New book on Mid-Atlantic Wrestling history!

The legends of
TV Wrestling!

All Star Wrestling

Harley Race

Wahoo McDaniel

Ernie Ladd!

Johnny Weaver

The Horsemen!

Dusty Rhodes

Magnum TA

George 'Two Ton' Harris

Tim Woods

Jimmy Garvin

Brute Bernard

Johnny Valentine

Nature Boy

Arn Anderson

The New Breed

Johnny Hunter

Terry Funk

Diamond Dan and Hoss

Rick Link

Bingham Brothers

... and more in John Hitchcock's
decades spanning look at
Mid-Atlantic Wrestling!

1970's TV shows on DVD
1960's TV Shows on DVD

Ghosts from Wrestling Past

Times were tough for the old WCW in the late-eighties, it seemed that most of the quality wrestlers left or were fired.

It was a real bitch to be a wrestling fan and Greensboro 's crowds started to drop off. I had gone to Baltimore one last time and watched first hand the destruction of the great Mid-Atlantic territory. This was the infamous show where Ric Flair left for the WWF and I watched a stunningly bad championship match with Lex Luger verses Barry Windom. This was a show that is still considered by most fans as the worst show ever and I was witness to a lot of fan hatred and a promotion who really didn't give a shit.

Security was really going nuts trying to locate and destroy all the negative signs in the crowd. Always remember that at the start of a show, the announcer would ask everyone to hold up their signs to 'see how creative they are.' All they wanted to do was steal your sign.

 I snuck in a sign that said, "WE WANT FLAIR!" and hid it under Big Eddie. That sign really got the fans going when I stood on my chair and got the crowd chanting for the Nature Boy. I know this got over the noise sweetener because a lot of folks said they heard it on the pay for view.

There were two other memorable moments on this show. First, they had a lumberjack match and walking to ring side was P.N. News wearing a t-shirt and cut off pants. The guy looked like a wreak and as he stood there at ringside some guy yelled right into his face in an amazing Yankee accent and I quote, "NEWS, YOU FAT FUCK!"

 News just stood there in his flip-flop shoes like the fat fuck that he was and I laughed my ass off.

 Second, the next morning I witnessed at the bar Dusty Rhodes and David Crockett toasting and celebrating their freedom from Ric Flair. And I can tell you this, David Crockett looked at Dusty like he was his long lost girl friend with stars in his eyes. Which struck me as very creepy. These two guys were really happy that Flair was gone and it made me sick.

Note to readers, this is another reason why I hate Dusty Rhodes and you should too.

 At the next Greensboro card I got this brainstorm. The main event was going to be a cage match with five on five. This match had sinker written all over it. So this is what happened. When all these guys walked to the ring, we put bags on our heads. Not just any bags but bags with the name of all the great talent that was gone from the promotion. These bags had the following names written on them. Flair, Blanchard Arn Anderson, Hawk, Animal, Jim Cornette, Stan Lane , Bobby Eaton, Steamboat, Buzz Sawyer and a few others I can't remember but you get the drift.

Then I held up a large sign that said, "GHOSTS FROM WRESTLING PAST!"

We then all began moaning like ghosts haunting the Coliseum.

I think I was under the Arn bag.

 When Kevin Sullivan and Sting came out they totally lost it laughing. Sullivan just took a look and screamed laughing,

 "That's Funny! That's Great!"

 Then Tom Zenk walked over shook my hand and said, "Come on guys, Get Serious! This is wrestling!"

I think that was the most entertaining thing Zenk ever did in his career.

The match was a laugh fest, as the guys couldn't keep a straight face the whole thing.

I wonder what all the marks thought of this?

Yeah, like who cares?

The other really cool thing that happened was when Black Bart finished his match, he rolled out of the ring and said directly to us, "Aaaahh, Cold Beer!"

 Words that the big man really believed in.

Next:
Jerry Allen and the WWF

Return to Front Row Section D

TV Shows on DVD
Holiday Specials on DVD
TV Commercials on DVD

Local Kid Shows / Movie Stars on TV / Saturday Morning Shows / Video Vault / TV Goodbyes / Fabulous Fifties / Unseen Scenes / Game Shows / Requested Forgotten TV Shows / The Super Sixties / The New * * Shows / 1980's Wrestling / TV Blog

Classic TV on the Internet!

TV Wrestling on DVD / 1980's Wrestling / Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes & Baby Doll / Superman on DVD / Batman on DVD / The Flash on DVD / Super Friends on DVD / 1950's TV / 1960's TV / 1970's TV / TV Games / Honey Boo Boo / Lucy Shows / Classic Cars / John Wayne / Gene Roddenberry / Star Wars / KISS / Lancelot Link / Saturday Morning Cartoons / The Magic Garden / Wonder Woman / Classic Comic Books / Andy Griffith / Cher / TV Shows on DVD / Outtakes & Bloopers / 1967 TV Shows / Romper Room / ABC Movie of the Week / The Goldbergs / Daws Butler Commercials / Saturday Morning Commercials / Captain Kangaroo / Chicago Local Kiddie Shows / Boston Local TV / Philly Local TV / NYC Local Kid Shows / Amos 'n' Andy / Electric Company / Bette Davis / Judy Garland / Christmas Specials / Redd Foxx / Good Times / Sitcom Houses / What's Happening! / Winky Dink & You / Sonny & Cher / Smothers Brothers / Commercial Icons of the 1960s / Soupy Sales / TV Terrorists / Irwin Allen / The Untouchables / Carol Burnett Show / Celebrity Commercials / Rudolph / Movie Posters / DC Comics on DVD & More!