LES THATCHER'S BURNING ISSUES - PART TWO

                                          PART TWO - WHAT THE PUBLIC DIDN'T SEE

LES THATCHER related to me that those participating in the CHARLOTTE COLISEUM main event of September 4, 1967 met at the CROCKETT office on Morehead Street that same morning.

 Those present included LES, GEORGE BECKER (also the booker at the time), JOHNNY WEAVER, J.C. DYKES, both of THE INFERNOS (FRANKIE CAIN and ROCKY SMITH), GEORGE HARBEN, and 'BIG' JIM CROCKETT himself.

'BIG' JIM instructed HARBEN to make sure that by the time the main event started that evening, that all referees working the show (except ANGELO MARTINELLI, who was assigned the main event) were to be out of the building. This way no one would spot any other refs hanging around, thus spoiling credibility to HARBEN's ringside plea for LES to come to the ring to officiate the remainder of the match.

CROCKETT told LES to wear his very best suit and to be visible at the back of the COLISEUM arena, so word would reach LES to come to the ring when HARBEN called for him. "If your clothes get damaged or ruined during the match, I'll pay to replace them", CROCKETT would say.

Near the end of the first fall, referee MARTINELLI would be knocked down, injured, but able to count to three in favor of THE INFERNOS.

HARBEN would go to ANGELO's aid. Determining that the official could not continue, MARTINELLI would be helped to the dressing room. With no other ref available, HARBEN (without the use of a microphone) would call out for LES to come to the ring. The fans would actually become involved in the proceedings by relaying the message back to THATCHER, who then went to the ring and received instructions from HARBEN.

THATCHER would referee the second and third falls of the match, amidst the protests of DYKES and his two men. GEORGE and JOHNNY would even the match, winning the second fall. WEAVER would 'schoolboy' one of THE INFERNOS for the third fall victory. LES would raise GEORGE and JOHNNY's hands, who would then leave the ring and start for the dressing room.

LES was to drop back a bit, so before he could leave the ring, he would be accosted by the sore losers. A little scuffle would ensue climaxing with DYKES igniting THATCHER's face with a fireball. LES would hit the mat, screaming in pain, and BECKER and WEAVER would jump back into the ring. GEORGE was to run off the 'heels' (their dastardly deed fulfilled), and WEAVER (who had conveniently worn a towel around his neck for the match) would wrap it around the burnt youngster's face and help him back to the dressing room.

RUDY KAY

---

Once inside the dressing room, LES wouldn't even take the time to change his clothes. He would cover his head and slip out the back of the COLISEUM, where RUDY KAY would be waiting in his automobile. LES would slouch down on the floorboard of the back seat, and RUDY was to quickly drive LES home to the THATCHER apartment.

One more detail to cover---the hired ambulance drivers who would be at the COLISEUM in case they would really be needed during the evening. WEAVER was assigned the task of telling the ambulance guys that THATCHER had a 'phobia' with ambulances, and that GEORGE and JOHNNY would take LES to the hospital themselves, thus relieving the medics of participating. The medical personnel could not be involved, in order to 'protect the business'.

"That's how meticulous the program was laid out...every detail was taken care of," LES said.

NEXT...PART THREE - SELLING THE PROGRAM

LES THATCHER'S BURNING ISSUES - PART ONE

                                                 PART ONE - WHAT THE PUBLIC SAW

"It was one of the highlights of my entire career."

GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER were the top 'babyface' team in JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS for most of the 1960s.

J.C. DYKES and THE INFERNOS, on the flipside, were one of the top 'heel' teams during the late 1960s.

And, somehow, not by sheer happenings or fate, a twenty-seven year-old wrestler, who had recently been named the ROOKIE OF THE YEAR while working in the NWA Florida territory, found himself in the middle of a top JCP wrestling program that stretched over a nearly four month time frame.

This young man was LES THATCHER.

The year was 1967. It was the annual LABOR DAY WRESTLING card in CHARLOTTE, N.C., one of but a handful of shows held each year at the original CHARLOTTE COLISEUM on Independence Boulevard.

GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER

THE INFERNOS with J.C. DYKES
---
The main event that night featured BECKER and WEAVER going against THE INFERNOS, managed by J.C. DYKES. These two teams had a violent history, so the fans expected this match to be something special.

Folks who remember this bitter rivalry will recall that a central issue with THE INFERNOS was the 'loaded boot' that one of them wore. Time after time, the boot would come into play in their matches with the end result often being their opponents being kicked into oblivion, giving the masked men many victories.

BECKER and WEAVER had vowed to remedy this problem, themselves being previous victims of the boot. And, indeed, they did take action. On the night of July 1, 1967, in WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (and maybe in other towns as well), GEORGE and JOHNNY were successful in removing the boot from the foot of THE INFERNO who wore it. Each subsequent time the heroes had faced DYKES and his men, BECKER had worn the boot himself as an equalizer.

The CHARLOTTE match started out as the fans had expected, which each team taking it to the other. Near the end of the first fall, referee ANGELO MARTINELLI was knocked down and shaken up, but able to make the count on the 'good guys', giving THE INFERNOS a one fall advantage.

ANGELO called for assistance. He couldn't continue. JCP employee GEORGE HARBEN went to the ring and rendered assistance to the injured MARTINELLI. After calling to the back for a replacement official, HARBEN learned that the other referees who had worked the card had already left the building.

LES THATCHER had already wrestled his match earlier and had already showered and changed to his street clothes. Seeing LES standing near the back of the arena, HARBEN signaled for THATCHER to come to the ring. After a brief discussion, LES removed his suit jacket and took over as the official for the remainder of the match.

Naturally, DYKES and THE INFERNOS protested, "He's a friend of BECKER and WEAVER. There's no way we will get a fair shake." The rantings and ravings fell on unsympathetic ears. THATCHER signaled for the bell, and the second fall began.

GEORGE and JOHNNY took fall number two, squaring the match.

The deciding fall immediately became hot and heavy. The end came quickly when one of the hooded heavies gave LES a shove. THATCHER got in the masked man's face, reminding him he was an official and was not to be touched. At this point, WEAVER 'schoolboyed' THE INFERNO, LES counted to three, and the match was over.

LES raised BECKER and WEAVER's hands in victory. GEORGE and JOHNNY left the ring, with LES closely behind them. But THATCHER was stopped by the sore losers who were claiming LES stole the match from them. A bit of a rhubard started, then suddenly THE INFERNOS grabbed the substitute referee, and J.C. DYKES incinerated THATCHER's face with a fireball.

LES hit the mat, rolling around, screaming in anguish. GEORGE and JOHNNY ran back into the ring, DYKES and THE INFERNOS ran out of the ring (their damage had been done). WEAVER wrapped a towel around THATCHER's face, and he and BECKER got LES back to the dressing room.

Only time would tell how badly LES was injured and how long he would be out of action.

NEXT...PART TWO - WHAT THE PUBLIC DIDN'T SEE

(Some of the photos featuring LES THATCHER are from his personal collection and used with his permission.)

IVAN KOLOFF

 

CAROLINA CAT FIGHT

 

BELLE STARR makes her point to the hot crowd.

BARBARA and BELLE go at it while referee ANGELO MARTINELLI looks on.

BELLE got a kick out of this.

While just about every section of the country and every town in that section claims that they have the most rabid wrestling fans, few will argue the claim that the loudest and wildest of them all come from the Carolinas. What makes these fans so? Well, those wild and woolly matches that they are presented with week after week could be the reason.

A recent match between 'Blonde Venus' BARBARA NICHOLS and the saucy brunette, BELLE STARR, was an occasion for rejoicing as these two gals just plain don't like each other, and when they climbed through the ropes to do battle, the sparks really flew.

As actions and pictures speak louder than words - we will let the photos tell the story.

From a 1969 WRESTLING REVUE article by Gene Gordon.

JAY YOUNGBLOOD AND JAKE ROBERTS

 

from Scott Teal

 

I MISS MY CROCKETT WRESTLING

                                                     I know that nothing can last forever.

While we have certain things, we tend to take them for granted. These things can range from cars, houses, school to family members, friends, etc.

After they are gone, we must rely on our memories, talking with others, and in some cases, recorded images of the things we hold close to our hearts.

Throughout the years, I have taken a good bit of criticism from some folks for being a fan of professional wrestling.

"Why do you like that stuff?"

I have been asked that question more than once.

My blow-off answer is usually something like, "I guess the same reason you love NASCAR or the NFL or college basketball. Most of us all have the same emotions. We choose to direct them at different things."

And since I was eight years old, wrestling has been a part of my life, and I have never regretted it.

I do regret what has happened to the wrestling business over the last forty+ years, that the business today is, for the most part, controlled by one or two individuals. That the workers of today don't have the established territories of years ago to improve their talents (yes, there are indie promotions out there, but it isn't the same as going from JIM CROCKETT to EDDIE GRAHAM to DORY FUNK SR.)

And for everyone who is affected negatively by the business as it exists today, I am saddened.

But, nothing can last forever.

Below are photos of some of the folks who were fortunate enough to work in the 'heyday' of the business.

LES THATCHER battles BULL RAMOS at CHARLOTTE'S PARK CENTER.

This match was in 1968. (The referee is ANGELO MARTINELLI.)

ABE JACOBS has the upper hand on THE GREAT BOLO.

(At least, for the time being.)

TEX McKENZIE battles GENE KINISKI for the NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.

(I witnessed one such encounter of these two at the original CHARLOTTE COLISEUM. KINISKI took two falls of three to remain champ.)

PENNY BANNER and THE FABULOUS MOOLAH battle it out.

(In my opinion, the top two women wrestlers of their era.)

'Young Lion' PAUL DEMARCO slams BRONCHO LUBICH

(Referee SAM 'Lucky' ROBERTS observes.)

NELSON ROYAL gets tangled up in his work, with RIP HAWK's help, at CHARLOTTE's PARK CENTER.

TONI ROSE is whipped into the corner by JUDY GRABLE.

Man, I wish I had a time machine.

THE ROAD WARRIORS

 

SALUTING CROCKETT STARS

 One would have to go back sixty-five or more years to remember all of these superstars who     appeared in JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS...Reluctantly, I admit I am one who qualifies...

RAMON and ENRIQUE TORRES

TONY GAREA

JOHNNY VALENTINE

SKULL MURPHY

THUNDERBOLT PATTERSON

TEX McKENZIE

BLACK BART