Killer
I was remiss in not mentioning the passing of Killer Kowalski on August 30th. Most kids growing up in the ’60’s will recall the flickering, grainy black and white images of professional wrestling on the tube. It was the sort of thing your mom would turn off if she caught you watching it. Kowalski, Bobo Brazil, Crusher and Bruiser, those guys rocked.
The choreography in the ’60’s was the same as today, I guess, except for the unscripted nut shots. Those old-timers loved to punch a guy in the sack, especially if the puncher was scripted to lose. Good times.
I lost interest in professional wrestling once Roller Derby hit the boob tube. There was something about watching chicks yank hair, eye gouge, and generally beat the snot out of each other that appealed to my prepubescent self. Sadly, I confess, it still does. But you have to consort with some pretty shady characters to see that kind of action these days. I have some phone numbers if you’re interested, though.
During the summers spent on the Weekie Wachie river, I was exposed to some neighbor kids who watched wrestling. It was a passing interest to know who Dusty Rhodes was, but my mom did not approve of it; those trashy kids!
Besides, I had plenty of daily practice in my house. 8 kids in 1250 sq.ft. of living space made for many a Friday Night Fight Club scenes.
In the Chicago area there was Bob Luce Wrestling on one of the UHF stations – 26, 44? I’m thinking late 70’s, early 80’s.
It was in no way as polished as the productions now – and I say that as a compliment. They made up a persona, DIY’ed the act to go with it, then went out to wrestle.
It’s been a while since I’ve watched WWE, since the last time I watched it, it was more like the “stories” (soap operas) my mother watched to kill her afternoon than an actual wrestling show.
We’re lucky to have a regional league that tours (Midwest Wrestling?), and once a year it hits a local cigar store. It’s Old School, and the guys put their hearts into it.
Whatever happened to Leaping Larry Shane ? Must have been around 1961 or 1962. Channel 7 in Detroit.It was fun for “Us Girls” to….as we were only 12 or so.
Toni
Moose Cholak. He was the man.
Remember the ads for Ben’s Auto Sales?