco had more than his share of difficulty with the Superfly. Snuka held a slight edge throughout much of the match. A test of strength excited the fans, yet proved indecisive. Muraco attempted to finish off Snuka with the Fiji's natives favorite maneuver, a dive from the top rope. Snuka managed to lift knees off the canvas, however, and Muraco took the full force in the abdominal area. Snuka followed with a series of dropkicks and karate thrusts, which sent Muraco back to the dressing room. Snuka won the bout with Muraco keeping the title due to the countout. Other Bouts: Salvatore Bellomo defeated Pete Doherty...Baron Mikel Scicluna beat Barry Hart
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Post by captaincold on Dec 29, 2008 20:37:08 GMT -5
WHAT’S HAPPENING BILL APTER THE WRESTER OCTOBER 1977 THE SENSATIONAL HIGH FLYERS.” Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell, have won the AWA tag team championship from Bobby Duncum and Blackjack Lanza. After they failed to win the belts in several attempts, Greg and Jim went into strict training, ironed out their flaws, and finally succeeded! This as our main goal” said Greg. “ We have been after these tag team belts for over a year and a half .” “ Now that we have them” added Brunzell, “ we can assure everyone that we will keep the title out of the hands of Bobby Heenan’s family!” Down in Florida, Pat Patterson and his newly found tag team partner, Ivan Koloff, won the state tag team championship from Jack and Jerry Brisco....Koloff now holds three-yes three-title’s! He owns the European Heavyweight championship, the southern state belt and of course, half of the tag team title with Patterson. The NWA singles is next on his list. ...Mike McCord has returned to the mat wars full time, and he says, “ I have never felt better. I have completely recovered from injuries I received in the airplane accident. There is no stopping me now.” We wish you the best , Mike! One of the most stunning upsets in history took place when untested rookie, Rick Steamboat, whipped Ric Flair to take the Mid Atlantic Television title Flair claims there was a “fast count from the referee-Steamboat’s uncle!”...The Mid Atlantic championship( not to be confused with the TV title) is now in the hands of Greg Valentine while Greg and Ric hold the area tag belts....Rock” Mr. Wonderful” Riddle appeared as a singing wrestler on the new TV show “Fernwood Tonight”...I would hate to be in the shoes of the man who stole Andre The Giant’s suitcase. Andre was robbed of several thousand dollars cash and his street clothes! The Giant is burning mad we pity the thief if Andre catches up with him! Mil Mascaras made a brief appearance in Florida, teaming several times with rookie Skip Young Skip, who has a style similar to Mascaras says, “ Idolize Mil. He is a great wrestler and he is a great man to pattern yourself after. “Mil adds, Skip Young will be a top notch wrestler in a few years”...Superstar Billy Graham: “I am sick and tired of all the fans saying I robbed Bruno Sammartino of his title. I pinned his shoulders right in the middle of the ring. If you don't believe me, just ask my manager, Mr. Honesty, The Grand Wizard!” Keep your eyes on Young Tully Blanchard, son of ex-wrestling great “Joltin” Joe Blanchard( a superbly conditioned veteran who still wrestles on occasion). Young Tully is showing signs of becoming a future champion! World Wide Wrestling Federation vs. National Wrestling Alliance vs. American Wrestling Association: The Superbowl Of Wrestling may finally become reality. Executives of the WWWF and NWA are busy trying to come to terms for a match between their respective champions, Superstar Graham and Harley Race. The winner would go on to grapple AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel. We’ll have updates and a full feature in an upcoming magazine. Blackjack Mulligan is running and Bobo Brazil is chasing him. Bobo wants Blackjack’s United States Title in the worst way....Bob Backlund, the man who is in demand all over the world, has told WWWF officials that he will not wrestle in the are much longer unless they stop the conspiracy aimed at him by several wrestlers and managers in the federation. “ I am tired of wrestling preliminary bouts in the WWWF!” claims Bobby. “ I want the best the federation has to offer or forget it!” Bob adds that Superstar Graham is the man he wants to wrestle most of all....Ernie Ladd is the new reigning Florida Champion after a controversial decision over Dusty Rhodes....The Sheik flatly refuses to sign for a rematch against Tony Atlas, Atlas, who held his own against the Sheik and was disqualified along with the wild arab, says he can “pin the Sheik in less than 10 minutes!” NWA President Eddie Graham is thinking of resigning from the executive post. In an exclusive interview with THE WRESTLER, Graham said “ I guess desk jobs are not for me. I want to wrestle on a regular basis again and I cannot do that while I’m NWA President”....According to reliable sources, Buddy Rogers(holder of the NWA title and first WWWF Champion) is planning a secret comeback. We cannot reveal full details at this time, but if you’ were a fan of Roger’s and would like to see him attempt a comeback, drop him a note in care of THE WRESTLER. ...Dick Slater claims he was vacationing in Virginia when he was approached by a fan. “She told me she was related to Paul Jones and showed me a letter Jones sent her. He wrote telling her he had pinned me 50 times and now holds the Georgia title. I always said Jones was a liar and proves my point. The title is MINE and I will be damned if Jones will ever bee the one to take it from me!” And that’s what happening! see you next month
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Post by captaincold on Jan 12, 2009 18:18:00 GMT -5
The Morgenstein Report PWI May 1980 Albano Impaled On His Own TreacheryWell, Lou Albano took one step too large recently, and he lost. More than a fat body, big mouth, and a rubber band around the beard makes a great manager, Albano . When you bought Pat Patterson's contract from the The Grand Wizard, you never considered that Patterson might have to be legally consulted before the deal could be finalized. Not that you ever intended to manage Patterson. Your assault, in tandem with the Samoans, proved that. But you made the Wizard look stupid. Though he may insist it doesn't bother him, The Grand Wizard doesn't like to look stupid. Better watch your rear Albano. New AWA ChampionBy the middle of 1980, Ted Dibiase will be the AWA champion. Ted is frustrated and angry. He felt he should have received a title shot against Bob Backlund. That's why he left the WWF. Now he will probably move into the AWA and meet Nick Bockwinkel. But Bockwinkel is slowing down. Years of nightly title defenses wear a man down. He is ripe for defeat. Dibiase has the talent and heated determination to topple Bockwinkel. Valentine To Wrestle Snuka ?Say what you will about Greg Valentine, he has his loyalties, no matter how few they may be. Though Valentine is puzzled, and a little alarmed over buddy Ric Flair's involvement with Mid Atlantic scientific wrestlers, he still considers his blond pal a friend. Thus Jimmy Snuka's ruthless attacks on Flair have infuriated Valentine. On the surface, Valentine and Snuka seem to share a common trait: villainy. But Valentine wants to punish Snuka. Without manager Buddy Rogers , Snuka is direction less,making his volatility more dangerous. A Snuka - Valentine bout might be one of the bloodiest in Mid Atlantic History. Humperdink A Threat To Florida One man, a manager, seems to hold the key to the very future of Florida wrestling. That man is bearded Sir Oliver Humperdink, whose cunning sadism has maneuvered two of his wrestlers into important titles. Leroy Brown as Southern Heavyweight champ and Bugsy Mcgraw as Florida TV champion. I know Humperdink. He's a desperately ambitious man. He will not allow his men to be dethroned. Either the opponents will pay or his own men will. That sort of lethal philosophy is repugnant to all the morals of wrestling Sammartino's Future What's next for Bruno Sammartino ? A casual observer may conclude the living legend has accomplished all there is in pro wrestling. Twice, he has won the WWF championship. He may be the most popular wrestler who ever lived, certainly in recent memory. His wise counsel is sought by many young wrestlers eager to learn the right way to wrestle. So what does the Living Legend do for an encore? According to a source close to Sammartino, he is disgusted by the recent trend in wrestling. He sees the proliferation of rulebreakers and tacit support given them by fans as posing a grave danger to the sport. Bruno is about to launch a new crusade to clean up wrestling. But that crusade wont be in the typical , bloody manner of other wrestlers. Bruno has an ingenious plan which will stun the likes of Blassie and Albano, then banish men like Hulk Hogan to the hinterlands.
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Post by captaincold on Jan 12, 2009 19:05:46 GMT -5
OFF THE TOP ROPE By Dan Shocket PWI May 1980 Notice: this column will print no more letters proclaiming the virtues of Rick Steamboat. Everyone knows what I think of the clumsy coward, and it seems I've read the idiotic drivel from every one of his fans. Enough. The fans of Rick Steamboat will have to find someone else to laugh over thier foolishness.Dear Wierd I think you are an obnoxius idiot saying what you do about good guys. Believe me, we have enough trouble in the world without you in it. Chief Jay Strongbow is the best around, and you insulted him. Anyway Mr. Slob, in that heart of yours (if you have one) , you probably like good guys as much as bad. So what do you think of that! Nyahhh!!! Dear Jimmy I think anyone who writes "Nyahhh!! has enough problems without me adding further insultDear Mr. Shocket I'd like to hear more on the Samoans. I saw them on television a few times and I think they're the best tag team i've ever seen. I know they will beat those punks, Ivan Putski and Tito Santana, for the WWF tag team title. I think Lou Albano should be proud of his team. He has another winning pair A Fan Silver Spring, MD Dear Mr Fan You're absolutely right. I wouldn't be surprised that by the time you read this, the Samoans are already champions. Lou Albano genius at developing tag teams has never been fully appreciated.In the decades to come, wrestling fans will recall Albano's teams as the golden era of tag team wrestling. As for Putski and Santana, they will soon be forgotten, which is the kindest thing they can expect from history.Dear Mr Shocket ( I think) You have put down scientific wrestlers long enough. I double dare you you to step into the squared circle with " Stardust" Dusty Rhodes you creep. If you dont chicken out, I would like an article and photographs of the match. Good luck if you accept the bout, you geek Don Theriault Washburn , ME Dear Mr. Theriault Living in Maine, I suppose you do get desperate for any reading matter, even a match between me and Rhodes. However I have a better idea. I challenge Dusty to write a coherent sentence without the words "baby" and "fans". I will be happily print his prose, or at least the photo of him trying to write it.Dear Mr Shocket We totally agreed with what you said about Jimmy Snuka deciding to become a winner. It was about time he went on to bigger and better things. Jimmy Snuka , we're really proud of you. We're probably your biggest fans. We like to see a guy who isn't afraid to stand up for himself. We just loved it when you practically broke Mr Wrestling's neck. You hurt him once, you hurt him twice, and we hope the third time you hurt him for good Sheba & Rai & Tasu Binningham Dayton, VA Dear Miss Rai & Binningham I share your appreciation of Snuka and disgust with Mr Wrestling. However, I think Jimmy has better things to do than waste his time on Mr Wrestling. The masked mediocrity has long cloaked his incompetence under the guise of nobility. While it's good for the sport to see him beaten, Mr Wrestling shouldn't be concern Snuka. Jimmy has titles to think about. he should leave Mr Wrestling to the brawlers, who know what to do to him
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